5 Reasons to Come to Finland for a Sports Holiday

Cool climate and four seasons

Finland is a cool country in all senses of the word. In the winter, the temperature goes below zero Celsius in most parts of the country giving us snowy winters – especially in northern Lakeland and Lapland. In the north, the snow usually stays on the ground until late spring making the winter sports season much longer than in most places. The spring is full of light as the days get longer towards the summer. In June and July, most of Finland bathes in never-ending light – the midnight sun. Autumn is the season of ‘ruska’ when Mother Nature sprinkles earthy tones onto forests and leaves around the country.

The cool climate, long summer days, as well as the strong know-how in organizing international sports events makes Finland an ideal place for marathon runners. In fact, running and marathons have deep-rooted traditions in Finland starting from the days of the nine-time Olympic winner Paavo Nurmi. Here you don’t have to worry about running in crowded, tight, and hot city environments – even the marathons in Helsinki give you the chance to run with space, surrounded by greenery, and the cool sea breeze in your hair. In addition to the Helsinki Marathon, another famous running event in Finland is the Paavo Nurmi Marathon taking place in Turku.

Pure nature

Finland has some of the cleanest air and water in the world. Our pure nature enables outdoor sports enthusiasts to roam the forests, lakes, and rivers around the country with no fear of pollution or trash.

Orienteering is a popular sport in Finland and one of the best ways to truly immerse yourself with nature. With international events traversing forests, fells and low mountains, the country offers orienteering lovers lots to choose from. One of the most iconic events in Finland – and in the world – is Jukola. This relay orienteering race is a midnight-sun event dating back 70 years. Jukola takes place in a different location every year and the event is open to anyone aged 16 and above to participate. The race-weekend kicks off on a Saturday afternoon and continues under the midnight sun until Sunday. Family members can follow the racing on big screens in the main event area, or head into the forests for swimming, fishing, kayaking and other activities.

Kainuu Orienteering Week is one of the world’s oldest orienteering weeks, held annually in the forests of east-central Finland for beginners and pros alike. There are four race days and two rest days, with participants competing in several age groups. Newcomers to the sport can also try out the 10 different open-orienteering courses.

Image by Kainuu Orienteering Week/Touho Häkkinen.

Well-maintained trails and facilities

Outdoor and sports facilities throughout Finland are well-maintained – many of them year-round. Trails and routes, like those made for mountain biking, are designed so that they take the surrounding nature into consideration, and leave only a small trace on the environment. Our many, precious national parks are maintained and improved by Metsähallitus, a state-owned enterprise that administers 12 million hectares of land and water areas. The general public’s right allows an access to anyone living in or visiting Finland the freedom to roam the countryside and enjoy the recreational use of natural areas. We call this “The Everyman’s Rights” – a system of rights and responsibilities unique to the Nordics.

Finland’s pure nature along with well-maintained outdoor facilities pave the way (no pun intended!) for trail and ultra runners. Some of the most popular trail running events are the NUTS events that are organized around Lapland every summer. At the events, you can try trail runs ranging from 30+ to 160+ kilometers in the bare and beautiful Lappish landscapes.

Lost in Kainuu bills itself as “the biggest adventure race in Finland”. It combines trail running, kayaking, swimming, biking, climbing and more, for people who really want to test themselves. At the one end of the scale is a 24-hour continuous race over some 250 km for three-person teams, while the “easiest” option is a 50 km race for teams of up to five people. You must be at least 15 years old, have basic orienteering skills, and be able to swim to participate.

Lots of open space

Space and pure nature are the biggest and most affordable luxuries in Finland. We have about 5,5 million inhabitants spread across 340 000 square kilometers. That’s only 19 (lovely) people per km². Lots of open space means lots of long, winding roads. Open waters. Fields as far as the eye can see. Forests for miles. Only a reindeer, or two, in sight.

Lots of space also means that there is room for big sports events like swim-runs and triathlons. Swim-run events combine long-distance swimming and running – triathlons add cycling to the mix. Ironman, the most famous triathlon organizer in the world, has picked Finland as the location of some of the newest Ironman full and half-distance competitions.

Lake to Lake Finland is a swim-run where competitors follow a course that alternates between swimming and running from one lake to another. The race is typically done in teams of two and is for beginners and top athletes alike. The course has multiple swimming sections across many lakes. The running sections include both forest trails and smoother paths. Minors under 18 can participate with their parents’ written permission.

Combine sports with other activities

Life is not just about sports, right? In Finland, you can combine even the most hardcore training with other activities that can help you wind down. Sauna, swimming in a lake, a cozy weekend at a cabin, or a day on the slopes will bring a smile on anybody’s face. Work-life balance is an important thing to us Finns and we like to make sure we relax after we work – or sport – hard.

If you are participating in a sports event in Finland, we suggest planning a vacation around the event and making your stay a full-on holiday. Bring your family and enjoy everything Finland has to offer, whether it be summer or winter!