The most of the Finnish population lives in the south, which is dominated by northern temperate climate.

The rest of the country is dominated by a humid and cold continental climate with freezing winters. One of the great experiences you can have all year in Finland is visiting a sauna, one of the country's most popular activities.

Summer in Finland

Winter in Finland is usually long, and because of this, the Finns celebrate their summer very passionately. The duration of the summer is around 100 days every year, from June to the end of August, and temperatures are from 15 to 32 degrees.

The weather greatly influenced the Finns. They celebrate the summer a lot. Some go to music festivals that offer a choice of jazz, blues, rock, opera, and chamber music. Others are sailing among the coastal islands or enjoying slow life at their summer cottages – swimming, fishing, and cooking dinner on the grill.

In Lapland, the midnight sun offers the visitor an unforgettable experience from mid-May to the end of July, and Helsinki has almost 20 hours of daylight during the summer months.

Winter in Finland

The winter in Finland is generally long, and temperatures range from around -30 to 0 degrees. Starting around October until May. Snow arrives in southern Finland in December; in northern Finland in October. In Lapland, snow lasts until late April.

During January and February, the snow almost always covers the landscape of Northern and Eastern Finland. Even if there’s little snow in Helsinki, there’s often up to a meter or more on the skiing slopes of Lapland.

In the inland regions of southern and central Finland, the first snow falls at the beginning of December and melts during late March and April. It is a great time for holidays in Finland's northern regions, as these months offer the best opportunities to view the Northern Lights and ideal snow conditions for dog-sledding, snowmobiling, skiing, and other winter sports.

What about just sitting by the fire in a warm and cozy log cabin is a pleasure for some, as is the friendly, relaxed atmosphere of the hotel bar. The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) light up the sky over Lapland on up to 200 nights of the year, and on approximately one out of three nights in Rovaniemi. The best time to watch the Northern Lights is from September to late March.