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1. See the season's first northern lights
Autumn is one of the best times to see the aurora borealis in Finland. The first peak time starts around August when the Earth aligns well with the sun. As nights get longer, there's a good chance you'll see the dancing, shimmering lights covering the night sky. The top spot to view the Northern Lights is Lapland in the northern part of the country.
2. Explore "ruska" in national parks
"Ruska" is a Finnish word for the colourful autumn foliage. As the days grow shorter and temperatures drop, plants and trees offer stunning display of red, orange, yellow and purple hues. With more than forty national parks spanning the country, you have many options to choose from when deciding where to go to witness the beauty of the autumn foliage season. If you're looking for a more urban but historical setting, try one of the ironwork villages around the Helsinki region. Ruska typically starts in Lapland in September and continues southward reaching southern Finland and the Helsinki region a couple of weeks later.
3. Forage in the forests
In the autumn, Finland's forests become abundant with mushrooms and berries waiting to be gathered. This privilege isn't just for locals – even travellers are welcome to enjoy these forest treasures, thanks to the principle of Everyman's Right. For instance, blueberries are ready for picking from July to early August, followed by lingonberries from early September to mid-October, and cranberries from late September until the first snowfall.
4. Go wildlife spotting
One of the most unique things you can experience in Northern and Eastern Finland is bear-watching on guided tour. You have a chance to see bears in the wild until around the end of September before they seek places to hibernate. Guided bear spotting trips are available for example in the northern parts of Lakeland and the southern part of Lapland, including places such as Kuusamo, Suomussalmi and Kuhmo.
5. Enjoy the harvest season
Autumn offers many seasonal events. Typically, on the last weekend of August, people in the coastal cities and towns gather to celebrate the end of the summer season. These festivities are called "venetsialaiset" in Finnish, also known as "forneldarnas natt" in Swedish. Depending on local traditions, you can expect bonfires, fireworks, colourful lanterns, and a cosy atmosphere. Between August and October, various harvest season celebrations ("sadonkorjuujuhlat") and farmer’s markets are held throughout the country. Keep an eye out for local specialties like fermented vegetables, jams, and rye bread – and Finnish Archipelago Bread ("saaristolaisleipä") if you're in the coastal areas.