By May, spring is in full swing: temperatures average 10˚C (50°F), flowers are lighting up the countryside, and everywhere is a lush green. If you’re in Finland on the first of May, you can’t fail to notice the celebrations taking place across the country. Vappu (also Labour Day) is a national holiday that marks the end of the long winter and the welcoming of spring – an excellent excuse to let loose with boisterous festivities. The party gets going the night before, with people filling the bars and restaurants in Finland’s towns and cities.
When to visit Finland in summer
With the dark winters seemingly endless, Finns are ready to embrace the warm, sunny days of summer when it finally rolls in. The landscapes are at their best – a palette of vibrant greens and everything in full bloom. And in sharp contrast with the winter months, the summer days are long.
So long, in fact, that the sun doesn’t even bother to set from the middle of May until late July in the north – from June in the south. The Midnight Sun is just cause for celebration, and Midsummer (Juhannus) is a national holiday.
Finns typically take off to spend the weekend closest to the 25th of June at country cottages, to hang out with friends and family, light bonfires, steam in a sauna, and relax or party until the small hours – after all, when it’s constantly light, who knows when it’s bedtime? If you’re in the city during Midsummer you may well find it more or less deserted.