What Is a Finnish Summer Cottage (Mökki) Experience?

The Finnish summer cottage culture is something you only truly understand once you have experienced it yourself.

What is a mökki?

In Finland there are over half a million summer cottages, and spending time at one is a big part of how many Finns spend their free time. A mökki can mean many different things. It can be a stylish villa on the lakeshore or a modest old cottage that once belonged to a grandmother. What matters is that it is usually somewhere quiet, away from the noise of the city.

Finland is a land of lakes, so most cottages stand on a shoreline. And of course, most have a sauna, which makes it easy to step out of the heat and jump straight into the lake.

What does “mökkeillä” mean?

For me, a mökki is a place to escape the rush and noise of everyday life. It is not just a building but a whole place and a state of mind.

So what does the verb mökkeillä, “to spend time at the cottage”, mean? To me it means slowing life down and returning to the basics: being in nature, heating the sauna, being together. It is reading in a hammock, going fishing and cooking good food over an open fire. It is recovering, and returning to a more natural state of being. If I could choose freely, I would spend most of my time at the cottage.

Why our island is different?

Our island is, for us, the best place in the world, and it is a joy to share it with people who want to experience something genuinely Finnish.

We offer a complete cottage experience with a Finnish host. It is a private island stay for one group at a time, with a host on hand. You do not get this if you simply rent a cottage. In an ordinary rental, guests have to take care of everything themselves: heating the sauna, cooking, cleaning and so on. They also miss the chance to get to know local culture in the way our island allows.

When you arrive at Private Island Finland, you can let us take care of everything and simply relax.

What the experience looks like?

Stay: a handmade log lodge or a glamping tent right by the lake.

Sauna: a wood-heated sauna with a dip in the lake whenever you like.

Food: traditional Finnish summer meals cooked over an open fire from local ingredients.

Nature: paddle a canoe, row a boat, try stand-up paddleboarding, go fishing or take a walk in the forest.

Time: or do nothing at all. That is the best part of the island.

Everything is included in your stay, so you do not need to plan or organise anything.

Come and experience it!

If you want to understand what a Finnish summer cottage means, the best way is to spend a few days on one. Read more about our island and activities here or get in touch!

-Juuso