Travel to Finland — everything you need to know
When to go to Finland?
- June – August — White Summer : A short but beautiful season: sunlight until 11 pm, blue lakes, festivals (including Flow Festival in Helsinki), and hikes in Lapland without mosquitoes. Temperatures reach 20–26°C in Helsinki.
- December – March — Lapland Winter : Rovaniemi and Santa Claus, magnificent northern lights, snowmobile safaris and reindeer sleigh rides. A winter experience unlike anywhere else in Europe.
Weather in Finland
Check the weather city by city, starting with Helsinki.
- Helsinki: daytime highs from -1 to 22 °C depending on the season, 54 mm of rain per month on average.
- Rovaniemi (Laponie): daytime highs from -6 to 21 °C depending on the season, 53 mm of rain per month on average.
What to do in Finland?
Finland is the 'land of a thousand lakes' (there are actually 188,000 of them) and deep forests. Helsinki, the northernmost capital in the EU, is a design-driven, multicultural city. In Lapland, Rovaniemi (the official hometown of Santa Claus) and Saariselkä offer Europe's best northern lights and snowmobile safaris. Sauna is a fundamental part of the country's culture.
Helsinki — Nordic design and islands
Helsinki is a compact, elegant capital on the Baltic Sea: Kallio with its trendy bars and galleries, the Design District, the white Lutheran cathedral on Senate Square, Vanha Kauppahalli market hall, and islands reached by ferry such as Suomenlinna, a UNESCO fortress. A city with room to breathe.
Highlights : Suomenlinna — UNESCO sea fortress on an island, Löyly Sauna — public sauna with a dip in the Baltic Sea, Helsinki Design Museum — Finnish design (Marimekko, Iittala), Kauppatori market and harbour — smoked herring and fresh berries.
Rovaniemi — Santa Claus Village
Rovaniemi is officially Santa Claus's home according to the United Nations — Santa Claus Village lies exactly on the Arctic Circle. But beyond the myth, it is the capital of Lapland: a base for northern lights viewing, snowmobile safaris, snowshoeing in pine forests, and expeditions into nearby national parks.
Highlights : Santa Claus Village — right on the Arctic Circle, Snowmobile safari through the Lapland forest, Northern lights from the countryside (Sept–Mar), Reindeer sleigh ride with a Sámi herder.
Lake Saimaa — Canoeing and nature
Lake Saimaa is Finland's largest lake and Europe's fourth largest: its maze of 14,000 islands is a paradise for canoeing and kayaking. The town of Savonlinna is home to the medieval Olavinlinna Castle, which hosts the Savonlinna Opera Festival in July — a one-of-a-kind setting. The Saimaa ringed seal, a freshwater seal, is a critically endangered endemic species.
Highlights : Canoeing on Lake Saimaa (3–7-day route, island to island), Medieval Olavinlinna Castle in Savonlinna, Savonlinna Opera Festival (July, in the castle courtyard), Saimaa ringed seal (Pusa hispida saimensis).
Turku Archipelago — A thousand Baltic islands
The Turku Archipelago is one of the largest in the world (20,000 islands and islets) and the southernmost inhabited part of Finland. Turku, the country's former capital, still has its medieval castle and 13th-century cathedral. The seasonal ferry route crosses the archipelago between Turku and Åland, stopping by dozens of inhabited islands.
Highlights : Turku Castle (13th c.) — Finnish history museum, Archipelago Trail by ferry (Turku → Åland) — unique scenery, Visit an archipelago farm — local cheese and smoked fish.
Travel budget for Finland
Finland is expensive, though slightly less so than the other Nordic countries. The 10–15€ lunch special (ravintola lunch) is an institution that keeps midday meals affordable. Supermarket chains such as K-Market and Alepa offer reasonable prices.
- Backpacker : 100–160 €/j — Hostel + lunch special + supermarket + public transport
- Comfort : 180–300 €/j — 3★ hotel + restaurants + guided excursions
Practical tips for travelling to Finland
- Flight from Paris : ~2h30 (Finnair direct CDG–Helsinki). SAS also flies via Stockholm. Many daily connections.
- Visa : No visa required — Schengen Area. A French national ID card is sufficient.
- Currency : Euro (€). Cards are accepted everywhere — contactless is universal. Cash is almost unnecessary.
- Language : Finnish (a language very different from other European languages). English is widely spoken everywhere. Swedish is also an official language.
- Electricity : Type C/F (European) — 230V. No adapter needed.
Compare Finland with other destinations