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Enjoy the silence of Finland!

by Hanna
18 comments

What is silence?

For me Finland means silence. Finland is silent compared to many always buzzing countries and cities around the globe.

Silence has also many stages. Silence can be sitting on a cafรฉ in Helsinki and hearing only the other people talking. Silence can be very deep like inside a forest where are only me and the nature.

If you you would ask me where to find absolute silence and relaxation I’d say you should visit Finland. In Finland there are only 5,4 million people and 80 % of Finland consists of lakes and forest. Finland has been nominated as the safest country in the world for travelers (by World Economic Forum) and is known for the silence.

Here are my 5 tips for finding silence

1. Hire a cabin

I would warmly recommend you to hire a cabin in Finland. It should be located by a lake or by the sea and it should prefrably include a fireplace inside the cabin and a sauna.

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Traditional Finnish summer cabin

We Finns spend our time in the summer in the cabins because there we can be closer to the nature and enjoy the silence and slow pace of life.

At the cabin you can enjoy the silence just by sitting on the pier and listening to the nature sounds. It might be quite silent: you can hear are the waves slowly hitting the shore and birds singing somewhere distant. Absolutely calming!

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The cabin experience is the ultimate Finnish silence experience!

2. Get naked!

It’s the ultimate place for relaxation and silence – depending on your sauna fellows of course. To get the Finnish sauna experience note that in Finland we go to sauna naked! Yes you heard me right, naked! The best sauna experience would be in the cabin especially if you can go to the sauna alone and just listen the water hitting the rocks in the sauna stove.

3. Forest for total mind relaxation

There are many places also close to the capital of Helsinki to go to enjoy nature. Within 30 minutes by car from Helsinki there are many forest areas but the most popular one is Nuuksio national park. There you can go wandering the easy paths through the forest.

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What I love to do in the summer is to go to the forest to pick up bilberries and mushrooms and just enjoy the silence. In Finland we have a law called “jokamiehenoikeus” which includes that everybody has the right to pick up berries and mushrooms in the forest.

4. Swimming in the lakes or in the sea

At the summer cabin I love to take long swims in the lake and watch the sun setting. It is very calming when I can only hear the water breaking and sometimes hear a bird called ‘kuikka’ (loon) singing.

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Ready for your evening swim? ๐Ÿ˜‰

Near Helsinki there are a lot of small beaching to go swimming. If you want to seek for silence go to a smaller beach and in the evening so that the most of the sunbathers have already left.

5. Perfect country for wellness

Wellness comes from words wellbeing and fitness. Wellness is multidimensional and combines together fitness, nutrition, mental dimension and activity of mind.ย  I see that wellness and Finland go hand in hand.

In Finland you can find pure ingredients from the nature like fish, berries and mushrooms. Mental activities like meditation in the forest is a peace for mind. Walking or even running through the forest paths combined with the silence of the nature combines a lot of things in wellness. Shortly put: if you love wellness come to Finland!

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Please comment and ask, I’m eager to share more of Finland with you!

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18 comments

Sartenada April 24, 2017 - 9:53 am

Well prepared post containing beautiful photos.

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reachinghot April 24, 2017 - 5:18 pm

Thank you so much! ๐Ÿ™‚

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Hannah Denton May 2, 2017 - 10:36 am

This is next on the list, looks stunning!

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reachinghot May 3, 2017 - 8:00 am

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback Hannah! I’m glad that Finland is on your list. ๐Ÿ™‚

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Nolusindiso Hleko May 19, 2017 - 9:25 am

Number 2 is my favourite, we barely find the freedom to be naked outside our rooms *sigh

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reachinghot May 19, 2017 - 9:31 am

Nolusindiso you are correct in that! ๐Ÿ˜€ In Finland we always go to the sauna naked –
even in the public swimming halls! But I think the sauna in the cabin is the ultimate relaxation experience to have here. If nakedness is too awkward with other people then the possibility is to enjoy the sauna by yourself. ๐Ÿ™‚

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Fumiko June 23, 2017 - 10:05 am

I’ve been to Finland in the world travel. Really great place! I walked the Nuukusio national park! I enjoyed the nature ans Sauna in Finland! I hope that I could I visit again!!

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suru July 19, 2017 - 9:44 pm

Thank you for the tips that are really so useful. A couple of questions:
–Are there many cabins on rent near the lakes and sea? Any idea approx.price for a cabin?
–Any idea of popular sauna places in and around , say, Helsinki?
–So nice to have such a law โ€œjokamiehenoikeusโ€!!!
Thanks again.
Suru

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reachinghot July 20, 2017 - 5:12 pm

I’m so glad you enjoyed reading my article! ๐Ÿ˜Š Actually there are quite many cabins to rent! I suggest to check out the cabins from a site called Lomarengas.fi/en. The prices vary a lot. The first price that I saw was one night 400e for 8 people on August. Lรถyly is propably one of the most popular ones and Sompasauna is the other one. They are both located in Helsinki. ๐Ÿ˜Š “Jokamiehenoikeus” is a really nice thing to have. It allows anyone to wander in the forests and pick fresh mushrooms and berries – how lovely!

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suru July 20, 2017 - 10:34 pm

Your replies are perfect and as crystal clear as waters of Helsinki lakes!!!!!!!!
Thank you for the website for cabins. Later I will view that website. Mostly my travels are 2. So I need to find a cabin for 2 or even 3 is ok.
Thanks for recommending popular sauna and that too in Helsinki.
Other than berries and mushrooms, what other ( say other fruits and vegetables) can we find in those forests.?

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reachinghot July 21, 2017 - 9:33 am

I thought that might be the case that you are traveling only with 2-3 people. That is why I suggest to check out the website. ๐Ÿ™‚ In the Finnish forests we don’t have any fruits as far as I’m concerned. I go to the forest to pick up blueberries, raspberries, wild strawberries and mushrooms.

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suru July 21, 2017 - 2:45 pm

Thank you for your reply. I travel alone and meet locals of that place who normally show me their places. So in any given situation, two people would be with me (me and my host…rarely another person from the host side). Surely I will check the website which is really needed. It’s ok….that the forests have different types of berries of which I am fond of too. I just asked to know if any more fruits are available since it’s a forest.
All your replies are so clear and thank you so much.

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reachinghot July 22, 2017 - 10:27 pm

I’m really glad I was able to help you! ๐Ÿ˜Š

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suru July 28, 2017 - 7:32 am

Yes…your information is really helpful. Wish I can meet you when I am in Helsinki so that I get more good suggestions from you at that time!!:))
Thank you again.

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reachinghot July 28, 2017 - 8:08 am

If I’m around Helsinki at that time, we can try to arrange a meetup. ๐Ÿ™‚

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suru July 28, 2017 - 8:27 am

Thank you. If you are available at the time of my visit to Finland, a meet up would be great.

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Julie Cao July 28, 2017 - 12:53 am

Your featured image is my favorite, with sunset loom over the lake – it is magic that it is only you, sunset and the nature. I believe the winter is also a perfect time to enjoy silence in Finland, and stay in a cabin with a wood fire and a hot cup of tea and wine under the Aurora Borealis is so cozy.

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reachinghot July 28, 2017 - 8:07 am

It is as you said! Perfect – lake, me and the nature. Winter is also really good time to enjoy the silence as you also mentioned. If you rent a cabin try to get it from somewhere where there are not that many lights around or other cabins. Then in the night you will see the Milky Way right above your head and if you are lucky or in the Northern Finland you might see aurora borealis. If it gets too cold outside then wine or hot tea with a wood fire is pure perfection. ๐Ÿ™‚

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