During summer, life in Finland moves at a different frequency: near-endless daylight, the freeing, restorative swelter of the sauna, improvisational meals hosted outdoors. Acclaimed chef and wild-food pioneer Sami Tallberg got us acquainted with the land before setting us off on our own. We rounded up reindeer and got some clues about Santa’s whereabouts. We rode a chairlift to a mountaintop festival under the midnight sun. And, crucially, our next sauna session was never far off. Life here isn’t soft, but its rewards are real. At our final feast, we asked our new friends why Finland regularly ranks as the happiest country in the world. They all gave different answers—but the spirit around the table was all the explanation we needed.