Credits: Visit Tampere, Laura Vanzo
Finns love to celebrate the holiday season. Starting in early December, people gather for pikkujoulu (or “little Christmas”) parties, and markets bustle with shoppers sipping hot Finnish mulled wine, or glögi. Experience the Yuletide cheer for yourself at these Finnish Christmas markets.
Located in Senate Square is the oldest and most popular Christmas market in the capital. Helsinki Cathedral, designed by Carl Ludwig Engel and completed in 1852, overlooks the scene, and on December 13th, the newly crowned St. Lucia descends the cathedral’s stairs. It’s a Christmas tradition that honours the 4th-century Christian martyr, and it’s an important and symbolic occasion for Finns that’s worth seeing.
In addition to the St. Lucia procession, Helsinki Christmas Market has more than one hundred stalls offering a potpourri of beautifully-crafted gifts and Christmas ornaments, as well as locally-grown produce, fish, meat and prepared foods. Santa Claus pays daily visits and an old-fashioned merry-go-round spins in the square’s centre, offering free rides for children and a dose of nostalgia for adults.
Visit Helsinki Christmas market’s website at Tuomaanmarkkinat.fi.
Just over half an hour outside Helsinki, the small medieval city of Porvoo holds a charming holiday market that will make you feel as though you’ve stepped back in time. Perfectly-preserved wooden houses and riverside huts dress up for the occasion and cobblestone streets are strung with lights. And when it snows, Porvoo truly becomes a winter wonderland. Here, as in many smaller towns across the country, old-fashioned kick sleds, or potkukelkka, are still a winter mode of transportation. Locals wholeheartedly embrace the season – they ski on the frozen river and stroll through town to shop for gifts, eat in pretty cafes and meet with friends.
Christmas in Porvoo officially begins with a ceremony in Old Market Square at the end of November, and there are festivities all throughout December. One is the traditional Christmas market in Old Town Hall Square, where vendors dressed in old-time costumes sell regional crafts and food items. The other is the Christmas Market at the Art Factory, which is more contemporary and focused on design. Whether you visit one or both, Porvoo’s thriving artists community ensures you’ll find something beautiful and locally-made to bring home.
Read more about Christmas in Porvoo at Visitporvoo.fi.
Finland’s oldest city, Turku, is the proud home of the country’s most time-honoured Christmas traditions. Just a two-hour train ride from Helsinki, this southwest coastal gem begins its festive season with the Declaration of Christmas Peace – a centuries-old custom that invites harmony and goodwill, echoing through the medieval heart of the city.
At the heart of the celebration is the Christmas Market at Old Great Square, held on Advent weekends in the city’s historic centre. Surrounded by centuries-old buildings and the glow of festive lights, the market captures the charm of a bygone era. Expect artisan stalls, steaming mulled wine (glögi in Finnish), traditional Finnish treats, and live performances – all in a setting that feels like stepping into a Nordic Christmas card. Children can meet familiar holiday characters and take part in seasonal crafts and workshops.
A newer Christmas event is Turku’s Design Christmas Market, offering a modern counterpoint to the historic square. Held in the nearby City Hall courtyard, it features Finnish designers and carefully curated gifts for those seeking something stylish and sustainable.
For more information, visit Joulukaupunkiturku.fi.
Tampere, Finland’s second largest city, is located in the southwest in Lakeland. The former textile factory town was established on the banks of the Tammerkoski Rapids in the late 18th century, and today, it’s known for its rich culture and beautiful lakeside nature.
During the holiday season, Tampere’s Christmas market in Central Square has a decidedly artistic vibe, but it offers much more than just arts, crafts and specialty foods. Held throughout December, this festival also provides plenty of entertainment, including concerts, theatre performances, glass blowing and forging demonstrations, and of course, daily visits from Santa Claus.
Another beautiful Christmas Market can be found at Stable Yards, a historic and idyllic shopping yard in the Finlayson factory area. In addition to its permanent arts and crafts shops and ambient café, Stable Yards sets up a lively market and small petting zoo during the holidays.
Read more about the Tampere Christmas Market at Tampereenjoulutori.fi.
Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland with 62,000 inhabitants including, legend has it, Santa Claus (or Joulupukki) himself. Just 10 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle, this city is known for its beautiful nature and spectacular views of the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights. And while Rovaniemi only officially became a city in 1960, there’s evidence of settlements here from as far back as the Stone Age.
Rovaniemi is also home to the beloved Santa Claus Village, which draws thousands of Finnish and international visitors each year and is, in essence, one giant Christmas market. Visitors can meet Santa every day here, and with its handmade crafts, Finnish designs, traditional cuisine and activities for kids (including reindeer rides and excursions to the “forest of the elves”!) a trip to Rovaniemi during the holidays offers a one-of-a-kind experience in Finland’s original Christmas city.
Read more about Rovaniemi’s Christmas magic at Visit Rovaniemi site.
Rauma's old town, known as Old Rauma, is one of the best-preserved wooden towns in the Nordic countries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. Its winding alleys and timber houses reflect centuries of coastal trading history and traditional craftsmanship.
When winter arrives, Rauma’s medieval‐wooden heart transforms into a luminous winter storybook. The Rauma Christmas Market unfolds on Kauppatori (Market Square), right in the shadow of narrow alleyways and centuries‑old wooden houses. You’ll find rows of stalls brimming with local handicrafts, holiday delicacies, and regional flavours, all set to a backdrop of glowing Christmas lights and seasonal performances.. Christmas in Lace Town – Rauma is known for its centuries-old tradition of handmade bobbin lace – feels like a quiet pause between the usual holiday rush.
For more information about Christmas in Old Rauma, go to Visitrauma.fi.
Located in Central Finland and surrounded by serene lakes and snowy forests, Jyväskylä offers a warm and inviting atmosphere during the festive season. This vibrant Lakeland city is best known for its Alvar Aalto architecture and nearby UNESCO World Heritage Sites but in November and December, it transforms into a charming Christmas hub.
The Christmas Park in the heart of town features a towering Christmas tree, illuminated reindeer sculptures, and a light fountain that frame this as a perfect picture-stop. Nearby, the Toivola Christmas Courtyard (Toivolan Vanha Piha) swings open its gates with cozy wooden huts, local crafts, festive treats, and live music. Meanwhile, throughout the region, markets like the Käsityöläisten joulutori (Craftspeople’s Christmas Market) bring together makers and shoppers under the glow of winter warmth. Along with concerts and holiday gatherings, Jyväskylä offers a heartfelt, community-driven holiday season.
Learn more about the Christmas in Jyväskylä at Visitjyvaskyla.fi.
Oulu is a city on the west coast of Finland with a population of about 200,000 people. Founded in 1605 by Sweden’s King Charles IX, the city sits at the mouth of the Oulujoki River on what was once an ancient maritime trading site.
Because of its location in the middle of the country, Oulu is often considered Finland’s gateway to the north. It’s also home to the southernmost fell region, making it a popular winter holiday destination for both downhill and cross-country skiers. You’re almost sure to have snow here during the Christmas season, providing the perfect ambiance for the Tiernatori Christmas Market. Held in Rotuaari Square in the heart of Oulu, this busy marketplace fills with handmade Christmas products and traditional fare each December, and it also shows a unique Nordic re-telling of the classic Christmas carol, We Three Kings, on the Rotuaari stage.
Read more at Visitoulu.fi.
Finland’s paradise island, Åland, lights up like a lighthouse during Christmas time. You can visit Åland islands on a weekend trip easily by ferry from both Helsinki and Turku. During Åland Glimrar you can stroll around the Christmas markets and find unique, locally made Christmas gifts.
There’s a variety of traditional Christmas Markets in the Åland islands, both in the countryside and the small Christmas town of Mariehamn. One of the most popular ones is Christmas market at Jan Karlsgården next to Kastelholm Castle. All the markets offer true Christmas atmosphere in the form of music, shopping locally made products and of course mulled wine and gingerbread.