When to go · Finland
Finland in January
Good month. Lapland in deep winter: blue-hour days, strong cold, good auroras. Helsinki is dark and icy.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Good
- Crowds
- Medium
- Finland
- Prices
- Medium
- Finland
Verdict
Lapland in deep winter: blue-hour days, strong cold, good auroras. Helsinki is dark and icy.
Weather in January
- South coast · Helsinki, Turku, Porvoo, Ålandcool
Around −5 °C in January, 20–23 °C in July; 19 h of daylight at midsummer, 6 h in late December. The sea often freezes near shore in cold winters.
- Lakeland · Tampere, Savonlinna, Kuopio, Kolicool
Colder winters, warmer summers; lakes freeze solid for skating and skiing in February–March. Mosquitoes in June–July.
- Lapland · Rovaniemi, Levi, Ylläs, Saariselkä, Inari, Kilpisjärvicool
Snow from November to April; −15 to −30 °C in January. Polar night (kaamos) in the north from early December to early January; midnight sun in Utsjoki about 17 May – 27 July. Autumn colours (ruska) in early September.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
New Year and Epiphany
1 and 6 Jan
Public holidays.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Finland
- Medium
- Prices · Finland
- Medium
What to pack
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket