Perfect weather for ice swimming

Now that the extremly cold days are over the weather is quite perfect for some truely Finnish Avantouinti. That means swimming in a frozen lake. 

One perfect spot for this is Kuusijärvi in Vantaa. Warm up first either in one of the last smoke saunas you can find in the Helsinki area or in a normal electric sauna. When you are warm enough, grab your towel and flipflops (very important) and head to the ice hole for a dip.

Yes, the water is pretty cold but you will feel really good afterwards. Don't forget to warm up in the sauna afterwards again.

For more information on Kuusijärvi and how to get there check out the website.

Have a great Sunday and a wonderful winter!

Beware of sinilevä!

It's the perfect weather for a swim in the sea or one of the thousands of Finnish lakes. But be careful. The warm temperatures give the perfect conditions for the blue-green algea (Sinilevä) to grow. And they are unfortunately quite common in Finland. 

Life guards and authorities regularly take samples of the water and warn swimmers in case it get's too dangerous to go swimming in certain areas. Anyway you should always be careful when the water appears very green and follow those ground rules:

- Avoid swallowing the water.

- Keep kids out of the water and away from the shore

- Shower right after swimming

- Avoid swimming if the algea are clearly visible

Since Blue-green algea are likely to produce toxic and irritating substances in the water they may cause skin problems, burning eyes, blocked nose, muscular pain and nausea.

Be careful and don't let that ruin your summer!

Beach and Angry Birds

Are you planning on heading for the beach with the family? A great place for the whole family and especially for kids is the beach at Lake Bodom.

Not only does this big lake in Espoo have a white sand beach and offer perfect swimming and paddling conditions. Also clean and newly rennovated changing rooms, showers and toilets are available and within easy reach. 

But the thing that will confince kids about this beach is the new big Angry Birds playground. All their loved Angry Birds characters are here together with lots of possibilities for climbing, sliding, jumping and more. The entrance is of course free.

Check it out!

A beach weekend

This weekend awaits with hot summer temperatures again. The best thing to do is to spend the time at the beach and refresh in the cold water.

Around Helsinki you find lots of great beaches along the shoreline. And even though it has been quite cold during June the warm temperatures of the last days and weeks have warmed up the sea that much that swimming is possible without problems. Especially at beaches with shallow water like Lauttasaari's Kasinonranta the temperatures can be as high as 23 degrees and more. Or head to a lake in Espoo or Vantaa.

Check out the list of all the beaches in Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa and enjoy the weekend!

Go for a swim

Before the water starts cooling down again use to time to go for a swim this weekend.

There are lots of great opportunities in the Helsinki area. Go either to one of the sea beaches in Helsinki and Espoo or try out one of the lakes around the city.

Have a nice weekend!

Refreshment in the lake

With this warm summer weather who wouldn’t like a refreshing swim to cool down from time to time? The sea water around Helsinki is still quite cold though and if you prefer something a bit warmer the surrounding lakes are probably more of your taste.

Many wonderful lakes are just a few kilometers away from the capital in the surrounding cities and towns. One of them is Myllyjärki in Espoo. The beautiful small lake in the shape of a horseshoe lies in the middle of the woods. You can enjoy a picturesque and really typical Finnish landscape.

Myllyjärvi is the perfect location for a relaxed Sunday trip. Have a great day!