Best time to go to Finland for a perfect weather and where to go?
Julie Parment and Tony Samson last update: 22/04/2024When is the best time to go to Finland?
The best time to visit Finland is from June to August, but a trip all year round is possible depending on the experiences you wish to have on site:
- For a city trip to Helsinki, the best time is between May and September. You will have plenty of time to visit its numerous museums (Kansallismuseo, Kiasma, Ateneum) and its classically inspired cathedral. It will also be an opportunity to explore Suomenlinna, a former maritime fortress built on 6 islands in Helsinki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- To discover Lapland, July is the ideal month if you want to go hiking in the heart of the wilderness. Between October and May, snow is present. Perfect for a reindeer sleigh ride with a good sauna afterwards.
- To see the midnight sun, it also happens in Lapland, but the dates vary depending on the latitude where you are. For example, it is visible between June 6 and July 7 in Rovaniemi and between May 17 and July 27 in Utsjoki. In this northern locality, the sun is completely absent for 7 weeks in winter, usually from November 26 to January 17.
- To admire the Northern Lights, the best period extends from November to April depending on the regions. Indeed, the night must be as dark as possible and without clouds. It is in the Kilpisjärvi region, in Lapland, that you will have the best chances of seeing them.
- For hiking in national parks, go to Finland from June to September, when the temperatures are not too cold.
When to go to Finland according to your budget? Not surprisingly, Finland is a very expensive country, like its Scandinavian neighbors. To avoid breaking the bank, while still having good weather conditions, opt for the months of June or September which have lower airfares or accommodation prices. To save money once there, consider staying in accommodation with a kitchen and prepare your own meals, unless you choose the option of a camper van or camping car.
Where and when to go based on the weather?
Finnish Lakeland
Tampere, Kuopio, Joensuu...
Lapland
Rovaniemi, Ivalo, Enontekiö...
North of Finland
Oulu, Kajaani, Kalajoki...
South of Finland
Helsinki, Kotka, Lappeenranta...
West Coast of Finland
Turku, Vaasa, Åland...
To get all the information about the climate and weather in Finland for a specific month, click on the corresponding link below:
Finland in january Finland in february Finland in march Finland in april Finland in may Finland in june Finland in july Finland in august Finland in september Finland in october Finland in november Finland in december
Best time to travel to Finland by cities
Climate and Weather in Finland
Bordered by the Baltic Sea, Finland is a Northern European country whose territory extends on both sides of the Arctic Circle. Composed of more than 3,000 lakes and numerous islands, Finland covers 338,145 square kilometers between Russia, Norway, and Sweden.
Due to its geographical location and different latitudes, Finland's climate can be classified into three types:
- The subarctic continental climate with cold winters is predominant. This is found in Lapland, in the north, east, and in the northern half of the west coast.
- The humid continental climate with mild summers and no dry season prevails in the south, towards the capital Helsinki, as well as in the south of the west coast.
- The tundra polar climate is present around the Arctic Circle, such as in the Abisko region.
In general, the weather in Finland is very variable from one day to the next, and even during the day. This is due to the meeting of air masses coming from the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the prevailing meteorological conditions over the Eurasian continent to the east. However, temperatures remain relatively mild considering the country's latitude, thanks to the influence of the Gulf Stream.
Finland experiences four seasons with a significant temperature difference between them:
- Winter is cold, but it is rare for the thermometer to drop below -10°C, even in Lapland. It is, however, very long as it generally lasts from October to April, or even May in some areas.
- Spring is short, often limited to the month of June. Expect temperatures between 16 and 18°C during this period.
- Summer is very pleasant in Finland. Although it is the wettest season, temperatures rise above 20°C, with July being the warmest month of the year. However, the coolness returns by mid-August, and nights become cold in the north or at higher altitudes.
- Autumn, also known as "ruska," is also short: it begins in early September in Lapland and a little later elsewhere. The trees display enchanting colors! By October, snow is already present, marking the beginning of the ski season.
Climate in the South and on the West Coast
In these two Finnish regions, the climate is similar, although it is often one or two degrees warmer in the south of the country and precipitation is significantly higher there.
In winter, from December to March, temperatures range between -4 and 4°C, with January and February being the coldest months of the year. Snow is present throughout the season, especially inland and at higher altitudes.
Spring and autumn see temperatures rise rapidly and fall just as quickly. In April, expect highs around 8°C, while in May, it's around 16°C. In June, the mercury hovers around 20°C, marking the beginning of the good season to explore this part of Finland. In September, the weather is similar to May, although rain is more prevalent in the south.
In summer, from late June to late August, it is mild and July is the hottest month, with temperatures around 22°C in the western fjords and 24°C in the south. However, one must be brave to hope to swim, as the water of the Baltic Sea is around 19°C.
Climate in the North and in the East (Lake Region)
The climate is very harsh for 7 months of the year in these regions.
- Between December and March, temperatures are almost always negative: around -10°C at night and between -5 and 0°C during the day.
- In November, it is slightly less cold, but the humid weather accentuates the feeling of coldness.
- In April and October, temperatures reach between 5 and 8°C at the warmest part of the day.
- In May, it is spring, expect highs between 14 and 16°C.
- Between June and August, temperatures range from 19 to 23°C. Even if it may rain in the north, the sun reappears quickly, offering beautiful days ideal for discovery.
Climate in Lapland
In Lapland, it is considered that winter lasts from October to April, the season seems endless! Temperatures are low, very low, and in December and January, it is the polar night. In Enontekiö, nighttime values range between -10 and -15°C, while daytime highs reach -6 to -9°C. In Rovaniemi, further south, it is slightly less cold, but temperatures remain below 0°C from November to March. These quite extreme temperatures favor abundant snowfall.
It will be necessary to wait until May for the highs to become reasonable again. It averages 5°C in Enontekiö and 11°C in Rovaniemi. In June, temperatures range between 13 and 17°C depending on the latitude, and it is really in July that the weather is at its best with temperatures around 20°C. By mid-August, the weather deteriorates and temperatures start to drop, falling below 15°C in September. In October, values are already wintry with averages between 0 and 5°C and a lot of snow.
Temperatures and rainfall in Finland
On these 3 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Finland and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Helsinki, Rovaniemi, Tampere, Enontekiö and Ivalo, as well as the month-by-month sea temperature for coastal cities.
Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Finland
Find out when Finland has its high tourist season (the period when the influx of tourists is highest) and off-peak tourist season using our data and figures.
Tourist seasons in Finland
The months with low numbers of tourists are: January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November and December. The number of visitors to Finland is high in: June, July and August.
- Very low season in Finland: January, February, March, April, October and November.
- Low season in Finland: May, September and December.
- High season in Finland: June.
- Peak season in Finland: July and August.
Figure: Visitor index for Finland month by month
Average price for flights to Finland
A return flight between Dublin and Helsinki is generally cheaper if you go in january ($ 202 on average): this is the best time for travellers on a tight budget. In contrast, you may end up paying $ 93 more for your airline ticket to Helsinki if you go in july.
Find the best price for your flight Flight prices to Finland
Where to go in Finland?
This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).
| Cities | jan. | feb. | mar. | apr. | may | jun. | jul. | aug. | sep. | oct. | nov. | dec. |
| Helsinki | -1°C | -1°C | 1°C | 6°C | 13°C | 18°C | 21°C | 20°C | 16°C | 9°C | 5°C | 2°C |
| Rovaniemi | -8°C | -7°C | -3°C | 2°C | 11°C | 17°C | 20°C | 18°C | 12°C | 4°C | -1°C | -4°C |
| Tampere | -4°C | -3°C | 1°C | 8°C | 16°C | 20°C | 23°C | 21°C | 15°C | 8°C | 3°C | -1°C |
| Enontekiö | -9°C | -9°C | -6°C | -1°C | 5°C | 13°C | 17°C | 15°C | 10°C | 1°C | -4°C | -6°C |
| Ivalo | -8°C | -8°C | -4°C | -0°C | 7°C | 14°C | 17°C | 15°C | 10°C | 2°C | -2°C | -5°C |
| Åland | 2°C | 1°C | 2°C | 5°C | 9°C | 14°C | 18°C | 18°C | 15°C | 10°C | 7°C | 4°C |
| Joensuu | -6°C | -5°C | -1°C | 5°C | 14°C | 18°C | 22°C | 20°C | 14°C | 6°C | 2°C | -2°C |
| Kajaani | -7°C | -5°C | -2°C | 4°C | 13°C | 18°C | 21°C | 19°C | 13°C | 5°C | 1°C | -3°C |
| Kalajoki | -3°C | -3°C | -1°C | 4°C | 10°C | 15°C | 19°C | 18°C | 14°C | 8°C | 4°C | -0°C |
| Kotka | -2°C | -2°C | -0°C | 5°C | 12°C | 16°C | 20°C | 20°C | 15°C | 9°C | 5°C | 2°C |
| Kuopio | -5°C | -4°C | -1°C | 5°C | 13°C | 18°C | 22°C | 20°C | 14°C | 7°C | 2°C | -2°C |
| Lappeenranta | -4°C | -3°C | -0°C | 7°C | 15°C | 20°C | 23°C | 21°C | 15°C | 8°C | 3°C | -1°C |
| Oulu | -6°C | -5°C | -2°C | 4°C | 11°C | 16°C | 20°C | 18°C | 13°C | 6°C | 2°C | -2°C |
| Turku | -1°C | -1°C | 2°C | 7°C | 13°C | 18°C | 21°C | 20°C | 16°C | 9°C | 5°C | 2°C |
| Vaasa | -2°C | -3°C | -0°C | 4°C | 10°C | 15°C | 19°C | 18°C | 14°C | 8°C | 4°C | 1°C |
| Alta | -5°C | -5°C | -3°C | 1°C | 5°C | 11°C | 16°C | 14°C | 11°C | 4°C | -0°C | -3°C |
| Inari (Lake Inari) | -8°C | -8°C | -4°C | 1°C | 8°C | 14°C | 18°C | 16°C | 11°C | 3°C | -2°C | -5°C |
| Kemi | -6°C | -5°C | -2°C | 2°C | 9°C | 14°C | 18°C | 17°C | 13°C | 6°C | 2°C | -2°C |
| Lulea | -5°C | -5°C | -2°C | 3°C | 9°C | 14°C | 18°C | 17°C | 13°C | 6°C | 2°C | -1°C |
| Oulanka National Park | -8°C | -7°C | -3°C | 2°C | 10°C | 16°C | 20°C | 17°C | 11°C | 3°C | -1°C | -5°C |
Legend:
good weather
tolerable weather
bad weather
very bad weather
About Finland
What can I do in Finland?
Beaches / swimming
Nature and countryside
Culture and heritage
Sports
Family travel
Crafts / shopping
Gastronomy
Nightlife
Is this weather information for Finland reliable?
Climate data for Finland has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Finland allows us to determine the average for each month in Helsinki, Rovaniemi, Tampere, Enontekiö, Ivalo, Åland, Joensuu, Kajaani, and 109 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.