-
Feel the Breeze
Too Cold?
It doesn’t exactly look like she’s having trouble with the temperature, now does it?
-
Skate the Lake
Tour skating is a great way to spend a day out in the winter. On Finland’s nearly 200 000 lakes, there’s plenty of terrain to choose from as soon as they’re frozen over.
-
Traffic
A crowded beach or a winter wonderland practically to yourself? Life’s all about them choices, isn’t it?
-
Powder Paradise
This is why winter exists. Surely you can manage a couple of degrees below zero in these settings?
-
Heart of Winter
Believe it or not, but when the temperature drops down to –30, there’s a special kind of mystique in the air.
-
Out and About
Head out to the fells to look for that perfect spot of your own.
-
Arts and Crafts
Why not try your hand at a bit of sculpting?
-
Rise to the Occasion
Winter is what you make of it; we prefer this to sitting inside complaining about sub-zero temperatures
-
Recommended
You might also like these fine articles:
-
Cross-country – Skiing with Feeling
Cross-country skiing is somewhat of a national sport in Finland. It is extremely good for the body and mind, with beautiful winter scenery serving as an inspiring backdrop.
-
No sweat… sauna for beginners
It’s said there are enough saunas in Finland to easily accommodate all 5.4 million Finns simultaneously – there’s even one inside parliament. Be it a wood, smoke or electric, private or public, one with a glass wall overlooking a lake…
-
A refreshing dip in icy water?
Believe it or not, swimming in a hole in the ice really does you the world of good. ‘Eek!’ ‘No way!’ ‘You Finns are nuts!’ These tend to be the first unenthusiastic reactions of tourists faced with the prospect of…
-
The unexpected allure of Lapland
Fall in love with the winter wilderness and it could completely change your life. Pasi Ikonen is a prime example of what the pull of Lapland can do. A nine-to-five working week in central London was left far behind when…
-
Feel the Breeze
Surviving the long Finnish winter, with its sub-zero temperatures and heavy snowfall, is actually quite easy… No, you don’t just remain indoors. All you need is the right clothing and footwear, and you will soon be heading outdoors to enjoy the wide variety of winter activities on offer.
Depending on location, winter in Finland begins in November and can last up to five months, with temperatures ranging from a balmy zero to a lung-freezing ¬minus 35. You may be suspicious, but we assure you that with the right layers of clothing, gloves, hat and boots, you can easily bear the most severe of arctic conditions.
Scared of winter?
You may never have expected to own any thermal underwear, but, more surprisingly, you probably never expected to be grateful for owning a pair either. However, when the temperature drops below minus 20 and the wind adds that chill factor, you will consider them to be the best purchase you have ever made.
When it is really cold, then an additional fleece layer on top and thermal-lined outerwear will guarantee further comfort. We assume that you are intelligent enough to know that thermal gloves, socks and a warm hat are a given. One other simple tip is tucking gloves into your sleeves and remembering to zip your jacket ALL the way up.
Don’t forget that you are not visiting southern Europe, so leave the trainers at home and bring a pair of decent winter boots.
You will actually be surprised by the fact that minus 20 doesn’t feel as cold as you would first imagine, simply because the air is really fresh and dry. Once you are armed with the right combination of clothes, you can simply start to enjoy all the fun winter activities Finland has to offer.
