On the Thursday before Midsummer the motorways out of Helsinki are full and the city is empty by Friday noon. Half a million people are at a summer cottage by a lake, heating the sauna and waiting for a sun that does not set. If you are new and not one of them, Juhannus can feel like the loneliest weekend in Finland. It does not have to be.
What it is
The celebration of the longest day, older than Christianity here, renamed after John the Baptist (Johannes, Juhannus) and moved to the weekend. In the north the sun does not set at all; in Helsinki it dips for three hours and the sky stays light. Finland's flag flies all night on Midsummer Day, the only night of the year it does.
What Finns do
- Leave the city on Thursday or Friday for the cottage (mökki) of the family, a friend, or a rented one.
- Sauna, then swim in the lake, then sauna. Birch branches (vihta or vasta) are cut fresh for it.
- Light the bonfire (kokko) on the shore at midnight, or what passes for midnight when it is light.
- Eat new potatoes with dill and butter, pickled herring, grilled sausages, strawberries.
- Drink, honestly, a lot.
- Decorate the porch with birch saplings. Old traditions say an unmarried woman who collects seven flowers under her pillow dreams of her future spouse.
What is closed
| Midsummer Eve (Fri) | Midsummer Day (Sat) | |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery shops | close early afternoon | mostly closed, some city ones open short hours |
| Alko | closes early | closed |
| Restaurants | many close | most closed outside city centres |
| Public transport | sparse from afternoon | Sunday timetable |
| Pharmacies | on-duty pharmacy only | on-duty pharmacy only |
If you have no cottage
- Seurasaari, Helsinki. The open-air museum island holds the city's Midsummer festival with the big bonfire on the Eve, folk dancing and boats. Tickets sell out; buy early.
- Public saunas. Löyly, Kulttuurisauna and Sompasauna in Helsinki, Rajaportti in Tampere. Sauna and a swim in the sea is the Midsummer experience in miniature.
- A national park. Nuuksio from Helsinki, Seitseminen from Tampere. Everyman's right means you can walk, swim and even camp. Take a train on Friday morning before the timetable thins.
- Rent a cottage with other newcomers. Book in April; the whole country is booking the same week.
- Say yes. A Finnish colleague's "you could come to our mökki" is a real invitation, not politeness. Bring something to grill and a swimsuit.
Juhannus Finnish
| Finnish | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hyvää juhannusta! | Happy Midsummer! |
| juhannusaatto, juhannuspäivä | Midsummer Eve, Midsummer Day |
| mökki | summer cottage |
| kokko | bonfire |
| vihta / vasta | birch whisk for the sauna |
| uudet perunat | new potatoes |
| silli | pickled herring |
| yötön yö | the nightless night |
| Mennään uimaan! | Let's go swimming! |