Last year, I got a Finnish working holiday visa and moved to Helsinki. While in Finland, I also took the opportunity to travel to other parts of the country including Oulu, Rovaniemi, Tampere, Turku and Hanko.
There are many stereotypes about Finland, like that it’s cold. There are also many stereotypes about Finnish people, like that they’re cold.
And yes, the Finnish language is notoriously hard to learn. (Luckily, most Finns speak excellent English!)
Still, overall, I genuinely enjoyed my time living in Finland. The longer I spent there, the more it continued to pleasantly surprise me.
After I left the country, I started noticing that I really missed certain aspects of Finland and Finnish culture. So, I started to put together this list of the things I miss the most.
If you’re thinking about visiting or even living in Finland, I hope this article gives you some inspiration. And if you’re Finnish, I hope this article reminds you of some of the reasons to be proud of your beautiful country!
1. Nobody complains about the small things
During my time in the country, I developed a lot of respect for Finnish society. I thought long and hard about the reasons why I liked it so much, and eventually realised that I have never actually heard a Finn truly complaining.
Now, I’m not saying that Finns have nothing to complain about! Just like anyone else, they experience minor inconveniences, relationship problems, and everything in between in their daily lives. And it’s true that the country is bitterly cold and dark for half the year.
I’m sure Finns share some of their problems and frustrations privately, as anyone would. But mostly, Finns just get on with it.
Cold? Well, yes, so is everyone else! That’s not something to complain about.
Received bad service? That’s disappointing, but Finns probably wouldn’t take out their frustration on the person providing it.
Finns are known for their “sisu”, a Finnish word that roughly translates to “stoic determination, resilience, grit and bravery”. Having “sisu” is a source of pride for Finns and part of their national identity.
Finns are OK with suffering a little bit, and they don’t feel the need to solicit sympathy from everyone around them. Unlike in England, for example, “Gosh, the weather is so cold/hot” is not a form of small talk. Finns don’t do small talk.
2. Genuine, brutally honest people
In my home country of Australia, people are a bit like eggs. If you want to get to know them, you just have to lightly crack open the thin shell and you’ll easily access what’s inside.
Finns are more like coconuts. You need to put a lot more effort into cracking open the hard exterior. But once you do, you’ll find an abundance of sweet filling on the inside.
OK, that’s perhaps a bit of a strange analogy. My point is that, once you get to know a Finn, you’ll often have a genuine, trustworthy friend for life (even if you have to work a bit harder at the start to break the ice).
I especially love how brutally honest Finns are. They’re direct and say exactly what they think. We all need a friend like that.
If you’ve ever casually asked a Finn “how are you?”, you’ll understand what I mean! (They actually think about how they’re feeling at that moment and answer honestly, even if you aren’t prepared for that.)
3. Endless nature and open space
For a country with less than six million people, Finland has a lot of space. Much of it is filled with forests, lakes and national parks.
Even if you live in one of the major cities, the traffic isn’t really that bad and there’s plenty of nature close by to enjoy.
4. The public transport just works
Throughout my time in Helsinki, the efficient and affordable public transport system did not once let me down. The trains, buses and trams are clean, run frequently, and are usually on time.
This is absolutely not something that’s a given in most other parts of the world, so I hope Finns don’t take their excellent public transport for granted.
5. Long-distance trains have call booths
Finns are courteous and mindful of other people around them, almost to a fault.
If you book a premium seat in the quiet carriage on a long-distance train, you can expect to travel in complete silence. Everyone takes that responsibility seriously. If you need to make a call, no worries – you can use the free Wi-Fi and go to the soundproof call booth at the end of the carriage!
6. Finns take coffee seriously
Finns drink more coffee than anyone in the world, and they take their coffee breaks seriously.
The country is full of cozy cafés and coffee houses, and even chains like Espresso House and Fazer Cafe offer decent coffee with thoughtful decor and a nice vibe.
I was once travelling early in the morning on a long-distance train where free tea & coffee were supposed to be available at the end of the carriage (next to the call booth, as it happens). The coffee dispenser was empty, and although a lot of people seemed upset by this, nobody said anything.
When a conductor came past my seat, I mentioned to him that we were out of coffee, He sprung into action, treating it like the emergency it was. Within minutes, the coffee was refilled, the conductor gave me a thumbs up and everyone on board was happy again!
7. The awesome lunch buffets
For some reason, pretty much every restaurant in Finland offers an all-you-can-eat buffet at lunchtime at a reasonable price.
Even if you order from an à la carte menu at lunchtime, there’s usually some kind of salad bar that you can help yourself to – included in the price. Unlimited water and coffee is always, free, too. Of course.
I think a lot of Finns assume this is normal everywhere. It’s really not, and that’s a shame!
8. The country is totally prepared for and even embraces the cold weather
Let’s face it, Finland gets really cold and dark in the winter. But the country is prepared for this, meaning a bit of snow doesn’t disrupt daily life.
When it snows in Helsinki, important roads and pathways get cleared at lightning speed. And buildings are built with proper double insulation by default, so you can be cozy inside even when it’s -25 degrees Celsius outside.
Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean you need to forfeit those summer vibes. Helsinki’s Mall of Tripla has indoor beach volleyball courts, a beach bar and artificial waves for surfing in its basement!
9. Saunas, everywhere
It’s estimated that there are more than 3 million saunas in Finland. Many people have them in their own homes. They’re super relaxing and a great way to stay warm and healthy during the long winter months.
10. The karaoke bars
Remember what I said about Finns and small talk? Admittedly, this can make it a bit hard to break the ice and meet people.
But there are two places where Finns are usually up for a chat: saunas and karaoke bars. And just like saunas, the country has no shortage of karaoke bars. These are always fun!
11. Board games in every bar
I’m a big fan of board games, so I love how most bars and pubs in Finland have a shelf full of them. It’s totally normal to go to a bar with your friends and play chess or a round of Monopoly.
I also really like the chess boards set up on the ground floor of Oodi, Helsinki’s main library. Anyone can just go and play there for free.
The library itself is an architecturally stunning building and has tons of facilities, making it a great place to hang out. That’s not something I’d normally say about a public library!
12. See the Northern Lights without leaving home
Many people travel to Finland, especially the northern region of Lapland, in the hope of seeing the Northern Lights. You don’t need to travel to see them if you live there. 😉
13. Fresh, affordable seafood
I enjoy seafood but it’s usually quite expensive and not always fresh. Not in Finland, where it’s abundantly available and may even be cheaper than chicken.
14. Blueberry juice
Other than Hartwall’s Original Long Drink (which is also great, by the way), no drink quite says “Finland” like blueberry juice. Served complimentary on all Finnair flights and widely available in Finnish supermarkets, it’s refreshing and delicious!
Side note: I once accidentally bought blueberry soup (mustikkakeitto) at the supermarket instead of blueberry juice (mustikkamehu). Finns have assured me that blueberry soup is a normal product that they all enjoy, but I’m skeptical… it seems a bit weird to me!
15. Karjalanpiirakka
Unique to Finland, Karelian pies (karjalanpiirakka) are savoury rye pastries filled with rice porridge and baked until golden. Often topped with egg butter, these moreish delights quickly became my favourite Finnish breakfast.
16. The crisp, clean fresh air
No need to worry about pollution, the air quality in Finland is superb.
17. You can be yourself
You can do your own thing and everyone else will just mind their own business. Privacy is the default. It’s refreshing.
18. The high level of basic fairness, justice and equality
Finnish society is built on social justice and respect for each other. Yes, sadly, like in any society, there are some problems with racism and discrimination. But for the most part, I got the feeling that people are treated fairly.
Finland is also one of the world’s least corrupt countries. So, while taxes are high, people generally accept this as they can see that their money is put to good use.
19. You can walk or skate on frozen rivers and lakes
I saw lots of people doing this in winter in Rovaniemi.
20. Public toilets are mostly free
Finland is one of the few countries in Europe where public toilets are both free and widely available. (Yes, this is also a thing in Australia and many other parts of the world… but it’s not so common in Europe.)
21. You can browse in a shop without being pestered to share your life story
In Australia, if you walk into a shop and a sales assistant sees you, there’s a 90% chance they’ll ask you if you’ve had a busy day, have any plans for the weekend, or any number of other questions that are none of their business and that they don’t care about anyway.
In Finland, I’ve found sales assistants very helpful when I’ve actually had a question or had trouble finding something. No need for the awkward small talk.
22. “Welcome again” is a normal way to say goodbye
Every language has its own quirks. In Finland, it’s really common to hear the phrase “Tervetuloa uudelleen!” when someone is saying goodbye. It means “welcome again”, and it’s both a farewell greeting and an invitation to return.
23. The health benefits of not affording alcohol
Taxes on alcohol are high in Finland. On one hand, that can make it expensive to go out. But the high prices for beer, wine and spirits also had the effect of subtly encouraging me to drink less.
I actually noticed that my health improved as a result of this, so it’s not all bad!
24. Total silence
One thing that really struck me in many of Finland’s forests was that, when it’s not windy, you can experience complete and utter silence. You don’t even have to travel that far to be separated from all other civilisation. It’s great for mindfulness.
25. The world’s “happiest” people don’t take themselves too seriously
Finland recently earned the title of “world’s happiest country” for the ninth year in a row.
Many Finns seem to think this title is a bit of a joke because they rarely smile. The city of Helsinki embraced this in 2025, poking fun at the award with billboards depicting two Finnish men who aren’t smiling… but indeed do seem very content.
All photos in this article are by Matt Graham.
Matt is the founder of Working Holidays for Aussies. Passionate about travel and always looking for great deals, he believes that a gap year is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in another culture and learn all the things they didn’t teach you in school.
Originally from Australia, Matt has travelled to over 100 countries, lived in 7 countries, and has extensive real-world experience with working holiday visas.
Learn more and connect with Matt Graham on LinkedIn.
