Mistakes to Avoid on Your First Finland Vacation
Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re discussing common mistakes we see from first-time tourists in Finland. Mark studied in Scandinavia, and we’ve been back many times with our kids. We’ve learned many lessons throughout the years. If you are about to embark on your first Finland vacation, take care to avoid these travel mistakes!
Missing the Top 3 Cities in Finland
Having lived and studied in Finland, there are three things you must do during your trip to Finland!
- Helsinki is a must! It’s the capital city with so many things to see. You can spend a full vacation in Helsinki or at least spend a day or two.
- Turku is another favorite. There’s a cathedral, castle, market hall, and a beautiful riverfront.
- Lastly is the sauna experience. No matter where your Finland vacation takes you, don’t miss out on the sauna experience in Finland.
Skipping the Sauna
Sauna is a national pastime in Finland; missing out on this would be a huge mistake! Even if you’re just on a day trip, make sure you visit a sauna at least once during your trip to Finland. Because it’s such a cultural experience, there are several mistakes to avoid during your sauna (sown-na) experience.
- Most people will be naked in a sauna; it’s totally normal and nobody is judging you, but if you’re uncomfortable, you can wear a swimsuit into the sauna. They will give you towels to sit on, too.
- Leave your jewelry in your hotel room; it can get really hot and burn your skin!
- Sexualizing the sauna experience is a mistake; even though everyone is naked, it’s just not a sexual thing.
- Saunas are only co-ed if it’s at someone’s home. Public saunas are separated by gender, so don’t worry that you’ll be naked in front of members of the opposite sex. There may be two different saunas, or some places have different hours for men and women.
- Forgetting to hydrate can be a mistake when you sauna. You’re sweating out a lot of hydration, so make sure you replace it!
- The floor of a sauna can be slippery with all of the condensation; don’t horse around and watch your step when you get up from your seat. (This is also why glass is not allowed in the sauna!)
- Don’t let the heat out! When entering and exiting, close the door right behind you or the other guests will get a cold blast of air.
- Trying to “keep up” with your Finnish friends in the sauna. They’re used to the heat and the steam; you might need to take a break or end the sauna before they do. You can also move around in the sauna; the higher seats are hotter.
- You might also find a stick on the floor of the sauna; this is actually to whip yourself in the back. It stimulates your skin. Sounds weird, but it feels great.
- You are supposed to shower before and after the sauna. Hotels or public saunas will have a shower, or if you’re out in the wilderness, you might jump in a lake or snowbank to cool off.
- Always leave the water bucket full when you are done with the sauna. This is a common courtesy for your fellow sauna-goers.
Enjoying the sauna is also a great way to chat up the locals in Finland! It’s the only time they really open up!
Trusting the Weather
You never know what weather you’re going to get in Finland! We’ve had snow in the spring and sunny days in the winter. Snowstorms in April are fairly common, so it’s best to be prepared for all weather no matter what time of year you visit Finland.
Missing Out on the Market Halls
Finland has so many fun market halls, like the Kauppahalli in Turku. It’s not just like a grocery store, although those are always fun to explore in a new country. It’s a gathering place. Sure, you can get groceries or pre-made food but you can also buy souvenirs and specialty items. Markets in Finland are great for people watching.
Missing the Cafe Culture of Finland
Sometimes, my favorite thing to do in Finland is to grab a seat at a cafe and soak in the cafe culture with a coffee and a cinnamon roll. The cinnamon rolls (Korvapuusti) are fantastic, and there are many other delicious pastries to sample in Finland. It’s the best way to meet locals and blend in amongst them.
Not Talking to Locals
Finnish people are generally more reserved and not prone to small talk, but they can actually be quite friendly once you get to know them. If you land on a topic they are passionate about, they can talk your ear off. They probably won’t start a conversation with you, but they will probably continue it if they are interested.
What to Know Before Visiting Finland
Parenting Your Kids Too Strongly
If you are on the stricter side of parenting back home, you may need to dial that back a bit in Finland. They are all about gentle parenting without corporal punishment in Finland, so even a quick flick to the ear may ruffle some feathers.
Waiting Too Late for Dinner
In many European countries, it’s common to eat dinner quite late at night. That is not the case in Finland, so you should plan to eat dinner at more “American” times like 7 or 8:00. There are always fast food options like Hesburger or street carts, but restaurants are not generally open super late.
Expecting Amazing Food
There are Mexican, French, Thai and Italian restaurants in pretty much every city in the world. Have you ever seen a Finnish restaurant in your hometown or nearby city? Probably not, and there’s a reason for that. Even in Finland, you’ll find a variety of cuisines, but finding traditional Finnish food can be a challenge.
That said, there are some classic Finnish meals to eat when you are here. Besides cinnamon rolls, of course! Those are a given.
- Rye Bread, or Ruisleipa, is very common in Finland. Bread in general is very popular, and they often make a meal out of bread and cheese.
- Salmon soup in Finland is amazing! It usually comes with rye bread, and it’s absolutely delicious. Beyond the soup, all salmon is pretty tasty in Finland.
- You’ll see a lot of soups in Finland; many of them are very good. If you are visiting Finland on a budget, soup and bread can be quite filling.
- Karelian pies or pasties are quite delicious. It almost looks like a baked potato, but it’s a hand pie made with a rye bread crust filled with rice pudding and egg butter. They are delicious!
- Blueberry pie is delicious in Finland! It’s more like a cobbler than a traditional American pie. A lot of berries grow in Finland in the summer, so take advantage of all the fresh fruit pies!
- Reindeer is served in many ways. Meatballs or stewed reindeer are two of the more popular types. It’s delicious, but don’t let your kids think you are eating Santa’s reindeer. We learned that the hard way!
- Hesburger is Mark’s favorite fast food in Finland. It blows McDonald’s out of the water, so don’t even compare the two!
- Mushrooms are abundant in Finland, and living here cured Mark of his disdain for mushrooms. Mushroom sauce or mushroom soup, it’s all good!
- Being close to Sweden is an added bonus; the meatballs are great!
If you are offered candy, beware! Salmiakki is very popular, and you might like it if you like salty black licorice, but it’s an acquired taste for most Americans. It comes in many forms, including gummies, syrup, and ice cream. Tyrkisk Peber is a runner-up as the worst candy in Finland. All other candy in Finland is pretty good, so check out a Fazer Candy store on your trip to Finland.
Not Learning a Few Finnish Words
Finnish is not an easy language to learn, and you don’t need to be fluent before you visit Finland. However, learning a few words is helpful. Almost everyone you meet will speak English, but they will get really excited if you speak a few words of Finnish. Hello (Moi) and thank you (Kiitos) would be enough to gain their attention and respect.
If your Finnish friends try to teach you some words, they will probably go for the V.S.P. They are not kid-friendly words, so use with caution!
Cutting in Line
There is a strong line culture in Finland, so it’s best to get in line along with everyone else. If you cut the line, they are too polite to say anything, but they’ll be fuming inside. This goes for bus stops, cafes, shopping and pretty much any place you can think of.
The same goes for jaywalking. Regardless of traffic, you should follow the rules and do not jaywalk. It’s just not done here.
Thinking All of Finland is Expensive Like Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital of Finland and is naturally quite expensive to visit. Because Helsinki is the first place most people visit in Finland, it’s easy to assume that all of Finland will be this expensive. Now, Finland is not a budget destination, but you can save some money if you don’t spend your entire vacation in Helsinki. You’ll find other cities are a bit more affordable.
Underestimating the Distance to Lapland
Lapland is the northernmost part of Finland, and is known as being the home of Santa Claus, the North Pole, reindeer and Northern Lights. It’s become a popular winter destination for tourists, but don’t think it’s just a quick day trip from Helsinki. It’s about a 12-hour train ride, so if you plan to visit Lapland, make sure you account for all of the travel time!
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Don’t wait to start planning your first Finland vacation! It’s such an amazing country full of culture, nature, and fun traditions. For more tips on travel in Scandinavia, check out these other blog posts: