Water – a Pure Reason to Visit Finland

You can drink tap water everywhere. You can also fill your own bottles with clean and refreshing spring water for free, as many locals do. For example, Källviken in the idyllic small town of Tammisaari, the Dagmar Spring runs freely without freezing 365 days a year at a steady temperature of +4 degrees celcius.

Water means not only a comfortable and sustainable way of living, but also a mindful way of living. Kayaking, rowing and sailing are soothing ways of enjoying the waterways and skinny dipping comes naturally for most Finns. Some of the best moments can be silently experienced by the water, hearing only the voices of nature. 

Winter swimming is a healthy way to keep fit and to get an extra adrenaline kick. There is a communal winter bathing club in nearly every town, usually accompanied by a sauna to warm up afterwards. Nothing beats the feeling after you have dipped into refreshing, clear water, which makes your body tingle with joy and excitement, relaxing even the deepest parts of your mind and soul.

When it gets colder you can see some of the most beautiful views as the lakes and the sea start freezing. On a perfect winter day you can go ice skating and later when the ice is strong enough you can even take a roadtrip on the marked frozen roads in the Lakeland. Ice-breaker vessel Sampo in Kemi is a real Arctic experience for those who want to float in a drysuit amongst ice blocks.

During the summer Finland is ideal for a water holiday. Think of a cabin by a lake, an urban sauna by the sea or a night at a lighthouse. There are many less crowded beaches and islands dotted along Finland’s southern and western coastline, ideal for relaxing by the water. In the archipelago you’ll find wooden houses, idyllic fishing villages, local food markets, handcrafters’ studios and gardens perfect for island getaways. The waterways are often connected with boat taxis or ferries operating throughout the seasons, like in the Archipelago Ring Road.

Waters are free to roam according to the Finnish law of Everyman’s Right meaning that anyone is allowed to camp out temporarily, fish with a rod and line, boat, swim or bathe in inland waters and the sea, walk, ski, or drive a motor vehicle or fish on frozen lakes, rivers and the sea. So you can enjoy the waters, wherever in Finland you may be.