Renting a cottage in Finland's lake areas
 

We will be in Finland next summer. We would like to rent a cabin on a lake in Finland to experience the Finland that my grandparents experienced as children in Finland. (sauna, swimming, boating, etc). My husband and I don't speak Finnish, but when we took a car trip around Finland several years ago, it didn't seem to pose problems for us since most of the Finns spoke English. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Which lake? Agencies to rent cabins? Special events?, etc.

About 20 years ago I rented a splendid small cabin on a small lake in the village of Akaslompolo above the Arctic Circle. It had its own outdoor sauna, ice-cold lake, many wild reindeer, etc.

More I don't know but you definitely have an excellent idea!

Try the area around Jyvaskyla. I went hiking there during my home exchange in Finland in 2007. There are lakes all over Finland. Except for very elderly people in isolated areas, almost everyone speaks English--and speaks it well.

I did go sailing in Kotka where there is a naval/ship themed museum. They went right close to the Russian border. I also went whitewater rafting near Joensuu (near the Russian border in Southeast Finland). The rafting was difficult to find but totally worth it.

I used Lonely Planet Finland to plan my trip.

Finland is a wonderful country. I hope to return and do the north someday before age stops my travels.

Thank you. I will look for places around Jyvaskyla and Akasloompolo. Please, everyone, keep your suggestions coming!

You won't get many responses to queries about Finland. For many North Americans--who provide the bulk of fodors' comments--Europe ends at the conventional destinations. Finland is off the radar screen--which is a shame but a fact.

I had a fabulous time in my home exchange in Lahti when I went to Finland and traveled all over Southern Finland. I would love to return one day and go North.

Lomarengas is the biggest and most popular site for cottage rentals.

I love Lapland, but just a small warning: there are a lot of small hungry mosquites. Early June is fine, but later in the summer they can be quite annoying.

I like the Arctic areas for skiing but as others have said the flies in the high summer are terrible. I've not been but my friends prefer the islands down on the Baltic. I'd focus there.

There are a bunch of companies offering this sort of thing
https://www.finlandcottagerentals.com/index.php

All the Finns I know, even the old Swedish Aristocracy will speak at least English (normally better than a North American) and often also Swedish, German, French and a smattering of Italian. Let's face it when you speak a weird language you need all the help you can get to grab onto the more common ones. :-)