September's weather is cold to cool in Finland, with the start of fall marking the beginning of colder weather in the country. We recommend visiting Helsinki, Turku, Repovesi National Park, and Rovaniemi.
Read on to find out more about Finland travel and weather, including temperatures, rainfall, humidity, and tips for September.
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Finland Weather in August: Overview
Averages:
- Temperature range: 7–14°C (45–58°F)
- Rainfall: 6 cm (2 inches)
- Rainy/snowy days: 10
- Sunshine hours/day: 5
- Humidity: around 82% (damp throughout Finland)
Finland in September is cold to mild, with temperatures ranging quite a bit throughout the country; much colder in the north of Finland and a milder towards the south of the country. Given that the country is moving towards winter, there are also only around 5 hours of sunshine per day in September on average. Finland sees a little bit of damp in September, with some showers (around 10 rainy days in the month), with approximately 6 cm (or 2 inches) of rainfall in the month.
September Climate Comparison (Averages) for Finland's Top Tourism Areas
City/Area | High Temps. | Low Temps. | Rainfall |
---|---|---|---|
Helsinki (main city, travel hub, architecture, art, history) | Mild | Cool | Low |
Rovaniemi (Lapland capital, Santa culture, arctic beauty) | Cool | Cold | Low |
Tampere (vibrant third city, oldest sauna, scenic Lakeland) | Mild | Cold | Low |
Turku (oldest city, archipelago gateway, food, culture) | Mild | Cold | Low |
City/Area | High (ºC) | Low (ºC) | Rain (cm) |
---|---|---|---|
Helsinki (main city, travel hub, architecture, art, history) | 15 | 9 | 7 |
Rovaniemi (Lapland capital, Santa culture, arctic beauty) | 11 | 5 | 6 |
Tampere (vibrant third city, oldest sauna, scenic Lakeland) | 15 | 4 | 6 |
Turku (oldest city, archipelago gateway, food, culture) | 16 | 7 | 6 |
City/Area | High (ºF) | Low (ºF) | Rain (in) |
---|---|---|---|
Helsinki (main city, travel hub, architecture, art, history) | 59 | 48 | 2 |
Rovaniemi (Lapland capital, Santa culture, arctic beauty) | 52 | 41 | 2 |
Tampere (vibrant third city, oldest sauna, scenic Lakeland) | 59 | 45 | 2 |
Turku (oldest city, archipelago gateway, food, culture) | 61 | 45 | 2 |
The Best Places to Visit in Finland in September
September is a transitional month in Finland, with the arrival of September indicating the start of fall, which quickly moves into winter in Finland, given its northern location. The leaves are in transition during this time too, so there are lots of beautiful natural sights to see in this month.
We suggest starting off in Helsinki, and then heading on over to Turku. From there, we recommend exploring Repovesi National Park, and finally going on to Rovaniemi to see the northern lights.
Global Highlights can help you plan the trip of a lifetime to Finland. Given our expertise and local knowledge, you'll be sure to see everything that this amazing country has to offer. On top of that, we can arrange all transportation and accommodation, as well as local guides, for you, so that you don't need to worry about planning your holiday. We invite you to plan your trip to Finland with us today.
1. Visit a Public Sauna in Helsinki
You might know Finland as the land of saunas, and why not spend the day exploring Helsinki, finishing it off with a visit to a traditional Finnish sauna. Many of Helsinki's hotels have their own saunas, but there are also lots of public saunas throughout the city ranging in size and offerings.
For the rest of the day, we suggest visiting Helsinki Cathedral, a Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral from the 19th century, or the Uspenski Cathedral, a Greek Orthodox Cathedral built in the Russian Revival Style.
If you are an architecture buff, we suggest visiting either Töölönlahti, you can read more about this in our piece about visiting Finland in May, or heading over to Senate Square, which you can read more about in our piece about visiting Finland in June.
There's so much to see, you could easily spend multiple days in Helsinki, walking around and soaking up Finnish culture.
2. Find Your Way through Turku's Medieval Castle
Turku, found in the south of Finland, is mild in September, making it a great time of the year to visit and explore. It's also the third biggest city in the country and the oldest city in Finland, it and has some fascinating sights to see.
One of these is Turku Castle, a beautiful medieval castle which is also one of the oldest medieval buildings that are still in use today. On top of that, given its place on top of the list of Finland's most frequently visited museums, this should give you plenty of reasons to add it to your list.
The castle was built in the 13th century, and has defended Finland from Russian invaders back in 1318. The inside of the castle has some exhibits to give you some more information about this history, but we would also recommend taking a guide along if you want to learn more.
Global Highlights can help you arrange a local guide to take with you during your time in Turku. Contact us to plan a trip including Turku.
3. See the Leaves Changing Colors in Repovesi National Park
Repovesi National Park is a famous trekking park in Finland. The park is home to approximately 45 kilometers (28 miles) of marked trails, including both more challenging and simpler hikes. September is a great time of the year to visit as this is when the leaves are transforming into beautiful fall colors, and the weather isn't too cold to visit yet.
If you want to do something easy, we suggest the Ketunlenkki Trail, length 5 km (3 miles), which is more accessible, or for a more challenging route, try (some of) the more ambitious Kaakkurin Kierros Trail, length 26 km (16 miles).
The park is even home to Olhavanvuori, a vertical rock face that is 50 meters (164 feet) tall and a great spot to either climb, or to watch climbers. Climbing is not permitted in other parts of the park, but this is a great spot.
Other activities include cycling, skiing in the winter months, and fishing. All in all, this is a beautiful forest destination highly worth a visit for anyone who likes natural scenery, walking, and fresh air.
4. Marvel at the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi
Starting at the end of August, you will be able to see northern lights in northern Finland. This makes September a great time of the year to venture up to Rovaniemi to do exactly that! Located close to the Arctic Circle, the city of Rovaniemi is found in Finnish Lapland, and you can either see the lights close to the city, or venture further north using Rovaniemi as a starting point.
For more information, visit our article about visiting Finland in January.
Low Season: Less Expensive and Fewer Crowds
September is low season in Finland, and you will find that transportation and accommodation are generally a little less expensive. We do still suggest planning ahead, particularly if you want to visit the most popular cities in the country.
What to Wear in September
Given that September's weather can be anywhere from mild to cool to cold, we do recommend bringing a range of layers to ensure that you can be comfortable in a range of different weather and temperature. Bringing extra jumpers and a warmer coat is a good idea if you are heading further up north to Rovaniemi, where evenings are definitely on the colder side.
We recommend packing a scarf, gloves, a hat, and thick socks, just in case. There is nothing worse than having cold toes and ears, and if you want to explore to the fullest you just want to ensure you are warm enough!