For many visitors the best time to visit Finland is in the summer (June, July and August). The Midnight Sun means 24-hour daylight in the Finnish Lapland. In the South nights are short and days are long. Finns make the most of their short summers with hundreds of festivals and events, from tango competitions and rock festivals to mobile phone throwing contests.
The main holiday season in Finland is from Midsummer (late June) to the end of July, and Finnish cities can sometimes look eerily quiet as Finns head to their summer cottages for several weeks. Summer weather in Finland is usully the best in July with warm sunny days, temperatures around or above +25 °C, and mild nights.
Autumn in Finland
Autumn (September, October and November) is an excellent time to go hiking in Northern Finland and to enjoy the autumn colours, ruska. Mushroom picking is a very popular hobby and September is the best time to head to the forests to pick mushrooms or lingonberries. September days can be sunny and warm, and if you visit Helsinki and other Finnish cities in late August and early September you can enjoy beautiful weather and avoid the summer holiday crowds.
By the end of September nights get colder and days get shorter. October and November bring increasing darkness and rainy, cold days. As November comes to an end, Finns start to prepare for Christmas, and annual Christmas markets are held throughout December.
Winter in Finland
Finland’s winter means extremely cold temperatures (-30 °C or below especially in Lapland), lots of snow, short days and long nights. In the South winters can be relatively mild, although the winter 2010-2011 saw temperatures below -25 °C and a record amount of snow in Helsinki. Christmas is one of the most popular times to travel to the Finnish Lapland to visit Santa Claus. You might also be lucky enough see the Northern Lights in Lapland between November and March.
Lapland’s ski resorts enjoy a 6-month ski season with almost guaranteed snow from November to March. February is a busy time on the slopes as schools break for a week or two of ski holidays. If you are planning to travel to Finland in the winter, bring warm clothes and good winter boots, and enjoy skiing, snowboarding, dog sledge rides, reindeer safaris or ice-skating on frozen lakes.
The Finnish Spring
Spring (March, April and May) can be a fascinating time in Finland. Lapland’s ski season is still in full swing in March and April as the spring sunshine means beautiful skiing weather. In the South days are getting longer and by Easter most of Finland enjoys mild spring weather, although April can still be unpredictable and it may snow. If you are in Finland for the spring months, witnessing the nature turning pale green and the spring flowers blossoming after the long winter months can be a memorable experience.
Easter is a major holiday weekend in Finland. Another big spring festival is Vappu, the night of the 30th of April, a traditional student festival and a huge party around the country. The 1st of May is a national holiday. For more information about Finland’s seasons and to plan a trip, see the Visit Finland website.
