Just Named the World's Happiest Country, Finland Is Inviting Travellers to Experience a Seven-Day Lakeland Relaxation Retreat
Topping the happiness charts for the ninth time, Finland is hosting a digital detox made to help you appreciate the art of relaxation.
You'd think the frozen winters and polar nights where the sun doesn't rise might act as a buzzkill, but Finland once again ranks as the world's happiest country. Topping the United Nations' World Happiness Report 2026, it's actually the ninth consecutive time the Nordic nation has confirmed its contented status.
So, what makes the average Finn so happy? According to the report, it might have something to do with how the country's people remain as close to nature as ever, not to their screens. With this in mind, Visit Finland is celebrating their latest joyful milestone by inviting six pairs from around the world to indulge in a free seven-day digital detox.
Named the 'Chill Like a Finn Challenge,' selected winners will travel to Finland's Lakeland — a picture-perfect region teeming with almost 200,000 lakes, vast forests and peaceful cottage life. What's more, the itinerary is designed to help people master the art of relaxation, rather than spending their holiday plugged in and always on the move.
"In Finland, we don't really chase happiness — we tend to find it in small, ordinary moments," says Heli Jimenez, Senior Director, International Marketing at Visit Finland. "When life feels overwhelming, sometimes the best way to feel better is simply to slow down, step outside and chill a little — like a Finn."
That means you'll be encouraged to seek out a more balanced way of life, where spending time in nature takes precedence over staying online. Over the course of a week-long experience, you'll take refreshing lake swims, cleanse mind and body in traditional saunas and relish seasonal food and good company — all with barely a device in sight.
Keen to apply? Applications for the Chill Like a Finn challenge are now open until 7.59am AEDT on Monday, March 30. Just complete Visit Finland's social media challenge, then submit your application form on the website. With participants chosen in April 2026, this summertime escape will have you appreciating what makes Finland so happy.
Applications for Visit Finland's Chill Like a Finn challenge are now open until 7.59am AEDT on Monday, March 30. Head to the website for more information.
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Images: Visit Finland.
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