Practical information : Going out Finnish Lapland
Timetable
In the Nordic countries, people go out early and come back early. Evenings can sometimes start at 6pm and often end at 2 or 3am, if the local establishments are allowed to close that late. On weekdays, nothing closes after 1am, sometimes even midnight.
Budget & Tips
Alcohol is one of the most expensive items in the Nordic countries, and this is an inescapable problem.
Club entry is often around 150 NOK.
To be booked
It's a good idea to reserve a table at the bar or club if you want to go out in Tromsø, for example, or for a special event.
Night transport
Forget night-time transport. Your only solution is to call a cab.
Age restrictions
Alcohol can be consumed from the age of 18. However, in Sweden, Finland and Norway, you have to be 20 years old to buy alcohol in special stores (Systembolaget, Alko, Vinmonopolet respectively). To enter bars and clubs, you need to have your identity card with you. Most establishments do not accept anyone under 23 or even 25, and very few accept anyone under 20.
What's very local
In the Nordic countries, people don't go out on weekdays, if at all. It's frowned upon to have an evening out other than on a Friday or Saturday. So it's on weekends that everyone lets loose, a little too often, which can lead to surreal scenes. Everyone will have forgotten by the next day. Since we don't go out very often, and have to wait all week, the dress code often suffers a little. If you're going out clubbing, you may want to dress slightly smartly, or even smartly, depending on the establishment and the occasion.
Smokers
Cigarettes, even electronic ones, are strictly forbidden inside restaurants, bars, cafés and clubs. In bars and clubs, you'll need to find a terrace or a designated smoking area. The Nordic countries are extremely sensitive to public health, and smoking is not popular. Although many of them use snus, chewing tobacco, which is not necessarily healthier..