When to visit Finland

"I love borders. August is the border between summer and autumn; it is the most beautiful month I know."

Tove Jansson

Despite its northerly situation, Finland has a fairly mild climate thanks to the warming Gulf Stream and its many lakes, and there are good reasons to visit in any season. The climate is warmest, and the landscapes at their prettiest, during months of June, July and August in southern Finland and Lakeland. August is a holiday month for Finns too, who head in large numbers to the coast and countryside, but even the most popular destinations are hardly crowded. Autumn is visually stunning in the countryside, especially in Lapland where the ruska-aika (russeting) of shrubs and trees provides a riot of colour, from gold and orange in the lower fells to deep crimson in the high hills. Lapland's mosquitoes can be unbearable in high summer, while October to March provides splendid opportunities for winter pursuits and northern lights viewing.

Finnish winters are long, cold and dark, but far from severe. Temperatures generally hover at just below freezing, keeping the snows crisp and fresh for cross-country skiing or snowmobiling. Intrepid travellers also join in the local pastime of heating up in a sauna then jumping into an icy lake. Other winter attractions inside the Arctic Circle include visits to Santa Claus Village (though Santa has been open to visitors year-round since 1985) and Ice Park Finland, which is sculpted from scratch each year for a December-to-March season.

Spring begins in mid-April, but it's not really till summer that the last snows disappear and trees and wildflowers burst into life.