Summer is the season when Lakeland Finland makes it exceptionally easy for you to fall in love with this wonderful region. What could be better than a summer holiday in a quiet cottage by the lake? Take a daily sauna, pick berries in the forest or simply relax – what a relief. However, various activities are also possible. Experience the summer of your life and take a cue from the way the locals enjoy Lakeland Finland at the time of the long white nights.
Nothing beats a summer holiday in a mökki
If you ask people in Finland what the best way to spend a summer holiday is, most will give you the same answer: Rent a mökki by a secluded lake. To this day, many families own such a mökki, as the Finns call this type of holiday home. Most of them are located on a property directly on the water, and each mökki has its own sauna. Otherwise, the standard can vary a lot. Some people like it very original, without running water and electricity. However, these simple cabins have become rare today. At the higher end, many things are possible: from comfortable holiday homes for the whole family to veritable villas with every luxury you can imagine. Look for good cottage options!
Water activities in the summertime
“What am I going to do all day at a mökki like this?” is a typical question asked by guests from abroad. Well, the answer is actually quite simple: just be. Sit on the pier and listen to the sound of the waves and the rush of the wind. Soak up the different smells of nature and watch water birds or squirrels. Or sit on the pier and read a good book. Of course, Lakeland Finland offers optimal conditions for all kinds of water activities in the summertime: swimming, rowing, canoeing or stand-up paddling. What is also part of the Finnish summer: taking a sauna and jumping into the cool water of the lake in between. If you like, you can also go fishing. Explore versatile water activity opportunities!
Berry picking and mushroom picking in the forests
In addition to the lakes, the forests are also very important to the locals in Lakeland Finland. It is a cherished tradition for many families to go berry picking together in the forest as soon as the blueberry or lingonberry season starts. Everyman’s right makes this possible. Everyone, even the smallest ones, helps with enthusiasm and everyone has their own bucket. Of course, the berries are not only picked for later, but gourmets of all ages love to enjoy a few tasty berries directly while picking. In the evening, a freshly baked blueberry pie is delicious. Mushrooms can also be found in the forests of Lakeland Finland. However, you should know the mushrooms well in order to be able to distinguish between those that are edible and those that may be poisonous.
Celebrating Midsummer in Lakeland Finland
Some Finns spend most of their summer in their mökki in Lakeland Finland. However, one date that draws just about everyone out into nature is Midsummer. On Juhannus, as it is called in Finnish, the whole family gathers at the summer house. The most important party of the summer is celebrated in the traditional way with good food, good drinks, a festive Juhannus sauna and a lot of fellowship. Could there be a better stage for this occasion than Lakeland Finland? Read more about the midnight sun!
The colourful hustle and bustle on the market squares in the cities
When Finns do leave their mökki in the summer, it is often to stroll around the market square in the nearby town. The “tori” is a meeting place for young and old and the lively heart of the cities in summertime. Here you can buy local products from freshly caught fish to berries and vegetables to handicrafts or enjoy regional dishes. “Torikahvit” is a cherished tradition for many Finns: simply order a coffee in one of the – temporarily built – cafés at the market square, chat with others or watch the hustle and bustle.
A boat trip across the great lakes
You’re already in the city? Wonderful! Then we have another suggestion for you. Finnish families also love to see their homeland from a different perspective on a beautiful summer day. How about a boat trip across the great lakes? While the steamboat cruises peacefully over the calm waters, you can pamper yourself with a cup of coffee and a piece of cake. Excursion boats depart from the ports of Lahti, Jyväskylä and Tampere, for example, on trips of varying lengths. Here are some suggestions for boat trips!
