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Best time to visit Finland

The best time to visit Finland depends on what you want to do. The winter season from December to April is ideal for dog sledding and winter sports (go in February and March for more daylight), whereas the arrival of the spring in May sees the sun making a welcome return prior to the long, hot summer days from June to August.

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Best time to visit Finland

Summer days are glorious for hiking and kayaking – and this is when Finns holiday too.

As the days swing from eternal midsummer sunshine to December darkness, it’s clear that Finland is a land of extremes. Temperatures may soar to 30°C in summer and plummet to -30°C or lower in the Arctic winters. The big factor in deciding when to visit Finland is daylight – there’s not much of it in the winter, but that’s great if you want to see the Northern Lights, whilst early spring might be better for winter sports. December to April is the best time to visit Finland for winter sports and June to August is the best time to visit for a summer at the lakeshore.

Call us for the best time to go to Finland

A month by month guide on when to go to Finland

January in Finland

Coldest month

Aurora watching

Winter activities

Experiencing the coldest month of the year, Finland in January lies frozen in sub-zero temperatures. Ice hotels exist for the brave; saunas and log cabins for the sensible (cold weather gear provided). The sun doesn’t rise at the start of January, amplifying your chance of spotting the Northern Lights. This doesn’t mean it’s pitch black – the short days will have a soft, indirect light. The reliable snow means the start of active winter activities: cross country skiing and snowshoeing.

February in Finland

Snowy activities

Lengthening daylight

Cross country skiing

There’s great snow, and it’s cold, but the days are getting longer in Finland in February. The middle of February is a peak holiday season for skiing and Finns themselves might be on the slopes and trails in mid-February. But if you’re used to the Alps, you’ll be amazed at the Finnish definition of ‘busy’ – there’ll be very few people about. It’s a great month to go cross country skiing.

March in Finland

Peak time for snow activities

Equinox Northern Lights

Noticeably more daylight

The snow reaches its max depth in Finland in March, making it a fantastic season for cross country skiing, tour skating, husky sledding and snowshoeing. With enough daylight for longer outings, experienced sportspeople will be in their element. After dark, you’ve good chances to spot the Northern Lights around the equinox, when there’s the most geomagnetic disturbance from the sun. Down south, spring is arriving and small group Scandinavian Peninsula tours begin.

April in Finland

Last of the snow

Spring in the south

Cool temperatures

In Finland in April, snow lingers in the north while wildflowers emerge in the milder south. It’s a quiet month for visitors, but with the nice weather and expanding daylight has much to recommend it. Try a self drive holiday or rail tour from this month onwards. In Lapland, you can still cross country ski – with long days to do so. The average temperature in Helsinki will be 7°C; in Rovaniemi, it climbs above zero for the first time.

May in Finland

Summer season

Walking trips

Very quiet

Spring is springing in the south, but there’s still snow in the north. Finland in May is experiencing the true opening of summer season. It means small group tours are up and running, and the days start to stretch out – which is good for walking holidays that explore the lake fringes via paths and boardwalks. The first day of the month has been celebrated for millennia and is wonderfully festive time of year.

June in Finland

Midsummer festivities

Holiday season

Wildlife watching

June sees Finland celebrating midsummer, which it does with great aplomb and bonfires at log cabins. The midnight sun in the north makes for endless days: summer has come at last to Lapland – the snow will have gone, but it will leave it a bit muddy. It’s also the start of biting insect season. Go walking further south or spot wildlife in the taiga forest of Kainuu: moose, wolverine and bear.

June in Finland is a great time for our Finland wildlife short break.

My parents had a log cabin... My best memory is those hot summer days, diving and swimming from the rowing boat in the middle of the lake.

– Riitta Kiukas, founder of our partner Skafur-Tour

July in Finland

Local people on holiday

Lovely for outdoor activities

Mosquitos in Lapland

Finland in July is for celebrating. People retreat to their lakeside holiday cabins and there are lots of festivals. As Finland enjoys itself, join in – for cycling, hiking and kayaking. In Lapland’s ski resorts, mountain bikers use the ski routes (though beware of biting insects). July is the hottest month, sometimes reaching 30°C, but temperatures are normally a cool 21°C in Helsinki; the rest of the country not far below.

August in Finland

Berry picking

Hiking and cycling in Lapland

Quiet and warm

Local people are back to work, but you don’t have to be. It’s a wetter month, but the second warmest, so Lapland’s short summer window starts now and is over next month: it’s a good time to go cycling or walking up north (possibly taking one of the resident huskies along for its pre-season training). Tours across Finland in August may incorporate guided berry and mushroom picking.

September in Finland

Short autumn

Gorgeous colours

Less settled weather

Finland in September is experiencing a short autumn, which comes in a brief but beautiful burst of colour – yellow birch and larch trees, and red bilberry bushes. Dustings of snow might come to Lapland at any time from September onwards, and hiking and cycling in northern Finland is coming to a beautiful close. The Northern Lights can be viewed – especially around the equinox – but cloudy skies reduce your chances of seeing them.

October in Finland

Very quiet

Autumnal aurora trips

Good prices available

Finland in October is in its low season, so many tours and attractions are closed or have reduced hours. The summer warmth has ceased and the snow has not yet fallen. For most travellers, this is not the best time to visit Finland. It’s not often that travellers come for autumn Northern Lights viewing, but those who do have good chances to spot them in October.

November in Finland

Beginning of the winter tourist season

Quiet, cold and dark

Good snow at the end of the month

Finland in November is less snow-sure now, thanks to climate change, but this is the month when permanent snow cover comes, and when it does, it can completely transform the landscape. The tourist season begins in Lapland and not all trips run, but by the last week of the month you’ll find dog sledding and Northern Lights expeditions making the most of the encroaching darkness.

December in Finland

Family holidays

Cold, dark, snowy

Santa’s rather busy

This is an idyllic, festive time, especially in Lapland, where Santa lives. In Finland in December the sun nudges above the horizon for just a few twilit hours each day, but that doesn’t stop snowy activities like sledging with huskies. It’s very chilly, but it’s a wildly popular time to take the family on an activity or Northern Lights watching holiday – cold weather gear provided.

December is a good time for our Christmas or New Year in Finland holiday.

Helsinki Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

-10

-4

FEB

-10

-3

MAR

-6

APR

-1

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

-2

DEC

-7

-1

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Best times to visit Finland for festivals & events

Skabmagovat Film Festival (January)

The world’s northernmost Indigenous peoples’ film festival occurs every year, showing films in three venues, including a unique open-air snow theatre which is built entirely out of the stuff, from the walls to the screen. As well as feature films, there are documentaries, shorts and musical performances. It’s a fantastic way to celebrate the work of Indigenous artists in the Sámi capital of Finland.

Vappu (30 April)

The Finns celebrate the beginning of May, and spring, on the night before, the 30th April. Walpurgis Night – shortened to Vappu here – celebrates St Walpurga, an Anglo-Saxon Catholic saint from Devon, England. In Finland, it calls for a party. In the towns and cities there’s a carnival atmosphere. Mead and wine-swilling students enjoy revels, some starting as early as the week prior. Those still awake on May Day keep on celebrating with a picnic.

Summer solstice (mid-June)

Toast the midnight sun Finnish-style, with lakeside bonfires, cooking, drinking and sauna. Known as Juhannus, midsummer is celebrated on the Saturday between 20 and 26 June, and shops and businesses close early the day before so everyone can go out to their summer cabins and celebrate with their family and friends over a barbecue. Music festivals proliferate on the weekend too.

Tangomarkkinat (July)

As you’d expect, Finland hosts plenty of rock and heavy metal festivals – but also the Tangomarkkinat, the world’s biggest tango festival, in Seinajoki. Up to 100,000 people attend. There’s a televised tango singing competition, and competitions to find the best composers and dancers. Anyone can enter and strut their stuff, and the 'tango-free zone' still has plenty of rock for non-aficionados.

Wife Carrying World Championships (July)

“All participants must enjoy themselves” is one of the rules of Finland’s famous Wife Carrying World Championships. Believed to have originated in the 1800s, when men would steal women from villages, the contest has cleaned up its act, and the carried person can now be any gender. Contestants must tackle an obstacle course, ‘wife’ carried by piggyback, fireman’s carry or ‘Estonian style’ (upside down). A lighter wife is not necessarily an advantage; the prize for the winner is the wife’s weight in beer.

Savonlinna Opera Festival (July-August)

Taking place in the city’s 15th century castle, and running since 1912, 60,000 opera buffs from around the world now attend this acclaimed month-long festival in Savonlinna. The ancient stone courtyard makes an atmospheric auditorium, with lighting provided by the barely setting sun. A series of operas is elaborately staged – both Finnish operas and an international programme, with Finnish and English surtitles.

Helsinki Baltic Herring Market (early October)

The boats are in, their stands are out, and the tarpaulins are raised – no one can rain on (or rein in) the Baltic Herring Market. Helsinki’s version is said to have first been held in 1743, but there are markets across Finnish cities. Fishermen from the Finnish archipelago bring their products. Pickled herring features heavily, but the market has branched out to other foodstuffs too. An expert judging panel selects the best fish, based on flavour and mouthfeel. Marinade ingredients are a closely guarded secret.

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Our travellers also ask…

What is the best time to visit Finland in winter?

December is a popular time to visit Finland, but it’s very dark and cold, as is January. The best month of winter to visit Finland is often February – as you’ll have great snow and a bit more daylight for activities. March is even better.

Is December a good time to visit Finland?

Our travellers certainly think so. December is a very popular time of year to go to Finland, especially Lapland. There will be snow, and it will be very cold and very dark – the latter is great if you want to see the Northern Lights. It’s also the most proper time of year to see Santa, whose home is in Rovaniemi all year round.