Summer in Finland
The Helsinki Summer: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
There is something magical about the Finnish summer. The
days are long. Everything is in full bloom. The people are out and about. There
is this undeniable charm that is unique to the region. Although winter is
practically as magical as summer, eventually you look for winter to end and for
summer to begin. With an abundance of activities and festivals, we are never
ready for summer to end in Helsinki. And sadly, August is here, which means
school is about to start and the days will get shorter. So these last few days
are meant for soaking up the last wonders of this special season. Summer is
nice in every country, but it is something special in Helsinki.
It's so light out!
Because of Helsinki's northern location, the sun sets very
late in the evening and rises very early in the morning. At 11:30 there's still
some light. But even when the sun sets it never fully sets as it just dips
below the horizon. This means that at one in the morning there is still enough
light outside for you to be able to see. It's dark, but not entirely dark. And
in the north of Finland, the sun never sets and it is known as the midnight
sun. And after months of darkness, this constant light is a welcome sight. It
is almost as if people hibernate in the wintertime and come alive in the
summer. Evenings with friends are later, days spent outside are longer, and it
is generally more enjoyable thanks to the constant light!
Flowers, flowers everywhere!
Unlike California where the summer involves dead grass and
bushes, Helsinki is green, very very green. The parks are full of flowers and
lush bushes and trees. The plants have somehow made a full recovery from the
frozen winter months, where I swear they were dead and would never come back.
Yet the ivy along the buildings is completely green. And thanks to all of this
fresh greenery, the city feels as if it is in a perpetual state of spring, with
happy plants and colorful flowers. Of course the beautiful reds and oranges of
fall are great, but it means winter is coming. At least in summer we know that
we have at least a few more months until winter. And what better way to enjoy
it in the abundant nature!
Juhannus and bonfires!
In the Nordic countries, the weekend of June 21st is an
important weekend. Each country celebrates their own version of Juhannus, or
midsummer. In Finland, huge parties are common and most cities light bonfires,
usually near the lake. Most people are not in Helsinki for the holiday and
instead choose to head to the lake region, where many have summer cottages.
Nevertheless, the holiday usually lasts quite a few days and is quite the
experience, and of course, in true Finnish style, lots of drinking is to be
expected.
A city alive with people!
In the winter, it seems that no one is out, everyone is
hiding from the cold, not daring to spend too much time outside unless it
involves some sort of sport. But in the summer that is different. I never knew
there were so many people in the city! Everyone is out and about enjoying the
few days of summer. They're at the beaches swimming or tanning. They’re in the
park jogging or tanning. They're on outdoor patios enjoying a meal or drinks
with friends. They're also going to their summer cottages on the weekends or
taking a short vacation with their families and inviting friends along. For a
country known for being shy and quiet, the Finns are very social in the summer
time. Maybe the stereotype only counts in the winter.
An abundance of festivals!
The Finns seem to love festivals. Every weekend in Finland
there seems to be some huge music festival. In Helsinki alone there is always
some music festival. And not small ones. No, these festivals last for days and
major bands headline these festivals. And Finns love rock, so quite a few of
these festivals are rock festivals, but there are other festivals for each
music genre. Take your pick, there's plenty! But there are not only music
festivals. There are also medieval festivals, such as jousting in Turku, or
Nordic festivals in other cities. There's something to do for everyone!
Occasional rain
Of course, this is Finland, so rain is to be expected. So
never expect a week of sunshine without a day of rain. This doesn't stop the city
from coming alive since at least it is warm out. And I guess rain is needed to
keep those plants a vibrant green. But it makes the hikes much more enjoyable
since there are sometimes small waterfalls and lakes in abundance. So rain may
just be a hindrance to Finnish summers, a necessary feature but at least not as
frequent as the summer.
So what are you waiting for? Check out the Finnish summer to
enjoy a unique experience full of nature and natural light!
I need to visit for the festival and the beautiful scenery! I am a night owl so I would love to explore later in the evening and have the sun still shining!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures! I've been wanting to go to Finland for so long! Can't wait to make plans soon!
ReplyDeleteJuhannus, or midsummer, should be a fine time to visit with all those parties by the water.
ReplyDeleteI have Finland on my radar for sure. I really love off the beaten path places & this looks like just the ticket. I actually read the entire article and looked at every picture, this is a big deal for me because my attention span is very short. I would love to come take a tour with you at some point, would be fun to connect with people from around the world.
ReplyDeleteSummer in Finland looks like a great destination for nature lovers. Due to summers flowers are everywhere which may be making Finland more colorful and beautiful. Also the skies are deep blue which I love it. I want to really see those midnight sun as always I have read about it on books but never witnessed it.
ReplyDeleteI would love to visit Finland in summer, it looks so pretty. I think the stereotype about Finns being unsocial in winter applies to most northern European countries! The medieval and rock festivals sound like a lot of fun, I'll check it out!
ReplyDeleteI love summers in the Northern hemisphere, the whole world comes alive. Those flowers looks amazing, I cna only imagibe how festive the atmosphere must have been!
ReplyDeleteWow, Helsinki is amazing. Finland is somewhere I have always wanted to go and seeing these photos of the awesome waters and beautiful flowers makes me want to go even more. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh wow. Learning about this place is great and you made it feel like heaven on earth. I am definetely looking forwarnd to send some days there and experience the uniqueness, the beauty and the lovely festivals of Helsinki.
ReplyDeleteThat was really bright and beautiful. Somehow, my mental image of Finland was that of a place always covered in snow but I guess that was nothing but horrible stereotyping on my part. So, this was a refreshing experience to go though these pictures.
ReplyDeleteI can't tel you that how much I am in love with Finland. I love everything about Finland. I came back from Finland after vacation in the winter. The winter wonderland was like dream. I can't wait to be there in the summer. The midnight sun is on my bucket list. The Finns like parties, bonfires, festivals and their summer cottage in the lake district. Loved the post.
ReplyDelete