15 Experiences You Need to Have in Finland Before You Die

Vähän erilaiset tökötit testissä 😆 #turvehoito #allnatural

A photo posted by Silja (@ssiljuri) on Aug 8, 2015 at 8:15am PDT

3. Kick it in the Swamp Soccer World Championship.

If the peat treatment wasn’t enough, sign your team up for the Swamp Soccer World Championship. Scoring goals knee deep in the mud while the opponent keeps face-planting. Playing soccer doesn’t get much better than this!

#Swampfootball #Swampsoccer, 2012. #Finland #Suomi

A photo posted by Staantribune (@staantribune) on Sep 7, 2015 at 8:11am PDT

4. Experience the white nights of the Sodankylä Midnight Sun Film Festival.

Grab a glass of red, kick back on one of the four stages to watch a movie then wander out to face the sunshine. Rinse and repeat for the next 5 days around the clock and you’ve got no idea what time of the day it is by the end of day 3.

Sodiksen telttasaunassa juhlitaan aamuun asti #sauna #kilju #palju #sodankylä #midnightsunfilmfestival

A photo posted by Santeri Laurila (@santerilaurila) on Jun 13, 2015 at 11:45pm PDT

5. Get your aim on at the Mölkky World Championship.

This Finnish game where you knock down wooden blocks to gain the right amount of points, has become so popular internationally, the World Championships will be held in France next year. But worry not, you’ll get to practice. Just find a park in the summertime and you’ll be sure to find mölkky too.

Happy Times! Avec un jeu du #mölkky #woodgame

A photo posted by AnneLaure R (@al.bobby) on Aug 19, 2015 at 1:03pm PDT

6. Live like a Sámi for a day.

Spend a day learning about Sámi culture and reindeer with an indigenous guide. Peaceful spectators are also welcome to watch the annual reindeer separation in Moitakuru, Inari, and if you’re lucky you may get to join in!

#poro #poroerotus #reindier #lappland

A photo posted by Tuuli Rautava-Lakela (@tuuli_rl) on Oct 3, 2014 at 11:49am PDT

7. Aches and pains? Don’t worry, we’ll suck it out of you.

Kuppaus is a traditional healing method and is still used for all kinds of aches and pains. In cupping, the bad blood is sucked out of you though the little cuts in the skin made by a cupping axe. Back in the day, the cupping experience was delivered in a sauna by your local healer. These days you can find it at various beauty salons and healing retreats.

miljoona fritsua selässä, sain vähän lähtö pusuja 👽

A photo posted by ella / finland (@ellaorvokki) on May 22, 2015 at 3:26am PDT

8. Headbang at Tuska Open Air Festival.

You can’t visit Finland without seeing a real metal gig. So why not go big before you go home? Tuska (meaning the suffering) is the biggest metal music festival in the Northern Europe. Don’t let the I-Want-To-Kill-You-All music stylings and the black leather & chain wearing crowd fool you, it’s the most peaceful festival in Finland.

A little blast from the past 👊 #tbt #throwback #throwbackthursday #inflames #tuska #tuska2015 #tuskaopenair #helsinki #summer #festival #gopro #goproeverything #goprophotography #goprohero3 #goprohero4 #goprolife #goprooftheday #goprosoftheday #pictureoftheday #igersfinland #lifefilledwithdrama

A photo posted by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ռɨӄօ ӄʊʀʋɨռɛռ (@lifefilledwithdrama) on Sep 2, 2015 at 9:06pm PDT

9. Release your inner Viking at the Wife Carrying World Championship.

Pick a girl up, throw her over your shoulder, then charge across the obstacle track and leap the water hole faster than anyone else to win your ‘wife’s’ weight in beer. Simple hey? The best sport ever. And apparently good for your relationship too (if you don’t drop her)!

Eukonkantoo

A photo posted by Pekka Pitkänen (@rokettiroll68) on Jul 4, 2014 at 11:09pm PDT

10. Go with the flow at Vantaanjoki Kaljakellunta.

When it started back in 1997 there were 10 participants. Thanks to social media and word of mouth, last year there were more than 5000 people floating down Vantaa river and getting drunk on beer (cider’s acceptable too). The annual beer floating has no official organiser and the date is decided by the participants voting, so follow the updates here or on Facebook.

Some lunchtime travel brainstorming – who’s keen for beer floating day in Finland!? Yep – join 5000 rafters in Helsinki for a day of drinking beer floating down a river! Puts our day at the office to shame… An annual event that’s been running since 1997 and is announced via social media!

A photo posted by Travelshoot (@travelshootco) on Aug 24, 2015 at 7:20pm PDT

11. Party like a Finn on Vappu.

May Day is when you’ll see Finns crawl out of their caves after a long winter and join the Carnival of Labour Day celebrations. The party kicks off on the eve, filling all the bars and parks with festive crowds. On May Day the parks fill with life music, student traditions and picnic crowds popping bubbles and eating traditional funnel cakes. Bad weather and high spirits guaranteed!

#vappu !

A photo posted by Kaan Karlo Vardal (@kaankarlo) on Oct 4, 2015 at 4:17pm PDT

12. Spend a day (and night) on a floating sauna.

Want to throw a unique party? Pack up 15 friends and head to Joensuu to the internationally recognised floating sauna built by Santeri Hiltunen. This sauna includes BBQ, hammocks, jumping tower and trampolines, and is available for hire till the lake freezes over. Like I said, Finns love their saunas!

#saunalautta #sauna #saunaraft #joensuu #visitfinland #awesome #kesä #relax

A photo posted by Jyri Heikkinen (@classycustard) on Jul 24, 2014 at 11:15pm PDT

13. Find your inner hipster at Flow Festival.

Flow is the biggest urban music and arts festival held in Finland every August. From 2015 it also runs in Ljubljana, Slovenia. On the Flow weekend, 70 thousand hipsters take over Helsinki, and fill the city space with music, art, food, drink and the trendiest wardrobe choices. Be sure you book your tickets early, they sell out fast!

FLOW STYLE! @namsq #flow15 Photo ©: @skwii

A photo posted by Flow Festival Helsinki 2015 (@flowfestivalhelsinki) on Aug 15, 2015 at 11:05am PDT

14. Party Cruise like a Finn to Tallinn / Stockholm.

Cruises are a very popular way for Finns to unwind and get out of the country (*though most never leave the boat). Jump on the cruiser, drop your bag in your cabin and run to the duty-free shop. Buy as much cheap booze you can physically carry, pick your spot and start working on it. Eat too many scampi in the dinner buffet, drink some more, dance a bit, consider just one more nightcap then pass out in someone else’s cabin. Repeat until back in Helsinki, then consider getting off the boat, maybe.

Huippu reissu ja seura! 😏#tallinnanristeily#kärrytäynnäviinaa#9lavaasiiderii#darra#uuteennousuun#kohtahimassa#eienääikinä🍻👍

A photo posted by Maria (@mariakuosmanen_) on Aug 16, 2014 at 7:56am PDT

15. Enjoy the slow life of Turku Archipelago.

For the more active crowd, skip the cruise and head down to Turku Archipelago Trail. Designing your own trail for island hopping across the chain is made easy so that you can combine driving, riding, hiking and canoeing to get around. The ring road covers the biggest islands of the archipelago running through the most beautiful scenery that the Finnish wilderness has to offer, and the islands are dotted with little local businesses and slow living island culture.

Where you find peace. @visitarchipelago @ourfinland #visitarchipelago #finnishislands

A photo posted by Daniel Taipale (@dansmoe) on Jul 10, 2015 at 11:02am PDT