- A little about the weather
- Four Finnish seasons
- Colorful calendar
- Features of the ski season in Finland
- Visit Santa Claus
- Watching Aurora Bolearis
Little tourists, snowboarders and shopaholics will most likely answer the question of when is the best time to relax in Finland. The first dream of visiting a real Santa Claus, who, although he is called Santa Claus in Finland, is reputed to be just as kind and generous in gifts as his own, domestic Grandfather. Winter sports fans appreciate the Finnish ski resorts for their excellent technical equipment and unique freeride opportunities. Finally, sales, which invariably start in Helsinki and other cities of the country of Suomi after Christmas, allow you to buy inexpensively high-quality clothing and footwear, accessories and equipment for winter sports, which creates a lot of additional work for consular departments that issue visas to Finland for Russian tourists.
A little about the weather
If you look at a map of the world, Finland will be found on the Scandinavian Peninsula, which resembles a huge dog in its outlines, nestled in the northwest of Europe. Despite the fairly northern latitudes, the climate in the country is quite moderate and is characterized as transitional from maritime to continental. The formation of the weather is greatly influenced by warm Atlantic currents and westerly winds with frequent cyclones prevailing in the region.
Temperature indicators differ slightly depending on the region of the country, and if in the south of Finland in February the average values are about -6 ° С, then in Lapland it is already -14 ° С. In July, in the north, too, 14 degrees, but already with a plus sign, and in the southern regions, mercury columns quite confidently reach the mark of + 17 ° C. However, intense heat in Helsinki and other cities also happens, and thermometers record + 30 ° С at the height of summer quite often.
Four Finnish seasons
When choosing the best time to relax in Finland, determine for yourself what you expect from the vacation. Here you can have a great vacation in any season, if you know everything about the peculiarities of the weather:
- Winter begins already in November, when snow cover is established in the north of the country. It can last up to four months, and the air temperature during this period, depending on the region and time, is ready to drop even to –30 ° С.
- Spring in the country of Suomi is very short, and even in April there is still snow in some places. Normal spring weather occurs in the first half of May, when the sun begins to warm up, and thermometers show + 10 ° С and even + 15 ° С.
- Summer comes into its own closer to mid-June, when daylight hours increase indefinitely, and morning dawn replaces evening dawn quickly and imperceptibly. The air temperature in Lapland in summer rarely rises above + 15 ° C, but residents of the south often enjoy warmth and even 30-degree heat.
- Finnish autumn gives a lot of delight to fans of bright colors, photographers and artists. The hills bloom in all shades of yellow and crimson, and it is at this time that tourists take hiking trips in the national parks. In autumn, fans of mushroom hunting and collecting organic berries come to the country. The average air temperature in September-November in Finland is from + 3 ° С to + 15 ° С.
Every season is rich in holidays, fairs and festivals, so when planning the best time to relax in Finland, check the schedule of cultural events.
Colorful calendar
One of the main holidays that fall at the end of June is called Johannus, or Midsummer's Day. Its arrival marks the beginning of a warm summer and the onset of the holiday season. At the same time, in Lapland and other northern regions, the time of white nights starts, and the midnight sun becomes the most important element and participant of Midsummer's Day. The main Finnish traditions on this day are festive bonfires and going to the sauna. You can take part in fishing, boating, outdoor barbecues and fortune telling. If you are planning to organize a wedding in Finland, Johannus is also perfect for you.
The Autumn Carnival of Colors in Finland takes place annually in the second half of September. Golden autumn here is called "ruska" and it is characterized by exuberant colors and a special attraction of the dull and even modest Finnish nature for the rest of the time. It was at the time of Ruska that the Kaamos jazz festival was held in Lapland, announcing the arrival of the long polar night.
In winter, at the time of Christmas, the time of festive fairs begins, and their main feature is the aroma of mulled wine, called in Finnish "glögi". At this time, you can come to Finland to enjoy the atmosphere of festive comfort, taste gingerbread cookies, and buy various cute little things for your home. And also winter is the aurora borealis and visits to Santa's residence, not far from which the reindeer racing championship is held in the city of Inari in winter.
The main spring holiday is called Vapunpäivä among the Finns and is celebrated on May 1. Earlier on this day, ritual bonfires were burned to scare away evil spirits. Modern residents of Suomi remember their youth on the day of spring and gather at the Market Square in Helsinki and in the center of other cities. The main feature of Vapunpäivä is bright costumes and a cheerful mood.
Features of the ski season in Finland
Residents of Suomi spend more than six months annually in sub-zero temperatures and snow captivity, and therefore they had to learn how to benefit from this. About a hundred ski resorts offer trails of various difficulty levels, free backcountry skiing, jumps and snow parks to fans of an active lifestyle.
The season in Finnish resorts begins at the end of October, when reliable snow cover is already established in the northernmost latitudes. The peak of skiing comes in February, but right up to the May holidays, true lovers of snowboarding and skiing continue to iron the slopes of the Finnish mountains and hills.
Do not be afraid that daylight hours at the height of the season in these latitudes are very short! The organizers of the resorts compensate for the lack of daylight with modern artificial illumination systems, thanks to which fans of outdoor activities can ride from early morning until late at night.
The air temperature in Finnish ski resorts depends on the particular month when you decided to rest in Finland and on the latitude on which the pistes are laid. In the north, in Vuokatti during the daytime, during the high season, the thermometers drop to -10C - -12 ° C. In Levi, located 160 km north of the Arctic Circle, it can be slightly colder, but mostly at night. During the day, even in the coldest time, mercury columns do not fall below -15 ° C. In the southern resorts in January-February, it is about -5 ° C during the day, and therefore skiing seems especially comfortable and pleasant even for young athletes.
Visit Santa Claus
Santa Park in the capital of Lapland, Rovaniemi, is the residence of the real Santa Claus, which tens of thousands of children and their parents from all over the world strive to visit every year.
In the summer, the park is closed and Santa is resting. The residence opens annually in mid-November and you can meet with the main Christmas wizard until early January.
The exact timetable of the park and the opening hours of Santa are available on the official website of the park - www.santapark.com
On the territory of Santa Park, you can ride a reindeer sleigh, take a photo with the owner of the residence, take part in themed New Year contests, dine in a cafe, learn how to make Christmas tree decorations with your own hands, send a postcard to friends and even play an ice wedding.
Watching Aurora Bolearis
This beautiful name hides the aurora borealis, which thousands of enthusiastic tourists fly to the northern countries every year.
In order not to miss the possible appearance of the mysterious Aurora in the Finnish sky and to plan your trip to observe the aurora as accurately as possible, subscribe to the e-mail of forecasts regarding a unique natural phenomenon on the website of the Finnish Meteorological Institute - www.aurorasnow.fmi.fi
When is the best time to come to Finland on vacation if your goal is a sky colored with myriads of multicolored flashes? Focus on the period from September to March. During these months, almost every cloudless night becomes a time for the incomparable play of Aurora Borealis with the night sky. In the south of the country, the northern lights are a rarer visitor and you are guaranteed to be able to see magical flashes only from November to February.
