What makes Finland the happiest place in the world?

According to the annual report of World Happiness Report 2026 on the occasion of the United Nations World Happiness Day March 20, Finland holds the top position in the list of “Happiest Country in the World”, out of a total of 140 ranked destinations.

Voting criteria are based on factors such as social support, longevity, health, level of freedom, and generosity. This ranking is compiled by the Wellbeing Research Center, Oxford University, UK and published in the annual report on global happiness.

To discover the secret that helps Finland hold the title of happiest in the world for 9 consecutive years, travel expert Olivia Sprinkel, living in New York, USA, decided to set out to find out.

Olivia went to Finland when she was a child. At first glance, this country is not a place that people associate with happiness. In winter, the sun only appears 2-5 hours a day, and temperatures can reach minus 20 degrees Celsius.

The World Happiness Report is based on a survey in which people rate their life satisfaction – Finns have been satisfied with their lives nine years in a row. Lonely Planet has also included the destination in its list of best places to travel in 2026, encouraging travelers to visit to find happiness in the wild.

Visit Finlandthe Finnish government’s tourism promotion unit, once took advantage of this to launch the “Masterclass of Happiness” campaign.

Olivia, who is half Finnish, began her search by asking her friends and family the question: “the secret to happiness”. The uniform answer she received was “because of low expectations”, a response that was considered somewhat descriptive of the Finnish personality: straightforward, concise and humorous.

Besides low expectations, many other factors such as social security, high levels of access to education, and equality are also reasons why people feel happy.

“Finland is a place that promotes peace of mind, coming from simple joys, a slow pace of life and connection to nature,” Olivia said.

Every summer, Olivia looks forward to returning to visit the birch and pine forests with green moss-covered rocks mixed with fern carpets and blueberry bushes. Walking in the forest, Olivia felt happy when she came across small wild berries, sparkling like gems among the trees, which she then put in her mouth to sip. After strawberry season comes blueberry season, which is also the time when people have a good reason to wander in the woods picking fruit. According to Olivia, Finland has a tradition called Jokamiehenoikeudet (people’s freedom), which allows people to travel and pick fruits in nature, just respecting the private space of others.

During summer days in Finland, Olivia enjoys the relaxing feeling of swimming in cool water, sunbathing on the sand behind rows of pines and birches. “On a summer evening, this experience is happiness,” she said. Thanks to its cool climate, Finland is increasingly emerging as a destination to avoid the heat, replacing the sweltering heat of the Mediterranean.

The feeling of happiness when being in the forest is also proven by science. Research shows that being among pine trees increases feelings of relaxation and reduces stress, thanks to compounds in the trees’ scent. This is also a reminder for people to slow down and breathe the forest air.

Many people know that Finland is famous for its sauna, but few people know that it is considered the key to happiness. The endorphins released by saunas help Finns get through the long, dark winters. In Helsinki, one of the famous seaside saunas is Löyly. In winter, Finnish people also make holes in the sea ice to jump down to cool their bodies (ice bath) after sauna bathing.

If you come to Finland in winter, you should make the most of the few hours of daylight (due to the short days and long nights), the sauna and the Northern Lights dancing in the sky or explore the snow-covered forests. Learning to balance darkness and light has brought satisfaction to the Finns.

Restaurants that highlight seasonal and local ingredients are thriving. Olivia’s favorite place in Helsinki is Magu, serving a 5-course vegetarian menu, coffee and waffles.

Olivia also pointed out that the “checkin” approach to a destination does not really fit the spirit of the Finns, because their happiness comes from being attached to and deeply understanding the place where they live.

After a trip to Finland, Olivia realized happiness is a choice that each person can make for themselves, living fully in every moment, letting go of pressure and expectations.

“Breathe in the scent of the forest, take a dip in the cold water, wake up every morning and enjoy coffee, watch the sun set into the blue water of the lake. That’s the Finnish way of happiness,” Olivia said.