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Lapland What to visit Guide

The Ultimate Guide to Visit the Finnish Lapland in Winter

The Ultimate Guide to Visit the Finnish Lapland in Winter

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A visit to Lapland was on my bucket list for a long time! The pine trees dressed in white in winter and the lifestyle so different from mine here in Portugal screamed my name! Now that my visit to Lapland has come true, I want to share with you the ultimate Lapland guide so you can experience it yourself.

Lapland What to visit Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi city centre

I found myself boarding a plane to Helsinki at the end of November, with Rovaniemi (Lapland) as the final destination. Despite the extreme weather conditions (a real feel of – 31ºC in my last 2 days), this was, without a doubt, one of my favourite trips ever.

Lapland What to visit Huskies

It’s impossible not to come back from Lapland completely in love with the landscapes and the magic one feels in the air (it’s almost impossible not to associate Lapland with Christmas!). And that’s why in this post I’m going to tell you all about my adventure. This is the ultimate guide to visit Lapland: how to get there, getting around, accommodation, restaurants, and what to visit, …

Where is Lapland?

Although the vast majority of Lapland lies within Finnish territory, this region extends into Sweden, Norway and even Russia.

Lapland What to visit Ounasvaara Trail
Ounasvaara Trail

I chose to visit Finnish Lapland which is probably the best known. Much of Lapland lies within the Arctic Circle – an imaginary line where places above it have at least 1 day of always night or 1 day of absolute light per year.

Lapland What to visit Rovaniemi
Jätkänkynttilä Bridge

In my case, I stayed in Rovaniemi, which is one of the main cities in Finnish Lapland. However, other less touristy places that are also good options include Luosto, Levi, Ivalo or Inari.

What is the best time of year to visit Lapland?

Often when we think of visiting Lapland, we think of Christmas and all the Christmas spirit. This is because Rovaniemi, located in Lapland and one of its main cities, is the official home of Santa Claus 😊

Lapland What to visit Ultimate Guide Santa Claus Village
Santa Claus Village

So, without a doubt, the most magical time to visit Lapland is late November or early December! In fact, these months are the high season in this region. Apart from these two Christmas months, the remaining winter/autumn months are also the most popular for various reasons:

  • Forests are covered in snow, making it extra special
  • There is a higher chance you’ll observe the Northern Lights
  • There are more activities available because of the snow (snowmobile, sledging, huskies sleigh rides, ice hotels and other snow activities like snowboarding or skiing).
Lapland What to visit Ounasvaara Trail

Even though this guide is focused on what to visit in Lapland during winter time, this destination is also an excellent choice in the snow-free months (May to August). The region is absurdly beautiful at any time of year and has breathtaking scenery. You can enjoy various nature trails, visit reindeer or huskies farms or even take advantage of one of the many saunas available!

Lapland What to visit Ultimate Guide Snowmobile

In terms of temperature, you can’t ignore the fact that winters are extremely harsh here. Temperatures in December and January can easily reach -30°C and it snows very often. However, don’t let snow and extreme cold scare you into visiting Lapland. It is perfectly possible to manage the cold by wearing appropriate clothing and so I have written an exclusive blog post on what to wear in extreme weather conditions.

Lapland What to visit Ounasvaara Trail
View of Rovaniemi

It is also worth remembering that during the colder months (especially between November and January), the days are very short. For example, in early December in Rovaniemi, the sun rose at 10.30 am and set at 1.45 pm. However, a little before sunrise and after sunset, there was still some light in the sky. Of course, the further up you are in Lapland, the less sunlight you get at this time of year.

💡 EXTRA TIP: Don’t let the shorter daylight hours stop you from visiting Lapland at this time of year. Whenever the sun appears, you feel a certain magic in the air that makes you dreamy. On clear sky days, the sky colours are simply magnificent!

How to get to Lapland?

The easiest way to get to Lapland is clearly through Rovaniemi. In fact, in many cases, this is even the final destination for many tourists (at least it was for me). There are two ways to get to Rovaniemi:

  • Plane: Rovaniemi airport is small with direct connections to Helsinki, some cities in the UK and Paris. It is important to note that some of these direct connections to the UK and Paris may only exist during high season.
  • Train: direct train from Helsinki (including night options), with the journey lasting between 8h and 12h. You can buy your tickets online here (prices for the night train start at €49 – less if you don’t buy with a cabin).

I chose to travel to Rovaniemi by night train from Helsinki. We left around 11 pm and at 11 am the next day we were in Rovaniemi. The one-way ticket cost 49€/person and includes access to a private cabin with 2 bunk beds. In the cabin, we also had a small sink, soap, pillows, duvets and a bottle of water.

The bathrooms are shared and there is more than one per carriage. There are also some showers, where it is possible to take a shower.

How was sleeping on a train? You hear a lot of noises (even with earplugs) so if you’re like me, this certainly won’t be your best night’s sleep! But it is amazing to wake up, open your cabin’s window and see the white forest outside.

Lapland What to Visit Ultimate Guide Train

In one of the carriages, there is also a bar service, where they serve meals and of course breakfast! The prices are normal for a country like Finland.

Lapland What to Visit Ultimate Guide Train

To return from Rovaniemi, as my flight to Portugal departed from Helsinki, I took a plane to Helsinki (the trip takes about 1 hour and I flew with Norwegian, but Finnair also does this route).

💡 EXTRA TIP: Using an overnight train allows you to save one night in accommodation, which you would need if you were flying to Rovaniemi.

However, depending on the area you want to visit in Lapland, you can also choose to fly to one of the other airports in the region:

  • Kittilä
  • Ivalo
  • Kemi-Tornio
  • Kuusamo
  • Oulu (although not located in Lapland, it is close by)
Lapland What to visit Ultimate Guide Santa Claus Village
Santa Claus Village

It all depends on where you want to visit in Lapland, but Rovaniemi is indeed a good option 😊 There are also trains and buses connecting the various towns in Lapland. Alternatively, you can always opt to rent a car.

What are the transports from/to Rovaniemi airport/train station?

Apart from taxis (which are not that regular), there are buses to and from the centre of Rovaniemi in both cases:

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Airport:

  • there is a shuttle service between the airport and the centre, in which the schedules depend on the existing flights and the ticket costs 7€ (you can check the most updated information here)
  • alternatively, if the shuttle schedule is not convenient for you, you can take bus number 8 to Santa Claus Village (3,6€) and from there take a taxi to the airport (about 2km; 15€)
Lapland What to visit Ounasvaara Trail
Ounasvaara Trail

Train Station: bus number 8 goes from the train station to Santa Claus Village (the single ticket costs 3,6€). Find all the updated information here

Accommodation in Rovaniemi (Lapland)

Lapland may well be a dream when it comes to accommodation. There are several places with glass igloos that allow us to see the snow falling outside or the Northern Lights at night while we are comfortable and warm inside 😊 The bad news is that a night in such accommodation in high season costs, at least, 400€. Believe me, I tried to look for a more affordable option, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to exist.

Lapland What to visit Huskies
Apukka Resort

Anyway, I share here some of the options available around Rovaniemi:

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you are not planning to rent a car on this trip, it is best to opt for a hotel in the centre of Rovaniemi, which allows you to walk to restaurants and take transport to/from the train station/airport. The famous igloos are usually in more isolated locations and can be more difficult to get to without a car.

As staying in an igloo was not an option for the budget I had for this trip, I chose Hostel Café Koti. Although it is a hostel, I stayed in a private room with a private bathroom and the conditions were excellent.

In addition to being modern and quite comfortable, the rate included a buffet breakfast with some variety. The location couldn’t be better, both in terms of transport and restaurants.

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What to visit in Lapland

» Santa Claus Village

Rovaniemi is known as the official home of Santa Claus! Therefore, there is a whole village dedicated to him and, as you can imagine, delights not only kids but also adults. It’s hard to feel more Christmassy than in Santa’s Village.

Lapland What to visit Ultimate Guide Santa Claus Village

The entrance to the village is free, and then inside there are several places to visit, activities, restaurants and even souvenir shops available. Of course, most of these places and activities are paid for. There are also different accommodations in the village, such as the Santa Claus Holiday Village, Nova Skyland or the Glass Resort.

As soon as we enter the Village, we are welcomed with the Christmas spirit! Right in the central square, we can find a giant thermometer that shows the live temperature. This is also where you can find the famous line that marks the beginning of the Arctic Circle. At night, the line becomes more visible with its bluish colour.

💡 EXTRA TIP: There is a Youtube live streaming camera next to the giant thermometer. Take the opportunity to call someone while you appear on the camera 😉

Of course, Santa’s Village wouldn’t have this name if we couldn’t meet him. Santa’s office is probably one of the most popular places in the village and usually, there is a queue to meet him. You can’t take pictures when meeting him, but they photograph and record the moment for us to buy later (35€ for a printed photo or 45€ for the photos and video). Although I didn’t purchase the photos in the end, the experience was pretty cool anyway and I highly recommend it!

Lapland What to visit Ultimate Guide Santa Claus Village

Besides the visit to Santa Claus, we can also visit Mrs. Claus’ House or Santa’s Post Office. The visit to the Post Office is free and from there you can send a postcard to any place in the world. This is also where you will find the thousands of letters that are sent from all over the world every year.

In terms of activities, you can do the famous reindeer sleigh rides, huskies or even snowmobile rides. In my case, I chose to do these activities with other companies (keep reading this Lapland guide to find out), but you can check all the available activities here.

However, still inside Santa Claus Village, I chose to visit the Elf’s Farm Yard – a kind of zoo with some animals, such as alpacas, sheep, rabbits, goats and reindeer. The entrance costs 15€ per adult, but honestly, I don’t recommend it that much. The animals are confined to relatively small spaces and there is not that much diversity of animals. It is also possible to have barbecues inside the farm, and there is food for sale at the reception.

💡 EXTRA TIP: Santa’s Village is located about 15 minutes by car from the centre of Rovaniemi. However, getting there is quite simple. There is bus number 8 (one-way ticket costs 3,6€) or the Santa Claus bus (one-way ticket costs 4€). Both stop at various stations in the centre of Rovaniemi and drop you off right outside the village.

» Snowmobiling

When I started looking for what to visit in Lapland I found about snowmobiling which I thought was great. For those who don’t know (as I didn’t until recently), the snowmobile is a kind of motorbike that you ride in the snow.

Lapland What to visit Ultimate Guide Snowmobile

I booked through Get Your Guide with Wild Nordic and it was clearly my favourite activity on this trip 😊 The company offers pick-up service at the main hotels in the centre of Rovaniemi and is located right in front of Santa’s Village!

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Lapland What to visit Ultimate Guide Snowmobile

When we arrived, they check our driving licences and give us a balaclava and also a helmet for safety reasons. If you need it, Wild Nordic also has its own clothes and shoes available.

After some instructions on how to drive a snowmobile, off we went into the middle of the forest. The ride lasted about 40 minutes (various lengths are available) and it was absolutely amazing. Although we drove at low speed, I felt a certain adrenaline rush!

Honestly, even though it was my first time driving a snowmobile, I found it relatively easy. One or two people can go in the snowmobile, and we stop in the middle to take some photos and change drivers.

But you can take a peek at other snowmobile experiences here:

» Reindeer sleigh ride

A reindeer sleigh ride was also part of my Lapland dream and should definitely be considered in any Lapland guide. I booked one of these tours with Sieriporo Safaris (110€/person). It was a 2.5 km reindeer ride in the middle of a forest a few kilometres from the centre of Rovaniemi by car and it was truly magical, despite the cold.

The company offers a pick-up service in the centre of Rovaniemi. We arrived at the farm (around 3 pm) and it was almost nightfall and the photos turned out terrible… but it’s the experience that counts, am I right? 😊 The route is always led by the guide who goes on the first sled and the other sleds follow his directions. They cover us with a blanket to keep our legs warm and off we go!

Lapland What to visit Huskies
Reindeer at Apukka Resort

Sieriporo Safaris is a family business, which has been in the reindeer herding business for many years. After our ride, the owner invited us to a heated wooden cabin, where he served us warm tea, ginger cookies and cinnamon rolls. I confess I’m not even a big tea fan, but it was so cold that it felt really good 😊

While we were in the cabin warming up, the owner of the farm told us a little more about the history of his farm. We learned that the reindeer are used for these activities during the high season (winter) and that, during the other months of the year, most of the reindeer freely inhabit the forest surrounding the farm.

Lapland What to visit Huskies
Reindeer at Apukka Resort

Sieriporo Safaris offers other services, such as ice fishing, and it is also possible to visit just the reindeer if you are not interested in the sleigh ride. For other reindeer tours and rides in Rovaniemi, take a look at these activities:

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you find that you don’t have warm enough clothes for the reindeer ride (don’t forget that you’ll be sitting on the sled for some time), Sieriporo Safaris, like other companies offering this type of activity, have warm clothes and shoes that you can borrow for this purpose.

» Sleigh ride with huskies

And because a reindeer sleigh ride wasn’t enough, I also had to include huskies in my Lapland guide. I booked my tour with Apukka Resort (138€/person), which also offers pick-up service in a central location in Rovaniemi.

Lapland What to visit Huskies

As with other activities of this kind, here too they have more appropriate clothes and footwear. First, we met the huskies and then our guide explained the basics of how to drive a sled. Unlike the reindeer, here there was only one person sitting on the sled and another standing to control it.

The tour was still quite long and we even stopped in the middle for photos. However, although the huskies love to run in the forest and pull the sleds, I didn’t like to see the space where the huskies were kept for the rest of the day.

Therefore, and similarly to reindeer, you can choose to just visit a husky farm, without having to go sledging. In this case, the price of the activity is probably even cheaper.

» Korundi Museum, Arktikum and Pilke Science Centre

And because a Lapland guide doesn’t have to be all about outdoor activities, you can always take the opportunity to get to know Rovaniemi’s 3 main cultural places:

Lapland What to visit Ultimate Guide Arktikum
Inside the Arktikum

I bought the Cultural Pass for 20€ which gives us access to the 3 spaces for 7 days. However, I only had the opportunity to visit the first two. While the Korundi Museum is more dedicated to contemporary art, the Arktikum has a more scientific side, including some exhibitions on life in the Arctic and Lapland’s history.

Lapland What to visit Ultimate Guide Korundi
Korundi Museum

I have to confess that I found both spaces not that interesting and if it were today, I wouldn’t visit them. But what’s of little interest to me doesn’t mean that it is to others 😉 However, I thought the Arktikum building was quite beautiful. If nothing else, the Arktikum is worth visiting for its surroundings.

Lapland What to visit Ultimate Guide Arktikum
View of the Arktikum building from Arktikum Arboretum

At the back of the Arktikum building, you can find a beautiful lake (which freezes in winter!) with the best views over the glass building. To get there you have to go through an underground passage next to the car park, but the easiest thing is to search for Arktikum Arboretum on Google Maps.

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you want to visit the Korundi Museum for free, you can do so every Thursday from 4 pm to 6 pm.

» Getting to know the centre of Rovaniemi

Nobody visits Rovaniemi for the city itself, but for the fact that it is one of the easiest access points to Finnish Lapland. However, there are still a few things in the city centre to add to this what to visit in Lapland list.

First of all, Lordi Square in honour of the band that won the Eurovision festival in 2006 and is originally from Rovaniemi. This is also where you can find the famous clock that tells you the temperature all the time.

Lapland What to visit Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi Church

In addition, there is also the Rovaniemi Church, built in 1950. It is a small church, located about 10 minutes walk from the city centre.

Also in the centre, you can find the Rovaniemi garden right by the river, which freezes over during the winter. It is from here that you have probably one of the most privileged views of the Jätkänkynttilä bridge.

Lapland What to visit Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi Garden on the right

And finally, a few meters from the church, you can find what is the most photographed island in Rovaniemi – Kotisaari. For those who have a drone, this island can guarantee you an amazing photo!

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Lapland What to visit Rovaniemi
Kotisaari island on the back

» Walking the Ounasvaara Trail

Another option for those with some more time available in their itinerary is the Ounasvaara trail, which is especially beautiful in winter. The trailhead is about 1.5km from the centre of Rovaniemi and you have to cross the Jätkänkynttilä bridge to get there. The trail runs 6km in total and is well-marked.

Lapland What to visit Ounasvaara Trail

About 1.5km from the start, we can climb to the top of an observation tower. And it is impossible not to be surprised! As soon as I reached the top of the tower I was sure that this was one of the most special trips ever.

Lapland What to visit Ounasvaara Trail

The 12 pm light (which looks more like sunrise in Portugal) hitting the tall pine trees full of snow and the city of Rovaniemi in the background in shades of pink left no doubt that Lapland is truly magical.

The day I decided to go to the trail was the coldest and also the day I had less time available because I was returning to Helsinki. I ended up just going to the observation tower and back. Although I didn’t do the whole trail, this was one of my favourite activities and it clearly couldn’t be missing in this Lapland guide. This is totally a must-visit in Lapland!

» Watch a Nature Show: the Northern Lights

Of course one of my biggest dreams, when I booked this trip, was to see the Northern Lights. Unfortunately, it was quite overcast all the days we were in Rovaniemi, which significantly reduces the likelihood of observing this incredible phenomenon. It didn’t happen and I will have to keep waiting to fulfil this dream.

I may not have any amazing photos to show you, but I still have some tips for you:

  • The best time of year to see the Northern Lights is September, October and March
  • To observe them you must escape the city lights. In the centre of Rovaniemi, the most accessible place where the Northern Lights are spotted quite often is the garden behind the Arktikum (Arktikum Arboretum). At first, it may seem scary to go there at night, but trust me you’ll have company and it’s quite peaceful 😊
Laponia Aurora Boreal
Stock photo
  • Scientists are not exactly sure how to predict this phenomenon, but you can install My Aurora App which sends you notifications when the probability of observation is higher.
  • Don’t have too many expectations about the Northern Lights. It may not happen and the trip will be no less spectacular for that!
  • If you have the opportunity, book a tour with guides who will take you to more remote places and with a higher probability of catching them. In addition, they usually give you the best tips for taking that unforgettable photo (nobody said taking photos of the Northern Lights was easy!)

» And much more to visit in Lapland…

But this Lapland guide doesn’t end here. Although I have not tried any of these, I leave here several suggestions that may also be interesting:

  • Visit Ranua Zoo: a zoo where you can observe Arctic species
  • Ice fishing: a real experience to learn how to fish on frozen lakes
  • Visit Santa Park (more suited to children)
  • Snow sports like snowboarding and skiing at Ounasvaara Ski Resort
  • Ice floating: it may sound crazy, but this is a more common activity than you might imagine
  • Crossing the frozen sea on a ship to Kemi (ice breaker ship) – more information here 
  • Dine in a restaurant made of ice or sleep in a room made of ice at the Arctic Snow Hotel

What to visit in Lapland? My itinerary!

  • Day 1 – Arrival in Helsinki
  • Day 2 – Visit Helsinki + night train to Rovaniemi
  • Day 3 – Arrival Rovaniemi + Santa Claus Village
  • Day 4 – Korundi Museum + Reindeer ride
  • Day 5 – Snowmobile tour + Santa Claus Village
  • Day 6 – Huskies ride + Arktikum
  • Day 7 – Ounasvaara Trail + Rovaniemi City Centre

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you enjoyed reading this guide on what to visit in Lapland and are also visiting Helsinki, take a look at my guide with places to visit in the city by clicking here

Restaurants in Rovaniemi (Lapland)

And this what-to-visit in Lapland guide would not be complete without mentioning food! Rovaniemi is not a very big city so I had the opportunity to try several of its restaurants. Unless you opt for fast food (there is McDonald’s, Subway and Hesburger in the centre of Rovaniemi), food prices are high. On average, a one-person meal in a not-very-expensive restaurant costs around 20€. Alcohol is quite expensive (1 beer 33cl about 8€), but water is usually free.

Even so, although I opted for fast food a few times, I didn’t want to miss out on trying some of the city’s restaurants:

  • Ravintola Roka -Street Bistro (€€): a very cosy place with a varied menu. I tried the pumpkin risotto and it was really good!
  • [Santa Claus Village] Restaurant Kotahovi (€€€): very cosy log cabin for cold days. Little variety, but tasty food. We tried salmon soup, veggie burger and traditional coffee from the region.
  • Monte Rosa (€€€): I liked it so much that I repeated my visit here. It was here that I tried sautéed reindeer and reindeer soup and they were both quite tasty.
  • Amarillo (€€€): if you feel like escaping from traditional Finnish flavours, here you will find a very nice Mexican restaurant

Lapland Guide: Costs Breakdown

As you would expect, a visit to Lapland doesn’t turn out cheap – after all, we are talking about Finland. Still, I think I got a pretty good price for almost 1 week holiday in this amazing country. The costs I present below are per person and include everything I spent from the moment I left Oporto airport until I returned (this also includes 1 day and one accommodation in Helsinki):

  • Accommodation: 267€
  • Flights: 310€
  • Meals: 246€
  • Activities: 350€
  • Transports: 34€
  • Covid Test (to return to Portugal): 99€

All in all, I could have saved a bit more on meals if I had opted even more for sandwiches and/or fast food, but I also wanted to experience some of the local cuisine and restaurants.

Disclaimer: this post may contain some affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you buy something through my links. This doesn’t represent any additional cost to you and you’ll be supporting my work here on the blog😊

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about me

A Ticket To Take Off About Me

I am Mariana from Porto, Portugal. I am truly passionate about traveling and all things travel related. And that’s exactly what led me to create this page: so I can inspire others to travel and help plan all those trips with my tips and itineraries.

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