Finland in the winter is either a dream trip, or an absolute nightmare scenario. My best friend hates being cold, and I would never suggest this trip to her. I, on the other hand, thrive in snow. Call me Lorelei Gilmore, but I simply cannot get enough.
If you’re like me (or if the person who booked your trip is like me), then Finland will not disappoint. Between November and March (give or take a month or two, depending on where you are in the country), Finland is very cold and very snowy. So unless you’re from an equally cold climate, a winter trip to Finland calls for a specific type of packing last. Here at Lattes & Runways, we love a good packing list, so we say “Challenge accepted!”
In this post, we’ll start with some general tips to help shape your packing strategy. Then we’ll provided some gear recommendations for things we personally wore in Finland in February. Finally, we’ll get to the detailed packing list, which includes everything you’ll need — including some sneaky things you might forget. To top it all off, we’ll explain how we packed all of this into just a carry on and checked bag. Yes, even with wither clothes, this is possible!
Keep reading for a detailed list of everything you need to pack for a winter trip to Finland!
P.S. If you don’t need a full packing list, we have a shorter post here that just includes the 10 most important things to pack for a winter trip to Finland.
Packing Tips for a Winter Trip to Finland
If you want to to jump right down to the list, click here.
As you plan, prepare and pack for your upcoming trip to Finland, there are a few things you should know. All of these tips will help you streamline your winter packing list, and take some of the stress out of the experience.
1. Layers are key.
Base layer + fleece layer + outer later. This is the formula for comfort and warmth that fits into a carry on.
You know the drill. It’s cold outside, but warm inside. It’s snowing in the morning but then clears up midday. You are walking around town, but also going in and out of shops. Packing and dressing in layers allows you to easily navigate in and out of these scenarios comfortably.
Plus, the great thing about Finland is that there are coatracks everywhere, and even lockers at bigger destinations. There will almost always be a place to stash your bulky, heavy layers at the entrance to most restaurants, malls, museums, etc.
2. Always wear boots.
Everything is always icy and snowy. If it’s over 30 degrees in the winter — uncommon, but not unheard of — everything is always slushy and wet. That means you should wear your snow boats pretty much everywhere you go in Finland.
I would say to bring one extra pair of shoes that aren’t snow boots, but I would only wear them while you’re on a plane/train, going to breakfast at your hotel, or working out in the fitness center. If you’re walking more than a block outside, wear your snow boots.
3. Kids live in snowsuits.
Growing up in the Midwest of the USA, kids only wore snowsuits when they were playing in the snow. In Finland, kids wear snowsuits like they wear winter coats. Those coat racks I mentioned? They’re filled with kids jacks and snow pants.
This is because it’s always cold and it’s often wet (either snowy or slushy). If you’re traveling with a child, plan to have them wear snow pants daily, not just when they’re doing a specific snowy activity.
4. Some gear is worth investing in.
You don’t need to buy all new, top-of-the-line gear for a winter trip to Finland, but some good-quality gear is helpful. It’s important to direct your funds to invest in the right gear.
I personally find expensive merino wool to be overrated, when a cheaper wicking layer will do just fine. Likewise, I wouldn’t drop dough on things like expensive gloves, hats, or even socks really. (Though, the later I’m on the fence about.)
There is some gear though, that is worth investing in. I would direct the bulk of your funds toward a good winter coat, good winter boots, and maybe one good pair of pants. Unfortunately, the items I think you should invest on are the expensive ones, which leads us to …
5. Buy Secondhand.
You can save a ton of money on gear (and help the environment) if you shop secondhand. You can find a ton of great winter gear at thrift shops and on resale apps. I personally use Poshmark most, but have dabbled in Mercari and eBay.
I love buying secondhand for children’s gear, specifically. Since kids grow out of stuff so quickly, you can often find high-end gear that’s only been worn once or twice. For example, we bought our child Colombia snow pants on eBay for just $12. (This same pair retails for close to $45.) They arrived and were basically new. Our child wore them for three winters, including this trip to Finland.
6. Be an outfit repeater.
Another good way to keep your packing list small and your items fitting inside a carry on is just to wear fewer clothes. If there is ever a perfect time to be an outfit repeater, it is during a winter trip to Finland when approximately 80% of your photos are going to be of your winter coat anyway. For that reason, don’t stress too much about the layers underneath.
Instead, pack one or two bulkier sweaters, and then just change out the base layer that actually touches your skin. Packing a week’s worth of long sleeve shirts takes up substantially less space than a week’s worth of sweaters.
7. Adjust for activities
There are a few things that might call for specific attire.
If you’re spending a week in Helsinki, you probably don’t need to overdress. The city has plenty of opportunities to warm up indoors.
However, if you’re planning a snowshoeing excursion, you might want to pack an extra warm layer and make sure you have wool socks and waterproof gloves. Conversely, if you’re doing those excursions with a tour group, check if they provide thermal suits. If they do, you might not need to bring as much stuff.
Are you going to meet Santa in Rovaniemi? Pack that holiday sweater!
Be sure to adjust this list for your exact itinerary. We personally did a little bit of everything.
8. Finland has stores
As you’re packing your suitcase full of things you might need, keep in mind that Finland has stores. If you need something and don’t have it, there’s a pretty good chance you can buy it there. I like to remind myself of this when I’m Panic Packing, and throwing in every little thing I might need.
This packing list errs on the side of minimalist. It covers the essentials, and will likely fit entirely in a carry on. If you find yourself needing an umbrella, you forget your nail file, or you’re just craving M&Ms in your hotel room, you can buy it there.
Best Clothing for Winter in Finland
Again, if you want to get right to the detailed packing list, you can jump down to that by clicking here.
Winter in Finland can get very cold. If you’re shopping for the best and warmest gear for your trip, we were right there with you! I was on a mission to find quality gear that would keep us all warm and comfortable during out tip.
So before we get to the full packing list, I wanted to take some time to mention some of the specific items that really stood out. This is all gear we personally wore in Finland in February. We wore these items on the city streets of Helsinki, exploring Suomenlinna, snowshoeing in Rovaniemi, walking across the Arctic Circle, and on every plane and train in between.
If you’re looking for suggestions on specific gear, this is what we’d recommend.
NOTE: We are a member of the Amazon Affiliate Program. If you click any of our Amazon links and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Other brands linked here are not sponsored and we receive no compensation, they are just honest recommendations.
Best Pants for Winter in Finland
Let’s start with pants — specifically waterproof pants. No matter what you’re doing in Finland in the winter, there’s a good chance you’ll want to bring at least one pair of waterproof pants. The easiest way to accomplish that is with a pair of snow pants, which are both waterproof and warm. My husband went this route, and was very happy with his choice.
The downside to snow pants, though, is that they’re bulky. They can take up a lot of space in your suitcase, plus you can easily overheat in them if you’re going between inside and outside. For this reason, I went a different route for my women’s apparel.
Instead of snow pants, I opted for super warm leggings underneath a pair of waterproof rain pants. This combination worked out perfectly and kept me warm and dry for a full week in Finland (and a night sitting in the snow watching the Northern Lights in nearby Norway.)
Finding the best warm leggings was Herculean feat, but I believe I found the perfect pair (linked below). I will also say that I originally purchased these for running, but they were so warm for running that I knew they would be perfect for this trip too. I wore just these leggings for most of my trip, either on their own or under rain pants.
When I knew I’d be out in the snow, I threw a pair of rain pants on top (which I had already owned from a previous trip to Iceland.) Rain pants pack up way smaller than snow pants, and when paired with the cozy leggings, kept me just as worm. (Disclaimer: This might not work for everyone, specifically for extended periods of time outdoors in more extreme cold, but it worked for a casual tourist.)
Here’s our recommendations for pants for Finland:
- Men’s Snow Pants
- Women’s Waterproof Rain Pants
- Women’s (extremely) Warm Leggings
Best Base layers for Winter in Finland
Base layers are key to a winter packing strategy, and here’s why. Unlike everything else you need to wear to keep warm, base layers pack up small. Your base layer will get dirty everyday, but it will keep your outer layers pretty clean. That way, you can rewear your bulky layers and keep changing out your base layer.
I like to bring a base layer for each day, with a max of 7. If my trip is longer than 7 days, then I will just do laundry during the trip. I also like to bring a mix of short and long sleeve shirts. For long days outside, long sleeves add extra warmth. However, if I’m planning to go in and out of museums and shops, a t-shirt feels more breathable.
The most important feature of a good base layer is its sweat wicking capability. This helps keep your skin dry and you warm. However, I will usually settle for cotton for my short sleeve base layers, because I usually wear those on days when I don’t expect to be that sweaty. Honestly, any t-shirt will do.
These are our favorite base layers for Finland.
- Men’s long sleeve base layer — My husband actually wears race shirts, but his favorites are printed on Nike shirts like this one.
- Men’s short sleeve base layer
- Women’s long sleeve base layer (If that one is out of budget, here’s a reliable dupe.)
- Women’s short sleeve base layer*
*I’m honestly not a Bucket List Family stan, but I swear by their merch. This shirt is so soft, and truly the perfect travel T, no questions asked. I will say, I think the grey is softer than the yellow, but I wear both on every single trip.
Best Fleece for Winter in Finland
Between your base layer and your outer layer, you need a cozy layer. This adds warmth while you’re outside and keeps you comfortable and looking cute while you’re inside.
The Patagonia Better Sweater is the absolute best fleece layer, and I will die on that hill. They make it for both men’s and women’s, and it’s a core product that’s available year after year. That said, it does come in a couple different variations. (I have the quarter zip, but I would love to add a full zip to my collection.)
It’s a really thick fleece, that is super cozy and super warm. It’s fitted enough to look put together wandering a museum, and cozy enough to snuggle up in at your hotel after a long day. That’s because it wears more like a sweater than a jacket. If you ask me, it checks all the boxes.
I also brought one “cute” sweater to wear for dinners and such.
Best Jacket for Winter in Finland
This one is a tougher sell, because I have not tried nearly as many jackets on the market as I’ve tried sweaters and leggings. Winter jackets are also tough, because they are so expensive and everyone has a different tolerance for cold. While I’m less confident that these are the best jackets ever, I am confident in saying that these jackets served us well on our trip to Finland.
When it comes to winter coat shopping for Finland, I would prioritize a true winter coat. You want something that is thick, waterproof, and ideally covers your bottom. However, I would also say that in many cases, you might need an entirely new winter coat.
If you live in a climate that gets sub-freezing winters and you already have a coat for that, I don’t think you need to buy a new one. (I just don’t think that dropping an extra few hundred dollars is actually going to make you that much warmer.)
These are the winter coats we wore in Finland. We didn’t buy them specifically for this trip. They were just the coats we already owned for winters in NYC.
Tip: Watch for sales! The women’s coat linked here is listed at $350. I purchased it during a sale for 30% off and saved over $100.
Best Footwear for Winter in Finland
A good pair of boots is essential for a winter trip to Finland. By “good,” I mean waterproof, warm and have good traction.
No one in our family purchased new boots for Finland. Just like our coats, we all just wore the winter boots we already had for winter in New York. This worked out well for my husband who already had great boots, but the boots my toddler and I had did not cut it.
I had a pair of Colombia snow boots, which were cute, but not nearly warm enough. My toddler had these boots, which we’ve owned in 3 sizes and have always served us well in general. However, they were not tall enough and didn’t close securely enough to keep the snow and slush out on this particular trip.
The most popular footwear we saw in Finland by far was the Sorel Caribou boots, which come in men’s, women’s and children’s styles. If you are in the market for new, good booths, get these for everyone.
This is what we’d say are the best boots for Finland.
In addition to snow boots, also pack a secondary pair of shoes. These should be shoes that you can wear outside in the elements, but aren’t necessarily as clompy as your boots. You’ll want these shoes to wear on mostly inside days, like when you’re taking a long train or just going out to dinner. I opted for my favorite Marc Fischer boots, but unfortunately that exact style is no longer sold.
Best Children’s Clothes for Winter in Finland
Children’s clothes are tricky. You want them to be warm, but you also don’t want to drop hundreds of dollars on gear they’ll grow out of.
If you’re planning a winter trip to Finland, prioritize a winter coat, snow pants, and tall wool socks for your little one. Maybe get them a good, thick fleece. Underneath all that, they can probably stick with the clothes they were on a daily basis.
As a general rule, try to dress your kid in similar layers as you. That way, you have a good sense of how warm or cold they are.
This is the children’s winter gear we recommend for kids in Finland.
- Winter Coat | The style is usually consistent, but the colors rotate seasonally.
- Snow Pants
- Wool Socks
- Boots | We personally had these, but this taller pair would have been better.
- Fleece Layer
Packing List
Okay, now that I’ve gotten to rave about the items I swear by, here is the full packing last. This particular list is for a 7 day trip to Finland. If you will be there longer, just plan to do laundry there (versus packing more clothing.) If your trip is shorter, you can pare down the quantities.
Clothing
- Long sleeve base layer (4)
- Short sleeve base layer or t-shirt (3)
- Fleece layer (1)
- Cute sweater (1)
- Warm Leggings (1)
- Jeans (1)
- Snow Pants or Rain Paints (1)
- Pajamas (1)
- Socks — mix of short & tall (7)
- Underwear, bra, sports bra (as needed)
- Swim Suit (1) — For saunas & hotel pools
Outerwear & Footwear
- Winter Coat (1)
- Warm Hat (1)
- Waterproof Gloves (1)
- Touchscreen Gloves (1) — I’ve never met a pair of touchscreen gloves that I liked — they never really work and usually aren’t warm enough — but they’re worth bringing as a backup pair.
- Snow Boots (1)
- Sneakers or Stylish boots (1)
Accessories & Misc
- Packable tote
- Small purse or belt bag
- Buff / neck gaiter
- Sunglasses
- Liquid I.V. Sleep Multiplier — If you struggle with jet lag or just falling asleep in general, this has been a game changer for me.
- Face Sunscreen
- Chapstick — Bonus points for chapstick with SPF.
Electronics
- Charging cables — for phone, Airpods, tablet, cameras, watch, etc.
- Power Bank — Reminder: Electronics die faster in the cold.
- Electronic power adapter
- Tripod — I recently bought & love the SwitchPod.
- GoPro — Note: The GoPro and extra batteries must go in your carry-on. We learned that lesson the hard way when ours was confiscated from our checked luggage leaving Rovaniemi.
- Airpods or headphones
- AirFly Bluetooth Receiver — Use this to listen to the seat-back entertainment with wireless headphones.
Kids & Family Extras
- Merino wool base layer top & bottom (1)
- Fleece-lined pants (4)
- T-Shirt (2)
- Long Sleeve Shirt (4)
- Sweatshirt (2)
- Fleece Layer (1)
- Snow pants
- Winter Coat
- Socks — mix of short and tall (4)
- Pajamas
- Swimsuit
- Snow boots
- Cozy boots — We had little knock-off Uggs from Old Navy.
- Sneakers
- Bedtime essentials — This includes a night light, white noise, water cup, stuffy, books, etc. You might also want to check out this post with 10 Things to Know About Hotel Stays with Toddlers.
- Plane activities — We usually opt for a tablet & headphones, this drawing board, and a few books. We’ve also recently gotten into these paint-by-sticker books.
- Car Seat — If you have any car rides as part of your trip, this might be necessary. If that’s you, be sure to read our review of the Pico Portable Car Seat. We personally didn’t bring ours because we only took trains.
Travel Essentials
- Passport
- ID
- Medicines — This includes any medicines you take regularly, plus any over-the-counter meds you might need on occasion (e.g. ibuprofen, pain relievers, tums, itch creams, etc.) Note: You can only buy medications at a pharmacy in Finland, even over-the-counter medicines.
- Toiletries, makeup, “getting ready” things
- Keys
Activity Specific
- Holiday shirt or sweater if you’re meeting Santa in Rovaniemi
- Crampons if you’re doing any intense hiking — Note: These will need to go in a checked bag.
- Snow toys — This snowball maker set is awesome, and actually works really well.
Organizing your luggage
When it comes to fitting everything in your luggage, everyone has a different strategy. My strategy involves one Away Carry-on and one BÉIS Mini Weekender, along with some strategic folding. Our toddler also has their own suitcase. Between those three bags, I pack everything for the two of us. My husband is in charge of himself, but usually brings a backpack and an Away Carry-on.
Here’s how I organize everything that I have listed out here into these three bags. (If you didn’t have a toddler, you could easily pack for one adult in just a carry on and personal item using roughly the same strategy.)
Away Carry-On
- Mesh Zipper Side: I make sure that all of my clothes fit in this side of my suitcase. (In my case, this fits all of my clothes, plus all of my toddler’s clothes.) We’ll wear our bulkiest items and then fold everything else up nice and tight and really stuff it in there.
- Buckle Side: On the other side, I put almost everything else, it’s usually somewhat organized into packing cubes. For Finland, I stuffed one packing cube full of socks/undies/swimsuits. I used the other half of this space to store bulkier things like hats/gloves, my hair straightener, tripod, and a pair of my kid’s boots.
BÉIS Mini Weekender
- Bottom: Shoes. This is where I packed my snow boots and my kid’s cozy boots.
- Main Pocket: I use this space to put everything I need for bedtime and mornings. Our trip to Finland started with an overnight flight, so having that all accessible in one place place makes it easy. I use this toiletry bag because it has a TSA-approved liquids section and it can easily hang in any bathroom.
- Side Pocket: This is where I put things I’ll need during the flight or at the airport, like Airpods and charging cords.
Toddler Suitcase
- Our toddler has their own carry-on. In that bag, I store their bedtime essentials and plane activities. It usually has plenty of extra space at the start of the trip because our child always acquires odds and ends and toys and trinkets during our travels.
