What is it like to live in the happiest place in the world?

Finland has topped the “World Happiness Index” for the eighth year in a row – but the real draw for travelers lies in the country’s core values: balance, nature and everyday enjoyment.

Finns accept the title of happiest country, awarded to them by the United Nations World Happiness Report in March 2025 for the eighth year in a row, 'with a shrug and a roll of the eyes'.

But Finnish tour operators are celebrating, as travelers increasingly associate Finland with happiness, hoping to experience that Finnish version of happiness for themselves, writes bbc.

However, don't expect to be greeted with big smiles and cheerful jokes when you step off the Baltic ferries at Helsinki airport or the capital's harbor. There is some truth to the perception of Finland as a low-key, down-to-earth, and down-to-earth nation.

Overall, Finns are honored – even pleased – by the report’s findings, but while they politely accept them, they don’t think the word “happiness” is the right term. Instead, words like “contentment,” “fulfillment,” or “satisfaction with life” are considered more appropriate.

As Finland's President Alexander Stubb recently wrote on social media, "no one can be happy all the time, and sometimes circumstances make it difficult. But starting with the basics – security, freedom and equality – is a good start."

Although the concept of happiness in Finland is complex and specific, it is deeply rooted in everyday life. Instead of constantly seeking strong emotions, Finns value balance, connection with nature and quiet enjoyment – ​​qualities that are increasingly attracting visitors. And for travelers, this way of life is not just something to observe, but an experience to be experienced: through nature, sauna, food, sustainable design and the Finnish way of life.

“We see Finnish happiness as a sum of these five elements,” says Teemu Ahola, director of international operations at Visit Finland, “but we don’t measure or collect data to evaluate happiness as a separate attraction.”

To experience these tangible and authentic aspects of Finnish life that underlie its enduring happiness rankings, Ahola suggests Finnish sauna culture as an increasingly popular and globally recognizable attraction; and emphasizes that Finland is a safe country, citing as one of the only potential dangers for visiting tourists the occasional collision with reindeer that roam free in northern Lapland.

Meanwhile, he adds that a new generation of Finnish chefs has gained international respect and sparked interest in the Finnish culinary scene.

Finland is home to the Michelin-starred restaurant Tapio, in Ruka-Kuusamo; while the Saimaa Lakes region was declared the European Region of Gastronomy in 2024.

Many restaurants across Helsinki celebrate the edible riches – mushrooms, berries, fish and wild meat – that are accessible to all in the country's endless forests, coastal archipelago and network of inland waterways, thanks to the Finnish law Jokaisenoikeudet or "Everyone's Right", which guarantees everyone the freedom to move and gather food in nature.

Connect with nature

Helsinki, where most visitors begin or end their journey, offers a first-hand look at this national delight. It is a coastal city, spread over a magnificent natural archipelago and on land reclaimed from the sea.

It's easy to grab a city bike from one of the dozens of stations located throughout the city and set off to explore the coastal bike paths or disappear into Central Park – a forested strip that stretches from the city center to the suburbs to the north.

The endorphin boost that comes from this freedom of adventure and abundant access to natural resources is directly linked to the dimensions of happiness defined by the UN: longevity, freedom, and positive emotions.

This connection lies at the core of SaimaaLife, a wellness and nature company in the vast Saimaa lake region of eastern Finland, run by mental health expert and guide Mari Ahonen.

Ahonen is a passionate advocate for the mental balance that nature and the Finnish way of life offer. She leads her guests through experiences such as shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), traditional lakeside saunas, wild bathing in nature, mushroom and berry picking, and cooking over an open fire.

"We Finns are sometimes very modest," she says, adding that "we should evaluate the World Happiness status in a positive way. I am a living example of someone who has managed to develop a business thanks to the support offered to entrepreneurs. Some people say that being born in Finland is like winning the lottery."

A lottery win, then, in the form of satisfaction and balance in life; living comfortably and having “enough” in the material sense. This “ceiling of expectations” should not be confused with a lack of ambition or the ability to act. After all, this is the birthplace of mobile communications pioneer Nokia, the distinctive brand of garden tools and scissors Fiskars, and the textile and fashion icon Marimekko.

Stoic and stubborn

However, Finland is not immune to economic pressures or controversy, and the long, dark winters can negatively impact mental health. The Finnish idea of ​​happiness also includes a dose of sisu: a difficult-to-translate concept that implies resilience, spiritual strength, courage, and perseverance.

Finnish-Canadian author Katja Pantzar, who has written extensively on this perceived national quality, explains that it is “a way of thinking that enables individuals and communities to face challenges together, rather than giving up or blaming and attacking others.”

She points out that the top four countries in the World Happiness Report are all Nordic countries with strong welfare systems that are built to support the common good.

“Happiness is a very cultural concept,” she says. “In Finland, there are many examples of everyday happiness that are available and accessible to everyone – whether it’s nature (every person in Finland is on average about 200 meters away from the nearest forest, park, coast or natural water body), saunas, public libraries, safe and efficient public transport, free and clean drinking water, education or healthcare.”

Pantzar also points to the positive mood-boosting effect of contrast therapy – hot saunas followed by cold water immersion – as a simple, everyday way to improve your mood.

"It's incredibly easy to do in Helsinki, surrounded by the sea. When you don't have to travel far or pay a lot for a quick dip, it's easier to practice it regularly - before work, after work or during your lunch break," she said.

And while some Finns remain skeptical of the "happiest nation" label, most seem to appreciate what they have.

"It's not easy for me to call Finland the happiest country in the world," says pensioner Juha Roiha, adding that "in poorer countries like Thailand or Nepal, people seem calm, despite the difficulties. In Finland, you sometimes hear people say they would be happier somewhere else. But deep down, with what we have, we are happy." /Telegraph/