Have you ever imagined how would it be to visit his town and meet Santa Claus? Well, that is possible and a truly amazing experience for kids and adults. Santa lives in the northern part of Finland, an area called Lapland. He lives in the “capital of Finnish Lapland”, a magical city called Rovaniemi. Here you can experience Christmas everyday of the year.
Rovaniemi and Lapland have a lot to offer. From breathtaking nature, delicious food, mindful and quiet sports in the many national parks; to unique accommodations and adrenaline filled experiences. It all depends on the season you wish to explore. In this post I will share some of the main winter experiences as inspiration.
Great Local Food
The main local delicatessen is reindeer meat, Soft bread cheese leipäjuusto, berries grown in the arctic forests (bilberries, cloudberries and bright red lingonberries), potatoes, salmon and mushroom.
Sami Culture
Sápmi people, or now most called Sámi, are indigenous people living mainly in the Northern parts of Finland, Sweden, Norway and the Kola Peninsula within Murmansk in Russia. They were self-supporting nomads, believing that an object should first serve a purpose rather than being primarily decorative. I guess this belief matches well with Nordic culture and minimalist mindset. Main materials used for utensils and crafts are wood, bone and antlers.
Sámi people have a traditional clothing called Gákti. It is worn both in ceremonial context and when working, specially when herding reindeer. Gákti was made from reindeer leather and sinews, but nowadays it is more common to use wool, cotton or silk.
Unique Accommodations
From igloos to sea side properties, you will find an array of options for all styles and budgets.
Adrenaline Filled Adventure
Dog sledge, snow mobile, ski, Swim under ice.
Soft Adventures
MUST DO: Meet Santa Claus, see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) and enjoy the silence.
How to get to Finnish Lapland
If you are planning your next winter travel, then Finnish Lapland is your chosen destination! You can reach Lapland by flight or night train from Helsinki.
There are scheduled daily flights from Helsinki to Rovaniemi (for Santa Claus village, Arktikum museum and Pyhä-Luosto), Kittilä (for Levi and Pallas-Ylläs), Kuusamo (for Ruka) and Ivalo (for Saariselkä, Urho-Kekkonen and Tankavaara). During Winter there are also many direct flights from main European hubs to Rovaniemi.
Once you reach Lapland, we recommend you to rent a car, unless you want to explore only a small area. Driving during summer is easy, just watch out for reindeers. During winter, it requires you have skills in driving in icy and snowy roads. Another alternative is to buy some of the pre-set tour itineraries from your local travel agent.
Here are some of the most popular itineraries:
3 – 4 days: Stay in Rovaniemi. Visit the famous Santa Claus Village, where you can meet Santa Claus and elves. Then enjoy thrilling activities like a husky tour, a ride in a reindeer sled and a snowmobile safari in search of the northern lights.
5 – 7 days: Start with a visit to Kemi and spend a night at the SnowCastle. Take a tour on the Sampo Icebreaker and enjoy a dog sledding tour before continuing by train to Rovaniemi, where you can enjoy a northern lights tour by snowmobile, take a reindeer sled ride and visit the Santa Claus Village.
7+ days: Combine your stay in Lapland with a city break in Helsinki and visit popular attractions like the Senate Square, Uspenski Cathedral, the Parliament Building and the Olympic Stadium.
Important information: Make sure you know what to wear when traveling to Lapland during winter as temperatures vary from -5C to -30C. Check out my packing tips.
Experience luxury in simplicity and be in true contact with nature in Finnish Lapland:
We surely hope that we will soon be able to travel freely and safely again. When we do, Finish Lapland will be in the top of my list (hope it will be on the top of your list too). This time I would like to go there with my husband and kids so they can finally meet the real Santa.
