Away from the Northern Lights and reindeer rides of the north, southern Finland offers equally incredible winter activities.
Southern Finland mainly encompasses Helsinki and the stunning Lakeland region; however, many visitors only experience the capital, particularly during summer. In winter, temperatures in the south, although warmer than the north, drop to around -10 between December and January, meaning many opt for the classic winter wonderland landscapes of Lapland. Finland is known as the land of a thousand lakes, and many of these can be found in the south, making it a popular summer destination for visitors to swim, fish, kayak, and visit summer houses. Once these lakes begin freezing over, a whole new range of opportunities to enjoy the south present themselves.
Everyone in Finland owns a pair of skis, which may be surprising given that the country doesn’t have many mountains. However, cross-country skiing is one of the most popular past times, and the area of Lakeland has hundreds of miles of cross-country trails to enjoy, and Helsinki has over 200 kilometres. Trails pass through the countryside, through forests and lakes and even towns. In Helsinki, thick snow begins falling from December, and it is not unusual to see people navigating the streets on skis. Some of the capital’s best trails are located in the Herttoniemi and Pirkkola Sports Parks. The best time to explore the south on skis is in February and March, once there’s a thick blanket of snow, but the sun has just started shining for spring. For those who aren’t experienced in cross-country skiing, tours can be booked to ski around Lakeland, such as on Lake Saimaa and through the various national parks.
Finland has a huge number of lakes to explore – 188,000 to be exact, but some of the best are in the southern region on Lakeland, including Lake Saimaa, which is the largest in the country. Lake Päijänne and Haukivesi are two more of the country’s largest lakes located in the south. Some of the best activities to enjoy on the lakes include skating, skiing, sledging, fishing and swimming, although the latter are so integral to Finnish culture that they are activities all on their own. Many Finns own summer cottages by lakes around the country, including Lake Saimaa, and although the warmer months are great for swimming and barbecues, in winter they are often rented out as Airbnbs. For visitors, these beautiful log cabins with scenic lake views provide the perfect escape, often with roaring log fires and saunas, and are ideal for exploring the lakes.
Ice fishing is equally popular on the frozen lakes of the north and the south of Finland and is a truly unique and local experience not to be missed. Traditionally, Finnish people head out onto the frozen lakes, taking plenty of warm clothing and hot drinks, and carve a circular hole through the ice where they can fish using a small rod. There are a variety of tours which offer this as an excursion, such as in Linaansari National Park, although it is common to see people enjoying it themselves on a clear winter’s day across the country. To fully experience this tradition, tours that include both ice fishing and cooking up your catch are ideal, so you can enjoy the combination of a Finnish winter and delicious fresh seafood.
Finland is home to around 3 million saunas, one for every two people, and almost all homes and apartments have their own. It is important that after visiting the sauna that you immerse yourself in cold water, and repeat this process, which is said to have a variety of health benefits. To experience it for yourself, visit one of the country’s beautiful public saunas. Helsinki has some of the best, including Löyly, which has a stunning Scandinavian design, wood and smoke saunas, an onsite restaurant and a ladder into the ice-cold Baltic Sea. Helsinki’s Allas Sea Pools is equally stunning, with a 27 hot pool and a cold pool, which remains the same temperature as the sea, plus three saunas, all of which floats in the city’s harbour. Outside of the capital, try visiting Rajaportti, Finland’s oldest public sauna located in Tampere, which still has separate men’s and women’s saunas.
Lapland may be the home of Christmas and Santa Claus, but many people don’t realise that Finland’s best Christmas markets are in the south. Helsinki’s is one of the best, but you can also find glittering stalls, hot food stands and festive rides in the southern cities of Porvoo, Tampere and Turku. Helsinki’s Christmas market is picture-perfect, located in the capital’s famous Senate Square overlooked by the imposing Helsinki Cathedral. Around a hundred stalls take part, all in brightly coloured wooden houses, selling handmade gifts, local crafts, delicious cuisine and plenty of glögi – Finland’s warming mulled wine. Just half an hour south of Helsinki, the old-fashioned city of Porvoo has a riverside and cobblestone streets lined with wooden huts at Christmas, and snow-capped medieval buildings in the market square where you can buy an assortment of locally made presents. To step even further back in time, head to the south western city of Turku which is Finland’s oldest city. The city hosts two markets in the Old Great Square and Market Square, featuring a giant Christmas tree, traditional Finnish food, concerts and craft stalls.
