This is why you need to visit Finland as soon as possible

In my previous post I talked about why it is so incrediblyeasy to live in Finland. But that is not the only reason why you should at least have visited this beautiful country up here in the North. And if you like it, which I bet you will, just stay here right away 😉

The Mökki – the coziest place on earth

Everyone talks about the need for taking some downtime, reconnecting with nature and living off the grid for a while. Well, here in Finland this is reality every summer. After midsummer Finns traditionally leave their city home to pretty much move back into the woods for often several weeks. They head to their summer cottage, or Mökki, how they call them in Finnish. You either go there with your family or friends. And you enjoy the quiet and simple life in nature. 

Who needs Netflix if you can look at the calming lakeside panorama or listen to the cracking of the firewood in the bonfire while making some delicious Loimulohi (lit. “blazed salmon”)? Suddenly time does not play a role anymore, forgotten is the fast city pace and you can just relax. 

A sauna wherever you go

 

 

Finns are just crazy about their sauna. You literally find them everywhere in this country. No kidding, there are over 2 million saunas in Finland. That is especially impressive when you take into consideration that Finland has only a population of 5.3 million people. Meaning everyone can comfortably fit into one at the same time. Of course, you find a sauna in pretty much any summer cottages, I mentioned before.

By the way, going to sauna means something quite different compared to the sauna culture elsewhere. It is so much more than just a health and wellness activity. The sauna is an integral part of society here. You go there with friends, you chat, you relax together. You go for a dip in the lake or roll in the snow in between. And of course, you should not forget the obligatory sauna beer (one is enough though, especially for sauna newbies).

The most magnificent natural spectacle ever -  the Northern lights

 

Pixabay

This is just such a breathtaking experience. When you look up during a clear winter’s night and you see all shades of green, yellow and sometimes even red dancing across the sky. I promise you, it is a sight you won’t forget so fast. During the cold and dark time of the year you can see Northern Lights actually all around the country. Even down here in Helsinki. The lights of the city make it much tougher to spot them and they are rarer. 

To get the full experience, I recommend you pay a visit to beautiful Finnish Lapland. Up there you can see them almost every night. I remember how during my first visit up there I used to stand in front of the house for hours in the cold night just to not miss any of the mysterious shapes the sun flares were painting on the night sky.

Santa Claus lives here

 

The Americans believe Santa Claus lives at the North Pole. That is of course utter nonsense though. Since it is proven that he comes from Finnish Lapland. Don’t believe me? Then book your flight to Rovaniemi and pay him a visit at the Santa Claus village. And if you are not so keen on spending your day a Christmas amusement park together with thousands of other tourists, then rather go up there in the winter and go for a walk at Korvatunturi, Santa’s true home. And who knows, if you are lucky you might meet him feeding is reindeer on your stroll through the woods.

Oh, and while you are up in Lapland, don’t miss out on all the other amazing things you can do here. Apart from skiing, snowboarding and snowshoe walking, you can also explore the winter wonderland on a husky or reindeer sled. Best places for all those activities are Levi and Ylläs. They have excellent skiing areas and are hubs to many snow expedition operators.

There are still a million other things why Finland is unique and why it should be far up your list of countries to visit. If you want to find out some more reasons, check out some of my earlier posts.

And then don’t waste time to book your flight. I’m looking forward to seeing you up here soon!

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This post has been supported by a cooperating with the Labour Mobility in Europe ESF-project. More info here. Thank you!