You have probably guessed by now that Finns love the outdoors. Regardless of the season, many Finns enjoy spending their free time in nature. In fact, each season comes with its own enjoyments and hobbies.
In the summer, spending time at a mökki (summer cottage) is a much loved pastime. Whether at the summerhouse or in town, summer activities may include swimming, hiking, boating and water skiing, biking, grilling and picnicking. Remember, in the land of a thousand lakes, you are not likely to be far from a body of water, and the same goes for forestland.
In the fall, many Finns like to forage for wild mushrooms and berries, and some enjoy hunting as well. Lapland is known for its stunning ruska, autumn foliage, and so many head north for hiking during these months. There is also an extensive network of wilderness huts, which are free and open to all for overnight stays. The ruska of southern Finland is also quite lovely and itself worth exploring.
Winter brings with it a wealth of outdoor activities, particularly when temperatures are at their coldest. After the dark kaamos (polar night) months of November and December, when light slowly begins to return to Finland, lakes are frozen solid, and there is a thick blanket of snow covering the ground, it’s officially the season for winter sports. Finns enjoy cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice skating, and swimming (yes, swimming!). Some brave Finns enjoy taking a dip via a hole in the ice (avanto). This activity is usually preceded and followed by a sauna, of course.
Spring is a period of anticipation in Finland. As winter conditions slowly recede and excitement for the summer months begins to swell, it can be difficult to enjoy the outdoors. Springtime in Finland is notoriously rainy, and winter overstays its welcome almost every year. Even so, you may see people venturing out onto the ice for as long as it remains firm, and walking through the forest, even when the weather is poor. When much of the ice and snow has melted away and the sun returns, euphoria sets in and the Finns come out in droves, like flowers reaching toward the sun.
Most Nordic countries place a high value on the concept of “freedom to roam,” and have enshrined the sentiment in law. Freedom to Roam guarantees the right of all individuals to enjoy and make use of undeveloped countryside, even that which is privately owned. It is also a set of rules pertaining to the way in which this right is limited.
You may walk, ski, or cycle freely in the country, except in gardens and in the immediate vicinity of homes, and in fields or planted areas that could be damaged. You may stay or set up camp temporarily at a reasonable distance from homes. You may pick wild berries, mushrooms, and flowers as long as they are not a protected species. You may fish with a rod and line, but other kinds of fishing require a license. You may row, sail, use a motorboat, swim, or wash in inland waters and the sea. You may walk, ski, drive a motor vehicle, or fish on frozen lakes and rivers. You may not disturb the privacy of people’s homes, for example by camping in unreasonably close proximity or making too much noise, nor disturb large game, breeding birds, their nests, or their young. Tourists in Lapland often wait in their cars while reindeer bask on the warm asphalt road (imagine the photo opportunities!).
You may not drop or leave litter, drive motor vehicles off-road without the permission of the landowner, and you may not fish or hunt without the relevant permits.
Basically, enjoy your right to roam and forage for food, but make yourself scarce. Do not exploit nature for profit, or disturb the people or animals on your path.
Many Finns are sports mad, and generally, the madder the sport, the better. Facilities are good, and media coverage of all sports is extensive. There are sports for all seasons. Sailing, windsurfing, and waterskiing can be practiced all around the country. Winter sports are popular, Lapland being the best place for downhill skiing, though there are some very minor hills further south. Cross-country skiing facilities are available everywhere, including Helsinki. You can skate in the open air and in ice stadiums. Golf has grown in popularity, and there are many excellent golf courses where a visitor may play as a guest. The most enthusiastic players have developed ice golf, which extends the short golfing season. Tennis is popular, played on both indoor and outdoor courts. Horse riding is a favorite, particularly with young girls. You can swim in lakes, rivers, and the sea, and there are, of course, well-equipped swimming pools in all the major towns and cities.
As for spectator sports, ice hockey is number one. In 1995, when Finland became world champions for the first time, the whole country came to a standstill. The victory was all the sweeter because it was against the Swedes, their arch rivals, in Stockholm, and the coach of the Finnish team was Swedish. The Swedes had been so sure they would win that they had pre-recorded their victory song “Den glider in” (“The puck slides in”). These words were printed on thousands of T-shirts in Finland. All these years later, this game still resonates in the annals of Finnish sports history. There are countless excellent Finnish-born hockey players, and many young Finns have become millionaires in the National Hockey League in the USA and Canada. Suffice it to say, in Finland, hockey is important.
Fans celebrate Finland’s victory at the 2019 Ice Hockey World Championships.
Pesäpallo, or “Finnish baseball,” is a popular summer sport. Invented in the 1920s, pesäpallo is based on American baseball, but it’s hardly the same game. For example, the rules for pitching and running the bases are noticeably different, and there’s quite a bit more running involved. With pesäpallo, Finns have made baseball their own, as they have with so many things.
Finns are also very fond of competitive driving, and rather good at it. The country has long produced fast rally drivers, although cynics would say that this is only natural for Finns who get plenty of practice on long icy country roads. With names such as Häkkinen, Salo, and Räikkönen in the world elite, Formula 1 competitions keep Finns glued to their television sets.
Cross country skiing has traditionally been a strong sport for the Finns, and everybody interested in winter sports knows about the ski jumpers. You need to be very brave, if not foolhardy, to participate in this daredevil sport.
Finland is a country of mass sports events; this is truly sport for all. The women’s 10-kilometer run in Helsinki, many marathons, rowing, relay running from Lapland to the south coast, the Finlandia ski event, and many more attract huge numbers of participants. It is common practice to enter these events with a team of colleagues. Exercise is enjoyed by all.
Finland has excellent modern designers of furniture, dishware, and other products. Artek specializes in furniture by Alvar Aalto and glass by Aino Aalto, the power couple of Finnish design. In the first half of the 20th century, the Aaltos made an indelible impression on Finnish aesthetics, and their products can still be found in homes all over Finland. In addition to the Aaltos, look out for designs by Markku Kosonen in wood, Anri Tenhunen in ceramics, Johanna Gullichsen for linen products, and Ritva Puotila for paper yarn carpets. Marimekko, known all over the world for their unique textile designs, are also a staple of the Finnish design aesthetic.
Examples of Finnish design: furniture by Alvar Aalto, kitchenware by Merimekko, and glass by Timo Sarpaneva.
The main shopping streets in Helsinki are Pohjois-Esplanadi and Etelä-Esplanadi for design products, and Aleksanterinkatu for Stockmann and other large department stores. Akateeminen and Suomalainen Kirjakauppa are the biggest bookstores, and there are also many antiquarian bookshops. You will find art galleries and small shops in the pedestrian area of Iso-Robertinkatu. Itäkeskus, Iso Omena, and the Tapiola center are also well worth visiting. You might like to check out the covered market, situated in the south harbor opposite the Palace Hotel. There you can find salmon—fresh, smoked, and cured—as well as the famous Finnish smoked hams.
A town’s tori, market square, is a good place to find Finnish delicacies, crafts, and souvenirs.
In cities and towns outside of Helsinki, the main shops are typically in or near the center of the city, around the market square (tori). In the summer, the market square is abuzz with shopping and musical entertainment. Many towns have pedestrian-shopping areas where shoppers can browse unimpeded by traffic.
Banking in Finland rarely takes place inside an actual bank, although there are times where that too is necessary. Making and accepting payments, checking balances, and checking account activity all takes place online, with the help of a username, password, and a book of key codes. This system has replaced many other payment types, including personal checks, which are no longer used. You may occasionally need cash, and there are plenty of cash machines around most populated areas.
However, banking can be a challenge for non-Finns. For example, getting Internet banking, which is used in a lot of instances of identity verification, sometimes requires an individual to have lived in Finland for a matter of months or years. If you think you’ll be in Finland for a while and that you may need a Finnish bank account, research what is involved and what features you’ll be allowed to access. The biggest banks in Finland are Dankse Bank, Nordea, and Osuuspankki. If you would like to open an account at one of these banks, you can make an appointment with someone who will help you to do so.
Helsinki is famous for the quality and variety of its restaurants. The restaurant scene in other major Finnish cities can sometimes be lacking by international standards, but the Finnish palate is changing and developing. Wherever you are, you will surely find something delicious. Perhaps try the freshwater fish, or a gamey meat dish, if they are on offer.
Dining out in the evening is more expensive than eating out at lunchtime because almost all Finnish restaurants have a lunch menu aimed at working people on their lunch break. Lunchtime offers usually include a salad or a soup, a main course, bread, and coffee. Business travelers or tourists in search of a mid-day meal may wish to keep in mind that restaurants are emptier after 1:00 p.m., if they want to avoid the lunchtime rush.
Finnish menus usually indicate dishes suitable for vegetarians, as well as lactose-and gluten-free dishes. If you have an allergy, it is best to check the ingredients with the staff, but don’t worry: food allergies are quite common in Finland, so they’ll likely be prepared to accommodate your needs.
Helsinki has a long and vibrant tradition of café culture. The first café in Finland, Café Ekberg, opened in 1861 in Bulevardi and serves delicious cakes and pastries. Fazer Café on Kluuvikatu, owned by Fazer, the chocolate and sweets corporation, is also well regarded. For architectural ambience, you might try Ravintola Eliel at the railway station, designed by Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen.
There are few public restrooms. At cafés, you ask for the key at the counter, and there may be a charge. The letter M (for mies) on the door signifies the men’s room, and the letter N (for nainen) is for women.
In general, tipping is not strictly necessary. Rounding up the bill and leaving a little money in appreciation of good service will always be welcomed.
For better or for worse, drinking alcohol is a significant cultural practice in Finland. Alcohol can be an effective lubricant in social interactions, as well as a solo activity. The word “kalsarikännit” (literally something like, “underwear drunkenness”) has gained international recognition in recent years, putting Finnish drinking culture firmly on the map. The notion of kalsarikännit refers to drinking at home, in a state of undress, with no particular plans or places to go: drinking at home, alone. Some might view this notion as depressing or as an indication of alcoholism, but not so the Finns (at least, not necessarily). It’s just that drinking can be done in a social setting or in solitude, conspicuously or inconspicuously.
The state has a monopoly on the production and sale of alcohol in Finland, and their outlet is the Alko stores. Alko generally has a good selection of wines, beers, and spirits, and their employees are knowledgeable and willing to help with your selection. You can also buy things like beer and cider from supermarkets and other stores. Alko stores are open Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (smaller stores are only open until 6:00 p.m.); and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Anyone over the age of eighteen can buy alcohol and get into most bars.
Beer, particularly Finnish lagers, are a very popular drink. Finns also enjoy vodka (their native brand, Koskenkorva, is quite popular), and gin has gained some notoriety with the release of the Finnish gin, Napue. “Long drinks” are a distinctive Finnish cocktail, usually made by mixing gin and grapefruit soda. There are also a lot of local producers of berry wines and liquors. One local delicacy particularly worth sampling is sparkling wine made from white currants.
Finns drink socially, but they also drink to get drunk. In fact, these two things are often one and the same; getting drunk is a social activity among friends and colleagues. There is wide social acceptance of drunken behavior. For example, loudness and raised voices when drunk is common in a society that otherwise values quiet. Finns of all ages drink to excess on occasion, and the summer festivals can be noisy and riotous. Finns are not prone to boasting, but they do brag about the severity of their hangovers.
“Booze cruises” from Finland to Estonia and Sweden are very popular. They have two purposes: drinking and fun. Many travelers don’t disembark from their ship at all or for longer than it takes to buy some alcohol or to do a little shopping. When Finnish upper secondary students are preparing to leave school and to revise for their matriculation exams, they typically organize a student booze cruise. Teachers chaperone these trips, but usually that involves little more than drinking alongside their students. Even business meetings and negotiations take place on these cruises, as they’re often an inexpensive alternative to a hotel. Colleagues and business associates drink the night away, and then wake up in the morning to conduct meetings.
Alcohol-related health and social problems are serious. While the state enjoys the revenue from the sale of alcohol, it has a responsibility for the nation’s health and welfare, and sales are strictly controlled. However, recent legislation has loosened regulations related to the sale of alcohol, such as allowing supermarkets to sell drinks with an alcohol content as a high as 5.5% (up from 4.7%). This change has taken place while other Nordic countries are tightening alcohol regulations, putting Finland somewhat at odds with its neighbors in this regard.
Finnish youth learn to dance, and they learn to dance well. As young people, they learn to waltz, to tango, to foxtrot—and they grow up with these dances in their back pocket, to be pulled out when the time is right. Thus, a common way to spend the evening is to go to dance clubs. The music is often live, and the ladies’ evenings, when women ask men to dance, are particularly popular.
If you aren’t much for traditional dances and prefer more modern music, head for a nightclub. Helsinki and most major cities have a number of popular venues, and smaller cities usually have one or two.
In the run-up to Christmas, restaurants fill up with office parties (pikkujoulut, or “little Christmas”) which are a chance to let your hair down with your colleagues. The office party season begins around the middle of November and extends well into December, when you’ll notice that restaurants are often fully booked with several large parties on weekends. Of course, little Christmas largely revolves around the consumption of alcohol, alongside merriment and camaraderie, good food, holiday sweets, and dancing.
British-and Irish-style pubs are popular, and, in the summer, outdoor cafés and beer-drinking venues are all the rage. In cities with lakes, boat and pier bars on the water are wonderful additions to the summer nightlife.
Finns are fairly liberated when it comes to sex, and women are nearly as likely as men to take the first step. With the growing number of single and divorced adults, casual sexual encounters are common. Dating and hook-ups can take place the old-fashioned way, at bars and clubs, or via dating apps like Tinder. In fact, the use of Tinder has increased dramatically over the last few years, eclipsing similar Finnish apps. Non-heteronormative dating can still be a challenge in Finland, as Finns are generally not quite as modern regarding sexuality and gender as they are in other matters.
Finns tend to be averse to confrontation, and this extends to the realm of customer service. Therefore, they usually don’t complain about bad service or a disappointing meal at restaurants, clubs, or bars. Just because they don’t, however, doesn’t mean you can’t; most servers, cashiers and bartenders will be happy to assist you.
There is a great love of and interest in music of all kinds in Finland, and the country has a very strong tradition of musical education. Sibelius and the opera, particularly modern opera, are Finland’s musical strong suits. Helsinki Opera House is one of the most modern in Europe, and there are numerous classical music festivals and events across the country all year round. Most towns have several choirs and at least one orchestra, a municipal art museum, and a variety of other museums. Helsinki and Tampere are the most famous theater cities, but all cities and large towns have a municipal theater, and usually many interesting art venues.
Some of Sibelius’ contemporaries are being explored and are coming out of his shadow. Aulis Sallinen, Joonas Kokkonen, Kaija Saariaho, and Einojuhani Rautavaara are among the many who made their names in the latter half of the twentieth century, and there are a number of avant-garde composers. Experimental art and music are strong; once again, Finns can be found at the forefront of innovation.
A monument dedicated to preeminent Finnish composer Jean Sibelius by Eila Hiltunen at Sibelius Park in Töölö, Helsinki.
Finnish popular culture is not well-known outside the country. Finnish art cinema is led by Aki Kaurismäki, who most recently picked up a Best Director award for his film The Other Side of Hope at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2017. Cinemas show films in their original language, with Finnish and Swedish subtitles. Most major American releases can be found in Finnish movie theaters, and Finnish TV stations are fond of airing Hollywood films.
Finnish popular music is quite varied. The Finns love tango and have developed their own tango culture. A Finnish tango is usually in the minor key, and the words tell of lost love and longing. Finns also love their own brand of rock, pop, and “iskelmä,” a style of pop music that is unmistakably Finnish. As you may already know (it might even be the reason you’re reading this book), Finnish metal music is world-famous. Metal is a popular genre in Finland, and Finnish metal beckons tourists and immigrants alike. Give the bands Nightwish and Children of Bodom a listen, you too may have a headbanger inside waiting to get out.
As is the case in many other places, English-language music, often from the US or the UK, is also popular and receives wide exposure. That said, this doesn’t seem to detract from the Finnish music scene, or to diminish the appreciation for culturally Finnish music.
Finland has also produced at least one “Nordic Noir” gem of a television series, Sorjonen or, in English, Bordertown. The story follows protagonist Kari Sorjonen as he investigates murder and organized crime in the city of Lappeenranta, located on Lake Saimaa, close to the Russian border. (Incidentally, Lappeenranta is actually quite a safe city, endowed with a lot of natural beauty, and well worth a visit.)
