lapland day trip what to take

The Ultimate 2, 3 or 4 Days in Lapland Itinerary

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Planning out the perfect 2, 3 or 4 days in Lapland itinerary can be a magical, if not overwhelming, experience when you consider all there is to see and do in this unique region of far northern Europe.

There are few more quintessential winter destinations and experiences than Finnish Lapland. Lapland is the northernmost region of Finland and is the pinnacle and epitome of a winter fairytale. From snow-covered boreal forests, dancing Northern Lights, energetic huskies and reindeer to the monumental moment of crossing into the Arctic circle, you’ll be hard-pressed not to have the experience of a lifetime.

Whether you’re interested in sipping hot chocolate during the winter polar night or forest hiking in the midnight sun, Lapland is the perfect destination for any travel seeker. Read this article to help plan your Finnish Lapland itinerary.

Table of Contents

How Many Days in Lapland?

Lapland is a unique destination, and this can make it a bit harder when planning the duration of your trip. This is why many potential visitors wonder how many days to spend in Lapland.

To begin with, Finnish Lapland is far from a budget-friendly destination and the prices in Finland , in general, are high. With the costs of just about everything being higher than elsewhere in Europe, keep this in mind when you plan a trip to this area.

Taking this into consideration, I’d say that the minimum recommended amount of time to spend in Lapland is 2 full days. With 2 days in Lapland, you’ll be able to briefly experience the magic of the Arctic and do a few activities without taking too big of a chunk out of your budget. 

The next best amount of time to spend in Lapland is 3 days, as you’ll experience everything you’d manage in 2 days but feel a lot less rushed, also with the opportunity to head to another part of the region.

Finally, in my opinion, 4 days in Lapland are ideal. If you’re able to spend 4 days in Lapland, you’re in for a real adventure. A trip of 4 days does the Finnish Lapland region justice as you’ll be able to visit multiple places and soak in what extraordinary Arctic life is like in the northernmost part of Finland.

Getting To & Around Lapland

Getting to lapland.

The most popular, affordable, and convenient option for getting to Finnish Lapland is by taking a flight into the capital city of Rovaniemi. By passenger numbers, Rovaniemi Airport is the third-busiest airport in Finland and is the main airport to fly into for a Lapland trip and Itinerary.

While there are other options for airports in Lapland such as Ivalo Airport in Northern Lapland, this itinerary begins in Rovaniemi so will be the focal point to start your trip. 

Rovaniemi Airport serves direct routes from Helsinki year-round and seasonal winter routes from several European destinations, making it a pretty straightforward trip, especially for a winter getaway. 

Another popular option to reach Rovaniemi is to take a 12-hour overnight train from Helsinki, whisking you away from the busy city, through snow-dusted forests, Finnish towns and straight into the heart of Arctic Lapland.

There is a noticeable difference in price and journey, but it’s completely worth it if you can afford it and have the time to spare for a long train journey. 

Car rental is also another viable transportation option if you’re flying into Helsinki and would like to drive to Lapland. Summer is a great time to embark on a Finnish/Lapland road trip as you don’t need to worry about tough weather conditions and you will save money on transportation with a car rental in comparison to other methods.

If you’d like to rent a car to drive to Lapland in winter , make sure you feel confident in case of difficult weather and road conditions, and have the proper gear fitted to your car. You can browse car rental options here.

Getting Around Lapland

As for getting around Finnish Lapland, in my opinion, the best mode of transport is by car. Like any other rural and wild part of the world, renting a car gives you the most flexibility for your trip without having to worry about bus times and time crunches.

Lapland is vast and boundless with many different spots and sites being distant from each other, and although there is a great bus system within the region, you’ll have the utmost freedom this way. For example, one of the prime goals for many people visiting Lapland is to get the chance of seeing the Northern Lights.

While seeing the Northern Lights in most parts of Lapland is possible, your chances are higher the further away from light pollution and busy tourist areas. You can take a tour that will take you Northern Light hunting, but they can be expensive and give you just one chance. With your own car, you can search extensively to experience the enchanting Northern Lights. 

If for whatever reason, renting a car isn’t an option for you, it’s still possible to have a thrilling Lapland adventure. With public transportation, you can get around Finland and Finnish Lapland in particular quite easily.

You’ll find a few different bus companies such as ExpressBus and Matkahuolto , both with frequent routes connecting different parts of the Lapland region. Prices differ depending on departure and arrival destinations but are generally quite affordable.

Most destinations on this itinerary have bus transport options available, either by the local bus system or by private bus/shuttle companies. 

2, 3 or 4 Days in Lapland Itinerary

This Finnish Lapland itinerary will take you through Rovaniemi, the heart and capital of Lapland, through the magical timeless world of Santa Claus village, and to the Northern part of Lapland to further enjoy your fairytale – either by hitting the slopes or mingling with furry and friendly locals.

There are countless winter activities to enjoy on a trip to Finnish Lapland from husky safaris to ice fishing to warming up in a Finnish sauna and this is the perfect region to experience these things.

Day 1 – Lapland Capital, Rovaniemi

Explore the city of rovaniemi.

This itinerary for Lapland begins with 2 nights in the capital city of Rovaniemi. While Rovaniemi is a small city in comparison to other larger cities in Finland, there’s still much to do and discover.

Spending your first day in Lapland exploring the city of Rovaniemi is the perfect way to ease into Lappish life as well as arctic Lappish temperatures. This is also the perfect opportunity to find appropriate Arctic clothing for the rest of your trip if you weren’t already prepared.

If you’re visiting outside of the winter months, regular winter or spring/autumn clothing is acceptable but in the winter months you’ll want warm thermal clothing and boots to protect you from the bitter Arctic air.

If you take part in activities through any of the companies in Rovaniemi, you’ll have winter outerwear included for the duration of your stay. Otherwise, you can rent the same clothing from these companies for a pretty decent price.

Arktikum 

If you’re looking to explore and learn more about Finland’s Arctic culture, science, and history, the Arktikum Museum is the perfect place to educate yourself on Lapland while also getting a break from the cold.

The museum is located on the northern end of Rovaniemi and is about a 15-minute walk from the center point of the city. Arktikum is open every day except Mondays from 10 AM – 6 PM with an adult admission cost of €18 and reduced ticket options available.

Arctic Sunset & Eat a Traditional Lappish Meal

Whether you’re visiting during the winter or the summer, one of the most beautiful experiences of a Rovaniemi itinerary is to walk by the River Kemijoki during “sunset”. The colours that you’ll witness are truly remarkable, as if they were a painting, and are only just the beginning of a fairytale trip to Finland. 

Afterwards, I suggest heading to Nili Restaurant, in the heart of Rovaniemi city to experience delicious, traditional Lapland cuisine. If you want the full experience, I challenge you to try the reindeer, as it’s harder to try this Lapland classic food once you’ve met the adorable reindeer themselves. 

Where to Stay in Rovaniemi

Arctic Light Hotel – This boutique hotel makes for the perfect base in Rovaniemi. They have a number of lovely rooms available and countless amenities like free parking, an airport shuttle and an on-site restaurant/bar. Click here to see their availability

Santa’s Igloos Arctic Circle – If you want a unique accommodation option in Rovaniemi then these igloos can be an interesting choice. There are a number of different glass igloos to choose from (some including saunas!) and there are also plenty of other amenities for guests to enjoy. Click here to see their availability

Hostel Cafe Koti – Those trying to save a bit of cash while visiting Rovaniemi will love this hip hostel. There are both dorms and private rooms on offer along with a kitchen, a sauna and breakfast included for guests. Click here to see their availability

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more Rovaniemi hotels!

Day 2 – Santa Claus Village or Exploring Rovaniemi Nature 

Day 2 of this Rovaniemi itinerary will either be spent wandering the famous Santa Claus Village or exploring the incredible nature of the region. If you’re visiting in the winter, I’d undoubtedly recommend heading to Santa Claus Village.

More than just Santa and Christmas activities for children, it’s truly a winter wonderland village with plenty of space, nature, log cabins and activities to explore with something for everyone.

In the summer months, it’s still quite fun and unique to visit Santa Claus Village, cross the Arctic Circle Line, and enjoy the area without the winter visitor numbers. Otherwise, there’s plenty to explore in Rovaniemi under the midnight sun. 

Santa Claus Village

If you have a car to drive on your trip to Lapland, Santa Claus Village is just a quick 10-minute drive from Rovaniemi city center. Otherwise, you can catch the Santa Express or local bus 8 from Rovaniemi city center with the journey being about 20 minutes.

It is also possible to take a guided tour that includes a visit to the village as well as a visit to a reindeer and husky farm.

Once you reach Santa Claus Village there’s so much to do and enjoy on a day trip here. There’s no cost to enter the village, with costs only for individual activities.

If you’re keen on doing a husky sled ride or reindeer sleigh ride, prices are less than half the cost of tour companies operating outside of Rovaniemi. The ride is a lot shorter, but it’s a special experience to wander through the snow-covered forests under a warm blanket while led by Lapland’s mascots; huskies and reindeer. 

If you prefer to book tours in advance some options include this husky safari or this reindeer farm visit that includes a sleigh ride.

Visiting Santa’s Post Office and taking a picture with Santa is free, with the post office truly being like something out of a Christmas movie – a dream for both children and adults alike. 

The entirety of the Village is a large area consisting not just of the concrete buildings and “town” part of the village but also a wide expanse of forest. Even just getting lost in the snowy forest, making snow angels, and warming up at one of the village’s many fires throughout the area is truly a special experience. 

Once your appetite has opened and you’re ready for some warming food, there are plenty of options at the village; whether you’re looking for more cafeteria-style food or classic Lappish food in a traditional Arctic-style hut.

Rovaniemi Nature 

If you’re in Rovaniemi during the warmer months and prefer to skip Santa Claus Village, there’s still plenty to do and explore and I recommend taking advantage of the extraordinary nature of Rovaniemi Lapland. 

Rovaniemi is a dream world for nature lovers and my suggestion is to spend a day on the trails, hiking throughout the Arctic Circle while experiencing the ethereal midnight sun. If you don’t want to walk, you can organise a snowmobile adventure through the forest as an alternative.

A great place to start to plan your time in Rovaniemi nature is at the Finnish National Park authority, where you’ll find ideal hiking trails and paths to take in Finnish Lapland.

There’s no better way to watch the midnight sun than in the lush Finnish forest, with a picnic and a cold drink either by yourself or with close friends/family.

Day 3 – Northern Lapland, Levi  & Samiland Exhibition

In this itinerary, with a 3-day trip to Lapland or 4 days in Lapland, you’ll head out of Rovaniemi and Southern Lapland to Northern Lapland. While Rovaniemi is all about Santa and Christmas joy, Levi , the main resort city in Northern Lapland is all about nature, the Northern Lights, and indigenous Sami culture.

If you’re driving during your Lapland itinerary, the drive from Rovaniemi to Levi is just over 2 hours and is an exquisitely stunning drive. Much of the drive is through Lapland nature and it’s hard to regret making the journey north.

If you don’t have a car, there are a few bus companies with direct transport from Rovaniemi to Levi. OmniBus is a great option as services are frequent, the buses are comfortable and can be pretty affordable for Finland prices. 

Levi is the ski resort in the area and is the biggest ski resort town in Finland. The village that Levi is located in is Sirkka , and there aren’t a lack of things to do, places to stay, things to see, or food to eat.

If you like to be in the center of the action on your travels, I suggest staying in the center of Sirkka. Otherwise, it’s worth spending a little more to stay outside of the town to sleep amongst the magical Lapland wilderness.

Samiland Exhibition 

If you want to learn more about Sami, the local indigenous culture then make sure to visit the Samiland Exhibition.

The Sami are the descendants of the nomadic people of Northern Scandinavia traced back thousands of years ago and Sami culture is rich in history, mythology, and folklore. The perfect place to learn more about this integral part of Lapland and Finnish culture is to head to the Samiland Exhibition in Levi.

The exhibition does a wonderful and interesting job educating on Sami culture, with both indoor and outdoor exhibits in both winter and summer seasons. Samiland is open every day of the winter from 10 AM – 8 PM, most days of the summer (check hours in advance), and admission tickets for adults cost €13 with reduced ticket options available. 

Northern Light Safari

Other than slope seekers and ski aficionados, the main pull for visitors coming to Levi is easily the famous conquest for the Northern Lights. During the Aurora season, you’re almost guaranteed to see the Northern Lights if you’re visiting Levi.

If you have a car, you’ll have a lot more freedom to follow more remote and forecasted Aurora areas with less light pollution, although it is possible and common to see the dancing Northern Lights in the town itself. With your own transportation, you can come and go as you choose and watch from your car to stay warm! 

The best spots to seek the Northern Lights in/outside of Levi are at the top of Kätkä Fell, Tonttula (Elves Village), and quite honestly, anywhere further from town lights with large areas of open land.

If you don’t have a car, I suggest taking part in a Northern Light safari tour out of Levi. Costs for these are cheaper than in Rovaniemi, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to see the Aurora if you’re visiting during the Aurora season.

These tours typically pick you up from your hotel/accommodation and bring you to Aurora hot spots either by snowmobile or bus/car transportation. You’ll spend time learning about the area and Lapland with a local guide, while drinking hot chocolate or grilling sausages, and keeping warm by a hot, open fire.

Hopefully, before you know it, you’ll soon witness the out-of-this-world experience and natural phenomenon of the colorful, elegant Northern Lights dancing above your eyes. 

Where to Stay in Levi

Break Sokos Hotel Levi – This hotel is an excellent base for exploring Levi and the surrounding area. They have a range of bright, clean and comfortable rooms to choose from, they’re pet-friendly and there is even a restaurant and cafe/bar on site for guests to enjoy. Click here to see their availability

Northern Lights Village Levi – For those after a unique and unforgettable stay in Levi, this hotel is a great option. They have a number of rooms on offer – all with windows over the bed for some cosy Aurora viewings. Rooms are also equipped with fireplaces, breakfast is available and there is an on-site bar. Click here to see their availability

Levi Suites Levi Gold – If you want your own space while exploring Lapland, then these suites in Levi are a good option. They have a number of flats available, all fully furnished with everything you may need. Click here to see their availability

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more Levi hotels!

Day 4 – Skiing or Winter Activities

On the 4th and last day of your time in Lapland, you’ll have two different options for enjoying the last day of your Finnish Lapland adventure; skiing the slopes of Levi or taking the time to enjoy more winter activities that you may not have already done in Rovaniemi. Some options include this husky sled ride or a snowmobile safari.

Skiing in Levi

Being the biggest ski resort in Finland, Levi is a great spot to either practice and enjoy as a novice skier or try your hand on the slopes for the first time – under the arctic sky.

Levi has mostly intermediate slopes, with 28 lifts and 48 slopes as well as just about 4 hours of sunshine during the winter. Luckily, the slopes are kept open late giving you enough time to enjoy either an old or newfound activity.

Skiing under the beautifully pink pastel polar night sky is something you’ll likely never experience out of Finnish Lapland, and it truly deserves a spot on your travel bucket list.

Apres-Ski/Dinner at Tuikku

There’s no better way to end your trip to Lapland and day on the slopes than at Tuikku, Levi’s oldest restaurant as well as where you’ll find the most extraordinary slope side and Lapland views. In the winter, there’s live music and DJ, offering the perfect closing to a magical trip.

Prices are pretty affordable, whether you’re interested in having a cocktail, hot chocolate, or a long day of skiing and adventuring that has left you hungry for their delicious buffet meals. 

It’s safe to say that Lapland is one of the most magical destinations in the world. Whether you’re an adult or a child, this enchanting Finnish region is undoubtedly going to touch your heart and sprinkle fairy-tale magic into your trip to make it one of the most unforgettable adventures of a lifetime.

Are you planning to visit Finnish Lapland? Have any questions about this itinerary? Let us know in the comments!

Related Posts:

A Guide to Visiting Finnish Lapland in Winter

The Perfect 5 to 7 Days in Finland Itinerary (Winter or Summer)

The Perfect 2 to 3 Days in Helsinki Itinerary

About Olivia Ellis

Olivia is a writer for The World Was Here First. Originally from Michigan, USA, she is currently living in Athens, Greece exploring Europe and filmmaking. When she’s not travelling or writing, Olivia can be found cooking delicious new recipes from around the world, reading, and spending time outdoors.

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How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Finnish Lapland

From the northern lights to the legendary sauna culture, this arctic destination has it all. Here's what you won't want to miss.

Milamai / Getty Images

Lapland, the northernmost region of Finland, is the place to go to check more than a few once-in-a-lifetime experiences off your list — like seeing the northern lights and experiencing the midnight sun. The arctic destination has stunning nighttime skies, wide-open landscapes, and air so fresh it can make you happier. Here’s how to plan a trip to Finnish Lapland that you’ll never forget. 

When to Go to Finnish Lapland

Here’s the good news about Lapland: It’s always beautiful out — well, depending on how you define “beautiful.” The region's peak travel season falls between December and February thanks to a natural phenomenon we’ll get to in a moment. During this period, the region’s average temperature ranges from 3 to 37 degrees Fahrenheit, though it can get down to as low as minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit with added wind chill. 

By contrast, temperatures in the summer can be much milder, usually ranging from 50 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit, making it a prime time to visit the area for hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor adventures.

How to See the Northern Lights in Finnish Lapland

Many visitors travel to Finnish Lapland to take in a few breathtaking natural occurrences — including the aurora borealis, or northern lights. You can see this phenomenon any time between August and April, though it occurs more frequently around the equinoxes in late September and late March. Visit then and look to the sky on clear nights for a chance to witness this incredible celestial light show.

Those looking for a more curated experience can ask their hotel for recommendations, or they can book a guided trip like a  three-hour aurora borealis picnic  in Rovaniemi, which includes a short hike to an outpost with warm drinks and food. You can also take  a snowmobile tour or, the most adventurous of all, an aurora ice floating experience in Rovaniemi . It's just as it sounds — guests don dry suits and set out on a frozen lake to lie back and blissfully gaze up into the night sky.

How to See the Midnight Sun in Finnish Lapland 

Giles Clarke / Getty Images

If you’re not much of a night owl, that’s okay because Finnish Lapland offers another spectacular show: the midnight sun. From late May until early August, the tilt of the Earth means the sky never gets dark. Make the most of the near-constant daylight by taking a hike, going fishing, or even playing a round of golf when you'd normally be asleep. 

What Else to Do in Finnish Lapland

Andrey-Kobylko / Getty Images

Go for a hike.

Finnish Lapland is chock full of  stellar hiking trails  fit for all levels. The Arctic Circle and Inari hiking areas offer everything from one-hour hikes to all-day wilderness adventures, as well as restrooms and visitor centers. 

Hit the sauna.

Sauna culture has long been an integral part of Finnish life , and there’s no better spot to experience it than in  Tampere , the sauna capital of the world. Come for the public spas, but stay for the arts, culture, and attractions like the Tampere Market Hall, the largest indoor market in Scandinavia. 

Paddle your way through the region.

Explore Finnish Lapland from a different perspective by taking to its rivers for a canoeing adventure. During the warmer months, you can take in the amazing views as you meander along calming waterways. Try this six-hour canoe trip  down the River Kapsajoki, which includes a campfire lunch and opportunities for fishing. 

Visit Santa Claus.

Fun fact: Santa lives in Finland. And you can visit him any time of year at the  Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi. Kris Kringle and his elves open their famous home and workshop all 365 days of the year. Meet the man himself, cross the Arctic Circle (which passes through the theme park), embark on a snowmobile safari adventure in the Lapland wilderness, and dine in a restaurant made of snow while you're there.

Where to Stay in Finnish Lapland 

Lingxiao Xie / Getty Images

Arctic TreeHouse Hotel

At the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel in Rovaniemi, guests can enjoy a host of creature comforts in a nature-centric setting. Every room comes with fur throws and floor-to-ceiling windows, while some even have soaking tubs, fireplaces, and decks from which to take in the surrounding forest. Book the chic two-bedroom Arctic GlassHouse  to enjoy all the bells and whistles.

Seaside Glass Villas

Need more of a view? Spend a few nights at  Seaside Glass Villas , a collection of box-shaped bungalows in the waterfront town of Kemi. Each one has a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the Bothnian Bay, as well as a glass roof through which you can enjoy incredible views of the northern lights while lying in bed.

Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort

You might recognize Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort's gorgeous glass-domed igloos from your Instagram feed, but even the best photos can't capture the magic of actually staying in one. Book the kelo-glass igloo to combine the privacy of a log chalet with the wow factor of the northern lights dancing over your bed.

Those seeking to stay in the lap of luxury need look no further than  Octola , an exclusive five-star hideaway with just 12 rooms and two chalets. Guests can book a single room or buy out the entire space if they want to bring along family and friends. 

What to Pack 

Packing for a summer trip to Finnish Lapland is relatively easy. Just bring whatever you normally would for any other summer getaway — shorts, T-shirts, a bathing suit, pants, and a light jacket for cooler nights. 

If you plan to visit in winter, you'll need to bust out the big checked bag and pack it with cozy thermal underwear, insulated snow boots with a grip, an insulated jacket, waterproof or snowproof pants , a few wool sweaters, warm gloves and socks, a hat, a scarf, and some instant heat packs to throw in your gloves and boots. Don’t forget your camera, and make sure to pack extra batteries — they will drain quickly in the cold weather. 

How to Get There 

Despite being located in Finland's far north, getting to Lapland isn’t nearly as difficult as you may think. First, fly into Helsinki, then, depending on your final destination, continue to either Kemi or Rovaniemi by regional flight. Finnair and Norwegian Air each offer a 90-minute nonstop to Rovaniemi, or you can board a one-stop Finnair flight to Kemi via Kokkola-Jakobstad Airport in Kronoby.

If you've got the time, a scenic seven-hour train ride will get you from Helsinki to Kemi (the ride to Rovaniemi takes 8.5 hours). You can also travel between Rovaniemi and Kemi by train for a 90-minute intra-Lapland adventure.

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The Ultimate Itinerary for Lapland and Arctic Circle, Finland

This article is  Part 1 of our 4 part series on planning the ultimate trip to Lapland, Finland 

Read Part 2 The Ultimate Guide to Packing for Finnish Lapland   (opens in a new tab)

Read Part 3 The Ultimate Guide to Lapland Safaris (opens in a new tab)

Read Part 4  Staring at the Northern Lights in Saariselka   (opens in a new tab)

Most people (us included!) wouldn’t blink an eyelid before planning a trip halfway around the world just for a single once-in-a-lifetime experience. Be it jumping off a bridge in South Africa , watching the sun rise at Angkor Wat (Cambodia) , participating in the Tomatina Festival in Bunol (Spain ), or staying in a villa suspended over water in Bora Bora – we’re all guilty of booking an air ticket just to tick one item off our bucket list.

But what if a trip promises not one or two but over a dozen once-in-a-lifetime experiences at one go? You’d jump right into it, wouldn’t you? Well that’s what we did.  We slept in an igloo, rode on reindeer sleighs, played with husky dogs, tobogganed down ice slides, walked on a frozen ocean, marvelled at the elusive Northern Lights, and even floated in water with icebergs for company. Phew!!

Finnish Lapland is a truly phenomenal corner of the world. We’ve been to over 45 countries and have experienced some crazy things but very rarely have we seen beauty that left us dumbstruck. Literally! I’ll let you into a secret – I carry a travel journal with me wherever I go. I’m perpetually scribbling notes in it. It’s somewhat of a ritual. But for one whole week in Finnish Lapland, I penned nothing in my journal. Yep, nothing, nada, zilch!!

That’s how long it took me to accustom myself to the surreal beauty of Finnish Lapland. This corner of the world, located at the Northernmost tip of Continental Europe is so special that I don’t know where to start. The air is clear (no pollution here!), water is sugary sweet, the sky sparkles with thousands of stars, and the snow-laden landscape seduces people into thinking this is paradise. It could well be!

If you want to explore this area for yourself, look no further. Here’s the ultimate itinerary for exploring Finnish Lapland.

Now for the fun stuff. Get ready, ladies and gentlemen, for the virtual ride of a lifetime. Don’t blame us if you’re tempted to book a flight to Lapland as soon as you finish looking at these photos. Here’s a summary of our experiences and our suggestions for planning an itinerary for Lapland 🙂

Day 1 – Fly into Oulu

Oulu is just over an hour away from Helsinki. The two cities are well connected through multiple flights a day. You will find a white landscape, laden with snow, when you land in Oulu. Once you’re in Oulu, you could stay there for the night or take the train to Kemi, a small Finnish city close to a deep harbour.

• Take bus no. 9 from Oulu Airport to the city centre/train station.
• You can book your train tickets to Kemi in advance on this website :  www.vr.fi/cs/vr/en/

Days 2 and 3- Float with Icebergs in Kemi

This is when the fun begins in real ernest. On this day, you will witness a castle made entirely out of ice and hop aboard an ice-breaker cruise ship. Ice-breaker sampos are used to transport goods from one port to the other in this part of the world but Kemi’s ice-breaker sampo is one of the very few that allow tourists on board.

A free shuttle bus ferries passengers from Kemi’s train station to the Ice Breaker Sampo. A short drive later, you will see a ship looming large in the distance. Chunky boulders of ice surround it. This is the Gulf of Bothnia, Europe’s largest mass of frozen ice. You might have been on many a cruise but nothing like this one. A loud horn heralds the start of an unforgettable journey – the ship leaves the harbour, cutting through the frozen Baltic Sea.

It might be cold outside but it’s hard to tear yourself away from the surreal sight of a frozen sea stretching out in front of your eyes. Our favourite part? A short pit-stop in the middle of the journey where passengers are given the opportunity to don bright floatation suits and plunge in ice-cold waters with a few other fellow crazies for company. My heart was in my mouth for the first ten seconds of the plunge but I really really enjoyed the rest of it 🙂

The free shuttle bus is waiting for passengers when the cruise ship gets back. It drops tourists at the snow castle of Kemi, which is straight out of the fairytales. You could wander around and walk back to the train station (a pleasant 20 minute walk) or spend the night at one of their unique ice-rooms. Did you ever think you would be sleeping on a bed of ice? Now is the chance to make that dream come true

• This should be one of the first things you book because cruise tickets get sold out months in advance. The cruise can be booked here :-  www.visitkemi.fi . You could also send an email to  [email protected]
• The Sampo Icebreaker Cruise costs €270 per person. This cost includes food, polar plunge experience, and the return journey on the cruise ship
• There is a free shuttle bus that ferries tourists from Kemi train station to the Ice Breaker Sampo and the Snow Castle
• Entry to the Snow Castle costs €15. If you want to spend a night in the ice hotel, prices start at €155. More information on their website  www.visitkemi.fi/en/snowcastle

Day 4  – Settle into Rovaniemi

A short train ride will get you to Rovaniemi, the bustling capital of Lapland situated on the Arctic Circle. Rovaniemi is also famous for being the home of Santa Claus. Did we not say Lapland is straight out of our childhood fantasies? 🙂

Rovaniemi is the perfect base for exploring Lapland and all it has to offer. No wonder it features heavily on most itineraries of Lapland. We stayed at Santa’s Hotel Santa Claus and loved it. The hotel’s location is perfect – it’s less than a five minute walk away from most of Rovaniemi’s supermarkets, restaurants, and excursion providers.

Our spacious suite was on the sixth floor, overlooking the river. The room was modern, kitted out with a private Finnish sauna (where Vid spent most of his time 😉 ). Breakfast was plentiful with a wide variety of vegetables, salmon, eggs, meat, fruits, cookies, and cheese on offer.

• Stay in a centrally-located hotel in Rovaniemi. We stayed at Santa’s hotel Santa Claus and will happily recommend it. You can find the best rates here
• Make sure you spend time in the Finnish sauna – it’s unique and rejuvenating

Days 5 and 6 – Experience the best of Lapland’s safaris

Once you’ve settled into Rovaniemi, it’s time for the adventures to begin. There are photo opportunities galore. You can spend your days snowmobiling on frozen rivers, driving through stunning Arctic forests, visiting husky dog farms and playing with furry creatures, or hunting for the mysterious Northern Lights. Northern Lights’ excursions in Rovaniemi involve driving out of town, spending hours listening to Sami folk tales and BBQing sausages in a tent in the Arctic Wilderness – SO good 🙂

• Lapland Safaris offer husky-dog safaris, snowmobiling, visits to reindeer farms, and Northern Lights excursions. Safaris start at €100/person.
• We recommend pre-booking all your safaris with Lapland Safaris. That way you can keep their Arctic overalls, ski gloves, even snow boots for the length of your stay in Rovaniemi for free. You’ll keep warm and you won’t need to pay a penny. You can thank us later 😉 More information on their website  www.laplandsafaris.com/en/

Day 7 – Meet Santa Claus on a day trip

Did you know that Finnish folklore has it that the ‘real’ Santa Claus resides in Rovaniemi’s Santa Claus Village with Mrs. Claus and an army of elves. No wonder it’s Christmas 365 days an year in Lapland 🙂

Santa Claus Village is a short bus ride away from the centre of Rovaniemi. You will hear Christmas carols and festive music as soon as you enter the hallowed gates of this dreamy village. Of course, there’s no better way to arrive at Mr. Claus’ house than on a reindeer sleigh. Now let me tell you something. This might not be your first skirmish with Arctic Safaris but one thing is for sure – it’ll be your favourite one. It belongs in a fairytale, nowhere else.

Once you’ve exhausted yourself by playing in the snow, giggled at the little elves in the village, and hugged snow-men, head to Kotahovi Restaurant  in Santa Claus Village for a warm meal. The restaurant is housed in a traditional Lappish wooden hut. The roaring fire at the centre of the restaurant is comforting and made us feel cosy almost immediately. We devoured the creamy salmon soup with rye bread (€14)  and the sautéed reindeer with mashed potatoes, lingonberries, and pickled cucumbers (€26) and spent hours looking at the snow falling outside the window.

• Bus number 8 takes you from the Rovaniemi city centre to Santa Claus Village. Bus tickets cost €2.20/per person.
• Entry to Santa Claus Village is free. You can meet the ‘real’ Santa Claus for free too.
• Don’t leave Santa Claus Village without hopping on a reindeer sleigh. It will take you through magical snow-laden trains and Arctic forests. It was one of our favourite experiences on our entire trip of Lapland. The owner at Santa Claus Reindeer, Janne, is a great photographer. Make sure you ask him for a frame-worthy photograph once you’re in the sleigh 🙂
• Reindeer Sleigh rides start at €22/per person. We opted for the 3 km ride and loved it. You can book it here :-  www.santaclausreindeer.fi
• More information about Kotahovi Restaurant here :- www.santaclausreindeer.fi

Day 8 – Devour a traditional Lappish meal and say bye to Rovaniemi

Sampling local food is the easiest way to acquaint oneself with a new culture. If you’re a regular reader of Bruised Passports, you’d know we never leave a new place without trying out all the local delicacies we can get our paws on. We had a fair few Finnish meals in Lapland but Restaurant Nili came out triumphant by a mile (and a half).

The evening we spent at Restaurant Nili made us so happy that we just had to go to the kitchen to give the chef a hug. The unassuming exterior makes it seem like a small neighbourhood eatery but locals swear by Nili’s exquisitely-crafted Finnish food. We loved the fact that the food was modern without being excessively experimental.

We opted for the sensational set menu called The Rovaniemi Menu. The meal kicked off with a delectable Lappish blini, perfectly complimented by whipped sour cream and grainy fish roe. Main course was reindeer rack on a bed of fluffy parsnip purée, braised root vegetables, and a creamy sauce. We opted for a full-bodied Merlot with the reindeer meat and the two were a match made in heaven. A refreshing scoop of Nili’s black currant sorbet followed – the perfect palate cleaner to prepare our taste buds for the Cheese Plate. We wound up the feast with a glorious panna cotta (the creamiest I’ve ever had!) garnished with apples and wild raspberries. But we didn’t stop there – a couple of shots of Finnish Tar liqueur followed. We could fly back to Rovaniemi just to have a meal at Nili all over again 🙂

Take a bow Chef Marko, you did good 🙂

• Don’t leave Rovaniemi without trying delectable Finnish food at restaurant Nili.
• Reserve in advance because Restaurant Nili can get really busy in the evenings.
• We loved their sensational set menu called The Rovaniemi Menu (€58/per person) but you can go the à la carte route too. More information on their website  www.nili.fi

Day 9 – Sleep on a bed of ice at The Arctic Snow Hotel

After you’ve explored Rovaniemi to your heart’s content, it’s time to go to a snow haven 30 kms outside Rovaniemi. Arctic Snow Hotel is built from scratch in November every year. It’s nestled in Lappish wilderness and provides a fairytale experience.

The reception area, communal toilets, and breakfast rooms are heated. However the fun begins when you enter the main building made of ice. The corridors are full of ice-carvings and sculptures and bright LED lights lead visitors to the Ice Bar and Restaurant. Here drinks are served in glasses made of ice and food is served on intricately carved ice plates. Finnish specialities such as creamy soups and elk are on the menu. Stools and benches might be carved out of chunky blocks of ice but they’re covered with Finnish fur rugs that keep guests warm.

Each ice suite has a different theme – we loved the playful Angry Bird themed room. Stunning beds are carved out of ice. Artic-style sleeping bags are provided to guests so they keep warm as they doze off. But doze off you mustn’t. For there is a lot of fun to be had.

Don’t miss the outdoor jacuzzi for the world – there is nothing quite like sitting in a hot tub in the middle of an Arctic forest and feeling warm when it’s -20°C out. You can count stars and if you’re lucky, you can spot the mysterious Northern Lights. Bucket list or not, an open-air hot tub is one experience that NEEDS to feature on your itinerary of Lapland.

• Arctic Snow Hotel is open to visitors from November to April
• It is possible to visit only for a meal but we suggest sleeping in an ice room for 1 night for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Prices for overnight stays start at €125. You can compare and book here .

Days 10, 11, and 12 – Immerse yourself in Arctic Wilderness in Saariselka and spot the Northern Lights

It’s time to head north to delve deeper into the Arctic wilderness. Frozen slanting trees, ice-laden hills, and fields covered with untarnished snow – the scenery at the northern tip of Lapland is beyond your wildest imagination .

A 3 hour bus ride from Rovaniemi will get you to Saariselka. There is a variety of accommodation on offer in Saariselka – log cabins are a popular choice. But we are partial to the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, where you can sleep in a heated igloo under the Northern Lights. The bus will drop you at the gate of Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort. To say we had the time of our lives here would be the understatement of the decade. We spotted the Northern Lights ever so often while we were there. We were so taken in by the surreal beauty of this hotel that we decided to extend our stay by 2 days.

We spent our days trying to absorb the immense beauty of Finnish Lapland. Reindeer safaris provide a glimpse into the life of Sami people (indigenous people living at the very northern tip of Europe) and will convince you that you’re in a fairytale. Just when you’re drifting into your dream world, the reindeer will stop in the tracks to pee or grace the ground with perfectly-shaped reindeer droppings 😉

• The bus journey from Rovaniemi to Saariselka is gorgeous. The bus has wifi and is extremely punctual. Bus tickets can be bought in person or booked online on this website :-  https://www.matkahuolto.info/lippu/en/
• Read our detailed review of Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort with photos, tips, and more before you flesh the itinerary for your trip to Lapland.
• We suggest staying in the glass igloos at Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort for 1-2 nights and their rustic log cabins for 2-4 nights depending on how much time you have. You can compare prices and book here .

Day 12 Take the flight back from Ivalo

Ivalo airport is close to Saariselka and Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort offers regular transfers to the airport. Take the flight back to Helsinki – we promise you’ll spend the flight thinking about all the surreal panoramas you saw on your trip to Lapland and counting the crazy experiences you had. One thing is for sure – it’ll be hard to pick favourites. After all, how often does one get to pick between petting a reindeer and sleeping in an igloo 🙂

Planning your trip to Finland – The Essentials

If you’re there for winter sports and the Northern Lights, then visit Lapland between December and March. If you want to drive around, then summer is a good time since Finnish Lapland boasts of sunlight 24*7. Winter Wonderland transforms to the Land of the Midnight Sun during the months of June, July, and August.

Length of the trip

We suggest setting aside at least 10-12 days for a trip of your lifetime to Finnish Lapland. A rough breakdown is as follows (scroll down for the detailed itinerary 🙂 ) :-

• Fly into Rovaniemi/Oulu from Helsinki
• Kemi: 2 nights
• Rovaniemi and surrounding areas: 4-5 nights
• Saariselka: 3-4 nights
• Fly back from Ivalo to Helsinki

Finnish Lapland is not the place for backpackers. Scandinavia is infamous for being notoriously expensive and Finnish Lapland is no exception. Moreover it’s an extremely remote corner of the world. Consequently transport, hotels, food, and excursions can get pricey here. Try to set aside approximately €200 per person/day when budgeting for your trip. This includes the  hotel rooms, excursions, food, and transportation within Lapland but excludes flights from your hometown. [box]

Don’t come back without trying these typical Finnish things

• Finnish Sauna (Finnish people are obsessed with it and with good reason!). We love Visit Finland’s introduction to the Finnish Sauna
• Reindeer meat – a local delicacy, Finns sure know how to dish up the perfect reindeer steak. Ok you can skip this and opt for creamy salmon soup if you’re a bit squeamish about devouring Rudolph’s li’l red nose 🙂
• Spending a lazy evening in a Sami lavu/teepee making pancakes, BBQing sausages or just acquainting yourself with Sami Folklore.
• Sipping on dozens of glasses of warm lingonberry juice – this local speciality the perfect antidote for Lapland’s Arctic winter.
• Spending an evening in an outdoor hot tub while it’s -20°C outside. It’s a surreal experience to watch your drink freeze as you lounge comfortably in warm water and stare at Lappish sky, coloured green by the Northern Lights. Words can’t do justice to such an experience, can they?!

[/box] That’s it – our itinerary and favourite things to do in Finnish Lapland. You need to put this corner of the world on your travel bucket list – it will leave you spellbound and you will come back, wanting more.

Leave us a comment below if you enjoyed reading about our journey or if you have any questions about planning a trip to Lapland – we’ll make sure we get back to you as soon as possible 🙂

Want to include some more offbeat places in your winter trip to Lapland? Check out this article on 10 Must Dos In Lapland for pointers 

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Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort – Truly ‘Once-in-a-lifetime’

Packing for Lapland, Finland : Staying warm in the Arctic

213 thoughts on “ the ultimate itinerary for lapland and arctic circle, finland ”.

That’s like the trip of dreams come true!!! So beautiful.. I have to find someone to go along with me . M saving up!!

Now you’ve found Madhuri 😉 Go, go, go. PS It really was the trip of our dreams

Sound amazing!! can I ask where you found the outdoor hot tub? or accommodation you would recommend with this.

OMG this is insanely awesome. I would love some dessert served on a carved piece of ice! The Northern Lights are definitely a bucketlist, along with a loooong list of thing! :-p

xox head2heels.co

I know right?! I want to have food on those plates everyday 😉 The Northern Lights were amazing, definitely the highlight of the trip

this is one of the most beautiful post !!! this seriously seems some magical stuff!!! i could not even imagine that something like this existed !!!! so so so beautiful !!!!

Thanks Kushagr – we couldn’t believe our eyes when we first saw the scenery at Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort 🙂

hey could you guys please connect.Travelling this year with my girls.

We want a budget trip to Lapland & Estonia in January 24 – 1st or 2nd week for 10- 11 days.

Rashmi, can i tag along =p I LOVED this post. trip of dreams indeed. thanks for this post. this definitely goes on my bucket list.

hehehe!! Sure :P:P The more the merrier 😉

Love the sound of this 😉

Thanks Madhuri – this was a dream trip indeed! Rashmi and you better make it there quickly 😉

Hey can u plz suggest where is the best Sauna in rovenamemi …we leaving in 2 days for Finland for my birthday ?

Hi Harleen,

A belated happy birthday and hope you had a great time in Lapland 🙂

Wow, what an epic trip! Yes, I’d love to tick off all those things, except the reindeer meat (I’m a veggie)! I’m obsessed with Finland and I was there in December but not more northern than Tampere, I didn’t have the time or the money to head up to the

sorry! that cut out and posted unfinished!

I didn’t have time or enough budget to head to the arctic north and centred my trip in the south. I’m hopefully heading back in the summer to drive down from Norway to Helsinki and I can’t wait to experience the light nights and the far north!

I also can’t wait to get back to saunas! Oh how I miss them, absolutely the must do for Finland!

Such a great post guys!

Rachel I hear you – it’s so easy to fall completely in love with Finland 🙂 I hope you manage to make it to the North soon, Lapland is straight out of the fairytales

I decided to visit Finnish Lapland for my honeymoon as soon as I saw your first Facebook post on the Icebreaker Cruise in Kemi. Then when you posted about the Northern Lights, there was no looking back. I was looking forward to reading this post. It’s answered most of my questions and I will be following your itinerary. I have 1-2 questions about budgeting and flights- can I email you for that?

Sure Sher – drop us an email. Lapland is the perfect place for a honeymoon 🙂

What an awesome writeup – watching the northern lights has been on the bucket list for a while – had a couple of questions ?

– WHats the probability of seeing northern lights during the stay ? What are the best months for the same ? – I understand from the pictures that its cold – how cold does it actually feel ? At any ;point did u experience the feeling of unbearable cold ? – Availability of vegetarian food in the northern hinterlands ?

Hey Maulik – The chances of seeing the Northern Lights in Lapland, especially in a place like Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort are very high between November & March. Vegetarian food is never a problem. One never feels unbearably cold because of snug Arctic jumpsuits which can be rented from a number of shops 🙂

Finnish Lapland looks like quite the chilly place – but it looks like you enjoyed yourself. Hope to do it myself soon!

We really loved it there Elaine – you must plan a trip to Lapland soon 🙂

One of the places we really enjoyed was a Thai Cultural Theme Park – Phuket FantaSea. Every service area there was beautiful and neat. We enjoyed watching their beautiful, costumed parade culminating at an outdoor stage with a Bangok theme show. The place is really somewhat like Disneyland of Thailand! The highlight their main show held at a beautiful Palace of the Elephants Theater. I must say it was pretty amazing, I left overwhelmed by their beautiful culture. International buffet dinner was good, particularly the noodle soup. We remember it as one of our nicest outings in Phuket and do recommend it for a quality evening-into-the-night entertainment. Don’t miss it!

Loved reading about your Lapland adventures! It was very inspirational so we are planning a trip for March next year. I’m hoping this will be a good time to go. How far in advance do you recommend booking? Is it worth staying in Oulu?

Hey Michelle,

March should be a good time to go. We booked 3-4 months in advance. We flew into Oulu and spent the night there – didn’t really see much there. You should try and go to Kemi from there to try out the Sampo ice-breaker cruise. It’s an amazing experience.

Straight out of my dreams!! I hate you guys hahhaha…so jealous!!! But on a serious note, thank you for sharing all this info!! Its a wonderfully written blog, and I can totally feel your excitement 🙂 Great stuff

Thanks a lot Pallavi 🙂

Your travel plan look really nice!! Can you please share me what is the destination from Kakslauttanen Artic resort stop name and Rovaniemi bus station (toward Santa Claus village) to take?

If you take the bus from Kakslauttanen towards Rovaniemi, it will stop at the Santa Claus Village. Just inform the driver that you wish to get off at the Santa Claus village 🙂

Awesome blog !!! I am from Norway,live in California.Go home to Norway quite often,and this trip is definitely on top of my bucket list. Thank you for great information…..and I have to tell you…..I love reindyr kjøtt og tyttebær syltetøy. Have a great day…?

Thanks for that. You should take a trip to this part of Scandinavia – I’m sure you’ll love it!

Hi guys, well written travel experience. quite inspiring. We are planning a trip this year in dec 15, we live in dubai and have children age 2 and 5, a little concerned to see if our kids can adjust to such severe weather conditions while living in a hot place like dubai. On your trip, did you see kids of similar ages? do you foresee any challenges that we may face?… any suggestions?

Given that its Santa’s hometown, we saw LOTS of kids in Rovaniemi and around. Just make sure that you wrap your kids warm (thermals are a must). I’m pretty sure your kids will love these experiences.

What an amazing read. I have been surfing for weeks but found everything I needed right here. I am staying at the Hotel Santa Claus with my daughter and widened how far the bus stop is from the Hotel to visit Santas Holiday Village. Also, I am going to book the 3km reindeer ride. The excursion states almost 2 hrs plus but only 40 mins ride, did you experience this? They only have 9am or pm and I wondered which would be the best time to ensure the most magical … I thought possibly the afternoon. I had so hope to arrange a private meeting with Santa but this isn’t possible unless staying much further North…. But maybe next time. :-). Could you tell me how expensive the meals are at the Hotel for the evening, the breakfast looks amazing. I am hoping we may sleep well there, but expect noise due to the location. Your trip looks truly perfect and I am glad you had such a wonderful experience. 🙂

Dear Debbie,

The stop from where you get the bus to the Santa Claus village is a straight 5 minute walk from the hotel. As for the excursion, not sure where you have booked but we were told the exact time of the ride – perhaps they have added the transfer times from Rovaniemi to the excursion time? Yes, afternoon will be amazing 🙂

We didn’t have evening meals at the hotel in Rovaniemi. We used to step out to try restaurants around the hotel. If you get a chance, have a meal at Restaurant Nili (not far from the hotel) – the food was really nice. Say hello to them from us 🙂

this is actually want I’m planning to do from years…just 2 questions – Is it doable in 7-8 days ? If yes, what can be shortened ? Is Dec a right time ?

Hello Upender,

December is a great month for this 🙂

You can certainly do it in 7-8 days – we’d cut out a day or two in Rovaniemi and a day and a half in Kakslauttanen!

Hope that helps

Ok so my husband and i are headed to the northern lights for 10 days max end of march. help us plan an itinerary. we will be staying here Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort

Dear Lauren,

You’ll have a great time 🙂 Not sure what exactly you need help with but you could drop us an email with any specific questions that you have and we’ll get back to you asap. Pretty much everything we did is documented in this article itself 🙂

Am looking at web page for sampo cruise and lowest rate is €385.00 for March 2016! With entrance to ice castle. We are Four and frankly I think it’ s too much! Could it be that rates went up since your blog? As you mention €270 per person – which is ” reasonable” can you help me with info where I can find costs you mention? Thank you

Thanks Toni- you’re right, €385.00 is extortionate for a family of 4 but we were told by another reader that prices have increased in the past year. Perhaps you could choose just the ice-breaker cruise and transfer package, which is for €339.00? I will update prices on our website now

I don’t seem to be able to search info about getting to Ivalo airport from Kakslauttanen Resort. On bus travel website it stop at the junction not at the airport. Any advice? And at the city of Rovaniemi where do I board the bus to Kakslauttanen? Lots of thanks!

In Rovaniemi, just go to the Rovaniemi coach station to board the bus to Kakslauttanen. It’s a short taxi ride from the centre.

As for Ivalo, you might have to change the bus i.e. take a bus from Kakslauttanen to Ivalo and from Ivalo take the airport bus to Ivalo Airport.

Which bus company have you checked?

This is really dreamy! If I plan a trip say in May/June, will I still have an opportunity for the husky safari, reindeer ride etc?

You might get to experience those activities in early May but June will be difficult. However, it’s best to drop an email to the activity provider to confirm 🙂

You guys have done a fantastic job of summarizing your entire itinerary and including all necessary details with the series of posts on your Lapland trip. Super exhaustive resource for planning my honeymoon. Quick questions for you – where can I find the following experiences in Lapland (we are staying in Rovaniemi for 3 nights, Kakslauttanen for 3 nights and Muotkan Wilderness Lodge for 6 nights)?

1. Spending a lazy evening in a Sami lavu/teepee making pancakes, BBQing sausages or just acquainting yourself with Sami Folklore. 2. Spending an evening in an outdoor hot tub while it’s -20°C outside. It’s a surreal experience to watch your drink freeze as you lounge comfortably in warm water and stare at Lappish sky, coloured green by the Northern Lights. Words can’t do justice to such an experience, can they?!

These sounds like lovely experiences and it’ll be great to know exactly what we should be looking for and where. Thanks a ton!

Hey there – you’ll love Lapland. It’s the perfect honeymoon destination 🙂 Here are the answers to your questions: 1) The perfect places for this is in Kakslauttanen – opt for the reindeer sleigh excursion to Penti’s farm and you will get an opportunity to make pancakes, BBQ sausages, and learn more about Sami folklore. We covered this excursion in our video on Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort. Just check it out on our Youtube channel 🙂 2) Most hotels and lodges in Lapland offer outdoor hot tubs, so this shouldn’t be tough to find. Arctic Snow Hotel, just outside Rovaniemi, has a magical outdoor hot tub. But just email the hotel you’re staying at in Rovaniemi and Muotkan Wilderness Lodge to confirm whether they have outdoor hot tubs too.

Awesome, thanks a lot! Can’t wait to experience the wilderness of Lapland. Hope you guys are enjoying Fiji.

Anytime 🙂 Do send us photos from Lapland

Dear Savi, It was lovely reading your post, as we were looking into finland and happend to step onto your blog.It just gave us a good itinerary of our trip. I have a couple of questions if you dont mind which can help us for our trip in march.

We will be visiting rovaniemi on march and we would like to do some excusrions but considering our 3 nights stay there iam a bit confused on this.

1. Firstly do we do the Reindeer and the snowbike in Rovaniemi or at the resort of Kakslautten ? as we are spending three nights there as well ? ( in terms of northern lights and experince )

2.I know you have suggested lapland safaris but what do you think of the tour company laplandwelcome ( the reason i ask is cz the snowmobile excursion in lapland safaris ends by 11, whereas the laplandwelcome starts at 11 and ends at 1 am.

3.can you explain the route for the bus as we are going to have suitcases with us ? is that okay to travel from rovaniemi to kakslautten ?

Great to know you found our posts helpful. You’ll have an amazing time in Lapland. Here are the answers to your questions: 1) You should go on the reindeer safari at Kakslauttan – you’ll be deeper in the countryside and the scenery is a lot prettier there 🙂 2) I can’t comment on Lapland Welcome because we don’t have personal experience with them – however you can read other reviews on Tripadvisor or another dependable forum and make a decision 🙂 Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful but I find it hard to recommend something unless we haven’t tried it out for ourselves 3)You can take the bus from Rovaniemi to Ivalo and get off at Kakslauttanen – just let the driver know you’re headed to the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort as well 🙂

Thank you so so much for such a detailed info.. I am planning a trip for my fam n having difficulty figuring out until I stumbled upon your blog, so much helpful info. Will be following your itinerary and am pretty sure we gonna have as much fun as you both. Keep posting! Am definitely going to be your obsessive follower from now. 🙂

Thank you so much Vic 🙂 So happy to hear that. Have a great time in Lapland – it’s one of the most magical places we have been to.

Great article, thanks so much! We are planning to travel there in late Jan 2017 – just made the award ticket booking – and as our route is pretty much like yours i was wondering if you could answer 1-2 questions.

we only have short time 6 might 7 days invluding overnight trip back to our country, but due to award booking condition due to availability of award ticket, seems like we’ll only have 1 night each, 1 at helsinki, 1 at kakslauttanen, 1 rovaniemi, 1 kemi, and 1 at Oulu. If we cough up extra 450 euro or so for plane ticket for 2 of us, we can probably add 1 night in kakslauttanen instead of Helsiinki.

My question is:1) how high is out chance of catching aurora with our current achedule? Should we pay more to spend 1 more night in kakslauttanen? 2) what about ouliu? Is there any chance for catching aurora there? I’ve been trying to find info but there isn’t much…

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hey Karen –

It’s hard to predict whether or not you’ll spot the Aurora, so it’s probably not worth paying so much jut for 1 extra night. Oulu isn’t particularly noteworthy for spotting the Northern Lights. Hope you have fun in Lapland 😀

Thank you very much for your wonderful post. It makes me more excited 😉 I would like to ask did you booked all the activities one by one or all from one tour operator? Coz i found one tour package it is for EUR 1600 and its for 5 days only. it includes ice breaker in kemi, santa clause village, 1 night stay at the ice hotel, safaris, accommodations and bus transfer you think the price is reasonable enough? or it will be better to booked it separately. This price doesn’t include the igloo arctic resort.

Thank you so much

Hey Vanessa – we booked all our activities with Lapland Safaris but booked the hotels and the Icebreaker Cruise individually. Hope this helps 🙂

Hi Savi, This is Manish from Mumbai, Read your experiences ,very refreshing.we r planning to go to Finland in the month of June ,is this the right time to go ,thnx.

Hey Manisha – June is summer season, so it isn’t the best time if you want to experience winter activities and the Northern Lights

Hi Savi, how long in advance should i book the train tickets from oulu to Kemi and from Kemi to Rovaniemi? I am planning to go next year march but when I try to search for the tickets it showed no result 🙁

Hey Daphne – the tickets usually go on sale 3 months before the travel period in question. You should check back around November/December 🙂

Hey Savi!!!

What a great article!!! It almost inspires one to book tickets immediately and travel to Finland! My husband and I are planning on travelling in January 2017 and i was looking at the Kakslauttanen Resort booking website and its already sold out!!!! However i managed to reserve two nights (only!) at the cottage. that is not the same as the igloo right? Any idea if the igloo will become available later maybe due to any cancellation? How can i book the same?

Thanks and cheers! 🙂

Thats a great post and a very detailed account of your travels! Thanks for inspiring us to book our tickets for Finland! 🙂 Had a quick question- I was looking at the Kakslauttanen Resort booking website and most of it is akready booked!!! However i managed to reserve two nights (only!) in January 2017 in a cottage.. that is not the same as the igloo right? Any chance the igloo might become available due to any cancellations? ca How can i ensure atleast one night stay in the igloo?

Hey Munira – the cottage isn’t the same as the igloo. It’s best to ask the hotel about availability of igloos in case of cancellation. Unfortunately advance booking is the only way of ensuring a night in the igloo. PS Do send us photos from Finland. We’d love to share them with our readers and tag you.

Hey! Sounds like an amazing place and trip. I just have one question – would you recommend this for a couple and their 10month old? Thanks in advance!

Hey Pieta – we did see a lot of people with young kids but I’d wait for your baby to be a bit older – it can be TOO cold for a 10 month old 🙂

Thanks for the very nice input. We’re a family of 5 – 4 adults and a 4 year old – and we do hope to spend Xmas in Lapland. We tried checking the Sta. Claus Village but it is not available anymore during our intended trip in December. What other hotel is best recommended that is very near the Village? Do we have to provide our snow shoes before embarking on the journey?

Hey Angie – unfortunately we don’t know of any other hotel nearby. Snow shoes are available for rent everywhere in Lapland, so you needn’t invest in them if you don’t already own some 🙂

I love your itinerary. I’ planning a family trip this December and would like to follow your itinerary. Do you know of any travel agents that can arrange this trip for us?

We planned this trip on our own so don’t really know any travel agents 🙁

Have a great time in Lapland 🙂

This is amazingly awesmmmm…I wish I cud find u guys earlier before visiting Finland…for more experiences…

Hey Ina – now you have a reason to go back to Finland, which is never a bad idea 😉

Hi Savi and Vid,

I have always wanted to go to this place and this is very helpful information. May I ask how much was the total cost of the trip including the glass resort stay and all activities(excluding flights since that would be different for me , I will fly from US) ? Also I believe, to see the northern lights winter is the time to go. so is christmas – new year time a good time? when did you guys go?

Hey Ananya – yep, the total cost depends on where you fly from and how many days you stay for. The glass igloos cost $450/night and good mid-range hotels in Finnish Lapland cost about $120/night 🙂 Winter is the only time to go for Northern Lights – December and January are perfect

Amazingly informative post. I am planning a trip for this December and would be obliged if you can help me with a few questions.

1. Can I copy paste this itinerary and avoid Tromso and Ice Hotel? 2. Any recommended agencies that dont overcharge and have experience of booking these? 3. Iceland or This trip? Which would be your recommendation.

Thanks, Govind

Hey Govind,

-Sure you can definitely avoid Tromso and Ice Hotel -Lapland Safaris are great to book day trips and other such in the area -If you’re keen on watching the Northern Lights, then Lapland is great. If you enjoy roadtrips, go for Iceland

Hi! I am planning a 10 day trip to Finland end of November. Given the temperatures and snow, did you guys use backpacks or a suitcase for your luggage? Any suggestions?

Thanks Shree – We took a suitcase but we’d strongly recommend taking a backpack because it’s so much easier to carry a backpack than drag a suitcase on snow laden roads and alleyways 🙂

Thanks for the amazing video and article! We are staying at Kakslauttanen in a few weeks and I wanted to ask what camera settings you used to capture the Northern Lights? I have a Samsung digital camera that I love but am debating also packing my DSLR so I have lens options. Any advice would be great! Could you see the Northern Lights with your GoPro? Your video was a great reminder to pack a tripod!

We are only staying 2 nights at the resort. With limited time, which safaris do you think are the best? Thank you so much!!

Apologies for the late reply. Definitely take your DSLR, your widest lens, and your tripod if you want to get great shots of the Northern Lights. I normally did a 10-15 sec exposure (depending on how intense the lights were) at f2.8 / f3.5 with the widest focal length possible. We could not see the lights with our GoPro but not sure if the newer GoPros have a better low-light performance.

As for the safaris, you should definitely go for the Reindeer safari at Penti’s farm (you can book through the resort) – he is quite a character and you’ll have a great time 🙂

Hey guys, big fans!!

Inspired by your blog, we have booked tickets for a 11 day trip in Feb’17 (arriving in Helsinki on the morning of day 1 and leaving from Helsinki the night of day 11). But now feels like a bit too long? Is there enough stuff to do for 11 days?

We are planning for 2 nights in Kemi, 3 in Rovaniemi, 1 in Arctic Snow hotel and 4 in Saariselka. Does it make sense? Considering the Sampo ice breaker is 4 hour cruise, what else can we do in Kemi on day 2/3? Also, whats a good place to stay in Kemi?

Much appreciate your inputs. Thanks a lot !!

Happy to hear that our blog has been helpful for you to plan your trip. Everything else looks great except for 2 nights in Kemi – you’d be better off making that 1 night and spending an extra night in Rovaniemi. Other than the ice-breaker cruise you can spend a few hours in the Kemi snow castle.

Have a great trip 🙂

Hi Your blog is amazing !! Thank you so much. I am planning a trip based on your itinerary . We live in Australia so would love a white Christmas. I was just wondering what your budget was for the entire 10 days. I’m looking at trying to do it for $10,000 Australian dollars. Thanks again for your tips!

Happy to hear about your upcoming trip to Finland and Lapland. If $10,000 includes flight to and back from Finland, then it might be short. However, if it’s just for the expenditure while you are in Lapland, it should suffice (on an average for 2 people).

Hii Guys, Thats an amazing trip. We are planning out Finnish getaway from 26th March to 31st March this year. Helsinki is just to get in and out and exploring the city. Not staying over. Then heading to Rovaniemi for 4-5 nights. Planning igloo for one nights and log cabins for remaining nights. Ice breaker cruise and arctic snow hotel from Rovaniemi. Husky, reindeer safari,snowmobiling as well as santa claus village and how can we forget one night is for Aurora hunting. All are morning activities except the Aurora hunting which is one night. Should we do more night tours for aurora hunting? So basically our base is only Rovaniemi. Also, we do not have snow shoes/boots – do we need to buy the same or renting is good enough. Then back to Helsinki. Do you suggest any changes? Also, we are based in Mumbai, need to buy good warm hats and scarves for me as well as my husband, can you suggest some places. Hope we have a good holiday, considering I feel very very cold gemerally – any tips for that?

Hey Priya – renting snow shoes works perfectly. You needn’t buy them 🙂 Also more than one aurora hunting trip shouldn’t be needed – if you’re lucky you’ll see Northern Lights at the Ice Hotel or Rovaniemi itself 🙂

Thats one beautiful trip. We are planning Finland from 25th March to 31st March. In and out from Helsinki. Helsinki to Rovaniemi and back in overnight train. We have 5 nights in Rovaniemi, which we have made our base. We are planning to do husky safari, reindeer sleigh ride, santa village, snow mobiling, arctic snow hotel, ice breaker cruise, northern lights hunting and a night in the igloo, all in Rovaniemi. Would you suggest anything on the same. Also, I am based in Mumbai and looking to buy some good warm caps and scarves, can you suggest where i can find one.

Hey Priya – that sounds like a great itinerary. We would suggest picking up woollens from a reputed brand like North Face or Jack Wolfskin online 🙂

Hi. your blog on finland trip is very nice. i wanted to ask you what month of the year did you go to finland. i am planning a trip in january and was thinking of tromso in norway and rovaniemi in finland. could you suggest me if january would be good and also how best to travel about from norway to finland in your opinion. thank you

We went in Feb. January is a great time to visit especially if you are interested in seeing the Northern Lights. The best way to get from Norway to Rovaniemi will be to fly – Norwegian has regular and reasonably priced flights 🙂

What are your thoughts on visiting Finland in December to see the northern lights? Do you suggest Feb to be a better time?

Yes Feb will be better because there’ll be more daylight as compared to December so that you can do other things too ☺️

Just back from our trip !!! What a amazing one n truly once in a lifetime trip. I was searching for an itinerary for Finnish Lapland when I came across your blog and I had to look no further. We visited Santa, did husky safari , slept in an ice hotel , saw the northern lights in d forest while on a reindeer sledge etc etc…everything was so surreal….!!! A big thank you for penning down such a detailed itinerary…was truly helpful.

Keep travelling…keep inspiring!!!

Love Vanessa

Hey Vanessa we’re well and truly grateful that you stopped by to leave a comment AFTER your trip – it means the world. Do send us some photos from your trip – would love to share them with our readers 🙂 So happy you enjoyed Lapland as much as we did

Hey! Thanks for sharing. Is like an amazing place and trip. Planning to bring my dad and mum to Lapland this December as they loved to see snow and northern light. My concern is it may be too cold for them. Would you recommend this for a couple and their parents at the age of beginning 60? Thanks in advance!

Dear Lilian,

Apologies for not replying sooner.

It does get really cold up there, but if you’re wearing the right clothes, we don’t see why it’ll be a problem for your parents. We met plenty of elder people and they all seemed to be having the time of their lives 😀

Hope you have a great trip.

Hi, can I know how much you spent on this trip throughout Finland excluding international flight?

We spent around 2000 GBP per person including the hotels, meals, activities (which end up being expensive), and internal transport.

Hope that helps 🙂

v r planning during late october for 1 week only. what do you suggest? primary interest is northern lights and snow. any suggestions for self drive in the lapland.

Self-drive is always an option, but we chose to use the public transport when we went. You could spend 4 days in Rovaniemi and 3 in Kakslauttanen/Saariselka

Have a great trip!

Hi Guys, great trip and pics/description. Thank you !!!

I am taking the family in Novemeber for 8 days to Rovaniemi and Saariselka. What activities do you recommend in Rovaniemi and what do you receommend in Saariselka? I dont want to do the husky ride, reindeer farm etc at both locations and I am trying to determine what activities in what area. Thank you!!

To be honest, you can pick either place for the tours and they’ll be equally gorgeous. We did the reindeer ride and husky ride near Rovaniemi and really enjoyed both. Perhaps you could do these 2 just like us and do a Northern Light chasing snowmobile tour in Saariselka?

Yes ! Thank you. Saw pictures of you guys in ALberta. We were in Switzerland this summer – it was amazing up in the Oberland/Jungfrau region. I think you will love it. Thanks again for the blog, I always wanted to travel to the area but had a hard time with an itinerary, no I have one. THANK YOU !!!

That’s great 🙂 We’re sure Jungfrau is amazing – can’t wait to go there 🙂

Happy to hear you enjoyed our article on Alberta!

This is gorgeous!! Thanks for all the great info. I’ve been sharing this post with so many friends and family. Definitely on my wish-list! 🙂

Thank you so much for all the love Shruti 🙂

Hey I needed some suggestions regarding this trip. I am going to Finland in November and we are staying at kakslauttanen but we don’t know how to go to roveneimi from kakslauttanen? Also, I would like to know a few brands where to shop from for the thermal inners, jackets, hats and gloves and all the other things that we would require. Waiting for a reply soon. Thanks.

Hey there – we took a bus from Rovaniemi to Kakslauttanen. Inform the driver and he will drop you at the door of the hotel. Please look at our guides for packing for Finland and Iceland. Brands don’t matter as much – just choose 100% merino wool thermals, skiing gloves, and good quality down jackets. If you live in a hot place and don’t want to invest in those things, you can get them for rent in Rovaniemi. https://www.bruisedpassports.com/wears/packing-for-lapland-finland-staying-warm-in-the-arctic https://www.bruisedpassports.com/wears/packing-for-iceland-road-trip

Hey Guys, great information. In which month you traveled there because we are planning to go there in Feb so wanted to know if it is good time to go.

Hey February is a great month to visit (we visited at the same time too!)- All the best for the Northern Lights 🙂

hey guys…. i have been planning to go to the kakslauttanen resort for almost an year.i just love the place !!! was looking at some videos and came across yours ,you guys are so cute .i loved the video and i cant wait to go there and explore it myself.any clue how late October or november will be??(any snow?? and northern lights?)

Hey there – thanks for the kind words. The place gets snowed under only by late November 🙂 Northern Lights are unpredictable of course but there’s a good change of you catching them in November

Hey savi and vid. Your itineraries are to die for. I mean how can anyone not get tempted to travel to such mind blowing locations. Reading your Finland itinerary my husband was more than convinced to travel to the Lapland. Now the confusion is here we wanna do iceland Finland and norway together with in 15 days. I am really confuse where should I start from. We plan to go in mid of november. We are keen for northern lights ofcourse. Can you please help me just to plan where should I start from and where should I end. Rest details your itinerary has already done it for me. Thanks. Much love from India. Keep travelling and keep making memories. You inspire world to travel. Best wishes.

Hey Khevna – just choose whichever destination offers better connectivity from your hometown as the first stop followed by the next one. You can do Tromso and Lapland for a combination of winter activities and Northern Lights

Hello, your blog post is awesome. We are planning a trip to Finland this December and your list looks like the absolute bucket list for it!

Can I ask what is the difference between Rovaneimi and Saariselka? Rovaneimi seems to be the more popular and major place to go – are there things to do in Saariselka that are not available in Rovaneimi? And would u recommend an equal length of stay in both places?

Hi Rovaniemi is a bit more crowded and touristy wherease Saarisielka is more peaceful. You can visit Reindeer farms etc in Saarisielka and experience the Finnish countryside in its full glory

Such an amazing post summing up your experiences. I already feel like I am in the Lapland. Few quick suggestions needed.

I have booked a 8 nights trip to and from Oslo for me and my wife in Jan, 2018. Main moto is to enjoy the northern lights and the chilly northern winters. Our itinerary is sumdn like 1 night in Oslo… 2 in Kakslauttanen.. 2 in tromso and 2 in bergen and last night in Oslo again. do u think we should tweak it a bit in terms of your experience and change Tromso or Bergen with any Finnish place? Also, how is d internal road transport from Finland to Norway as we could not see much direct flights from Kakslauttanen to Tromso. Do u suggest self drive in snow considering that we have never really driven in snow. Also, reading that you have been in both Artic snow hotel and Kakslauttanen, which is a better place to stay? Thanks

You could look at replacing one of those places with Rovaniemi if you like. Not so sure about road routes between Norway and Finland. If you have never driven in snow then it might be a better idea to take public transport.

My, my wife and my daughter are planning a trip to the paradise land of Finland between Jan 11-18. I have been reading reviews about Lapland and yours stand out as the best one written. A hearty congratulations!

Now the question: You are advising to set aside 12 days or so for this experience but unfortunately we don’t have that many days. Could we still enjoy the trip with say 6 – 7 days if we “cut corners”? (Sadly 🙁

Any tips you could offer will be greatly appreciated.

Hey Omer – thank you for the kind worlds. 6-7 days are great for Lapland. We’d suggest spending 3 days in Rovaniemi and 3 in Saarisielka/surroundings and you’ll be good 🙂

Hey Guys! thank you so much for sharing such an informative itinerary. Much helpful 🙂 Could you please advise how you traveled from one place to another? car or bus? We were planning to rent a car and travel from Rovaniemi to Akaslompolo and the to Saariselka.. But car is not being possible now coz of license issues. Could you advise if you are aware of any bus services that could assist us with such itinerary? Thank you so much. – Niharika

Hey Niharika – we flew to Rovaniemi and took a convenient bus (specified in the article) to Saariselka 🙂

Hey what months were these?? Dates ? I am planning Finland this year December and your itinerary is just perfecto !

February 🙂 Hope you had a great time in Finland

Guys please tell me what is the total cost for spending 4 nights in kakslatunnen artic resort approximately…

Hey Ranjani,

As prices keep changing, it’s best to check the Kakslauttanen website for latest prices and availability 🙂

Hi…. I really love all of your posts and I am a travel freak myself …. I just wanted to know if I can have vegetarian meals there?? Because I am die hard vegetarian and I have no idea if pure veg meals will be available there…

Hey Manika – most resorts do have a vegetarian meal option but there isn’t much variety. would suggest carrying some instant food along 🙂

I love Lapand. I’ll be there next week. I think I’m lucky to be there

Hi, thanks for the itinerary, it’s very helpful. I wanted to know if you have any accommodation recommendations for Saariselka, as Kakslauttanen is booked out for the dates I am planning around Christmas :/ Any other good resorts/hotels which you would recommend?

Thanks Sonali

Hey Sonali,

We haven’t stayed in Saariselka so won’t be able to recommend. You could consult our latest article on a winter road trip in Finland: https://www.bruisedpassports.com/wheres/lapland-finland-winter-road-trip-guide for some alternatives to Kakslauttanen 🙂

What time of the year did you guys visit? I plan to tea so with my daughter’s 5 &7. Too cold?

We visited in Feb. Yes it is quite cold but if you’re dressed properly and good woolens, not such a big issue 🙂

What an amazing and a fascinating place to visit. I really didn’t know much about this but after reading this post I will surely visit one day. Thanks for sharing such an amazing post.

I think you mentioned before that you went during February. Do you mind me asking what time of the month? We’re kind of wide open with dates and have been back and forth between a week in February or March. We would love to see the northern lights and take in all the winter activities, but we’re not exactly sure about timing. I read February is the coldest month, but you get more snowy days, with the snowy trees you see in pictures of husky safaris and reindeers. In March, it sounds like you still have the snow beneath your feet to do the winter activities, it starts to warm up a bit, you have more daylight, but you miss out on the snow covered trees. I also read that you have a greater chance of seeing the northern lights near the equinox which is March 20. Any suggestions on deciding between February and March as I continue to overthink the decision 🙂

Hey unfortunately natural phenomenons are hard to predict. You could do the best research and still end up with no northern lights. So it’s best not to overthink and go at a time that suits you best. The beginning of February is a better time as the scenery is prettier! 🙂

Hey! This looks magical. We are planning our honeymoon in Lapland from 1 Jan until 6 Jan. We have 6 days in Lapland. How do you suggest we plan our trip? Do you think 4 days in Rovaneimi and 2 days in Saariselka is ok? Or should we do 3 days each? We are planning to do a day tour to Kemi from Rovaneimi for the ice breaking cruise. Thank you!

Hey Ravina – the first option is great. 4 days in Rovaniemi and 2 in Saariselka 🙂

I wonna go like now. Oh my God. Your story telling is so great.

Hey we are planning a trip to Finland in early feb for our 19th anniversary. You have mentioned a visit to the Santa Claus village while in rovaniemi, which is very much in our plans.. would it be open for visit in Feb or is this only a pre Christmas destination?

Will deeply appreciate your input on this please.

Thanks Sohini

It should be open in Feb – in fact that is the month we visited too so you shouldn’t have any problems 🙂

Hi Savi , I stumbled across your wonderful itinerary, I’m staring to plan my trip for March 2019 , I only have 9 days , how would you suggest spend my time wisely ? Do you also know anything about skiing in Sally ? Thanks so much for your help !!! Chantay

No we don’t know much about skiing in Salla 🙂 We’d suggest spending a few days in Rovaniemi, a few in Saariselka/Kakslauttanen, and then perhaps Levi.

Hey guys, I wanted to search for a Lapland Itinerary post your pictures on Insat for the past few days. And guess what? Yours was the one i ended up reading eventually. And now I am day dreaming about it already. Gosh ! So beautiful. I have to start saving for it right now man. Its gorgeous. And beautiful. Also just so detailed and helpful Savi. Thankeeeee.

Love to you guys.

Enjoy your trip to Lapland Asmita and share photos with us 🙂

Hey savi, was great to read your post, we are 2 families 4 adults and 4 children planning to go in april 3rd week, we plan 1 day for kemi 3 days for rovaniemi and 2 for saariselka, please advice about transport, should we rent a vehicle or should we use bus or train services.

thanks vishal

If you’re travelling to Kemi, Rovaniemi, and Saariselka I’d suggest renting a car 🙂

Hi, would driving in December be possible and travelling in end December feasible? Since we read up that sunlight is rather sparse at this time of the year and was wondering whether it would be a limiting factor during our trip! Thank you!! Awesome itinerary

Yes, daylight is only for a few hours so that would restrict your sightseeing but will also give you more time to hunt for Northern Lights. That said, we always recommend Feb to visit Lapland as it offers the best balance in terms of daylight hours, chances of viewing Northern Lights, and the snow cover 🙂

Hi Savi,, thanks for writing this amazing trip details.. we are planning a trip in dec 2019 and this itinerary is just so amazing that i will be following it like a copy paste ?? Just one question there is a direct flight to kemi from helsinki – is there any particular reason that you have suggested to go to oulu and stay for night there.. kindly let me know.. m traveling with my family with 2 kids Thankssss

Hey not really – we were flying from London so got a good connection to Oulu that’s it 🙂 You can fly to Kemi if there is a flight from Helsinki

Hi , could you let me know when was it that you’ll visited? Sunlight time frame when you’ll visited

It would be great help 🙂

We visited in Feb 🙂

This piece is indeed helpful…I and my husband are planning for Finland next year and we were very curious to know if we will get activities like husky rides, reindeer rides and northern lights in probably a summer month in Finland, we were considering October to travel. Can you kindly give some details. We are quite skeptical to travel in their winter months, thereby planning for summer months. Thanks.

Doubt you’ll get those experiences in summer months. (definitely not the northern lights) We’d say go in October / November.

Thank you, it was really informative, your post ended my search for perfect itineary!!! Thanks

Happy to hear that Keshav 🙂

Hey, is it a good idea to do this is November?

Yes November is just the right time to visit Lapland 🙂

Absolutely – better towards the end of November as in the beginning there might not be enough snow 🙂

Planning to travel between 2nd december to 15th december. Will we able to see northern lights or is it better in Feb?

Hey December is a good time to see Northern Lights in Lapland 🙂 That said, in the end it all depends on the weather 🙂

Greetings Vid & Savi, Firstly, thank you so much for providing such a detailed itinerary of Finland. Looks like ya’ll had time of your lives. 🙂

I have been a fan of you both for the longest of times now 🙂 Loved your Finland itinerary and has inspired me and my fiance to plan our Honeymoon trip in the Month of March to Finland.It might be 11N 12D trip covering Helsinki (2N) Vuokatti (7N) (Since we have an option of RCI booking) and Saariselka (2N).

1) We are working on a tight budget hence we have restricted ourselves only to the Eastern and Central part of Finland apart from Helsinki.

2) How is the public transport service at Finland ? I mean, would you advise a Train or a Bus for inter-city travel (since internal flights are quite heavy on the pocket) ? Is RailEurope a good option to consider ?

3) Would you recommend a rent-a-car and do some of part of the inter-city travel by road ?

4) Open to all kinds of other suggestions as well.

Thanks once again in advance.

Thanks for all the love and support 🙂 Hope you have a great honeymoon in Finland 🙂

Public transport is decent in Finland – both train and bus. However, we’d suggest renting a car for inter-city travel! Otherwise buses are most convenient

You’ll find all our suggestions in our Finland guides and articles on this website!

Have a great trip to Finland

Dear Savi and Vid, absolutely love your work guys. I am planning a trip for 12 days after 15th December . I had a few questions if you can help me out.

1) choose Lapland or Iceland as both look magical (the purpose to visit is to gaze the mother lights and do winter activities) 2) I was very attracted to the Kakslauttanen artic resort , but have seen a lot of negative reviews about the service off lately hence in 2 minds. I cam across The Artic Fox Igloos through your post, is that a better place to stay ? in terms of price and view of northern lights. read about this another property ‘Golden Crown- Levin Iglut’ which have glass rooms. can you please suggest me.

Thank you! Here are our thoughts on your questions:

1) Either will be amazing. Iceland is better if you love rugged landscapes. Finland is better if you prefer doing lots of winter activities like reindeer sleigh, husky safaris etc. You can’t really go wrong choosing either 🙂

2) Yes Arctic Fox Igloos were nice and better priced than Kakslauttanen- the igloos are great to see the Northern Lights (if they appear) and we also loved the kitchenette in there. Not sure about the Golden Crown – Levin Iglut as we haven’t stayed there and so we can’t personally recommend them 🙂

We are planning between January 15 and january 26. Can you let us know if this time is good ? How will be the snowfall during this time ?

That’s a great time to go Abhishek. Most probably you’ll get snowfall in Lapland in January – however since it’s a natural phenomenon it can’t be predicted to the tee

Can you let us know which app can we download to track northern lights? We are 3 nights in Saariselka and 4 nights in Rovaniemi. 1) Can we hire a car from Ivalo airport and park / leave it in Saariselka itself before leaving for Rovaneimi from Saariselka ? 2) Do we need international license for hiring a car ?

Hi Abhishek,

Most of the towns have their own local apps/messaging services for notifications about Northern Light sightings. I also used an app called “Northern Lights” (and there are many similar ones that will tell you the KP number and probability of seeing the lights in your area. I’m not sure what you mean by “leave the car in Saariselka” – you can talk to to the hotel staff or find a parking garage for long term parking perhaps?

We did not need to show International license for hiring a car, only our Indian driving licenses.

This is a great blog. We have booked tickets based on the blog. You have mentioned – there is nothing quite like sitting in a hot tub in the middle of an Arctic forest and feeling warm when it’s -20°C out. Where can we find this hot tub? Do we need to book it? How does it work?

Hey Abhishek – no bookings required. Most hotels & apartments have open-air hot tubs in Finland 🙂

Hey guys, how did you travel from rovaniemi to Arctic snow hotel ? Is there a direct bus ?

We had rented a car. However I do believe that there is a shuttle arranged by Arctic Snow Hotel – best to drop them an email and confirm

This is incredibly helpful!! Thank you for sharing!!

Glad you liked it 🙂 Lapland is such an amazing place to plan a trip to!

A wonderful life in Finland! I hope that I can visit there with my family in the future.

Thanks for sharing. I’m glad you had a great time!

we are planning a 5 days trip to Rovaniemi from Germany. Would you suggest following: 1. Renting a car? 2. Is it (especially The safari’s which you mentioned) safe for kid of 1.8 years old?

Yes renting a car is a great idea. The safaris are safe for kids no problem 🙂

Loved your Lapland post! My husband and I traveled to Levi in Lapland via Helsinki and Kittilä and spent 5 nights at The Northern Lights House, which we absolutely recommend. We really enjoyed our dining experiences, a midnight pony ride through the forest, some skiing, and sightseeing. Lapland is magical!

That’s exactly what I was looking for, saving me a few hours of research, Thanks for sharing this for travelers.

Great post thanks buddy.

Hello Finland is straight out of fantasy world. I am planning a 8 day trip in jan first week. Can u help me with couple of things 1. Which month u traveled? 2. I have read many articles that march is best time to see northern lights. But many places its written nov to march is good time so I am bit confused here

Hi Savi I read that you have been to Finland in Feb, and recently I am also planning my trip for feb only.

1. However I am bit skeptical about jan or feb as many articles have mentioned that it snows a lot during these months and spotting Northern lights could be a problem. 2. Also I included Ivalo and Inari in my itinerary since these are away from the city crowd and spotting lights could be easier here. What you suggest Ivalo, Inari or Saariselka? 3. This is my itinerary as of now

1 day Helsinki tour[ Can skip this and directly head to Rovaniemi? ] 3-4 days Rovaniemi -[ Santa village, Reindeer safari, snowshoeing, Sami Farm visit, Northern light tour, snowshoeing arctic forest] 1-night Kakslauttanen igloo 1 day Kemi [ Ice breaker] 1 or 2 days Inari —- Should I replace this with Saariselka?

Hey your itinerary looks great. February is actually a great time to visit 🙂

Thats pretty insanely beautiful blog about Lapland, which has let our wanderlust craving for this Finnish adventure more than ever before!! Would be great it you could give us the details of northern light hunting…is there some dedicated package we can book !!

Great blog post.Helpful and informative tips. I like it thanks for sharing this information with us

your post is amazing and awsome. i really like your post. Thanks for all the great info. I’ve sharing this post with my friends family and relatives. thanks for sharing this awsome and amazing blog.

Hi can we plan the same Itinerary in this November 2022

Yes you can as Finland is open without any restrictions from 1 July 🙂

Do they ask and check for driving license for snowmobile riding during safari? I only have two wheeler license Indian license.

They often ask for licences, yes 🙂

Hey, How is Finland in first week of November? how much of daylight is there?

It’s great for seeing the Northern Lights. But day light hours are very limited 🙂

Hello Savi and Vid, looking forward to travel to this beautiful country during this Christmas. I would like to know, where you guys stayed at, during your trip in KEMI.

Looking forwards to hearing from you!

Cheers from a fellow traveller!

Hey there – we did a day trip to Kemi and didn’t end up staying overnight 🙂

This is a very awesome and cool trip. I would like to visit these places.. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful trip plan.

This is a wonderful Place to visit. I like it.

Hi! Can we do this in 7 days? Basically 5 coz the 1st and last are flight days.

Hi Savi/Vid,

Can you please advise if the below itinerary looks ok to visit Finland in feb ? Is ice breaking cruise experience available in any other countries ?

2 Night Helsinki 2 Night kemi 2 Night Salla 2 Night Roveniami 2 Night Saariselka 2 Night Inari

This looks lovely. We haven’t seen the ice breaker day trip in another country

We have been looking for information on how to organize a trip to Lapland, so thank you for the wonderful and informative article. It was a pleasure to peruse this article! For individuals like me who are attempting to learn more about it, it can be really beneficial. This site is excellent.

Hi Vid/Savi I would like to experience the northern lights and staying in an igloo – is august end a good time for these? Are igloo stays operative then?

Hey Pooja – for both those experiences the time b/w September end and March beginning is the best

Thanks for sharing informative article.

1.u had suggested to stay overnight in pulp or kemi -for icebreaker cruise So on reaching Helsinki-would u suggest to stay overnight which of these places for next day cruise -and wgich hotel The snowcastke hotel do not have ice hotel rooms -so do u suggest stay there or anywhere else in kemi or do u suggest to base in rovaniemi and do sampro cruise from there ??- 2. and in December how many hours daylight available?- 3. and do u suggest morning or afternoon icebreaker cruise — 4. secondly how many days u suggest igloo and log cabins each -is the igloo cramped ?there r diff varieties in igloo and which do u suggest – dr mythily

Hello – you can base yourself in Rovaniemi and explore from there! Afternoon Ice breaker cruise is great as there are only a few hours of daylight in December (5-6, sometimes even less depending on the time of the month)

Hello, we are planning to travel here in Feb. Is it safe to rent a car, given no experience in driving on snow roads? (have driven in other countries during summer though). Or using public transport a better bet? Planning to do Helsinki – Kemi – Rovaniemi – Saariselka. Thanks

Hey Pratik,

You should be fine. Roads are cleared of snow regularly so that’s not an issue. Just take it slow in the first few days – you’ll see that you’ll find it quite easy to drive in Finland even in snow. Not much traffic – be careful of reindeer appearing on the roads though 🙂

thank you for the information

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How to See the Best of Finnish Lapland in 7 Days

Going north of the Arctic Circle in the middle of winter isn’t everyone’s first thought when it comes to the perfect winter holiday. You might even think it sounds a little bit crazy. Prior to my first 1 week trip in Finland , many family & friends were puzzled by my desire to experience the Polar Night and frigid temperatures. 

But Lapland was one of the things I came to Finland to experience. I really wanted to feel the winter wonderland vibes. 

Embarking on a week-long trip through Finnish Lapland promises an enchanting journey complete with pristine landscapes, unique winter activities, and vibrant cultural offerings. This Arctic paradise is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I’m a Midwestern girl at heart, so the cold temperatures and snowy surroundings don’t really bother me. Winter makes you feel alive.

This comprehensive travel guide shares all my insights from 5 different trips to Lapland. From the mesmerizing dance of the Northern Lights to the thrill of husky sledding, Finnish Lapland encapsulates a unique blend of nature, adventure, and wintery goodness.

What You'll Find In This Post

The Perfect 1 Week Itinerary for Finnish Lapland

Overview of Itinerary

I designed this itinerary based on my experiences visiting Finnish Lapland multiple times as part of my job as a trip leader. This is a winter itinerary for Lapland. If you’re traveling to Lapland for winter activities and the Northern Lights, the best time of the year is February and March . There is enough (albeit still very little) daylight, and conditions tend to be clearer and warmer for Aurora hunting. 

This itinerary is done easiest as a self-driving road trip. If you want to drive in Finland using this itinerary, I’d recommend hiring a car in Rovaniemi for pickup from the airport. Car rental in Finland is comparable to other parts of Europe. In winter, cars will come with studded tires, and the roads are well maintained.

However, I specifically designed this itinerary for folks who DON’T want to rent a car. 

I totally appreciate that driving in the extreme Finnish winter conditions is not for everyone. As such, you can easily complete this itinerary using a combination of flights, public transit and organized tours which include transportation. I make suggestions about those transportation options throughout the post. 

Day 1 - Helsinki 

Nearly every trip to Finland will start in Helsinki, the country’s capital and home to the major international airport (HEL). A surprisingly vibrant and culturally rich city, you can see the highlights of Helsinki in just 24 hours. Although 1 day in Helsinki is enough to get a taste of Finland’s capital, you could easily add on an extra day or two to explore more deeply. And maybe even take a day trip to nearby Tallinn .

Begin your day in Helsinki by immersing yourself in the city's architectural marvels, such as the iconic Helsinki Cathedral and the modern masterpiece, Kamppi Chapel of Silence. Take a leisurely stroll through the historic Senate Square, surrounded by neoclassical buildings that offer a glimpse into the city's past. Delve into the local culinary scene by enjoying a traditional Finnish meal or international cuisine. Afterward, head to the Helsinki Design District to discover the city's creative side. Close out your day at Löyly sauna, a stylish spa where you can experience the authentic Finnish sauna culture . 

Day 2: Travel to Rovaniemi

It is time to begin your journey north to your next destination – Rovaniemi. Known as the official home of Santa Claus, Rovaniemi is centrally located in Finnish Lapland. In fact, it can trace its history back over 8,000 years. Although the city itself leaves a lot to be desired, it is the perfect jumping off point for Lapland adventures.

There are two good options for getting from Helsinki to Rovaniemi:

• Flying: this is the fastest option. Airport code is RVN and the flight is about 1.5 hours. There are several departures on SAS and FinAir daily.
• Train: you can take an overnight sleeper train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. This route is known as the Santa Claus Express. It takes around 12 hours, but it is comfortable.  

I usually take the early morning flight to Rovaniemi, which arrives around 10am. There is a shuttle bus from the airport to the city center . You do not need to book reservations in advance. Tickets are 8€ per person and you can pay the driver by card on the bus. For the arrival day, you’ll probably want to take it easy, in case of any delays or weather issues. I would recommend doing just a few things around town, such as a visit to the Santa Claus Village and the Arktikum Museum . 

At Santa Claus Village, visitors can meet the real Santa Claus! Since moving to Germany, I have absolutely fallen in love with Christmas and Christmas Markets , so I was really excited about visiting. It is cheesy, but also very joyful and fun. Visitors can have their photo taken with Santa and tell him their Christmas wishes. There are a number of other activities to try at Santa’s Village including reindeer sleigh rides, gift shopping, and meeting Mrs. Claus. You can also find Santa Claus's Post Office in Santa’s Village, where you can send letters with a special seal.

Arktikum Museum is a science center and cultural museum featuring a range of interactive exhibits, displays, and multimedia installations that explore the Arctic's unique wildlife, indigenous peoples, and stunning natural landscapes. One of the most popular exhibits at Arktikum is the Northern Lights exhibit, which explores the science behind this natural phenomenon and showcases stunning images and videos of the Aurora Borealis. 

Where to Stay in Rovaniemi

If you’re looking for something in the city center, Scandic City is the perfect choice. The hotel features modern and stylish rooms, and there is a large breakfast buffet each morning in the glass atrium in the center of the hotel. Plus, there is a small sauna on the top floor of the hotel for relaxing.

For a more upscale and boutique experience, check out the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel . Unique and luxurious treehouse-style cabins are nestled into the forest with a large window for viewing the natural surroundings and northern lights. 

Where to Eat in Rovaniemi

If you're a foodie, you'll be surprised by the number of tasty restaurants in this tiny town. I’ve got to admit, my culinary expectations weren’t high prior to my first trip. But turns out, there are a number of tasty eateries! Sample traditional Lappish cuisine, such as reindeer meat, wild berries, and fresh fish caught from the nearby rivers. I summarize all my favorite Rovaniemi restaurants in a separate blog post . And don't forget to warm up with a cup of hot cocoa or mulled wine!

Day 3 & 4: Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi offers a plethora of winter activities and stunning natural beauty that you won't want to miss. I have a separate guide specifically about planning a trip to Rovaniemi in the winter. There are LOTS of day trip providers based in town, offering a range of activities from ice climbing and ice fishing to Aurora hunting and snowshoeing. 

I strongly recommend Safarctica . I’ve had great experiences with them on a number of their excursions. Most of the tours don’t book up super far in advance, so you can visit their office on your first day in Rovaniemi and select a few tours that sound interesting to you.

Two day trip experiences that I think everyone should try on winter trip to Lapland are:

• Husky Dog Sledding
• Aurora Hunting

There are lots of husky safaris, ranging anywhere from a few hours to a few days. A standard dog sled package includes a 2 hour ride through the wilderness on a 2 person dog sled. One person mushes while the other sits in the sled, and there will be an opportunity to switch off during the trail ride. Most operators offer guests the option to wear a thick snowsuit, but you’ll want to pack appropriate warm layers to wear underneath the suit. 

It is important to ensure that you go with a reputable kennel that cares for the health of its dogs. As working dogs, they require thoughtful care, nutrition and veterinary services. I highly recommend Bearhill Husky . This no-kill, no-abandon kennel has a number of animal welfare and sustainability accreditations. Their dogs are very well-cared for. You can sense how connected the guides are to the dog teams, and they are incredibly knowledgeable. 

Also known as northern lights, the aurora borealis are a natural electrical phenomenon which occur when solar wind particles from the sun collide with Earth's atmosphere. The Earth's magnetic field deflects the electrically charged particles towards the poles, which is why you can only see them around the Arctic and Antarctic circles.

The particles interact with elements in Earth’s air, creating colorful streaks of purple, red or green waves of light, or aurora, in the sky. I first saw the Northern Lights in Iceland , and it was an incredible feeling. The displays I witnessed in Lapland were next level! There is something awe-inspiring about watching this natural phenomenon dance across the sky. I even cried a little bit – it is just so special! 

Auroras happen all year round, but they can only be seen at night in the winter because of low light pollution levels. You can hire a professional guide or photographer who can both teach you about the aurora and take you to particularly good photography and viewing locations. On clear nights in the winter in Lapland, you can also simply walk outside and look up to spot the Northern Lights. 

Day 5 & 6: Ivalo

Continuing your journey north, it’s time to go to Ivalo. You can quickly reach Finland's northernmost airport (IVL) on a short 30 minute flight from Rovaniemi airport. However, I think the nicer option is a three hour bus ride . It is cheaper and you can enjoy the beautiful Lapland scenery along the way. It is so picturesque! As we drove, my eyes were glued out the window. I was totally awestruck by the beauty of the dense pine forests covered in thick layers of snow around us. It feels like a true winter wonderland! Once you arrive in Ivalo, there are local public transit options or many of the hotel offer pick-up shuttles from the airport or town center. 

One of the main reasons why people travel to Ivalo is to stay at Kakslauttanen Glass Igloo Hotel & Resort. 

You can sleep under the stars and Aurora in a glass igloo. It is such a romantic experience, perfect for couples. I stayed in a Kelo cabin glass igloo at Kakslauttanen. You can read my full review of my experience staying at Kakslauttanen here . Naturally there’s more to Kakslauttanen than glass igloos. The resort has a wide range of accommodation options, as well as an in-house activity center, which bring all the arctic activities to you! 

Once at Kakslauttanen, you can try out any remaining Arctic activities you haven’t tried yet. Such as snowmobiling! With miles of snow-covered forests and frozen lakes, Finnish Lapland is the perfect destination to try snowmobiling. Riding a snowmobile allows you to access areas that would otherwise be difficult to reach, giving you unforgettable access to the Arctic wilderness. You can also typically pair snowmobiling with another activity, such as Northern Lights viewing or traversing the Arctic Circle. 

Another thing I can recommend while in Ivalo is a Sami experience. The Sami people are the indigenous inhabitants of Lapland. With a visit to Siida , a Sámi Museum and Nature Center in Inari, you can learn about their rich heritage, traditional clothing, and cultural customs. Additionally, consider a reindeer safari with a Sami guide, where you can experience the joy of gliding through the snow-covered landscapes on a reindeer-drawn sleigh.

Day 7: Return to Helsinki

Similar to the arrival in Lapland, there are daily direct connections from Ivalo Airport back to Helsinki. We booked a round trip ticket from the US to Helsinki, and then two one way tickets to Lapland and back. Make sure to leave enough time to connect to your international flight, and try to accommodate for winter weather disruptions. One extra night in Helsinki is the ideal option.

Have thoughts or questions about planning the perfect trip to Lapland? Tell me in the comments!

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Great itinerary – thanks for sharing! We’re planning to catch the aurora this year but we are only available to go at the end of november. Is your itinerary doable at this time as well? I would appreciate your insight/feedback! Happy travels!

Hi Felise! Thanks for the comment. Yeah, you could definitely do this itinerary in November. It’ll already be quite wintery that time of year. The daylight hours will be dropping, which should be good for aurora viewing!

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10 Top Tips for visiting Lapland on a Day Trip

Booking a trip to the most magical place at Christmas time was a little daunting. We had so many questions. I remember searching in hope for tips on Google, wondering if my questions about a day trip to Enontekio would be answered. Alas they were not. It would appear that day trips aren’t that popular. Based on our experience, they really are.

We wondered, would a day trip be enough? Would it feel rushed or impersonal? Would it be too commercial? Will we be too tired to enjoy it? Would Santa have a fake white beard or would he indeed look like the brochure portrayed. Would we still feel the magic in just a few hours?

So many questions.

We considered a trip to Lapland for months however we never considered a day trip. And then we saw a great deal and well I am so glad that we did. It cost £1,200 for 3 of us. We knew that with George being 8 years old, now was the perfect time. The magic was real and we didn’t want to leave it any longer. We had to make our gorgeous boys Christmas wish come true. Meeting Santa and his Reindeer in Lapland. As we struggled to find the answers to our questions, I thought I would share our…

1. What’s the best age to take kids to Lapland? Personally I think the best ages would be between 6-10 years old. For two reasons really. Firstly, it is so cold, when we visited it was -20. Your little ones need to be comfortable with the cold and not afraid to embrace it. Secondly, you want them to really appreciate the experience and not be fearful of meeting Santa or riding the husky sled. George was 8 years old when we visited Lapland and I can honestly say that he was the perfect age.

2. Is the day trip long enough? The day trip was perfect for us. I only wish they offered a 1 night stay as it would have been lovely to wake up in Lapland and see daylight. We saw less than an hours daylight, and whilst it certainly didn’t ruin our experience more daylight would have been nice. That was our only, what if.

3. What should you wear in Lapland? OK, so we all wore a thermal layer (top and bottom), 2-3 pairs of thermal socks, a pair of jeans/trousers and chunky winter jumpers. And then there was our coats, a snood for George, scarfs, thermal hats, thin thermal gloves and waterproof mittens (waterproof ski gloves). The loaned snow suits and boots were incredibly warm. You don’t need your own. We didn’t wear our coats underneath. If it was colder than -20 you might need to. Top tip: take spare clothes, hats & snoods for your little ones. George’s trousers were wet around the ankles at the end of the day and he got through 3 hats due to playing in the snow. And don’t forget to pack head torches!

4. Take charging banks as you won’t want to risk not being able to capture the moments on your camera. I took 4 charging banks for our phones and one additional battery for my big camera. We also took our Go Pro Hero 5 with a full battery just in case. Due to the freezing cold temperatures you will find that your batteries run low very quickly. I used two charging banks and Mr H one.

5. Take snacks with you . We packed snacks and bottled water and very much needed them. It’s such a long day, you need the boost but also the times you eat are a little out of routine. Our main meals and drinks were included with the trip, the food was great with many options both adult and child friendly. And by packing snack foods it meant we didn’t need to buy any food in Enontekio. I did look in the shop and found it to be reasonably priced. The airport was however very expensive.

6. Who to book with?  We booked via a local travel agent, travelling with Transun Travel and flew with Enter Air. And whilst Transun were super our local travel agent were quite appalling in their knowledge, therefore I would recommend booking direct with a company that specialise in organising these types of trips. The trip was seamless and really great. The Transun rep was always nearby to help with questions. I have heard that TUI offer great packages, they entertain the children on the flight with Christmas songs. We didn’t get that with Enter Air but they did hand out festive colouring packs.

7. If you are travelling to Lapland for a day trip then be prepared for only 4 hours in the snow. Your day will go something like this: we left Liverpool John Lennon Airport at 8am, landed in Finland around 1pm, boarded our coach, drove 30 mins to pick up snowsuits and boots which took 45 mins (far too long and a little frustrating), we then made a 5 minute journey to Santas Village in Enontekio. This was just before 3pm and we boarded our bus again at 7pm. Our travel agent advised me that we would have 7 hours in the snow. We did not. But that was OK, if you read this post  you’ll know why.

8. Booking in advance – you don’t need to book in advance so don’t be fooled that you’ll get the best deals in January. We booked our trip in October for December 20th 2019 with a special price. We pondered over our decision for months and honestly I’m glad we did. By asking questions and reviewing our options meant we had the best trip for our little family.

9. What part of Lapland should we visit ? We weren’t given a choice when booking so I’m not sure how you would go about choosing or if certain locations are marked for day trips and short breaks. You can see the map below which highlights the locations available. I know that the short breaks are often at Rovaniemi. One friend commented on how commercial and busy they found their trip to Rovaniemi to be whereas we didn’t feel this at all. There was just our coach trip, which was less than 50 people.

10. Don’t forget to explore . Once we had taken part in all the activities George was desperate to have a little wander. And so we set about exploring. We found areas that were deserted, wooden lodges and tree houses, there were huge snow drifts perfect for playing in as well as beautiful views across the frozen lake whilst sat by a log fire. As these areas were away from the centre of the village they weren’t as well lit so be sure to have head torches.

And lastly…

If you’re still wondering whether to visit Lapland as a day trip or a short break then maybe these extra points might help. Real comparisons after speaking to several friends who have taken the 3 – 4 day break.

 Whilst the day trip meant an incredibly long day for us, our friends commented that they found the arrival and departure days of the short break to be a bit of a waste. There were no planned activities on these days. You have one day of included activities with the additional excursions being very expensive. Although some of them looked fabulous especially the reindeer farm.

They also found the short break to be very expensive. As it’s predominantly a self catering holiday (you can book full board) they hadn’t budgeted for the food and drink to be as expensive as it was. On the day trip, we actually didn’t spend any additional money as everything was included.

And lastly, due to the very cold weather they struggled with the length of the included activities. As an example the sleigh ride to meet Santa on the day trip lasted around 15-20 minutes, inclusive of meeting the big man himself. Whereas on the 3 – 4 day break it was around 45 – 60 minutes. I personally feel in such freezing cold temperatures we would have struggled. My friends children only remember crying at this point. They were so cold on arriving to see Santa that it ruined the experience for them. Whereas that wasn’t the case for us. It was magical.

And that’s my 10 Top Tips for visiting Lapland on a Day Trip . Do let me know if you have any extra tips in the comments.

I’m Kerri-Ann or KA as my friends call me, always found with a cup of coffee in one hand and my camera in the other. I have a huge passion for photography, fitness, fashion and family travel. I started this blog in 2014. It began as my creative outlet after becoming a mummy to our little boy George Archie. I started out blogging about parenting and over the years it has evolved into a blog that covers lifestyle, fashion, family and travel. Today TheKAEdit is ultimately a life and style blog. Thank you for reading x x

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Lapland travel blog — the ultimate lapland travel guide: how to travel & what to do in lapland finland.

Located in the north of Finland, Lapland is very close to the North Pole, so there are 200 days of cold winter a year. Any visitor, whether a child or an adult, wishes to have a trip to this place to meet Santa Claus , along with the reindeers. Moreover, this place is also an extremely attractive destination with a lot of interesting experiences. Lapland Finland (Finnish Lapland) is world famous as “the Official Hometown of Santa Claus”. In addition to the above nickname, is there anything else that attracts tourists from all over the world? Let’s experience Finnish Lapland through the sharing below. So, what country is Lapland in, what to do in Lapland, how to travel to Lapland Finland and how to plan a perfect budget trip to Lapland for the first-time? Let’s check out our Lapland travel blog (Lapland blog) with the fullest Lapland travel guide (Lapland guide) from how to get to Lapland Finland, best time to come, where to stay, what to see in Lapland Finland, things to do in Lapland Finland as well as what to do in Rovaniemi to find out the answer!

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Lapland travel blog: Where is Lapland Finland and what country is Lapland in?

Finnish Lapland is a very large region with an area of ​​about 100,367 square kilometers of which 92,667 square kilometers is land, 6,316 square kilometers is freshwater and 1,383 square kilometers is sea. Lapland stretching through 4 countries: Sweden, Norway, Finland, Russia’s Kola Peninsula with an area equivalent to 3 countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland combined.

In which the Lapland region in Finland (Finnish Lapland, Lapland Finland) occupies one third of the country’s area and the capital of the entire Lapland – the city of Rovaniemi is also located here. This is the official hometown of Santa Claus, so it is often said that Finnish Lapland (or Rovaniemi Finland) is the hometown of Santa Claus .

Some interesting things about Finnish Lapland:

• Although this entire Lapland region spans 4 countries, the official name is widely known in 2 countries Sweden and Finland. Therefore, when it comes to the place of Lapland, you should often add the country name, so that people can clearly distinguish which region you are talking about.
• The population of Finnish Lapland is over 180,000 people, mainly concentrated in 4 big cities (Rovaniemi, Tornio, Kemi and Kemijärvi), the population density is about 1.98 people/km2 – the lowest in Europe and less than number of reindeer here (200,000).
• Reindeer here are popularly raised as a meat producing animal in other countries. Near the village of Santa Claus, there is an Artic Circle – marking the arctic circle of the earth. Therefore, there is a phenomenon of 2 months in the summer when the sun never sets (lighting all day and night).
• Lapland Finland is also a very large region rather than a specific city or place. So when someone talks about Finnish Lapland tourism, you should understand that they mention to traveling to Rovaniemi city – the capital of the whole Lapland Finland region, where the village of Santa Claus and some remote surrounding areas is upper it, where you can hunting aurora (the Northern Lights) and other winter activities.
• Rovaniemi was almost destroyed 90% in World War II, but then the great Finnish architect Alvar Aalto redesigned the whole city as it have the appearance as we see today. There is currently a top 2 Finnish university named after his name, Aalto University – the top 7th school in the world in art and design section.

Lapland travel blog: When should you visit Lapland Finland?

Tourists often come to Finnish Lapland with the desire to experience aurora borealis hunting and take part in some winter activities. That’s why I think the most suitable time and best time to travel to Finnish Lapland is in the period from November to March. Because this is the time when you have the highest opportunity to seeing the Northern Lights along with this place is completely covered with white snow creating a magical scene comes along with a special and vibrant Christmas atmosphere.

Personally, I would recommend going from the beginning of November to mid-December because at this time there will be also a Christmas atmosphere here and it is not as crowded as December. Meanwhile, January and February are the peak winter months, the temperature is usually in the range of -20 to -40 degrees Celsius. Therefore, for those who are not used to extreme cold temperatures, coming here in this season is no different from being tortured :). In addition, the aurora often appears when it is cold and clear. If there is too much snow, the opportunity of seeing it is also lower than other times. There are times from September to November when it is very cold but without snow, it is easy to see the aurora borealis.

Lapland travel guide: How to get and how to travel to Lapland Finland (How to get to Rovaniemi)?

How to travel to lapland finland from other finland’s cities.

To get to Rovaniemi Lapland, you usually need to get to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. Then from here, you can take the train, onnibus or plane to getting here. The distance from Helsinki to Rovaniemi is about 700-800km.

• Onnibus: Usually you will need to transfer in Oulu city. Total travel time is about 12 hours (8 hours to Oulu and 3 hours to 4 hours from Oulu to Rovaniemi). Ticket price is around €18-35.
• VR train (the Finland’s national railway company) often runs 2 trips a day from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. Travel time: 8 to 12 hours. Ticket price: €40-90/way. The fare of €40 usually only appears in the summer, when the travel demand to Lapland is less than other seasons.
• Airplane: Finnair (the Finland’s flag carrier and largest airline) often has quite a few direct flights from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. Ticket price is about €70-100/way.

If you depart from some countries with lot of demands for travel to Finnish Lapland such as the UK, the Netherlands, there are also direct flights from these countries to Rovaniemi. As far as I know, there are currently 7 airlines flying directly to Rovaniemi from 5 European countries which are the UK, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine in which the UK is the country with the largest number of tourists to Lapland Finland.

Lapland guide: Getting around Finnish Lapland

If you simply visit Rovaniemi, I think the most suitable means of transport is the public bus. Ticket price is €3.2/way and you can catch a bus from Rovaniemi center to Santa Claus village in 15 minutes.

However, if you want to participate in more winter activities, perhaps renting a self-drive car will be more appropriate. Because Lapland is a very large and extremely sparsely populated region, it will be quite difficult for you to participate in winter activities such as aurora hunting in the north, ice lake fishing, etc. without active means of transport.

Lapland travel blog: Where to stay in Lapland Finland?

Because Lapland is very large and the attractions are not gather in a single cluster like in other cities, finding a room here is not simple at all. Not only that, Lapland is also famous for various types of accommodation that are rarely found anywhere in the world. So, I will write a detailed article to guide you how to choose a hotel in Lapland later.

In general, in my travel experience, you should find a room and book it as soon as possible. Quality rooms in Lapland often sell out very quickly because here are few people, the hotel is not too abundant, but the number visitors flocking here from China, Japan, Germany, and Britain is quite a lot… Last time my friend searched for a room 4 months in advance but she still couldn’t find a good place to stay.

However, if you want to stay in upscale hotels, close to Santa Village, you can book hotels right in Santa Claus Village ( Agoda.com or Booking.com ).

You can also refer to the two other luxury hotels: Arctic TreeHouse Hotel ( Agoda.com or Booking.com ) built in a high hill, offer panoramic windows with beautiful nothern lights view.

Or Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort ( Agoda.com or Booking.com ). This is a hotel that is extremely suitable for visitors to see and admire the Northern Lights.

At first glance, the Kaklauttanen looks like it just step out of a sci-fi movie. The hotel consists of many rooms like turtles located next to each other. “Tortoise shell” is made of glass, does not absorb water vapor no matter how cold it is, guaranteed, guests can see the Northern Lights anytime it appears. Each room has a comfortable bed and a comfortable bathroom.

Below we recommend more best budget, mid-range and upscale hotels with good ratings and reviews you can refer to.

• Santa Claus Holiday Village ( Agoda.com or Booking.com )
• Arctic Light Hotel ( Agoda.com or Booking.com )
• Scandic Rovaniemi City ( Agoda.com or Booking.com )
• Lapland Hotels Ounasvaara Chalets ( Agoda.com or Booking.com )
• Arctic City Hotel ( Agoda.com or Booking.com )
• Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna Rovaniemi ( Agoda.com or Booking.com )

Check out more top and best hotels in Rovaniemi on Agoda.com or Booking.com .

Lapland travel guide: Things to do in Lapland Finland, what to see and what to do in Lapland Finland

What to do in rovaniemi.

Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland which is considered the official hometown of Santa Claus . This place is famous for its Santa’s village and many other interesting winter activities such as reindeer riding, husky sledding, skiing, visiting museums…

Some indispensable places, things to do in Rovaniemi Lapland:

Santa Claus Village

Located about 8 km from the center of Rovaniemi city, Santa Claus Village is open all year round regardless of winter or summer. Here you will have the opportunity to meet Santa Claus, visit the post office where Santa works, send letters to people all over the world…

There are 3 most attractive places in this village are Santa Claus Office, Santa Claus Main Post Office and Arctic Circle. Ticket price: free. However, there are some other activities that still cost money. There is also a service to stamp your passport to certify that you have gone through the Arctic Circle for €1, and a service to take pictures with Santa Claus for €20-40. So, fun and interesting!

Arktikum Museum

The museum displays artifacts, provides information about people, animals and plants that have lived in the Arctic Circle of the earth during typical historical periods, such as during the World War II and the period that Finland was invaded and took part of the territory by Russia (1939-1940).

Address: Pohjoisranta 4, 96200 Rovaniemi, Finland Hours: 10AM–5PM/Monday: Closed Ticket price: €9

SantaPark – the Home Cavern of Santa Claus

As an amusement park built in an underground cave with many recreational activities, especially suitable for families with young children.

Address: Tarvantie 1, 96930 Rovaniemi, Finland Ticket price: €34.

Visit Raitola Reindeer & Husky Farm, experience reindeer riding and husky sledding

Near Santa’s village there is Raitola Reindeer & Husky Farm (Address: Välttikankaantie 11, 96900 Rovaniemi, Finland) that offers tours of reindeer sleigh riding sleds or husky safari sledding with various tour packages. Ride a reindeer-drawn sleigh like a horse-drawn carriage, while exprience a husky sledding like a thrilling game.

Driving in Lapland Finland needs to be careful because the reindeer often roam on the roads. Sometimes if you’re driving and see a couple of them suddenly crossing the road, don’t be surprised. Because the number of reindeers much more than residents living here.

Ounasvaaran Hiihtokeskus Ski Resort

You can come here to ski or hire a guide if you still don’t know how to ski. Ticket price €20 for 1 hour or day ticket of €40. Hire a guide costs about €30-50.

In addition, if you have children, you can go to the Science Centre Pilke museum (Address: Ounasjoentie 6, 96200 Rovaniemi, Finland) and the Angry Birds Playground (Address: Valtakatu 4, 96100 Rovaniemi, Finland).

Some other activities when traveling to Finnish Lapland

Explore the beautiful lakes and ice fishing.

Lapland is a place full of beautiful lakes. In which, the most beautiful and famous lake is Inari. This is also the largest lake in Lapland with an area of over 1,000 square kilometers. If you come to Lapland on cold winter days, you will see that the surface of Lake Inari is completely frozen to form a giant mirror. You can experience ice fishing.

In winter when the lake freezes, locals often have a hobby of walking on the ice, skating on the lake or punching holes in the ice for fishing. This is probably an experience that requires extremely high patience for tourists.

Hunting Aurora (Northern Lights)

According to an old legend, an arctic fox whipped its tail and sent twinkling lights into the sky, creating the aurora borealis. Lapland is located in the Arctic region, so you will have a higher chance of seeing this natural phenomenon than anywhere else. However, Rovaniemi is a city with a dense population and is “polluted” by lights, so it’s best to go to the very remote hills, the darker and less inhabited the better.

In fact, hunting the aurora is a very bad luck. You will have a hard time guessing exactly whether that time will have the aurora or not. Usually the forecast is only accurate within 1 week. If you wait until that date to book tickets for travel and accommodation, I guarantee that the possibility of staying in a “thousand-star hotel” is very high or else the cost will be sky-high.

In fact, hotel rooms in resorts and convenient locations in Lapland usually need to be booked at least 6 months in advance. So, when traveling to Lapland Finland, if you see the aurora borealis, you are lucky, if not, just unlucky :).

The more you traveling to the north, the clearer the visibility and the higher the chance, so many visitors flocking here because of that. However, there are also many days when the aurora is very visible, so you can see it right in the city of Rovaniemi or even in the southern provinces of Finland. Well, if you are lucky enough to have the opportunity to see the Northern Lights right in Rovaniemi, you should go to the Artikum Science Museum. This is the best spot to see the aurora borealis in the city. You download the “Aurora” app to monitor the possibility of aurora in specific locations.

Personally, I would not recommend you booking aurora hunting tour, the aurora appears or not depends mainly on the weather, not on people. If you book a tour but there is no aurora on that day, that’s okay. Instead, always monitor the weather and go up as close to the north as possible, especially in forests with less light pollution, the chances of seeing it will be high. Remember to prepare warm clothes, sleeping bags, food and water. It takes a lot of effort to hunt this “super picky girl”.

Camping in the forest

This activity is quite popular with nature lovers like Finnish. You should camp in national parks where firewood is available, free kitchens for grilling food, and tents near the lake. Camping in the winter is also quite interesting, but it is necessary to carefully prepare warm clothes, fully equipment as well as find out the places where camping and fire are allowed first.

As I mentioned in previous posts, sauna is a Finnish initiative and sauna bathing has become an indispensable part of their lives. Winter is probably the best time to try this experience. If possible, you should rent a hotel room with a sauna room, so that after every day of going out to explore the experience, when you return, you will be able to enjoy a body sauna for comfort and relief.

In fact, when bathing in a sauna, Finns often go nude and after each interval they will jump into the icy lakes outside or take a cold shower. You should try this feeling :D. An indispensable experience when traveling to Finland.

Besides activities such as skiing, husky sledding, reindeer riding… You can try the feeling of snowmobile in the forest or surrounding areas. Usually, tourists will go on a tour, but if you have experience driving this and are not afraid of getting lost, you can rent it. The price is around €150/basic package and €25 extra per hour you rent. You can refer at this progearmoto website . Regarding tours you can refer to Arctic Circle Snowmobile for €55 per person for 30 minutes — 1 hour with a driver. This is one of the experiences that many thrill-seeking travelers enjoy when traveling to Finnish Lapland on their own.

If you are interested in learning about Sámi culture, you should drive 4 hours from Rovaniemi to Inari. The winter nature here is also very impressive with many interesting sites such as The Sámi Cultural Center Sajos (Address: Menesjärventie 2A, 99870 Inari, Finland), Karhu souvenir shop. The Sámi is an ethnic minority of Finland and residents live in Lapland mainly are Sámi people.

Lapland travel tips

If you go with a few people but still want to experience all kinds of winter activities without spending too much, join the tour group of ESN (Erasmus Student Network) organized by the Finnish schools. Most of the people going are exchange students coming to study in Finland, so you will have the opportunity to meet many people, participate in many recreational activities at a very affordable price. The tour package usually includes accommodation with sauna, transportation, activities such as husky ride, snowmobile… are all included. You can choose to go with ESN with any school in Helsinki . In Helsinki, there are a number of schools such as Laurea, Haaga-Helia, Aalto, University of Helsinki, Arcada, Metropolia… Tour prices are around €340 for 7 days. The referal link at Timetravels .

What to do in Lapland: Shopping

Coming to Lapland, visitors will be fascinated to see very high quality products that are famous throughout the Nordic region and throughout Europe. All brands are manufactured according to Nordic standards for safety, accuracy, durability over the years, high applicability and smart and traditional designs such as Finnish Knives (Puukkos), Wooden handmade Kuksa Cups, Taigakoru jewelry, Marimekko fashion, Arabia porcelain,…

How to travel to Lapland Finland: Suggested Lapland itinerary 5 days 4 nights

• Day 1: Go to Rovaniemi and walk around the city
• Day 2: Visit Santa’s village, visit husky dog ​​farm, experience reindeer riding, husky safari…
• Day 3: Visit Santa park, Arkitum museum, aurora hunting
• Day 4: Snowmobile, ski resort
• Day 5: Bonfire camping, ice fishing, aurora hunting

Lapland travel blog: What to eat?

• Reindeer meat: The most popular livestock in Lapland. People in Lapland will often raise a lot of reindeer for fur and meat. Therefore, reindeer meat is a specialty that you must try!
• Smoked salmon
• Muikku fish

These are famous local dishes in Lapland. In addition, you should combine going to the supermarket in Rovaniemi if you want to have a cheap self-sufficient trip.

Lapland blog: Traveling cost

The cost of a self-sufficient travel, I think it largely depends on each individual. There are many factors that affect the trip costs such as where to stay, whether you rent a car, whether you participate in activities such as husky sledding, reindeer riding… I give a few basic costs below:

• Meals: €12/meal. If you buy food from the supermarket to cook, you can comfortably spend about €20 a day.
• Hotel: The lowest price is about €30 per person. The highest is about €300-400.
• Traveling: €12/day. If you rent a car, it will increase to €40-50/person/day. Participate in other activities: Each activity costs about €30-40.

I think for comfort, the traveling cost is about €150 a day, all inclusive. Of course, this cost is higher than in the capital Helsinki or other European countries but still lower than Norway, Switzerland…

Lapland travel guide: Some tips before you go

• The most commonly spoken languages ​​in Finnish Lapland are Swedish and Finnish. However, most people living in the city will speak English fluently. So, you can rest assured!
• You should exchange money at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. It is best to exchange at legitimate counters for the best and safe exchange rates.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Lapland you can refer to

• Lapland 2 Day Tour from Rovaniemi
• Highlights of Rovaniemi Day Tour
• The Frozen Waterfalls of Korouoma Day Tour from Rovaniemi
• [DISCONTINUED] Lapland Wellness and Relaxation Tour
• Aurora Borealis Small Group Tour with Free Photos from Rovaniemi
• Rovaniemi: Lapland Northern Lights Tour with BBQ
• Rovaniemi: Santa Claus Village and Arctic Circle
• Rovaniemi: Snowman World Entrance Ticket
• Lapland: Husky Carriage Ride Under the Northern Lights
• Rovaniemi: Apukka Husky Adventure

Read more Trip review to the fairy tale Santa Claus Village Rovaniemi, Lapland – Finland , Where to stay in Lapland Findland and Finland travel guide here .

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ULTIMATE GUIDE ON WHAT TO WEAR IN LAPLAND WINTER

INSIDE: Roam the Gnome’s Complete Guide on What to Wear in Lapland in Winter.

Planning a visit to Lapland in Winter?

It’s COLD.

Be prepared, especially if you are traveling with kids.

The cost to buy extra snow and winter here is outrageous.

Bring what you can. 

Here’s a collection of our tips and suggestions for clothing advice for Lapland to help you and your family stay warm, dry, and happy during this most epic of adventures. 

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links . If you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links, we may receive a small commission at NO extra cost to you.

THE INSIDE SCOOP: Complete Guide of What to Wear in Lapland in Winter

Correct at time of publication on Roam the Gnome . Please check with venue for updates. We apologise in advance if there have been any changes we are unaware of. All prices in euro, unless otherwise stated

Wondering what to wear in Lapland in December? 

First up, Lapland is cold.

Really cold. 

Our research had shown temperatures of – 20° to –  25° celsius, but am happy to report that temperatures during our recent visit to Lapland in December ranged from + 2° celsius, down to – 10° celsius.

Not nearly as bad as we’d expected.

Still cold, but not unbearably so unless the snow got INSIDE our snow suits and boots. 

Thank goodness.

Because any colder, and we would have been triple layering our thermals, and tripling our gloves, despite feeling like a puffer fish. 

If you are wondering about the specifics of how many layers to wear in Lapland, or what shoes to wear in Lapland, or what trousers to wear in Lapland, read on. 

RELATED: All you need to know about SANTA CLAUS HOLIDAY VILLAGE

Things you need in your Lapland Winter Packing List

As family travellers, with just carry on luggage, space is at a premium.

This is what we brought with us for our Lapland winter vacation holidays , the final destination of our six week European winter road trip.  And it all fit into three carry on bags, and one small day pack. 

Check out this warm clothes list of what to park for Finland in winter. 

No.1: Base Layers – Underwear

• 7 x underwear per person (3 x bra’s for me also) to save having to wash more than once a week
• 4 x singlets per person 

No.2: Thermal clothing – what layers to wear in Lapland 

• 2 x thermal underwear sets per person.
• Can be worn one on top of the other if necessary. 

No.3: Warm tops

• 3 x thick warm jumpers in a simple style, and in either blue or black – two of these jumpers had padded hoods. Our third jumper/sweater was our matching Christmas Jumper we wanted to wear for our offical Santa photo in the Main Office of Santa Claus. (These Jumpers were from the Museum of Transport Shop in London ) 
• 3 x roll neck skivvy’s (turtleneck) per person in navy to match jumpers
• A warm tracksuit top and bottoms, to wear as pyjamas, or as clothes when it was laundry day. 

Hot tip: Stick with plain colours such as khaki and navy blue for the trousers, so you can mix and match the tops to go. 

No.4: Warm bottoms 

• 3 x robust trousers/pants in soft cotton or terry cloth tracksuit material, or soft denim, ie: not skinny jeans.
• Make sure all trousers have a little bit of wiggle room as the thermal underwear must go underneath.

My jogger jean pants have a elastic cuff at the bottom and a loose fit for comfort.

I would buy these in charcoal grey next time, to better hide stains as with only three outfits, it’s likely they get worn a few times before washing. 

No.5: Snow jacket or parka

• A Kathmandu down-filled winter coat per person. (Mine was thigh length. The boys one’s were waist length.) 

Hot tip: How many layers to wear in Lapland?

Layering in Finland attire is vital to stay warm, so on top, we wore singlet, then thermal top, skivvy, and jumper, topped by our Kathmandu jackets when heading outside. 

On our legs, we wore thermals, covered by one pair of pants. 

If you have a snowsuit, you’ll only need one layer of thermals and one layer of clothing underneath, unless the wind is blowing, or it’s below – 10 degrees.

Otherwise you’ll be too hot, and uncomfortable. 

Packing for Europe Winter

This was a perfect amount of clothes for six weeks of Europe road trip, washing everything once a week, and smalls in the sink in between when we were in a hotel for more than three days, and had access to the drying bar heater in the bathroom.  

If you are only going to Lapland for a week, or a few days, adjust as necessary. 

**Check back soon for a PDF printable**

RELATED: The best hotel to book in Lapland is the Santa Claus Village Hotel in Rovaniemi

MORE for the Lapland Packing List

Add the winter thermal wear accessories .

Each of us also brought our necessary cold weather accessories. 

No.1: Winter gloves & Snow gloves

• one pair of lightweight merino gloves for thermal protection underneath our ski gloves, or used on their own
• one pair of water-resistant ski gloves, one size larger than normal

No.2: Polar Fleece neck warmers

• a polar fleece neck warmer – the most VITAL piece of clothing in our suitcases 

No.3: Beanies & Scarves

• a knitted pure wool beanie
• a knitted pure wool scarf 

No.4: Thermal Socks

• three pairs of thick thermal-insulating merino socks per person
• two pairs of cotton socks 

We were given a cotton balaclava to put on during our snowmobile rides to help with keeping the cold off our faces during this outdoor adventure.

Hot tip: Drying clothes in the sauna

In Finland, I washed our singlets and underwear in the sink, and dried them in the sauna overnight.

The sauna was also a fabulous drying rack for our snow gloves, inner gloves, socks and boots once it was turned off for the night. 

Hot tip: I taught the kids early how to put their winter accessories away in the same spot each time after use, so they never went missing, eg gloves in one coat pocket, beanie in the inside pocket.

But we still lost a pair of gloves when Ned left them on the bus.

How to not lose ski gloves! 

Our friend Kym told us a trick they use at home during winter:

• slip a long piece of narrow rope through the arms of the jacket or snow suit
• tie each end of the rope to the loop on the glove.

This way, the gloves can’t ever disappear as they are attached to the child’s clothing. 

Lost Glove society

We aren’t the only ones prone to losing gloves – after seeing one too many lost gloves on the train, on the underground, or on the city street, we started taking photos of these random finds, as a tribute to this strange phenomena! 

I now know we’re not the only ones to document lost gloves – there’s even a Flickr group dedicated to these lonely abandoned hand coverings. 

We also lost a beanie somewhere along the way.

Thankfully, it’s possible to buy woollen beanies in most souvenir shops in Lapland to replace one if you need.

They aren’t as cheap as buying one at home, but not overly expensive either. 

What to wear in winter in Lapland? 

Good quality thermal snowsuits are a must for everyone who is going to be out and about during the day or night in the cold. 

Lapland Clothing Hire at Santa Village

If you are staying in Lapland at the Santa Claus Village, you hire the snow suits (and snow boots if you need) for your entire trip. 

If you rent the set, an all-in-one thermal snow suit + winter boots, the price is 20€ for the first day and 5€ for each following day. 

If you need only one thing, eg the snow suit or the snow boots, the cost is 10 euro for the first day, and 5 euro per day after that. 

You don’t need to reserve thermal clothing or snow boots in advance.

It is always better to try upon arrival which size fits the best.

What to wear in Lapland in December

Or, what to wear under snowsuit in lapland.

Wear your regular clothes in layers underneath your snow suit.

(eg jeans, singlet, long sleeved thermal top, long sleeve skivvy, and jumper/sweater).

When you head indoors for any length of time, roll the top of the snow suit down and tie the arms round your waist.

You’ll see lots of people doing this during dinner, or breakfast at the Christmas House restaurant and Coffee Bar, and Three Elves Restaurant if you are visiting Santa Village in Rovaniemi.

It’s the done thing.

We took off our snowsuit completely only once during our trip.

This was in preparation for our Santa photo in the Santa Claus Main Office.

The staff there gave us a big red bag to store our snowsuits in during our visit.

We put the snowsuits straight back on before we left the building. 

We met other families throughout the week who didn’t have snowsuits, and were wearing their ordinary thermal down jackets, and jeans or trousers with their snow boots.

Their greatest regret of their vacation was NOT bringing the snowsuit, or hiring one on site. 

Without doubt, snowsuits (or ski pants and jacket) are invaluable when you are out and about in the Northern European Finnish Lapland snow.

Lapland Footwear

We brought our own insulated and waterproof snow boots. 

The boys boots from Anaconda sports store were simple, plain black with a velcro side tab.

Mine were black also, but with a lace up feature at the front. 

This was the only footwear we wore in Lapland.

(We also wore the boots for the previous two weeks throughout Scandinavia and Germany when the weather turned colder.) 

Snow boots are a necessity in Lapland.

If you don’t have your own, we recommend hiring or borrowing a pair.

Snow boots have grip on the soles that help you stay upright when you accidentally stumble onto a slick of ice. Not that they prevent every fall, but they definitely help. 

Make sure the snowsuit goes over the top of the boots, to create a barrier, so snow cannot get into the boots easily, even when you are walking in deep powdery snow, or playing on the sleds. 

What to wear in Lapland in January?

January is often the coldest month in Lapland, and temperatures can vary between -15° to -30° celsius. 

It’s freezing. 

What to wear in Lapland in this kind of cold weather?

Dress in all the above, a base layer, then more lots of layers, with at least two pairs of merino wool socks doubled up inside the boots. 

The most important thing is to keep dry, especially the hands and feet.

It’s wise to carry a backpack of spares with you:

• two or three pairs of spare woollen socks
• spare woollen gloves, and
• a quick dry towel. 

This way, even if you can’t get back to your accommodation to change outfits, you can at least remove wet socks and gloves before putting on a new set. 

A dry bag (or a reusable plastic shopping bag at least) is also a good idea, so you can store your wet gear away from your dry clothes. 

What to wear in Lapland in February and March? 

In the colder months, we’d recommend short excursions out in the snowy weather, especially if you have kids in tow.

Just a couple of hours at a time. 

Many of the day tours and attractions do set up a fire of some kind outside, where you can warm up, and toast your marshmallows.

But taking a break from the cold weather inside a hut or shelter , with a fire burning and hot chocolate brewing, or perhaps Finnish sausages cooking, is invaluable. 

The coldest we were was during a late night snowmobile sledge ride to try and see the Northern Lights.

Despite our many, many layers, and blankets, and a reindeer hide on top, both Jack and Ned were frozen stiff.

After 90 minutes, Jack in tears because his feet were hurting, and Ned was not doing much better.

We suffered through the remaining minutes in the sledge by making up a song about wriggling your toes and alternatively arching your feet back and forth, to get the movement going. 

In hindsight, I’m not sure a late night adventure in the cold is a good idea with kids under 12, although there were at least 10 kids aged between 1 year, and 11 years old on the trip with us.

The leader did tell me they refuse to take kids once it gets to -10 ° as it’s miserable for everyone. 

What we quickly learned, what that being able to return to your accommodation quickly is a clever idea, so you can warm up the kids under a shower, and dress them in a new dry outfit before you venture back out.

30 minutes or an hour at ‘home’ can revitalise their spirits too.

Let me tell you from experience.

As fun as snow can be, kids who have experienced extreme cold in Lapland may need this kind of coaxing before they’ll brace themselves for more snow. 

If you are not staying onsite, find someplace warm – a reception area, a lounge, or waiting room, to change them at least, and let them thaw out with a warm drink in hand.  

Hot tips on what to take to Lapland day trip, or a longer stay

Bring all the snacks & water.

• Bring snacks , such as small packs of long life crackers & cream cheese, nuts, individual packs of chips, healthy fruit straps, roasted chickpeas, and small chocolate bars as a treat.
• Snow and the cold makes kids hungrier than usual. Keep them fuelled. 
• Bring your own bottle of water. Refill it in your hotel room, or sink. One bottle of water here can cost upwards of 4 euro! 

Bring ALL the socks.

• Pack at least 6 pairs of pure merino (not blend) wool socks per person (not three as we did.)
• Wear two pairs inside your boots, have a second set of two pairs for the next day when this first pair are drying, and put the extra spare couple in your daypack for emergencies.
• Take the spares with you in your daypack or carry bag on your tours and excursions.

Bring an Empty Dry Bag

• A dry bag from a camping store is a reusable waterproof sack with a rollover top that will seal your wet gear inside until you can dry it out. 
• You can buy them in all sizes. A medium size is enough to carry a bunch of wet mittens, gloves and socks. 

Carry a small waterproof day pack

• Use a waterproof daypack to carry all of the above.

Wool Socks as Therapy for Cold Hands and Feet 

• You can use a pair of new dry wool socks to warm up the kids fingers when they freeze.
• Gentle movement in the fingers or toes is necessary to warm the blood back to life when the pain of cold hits.

We were shown this tried and true trick when Jack was crying in pain after too much time out on the skidoo in the cold.

• When the kids won’t move their hands or toes themselves as it’s too painful, pop this pair of dry woollen socks onto their hands.
• Use the socks to gently rub their hands and warm them back to life.

Emergency mitten gloves

It’s no fun when the kids’ gloves get wet and cold.

• You need to get the gloves off ASAP, and replace with something warm and dry quickly before the pain starts. 
• An extra pair of socks can be used as an emergency pair of mitten gloves when you are stuck.

What to wear on the plane to Lapland?

Wondering what to wear to travel to Lapland?

For your winter travel dress, we suggest wearing your regular clothes, as above, in layers, so when you leave the plane at Rovaniemi, you are ready to don your snow suit and go.

Bring your regular thermal jacket along, as you’ll need that during the transfers until you reach your hotel or accommodation. 

Indoor areas are warm everywhere you go. 

More Lapland Tips? 

If you have any other tips on what to wear in Lapland Finland in winter, we’d love to know.

Send us an email to [email protected] and we’ll add them.  

Visit Rovaniemi with Kids for Christmas in Lapland

If you’d like to know more about things to do in Lapland  check out these posts. 

How to get from Rovaniemi to Santa Claus Village Finland

The ultimate guide to planning a lapland christmas experience, comparison guide to the best rovaniemi santa to visit (there’s more than 1) , the best things to do in rovaniemi in winter and summer .

Friday 25th of September 2020

Already packed our things and ready to go on our family trip next year. Thanks for this guide!

Amber Greene

Saturday 26th of September 2020

Perfect! Thank you, have bookmarked for our holiday in 2022 :)

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The ultimate Lapland travel guide: How to travel & what to do in Lapland Finland

Located in the north of Finland, Lapland is very close to the North Pole, so there are 200 days of cold winter a year. Any visitor, whether a child or an adult, wishes to have a trip to this place to meet Santa Claus, along with the reindeers. Moreover, this place is also an extremely attractive destination with a lot of interesting experiences. Lapland Finland (Finnish Lapland) is world famous as “the Official Hometown of Santa Claus”. In addition to the above nickname, is there anything else that attracts tourists from all over the world? Let’s experience Finnish Lapland through the sharing below. So, what country is Lapland in, what to do in Lapland, how to travel to Lapland Finland and how to plan a perfect budget trip to Lapland for the first-time? Let’s check out our Lapland travel blog (Lapland blog) with the fullest Lapland travel guide (Lapland guide) from how to get to Lapland Finland, best time to come, where to stay, what to see in Lapland Finland, things to do in Lapland Finland as well as what to do in Rovaniemi to find out the answer!

Lapland travel blog: Where is Lapland Finland and what country is Lapland in?

Finnish Lapland is a very large region with an area of ​​about 100,367 square kilometers of which 92,667 square kilometers is land, 6,316 square kilometers is freshwater and 1,383 square kilometers is sea. Lapland stretching through 4 countries: Sweden, Norway, Finland, Russia’s Kola Peninsula with an area equivalent to 3 countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland combined.

In which the Lapland region in Finland (Finnish Lapland, Lapland Finland) occupies one third of the country’s area and the capital of the entire Lapland – the city of Rovaniemi is also located here. This is the official hometown of Santa Claus, so it is often said that Finnish Lapland (or Rovaniemi Finland) is the hometown of  Santa Claus .

Some interesting things about Finnish Lapland:

• Although this entire Lapland region spans 4 countries, the official name is widely known in 2 countries Sweden and Finland. Therefore, when it comes to the place of Lapland, you should often add the country name, so that people can clearly distinguish which region you are talking about.
• The population of Finnish Lapland is over 180,000 people, mainly concentrated in 4 big cities (Rovaniemi, Tornio, Kemi and Kemijärvi), the population density is about 1.98 people/km2 – the lowest in Europe and less than number of reindeer here (200,000).
• Reindeer here are popularly raised as a meat producing animal in other countries. Near the village of Santa Claus, there is an Artic Circle – marking the arctic circle of the earth. Therefore, there is a phenomenon of 2 months in the summer when the sun never sets (lighting all day and night).
• Lapland Finland is also a very large region rather than a specific city or place. So when someone talks about Finnish Lapland tourism, you should understand that they mention to traveling to Rovaniemi city – the capital of the whole Lapland Finland region, where the village of Santa Claus and some remote surrounding areas is upper it, where you can hunting aurora (the Northern Lights) and other winter activities.
• Rovaniemi was almost destroyed 90% in World War II, but then the great Finnish architect Alvar Aalto redesigned the whole city as it have the appearance as we see today. There is currently a top 2 Finnish university named after his name, Aalto University – the top 7th school in the world in art and design section.

Lapland travel blog: When should you visit Lapland Finland?

Tourists often come to Finnish Lapland with the desire to experience aurora borealis hunting and take part in some winter activities. That’s why I think the most suitable time and best time to travel to Finnish Lapland is in the period from November to March. Because this is the time when you have the highest opportunity to seeing the Northern Lights along with this place is completely covered with white snow creating a magical scene comes along with a special and vibrant Christmas atmosphere.

Personally, I would recommend going from the beginning of November to mid-December because at this time there will be also a Christmas atmosphere here and it is not as crowded as December. Meanwhile, January and February are the peak winter months, the temperature is usually in the range of -20 to -40 degrees Celsius. Therefore, for those who are not used to extreme cold temperatures, coming here in this season is no different from being tortured :). In addition, the aurora often appears when it is cold and clear. If there is too much snow, the opportunity of seeing it is also lower than other times. There are times from September to November when it is very cold but without snow, it is easy to see the aurora borealis.

Lapland travel guide: How to get and how to travel to Lapland Finland (How to get to Rovaniemi)?

How to travel to lapland finland from other finland’s cities.

To get to Rovaniemi Lapland, you usually need to get to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. Then from here, you can take the train, onnibus or plane to getting here. The distance from Helsinki to Rovaniemi is about 700-800km.

• Onnibus:  Usually you will need to transfer in Oulu city. Total travel time is about 12 hours (8 hours to Oulu and 3 hours to 4 hours from Oulu to Rovaniemi). Ticket price is around €18-35.
• VR train  (the Finland’s national railway company) often runs 2 trips a day from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. Travel time: 8 to 12 hours. Ticket price: €40-90/way. The fare of €40 usually only appears in the summer, when the travel demand to Lapland is less than other seasons.
• Airplane:  Finnair (the Finland’s flag carrier and largest airline) often has quite a few direct flights from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. Ticket price is about €70-100/way.

If you depart from some countries with lot of demands for travel to Finnish Lapland such as the UK, the Netherlands, there are also direct flights from these countries to Rovaniemi. As far as I know, there are currently 7 airlines flying directly to Rovaniemi from 5 European countries which are the UK, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine in which the UK is the country with the largest number of tourists to Lapland Finland.

Lapland guide: Getting around Finnish Lapland

If you simply visit Rovaniemi, I think the most suitable means of transport is the public bus. Ticket price is €3.2/way and you can catch a bus from Rovaniemi center to Santa Claus village in 15 minutes.

However, if you want to participate in more winter activities, perhaps renting a self-drive car will be more appropriate. Because Lapland is a very large and extremely sparsely populated region, it will be quite difficult for you to participate in winter activities such as aurora hunting in the north, ice lake fishing, etc. without active means of transport.

Lapland travel blog: Where to stay in Lapland Finland?

Because Lapland is very large and the attractions are not gather in a single cluster like in other cities, finding a room here is not simple at all. Not only that, Lapland is also famous for various types of accommodation that are rarely found anywhere in the world. So, I will write a detailed article to guide you how to choose a hotel in Lapland later.

In general, in my travel experience, you should find a room and book it as soon as possible. Quality rooms in Lapland often sell out very quickly because here are few people, the hotel is not too abundant, but the number visitors flocking here from China, Japan, Germany, and Britain is quite a lot… Last time my friend searched for a room 4 months in advance but she still couldn’t find a good place to stay.

However, if you want to stay in upscale hotels, close to Santa Village, you can book hotels right in Santa Claus Village ( Agoda.com  or  Booking.com ).

You can also refer to the two other luxury hotels:  Arctic TreeHouse Hotel  ( Agoda.com  or  Booking.com ) built in a high hill, offer panoramic windows with beautiful nothern lights view.

Or  Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort  ( Agoda.com  or  Booking.com ). This is a hotel that is extremely suitable for visitors to see and admire the Northern Lights.

At first glance, the Kaklauttanen looks like it just step out of a sci-fi movie. The hotel consists of many rooms like turtles located next to each other. “Tortoise shell” is made of glass, does not absorb water vapor no matter how cold it is, guaranteed, guests can see the Northern Lights anytime it appears. Each room has a comfortable bed and a comfortable bathroom.

Below we recommend more best budget, mid-range and upscale hotels with good ratings and reviews you can refer to.

• Santa Claus Holiday Village ( Agoda.com  or  Booking.com )
• Arctic Light Hotel ( Agoda.com  or  Booking.com )
• Scandic Rovaniemi City ( Agoda.com  or  Booking.com )
• Lapland Hotels Ounasvaara Chalets ( Agoda.com  or  Booking.com )
• Arctic City Hotel ( Agoda.com  or  Booking.com )
• Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna Rovaniemi ( Agoda.com  or  Booking.com )

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Pyhä in Lapland: the Scenic Rovaniemi Day Trip

If you ask me, a day trip in the wilderness is a must if you are visiting Lapland!

Rovaniemi is a popular destination for many travelers, and not too far away from this arctic city, lie the magnificent fells of Pyhä and Luosto.

They are the most southern fells of Lapland and definitely worth a day trip, if not a longer stay!

The area is not only a favorite destination for winter sports enthusiasts but also hikers, because it includes a famous national park, Pyhä-Luosto national park , which has superb trails on fells and hills of the ripe age of 2000 million.

When I saw how those d eep gorges sliced the scenery of old-growth forests and how those windy, treeless fell-tops caressed the sky, nothing else existed for a moment. It was the most relaxing sensation. 

Pyhä fell is just 1,5 hours from Rovaniemi by car.

However, you don’t need a car to visit the area. You can just take the bus from Rovaniemi to Pyhä Ski Resort. There’s an all year round commuter bus service between Pyhä and Luosto resorts once you are there.

Table of Contents

Best Time to Visit Pyhä in Lapland

Things to do in pyhä in the winter, things to do in pyhä in the summer, magical trails of pyhä and luosto, local delicacies and special things to see in pyhä, the bus connection from rovaniemi to pyhä, bus travel with kids from rovaniemi to pyhä.

The charm of Lapland works in any season! We have visited Lapland in August, September and several times during the winter months.

The most comfortable hiking circumstances are naturally during the summer and autumn months. 

T he cool summer weather spoilt us in August, 10°C (50°F) in the morning and 18°C (65°F) during the day, no rain. The perfect walking conditions.

In September, the fall foliage is spectacular. The golden carpet on the forest floor is amazing! It’s very inexpensive to rent a lovely cabin during the summer-autumn season in Pyhä – Luosto area. 

Winter season is the high peak with all sorts of possibilities to enjoy the snowy nature. Just remember that you need to book early.

Pyhä and Luosto are winter wonderlands with so many things to do. Naturally, they offer traditional activities like reindeer and husky rides.

I also recommend trying back-country skiing and winter biking!

In back-country skiing, you use short, steady skis that are wider than traditional skis. The bottom skin makes climbing effortless and coming down gracefully slow.

Back-country skiing is essentially a mix of gliding and walking. Once you get a hang of it, my bet is that you like the skis more than snowshoes!

Winter biking is so much fun and you can even conquer a fell on a bike! The robust fat bike is surprisingly easy to operate.

Cycling on the beautiful winter biking trails is definitely a wonderful sport. What if you fall down? Don’t worry, the snow is super soft!

This video shows all the winter activities of the area!

I’m also proud to tell you that Pyhä takes climate change very seriously. That’s why Pyhä Ski Resort is carbon neutral.

Note that you don’t need to hike to see the Pyhä fell top. You can take the scenic lift. Here you find  the summer timetable . 

There is one thing that you should know when planning a summer day trip. Lapland can be covered with mosquitos in the summertime, especially during July. 

There are no guarantees, but the safest bet is to plan your trip for the first three weeks of June or then from August onwards. In August, we saw only a few mosquitos during our trip, and they were of no harm. 

Mosquitos are like the tide, sometimes there is a lot and sometimes none.

If you are traveling in July, you might want to buy a hat with a net and some Finnish mosquito repellent available at all stores everywhere in Finland.

Grab the free kit

Pyhä-Luosto National Park is loved and visited by locals.  The route I recommend the most is “Karhunjuomalammen reitti” route starting and ending at Pyhä Ski resort.

The route is around 10 kilometers, unbelievably beautiful and easily done by walking.

This trail includes the most famous sights of the national park: the waterfall “Pyhänkasteenputous”, Finland’s biggest gorge “Isokuru” and the ridge called “Uhriharju”. 

Laplanders (and nature-lovers) are a friendly bunch, and you can quickly start a conversation by the campfire. Even in Finland, where not disturbing others by talking is highly appreciated.

The upkeep of Finnish national parks is of a high standard, also in Pyhä-Luosto. There are dry toilets, campfire places with wood, lean-to shelters, and open wilderness huts. 

There are many options for day trips on very easy trails with gorgeous views of Lappish open bogs. They are called “aapa” in Finnish.

The day trips you can walk by wearing just regular trainers and sportswear. 

Here you can find a helpful hiking day trip packing list suitable for all hikes in summer Finland!

Laplander food is delicious. I think I made a record of how many fresh home-baked donuts (pretty much all cafés serve them) a person can eat during a week.

One café is in the middle of a hiking trail in Luosto. The place is called Lampivaara and you can reach it also by parking your car at the Ukko-Luosto car park and walking the trail for 30 minutes. 

Lampivaara wilderness café is actually next to an amethyst mine which is a cool place to visit!

The mine offers guided international tours and you get to dig an amethyst.

In Pyhä, Café Loimu at Pyhä Luosto Visitor Centre Naava serves excellent home-style cooking and a delicious lunch buffet.

This Visitor Centre is also the best place to get maps, hiking tips and all sort of awesome information about the area from the amazing staff.

To find Pyhä as a destination, one has to write “Pyhätunturi” (Pyhä fell) in the search box of the Finnish bus site to find the right connection.

You can read more about bus travel in Finland in this post. This post has also the right links to see timetables and make bookings.  

The bus connection takes 2 hours and 20 minutes from Rovaniemi bus station to Pyhä Ski Resort. If you hop in at Santa Claus Village, it takes 2 hours.

The bus connection is excellent in that way that it goes from Rovaniemi bus station to Rovaniemi airport, then Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi and then Luosto area (hotel Aurora). The last stop is in Hotel Pyhätunturi.

Hotel Pyhätunturi is where all the walking and activity routes start in Pyhä!

Bus travel is great with kids but some problems may arrive when it comes to the toilet facilities.

So, I called the bus company to be sure. The service is run by Kutilan Liikenne Oy in the year 2019.

They operate this connection either with a big or small bus. The big bus has a toilet.

The small bus doesn’t have a toilet but the friendly staff wanted to let any family know that the driver will be happy to stop for a bathroom break if needed. So you are okay to travel with kids!

So, is a Lapland day trip in Pyhä worth your time?

Yes, yes and yes! My warmest recommendation is that if you are visiting Lapland, you head to the fells. There is magic in the hilly landscapes beyond the Arctic Circle!

What would you like to know about Pyhä and Luosto area? Let me know in the comments!

Looking for more information about Lapland? Check these other posts:

• How to Do an Unforgettable Day Trip at Oulanka National Park + Hiking Packing List 
• Lapland Packing List: What to pack for winter Finland!
• 7 Things to Do in Rovaniemi from Lappish Cuisine to Ice Floating
• 15 Things to Know about Northern Lights in Lapland
• Glass Igloos in Finland: Local’s Tips for the Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience
• Pyhä Luosto National Park: Summer Hike tips + Detailed Multi-Day Packing List

About Varpu I’m the founder of Her Finland. I love cultural tidbits, aha moments, Finnish folklore, and cinnamon buns. My newest interest is learning bird songs. Read more about me..

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Sunday 3rd of March 2024

Great article! Where can you get the short skis for hikes? Are there any places that you can ride snowmobiles without being in an orderly line?

Best places in Finland » Why go to Rovaniemi? » Her Finland

Monday 18th of December 2017

[…] Check a cool day trip destination near-by Rovaniemi […]

How-to: Lapland Night Train with a car » Her Finland

[…] Lapland Day Trip near Rovaniemi […]

Majestic Oulanka National Park – Varpu Poyry

Saturday 30th of September 2017

[…] Lapland hiking trails (Pyhä-Luosto national park) […]

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DIY Lapland Trip: 8 Top Tips To Book Lapland On A Budget

There is no doubt that Finnish Lapland is the ultimate place to see Santa . It is his official home after all! This experience can come at a cost though.

The price of Lapland package holidays can be extortionate and for many people, they are just too expensive. The good news, however, is that you can still visit Lapland by arranging a DIY Lapland trip which will be cheaper than a package deal.

For many people, a DIY Lapland holiday is the most affordable way to visit Lapland.

If you find the idea of booking your own Lapland holiday a little daunting, we hope that this detailed guide will help. It is PACKED with information on how to arrange a DIY Lapland trip that will work out cheaper than package holidays .

Our comprehensive DIY Lapland guide will explain how to book Lapland on a budget, covering the main areas where you can save money with answers to some Lapland FAQs at the end.

But before we get into the hows and whys of booking your own DIY Lapland trip – we need to point out some important information .

This post contains affiliate links. If you book something using one, we may earn a small commission but this is at no extra cost to you.

• This post is written from the point of how to research and book cheap Lapland holidays . It is a diary of the steps we took to book our own Lapland holiday. We have now been to Lapland and you’ll find advice on the best places to stay in Lapland or the best excursions to book in Lapland in our Finland family travel section. This is purely to help give you some guidance to book your own DIY Lapland holiday.
• You need to be aware that booking a DIY Lapland trip may be cheaper than booking a package holiday to  Lapland, but it does not come with the same protection that you will get with a package holiday . You need to make sure that you are fully aware of the cancellation policies for the flights and accommodation and make sure that you have insurance in place.
• Most importantly – have don’t forget to organise your Lapland Boarding Pass , Lapland Reveal ,  Lapland invite from Father Christmas or your personalised Lapland hoodie !

Why we booked a DIY Lapland trip vs a Lapland package holiday

We fully intended to book a package holiday for extra security in case of cancellations – but with holidays from 2020 being carried over to 2021, there just wasn’t much availability.

It also seemed that the prices had been increased greatly by the tour operators so we had no option but to book our own budget Lapland holidays.

We wanted to go before Christmas to be able to see Santa which is the most popular (= expensive) time to go. Note that you can see Santa year round in most places but we felt that it was better for the kids to see him before Christmas.

I couldn’t price up a comparable holiday because there was no availability on the dates we booked (close to Christmas).

What I found was a 3 night holiday to Saariselkä (with transfers and a few taster excursions and a Santa visit) was £6300 with Santa’s Lapland flying on 1st December. The difference is quite staggering,

8 Tips for booking a DIY Lapland trip

Here are 8 ways you can make savings when booking a DIY Lapland trip.

1. Choose which Lapland resort you want to visit

You may be wondering which is the best resort in Lapland? But what you should be asking is where is the best place to see Santa in Lapland? or which is the best ski resort in Lapland?

Choosing a resort in Lapland is an entirely personal choice and the resort you choose will depend on what you want to get out of your trip. You may also be swayed by the flight prices (see #2 on how to book cheap Lapland flights).

These are the main resorts in Lapland and each of them offer something slightly different:

• Rovaniemi – the capital of Lapland and a large, lively resort with lots of bars and restaurants. Home to Santa Claus Village .
• Levi – the best ski resort in Finland. See here for more information on the ski resorts in Finland. We also wrote a guide to skiing in Levi with kids and family-friendly restaurants in Levi .
• Saariselka – the northernmost Lapland resort with a better chance of snow. Good for beginner skiers.
• Yllas – a traditional Lappish village with good skiing and home to the Snow Village if you want to stay in a snow hotel.
• Luosto – a small traditional village next to the Pyhä-Luoston national park .
• Ruka – a small traditional village – see Santa at his cottage about 30 minutes away from Ruka

The resort you choose depends what you are looking to get out of your DIY Lapland holidays. We wanted to combine a visit to Santa with some skiing in Lapland and a decent sized town so we ended up choosing Levi.

As you are arranging everything yourself, you might want to consider the resort you choose based on proximity to the airport. We chose Levi also because it is only 15 minutes from Kittilä airport meaning a quick (and cheaper) transfer.

See #5 for links to the tourist offices for each resort where you will find more information on each resort.

2. How to book cheap Lapland flights

Now that you have chosen your Lapland resort, you can choose your flights. We have some really helpful information in our (bumper) guide to finding and booking cheap flights including which are the best days to book your flights.

The main airports in Lapland are:

Rovaniemi (for Rovaniemi, Luosto) – Rovaniemi airport is 8 minutes from Rovaniemi and 90 minutes from Luosto. Kittilä (for Levi and Yllas) – Kittilä airport is 15 minutes from Levi and less than 60 minutes from Yllas. Ivalo (for Saariselkä) – Ivalo airport is 25 minutes from Saariselkä. Kuusamo (for Ruka) – Kuusamo airport is 10 minutes from Ruka.

Direct flights to Lapland from the UK are the most convenient but can also be more expensive than indirect flights.

You can fly direct to Lapland from the UK with Easyjet flights and Ryanair (to Rovaniemi) or TUI (to Kittilä, Ivalo or Kuusamo).

The key to grabbing cheap flights to Lapland is to book as soon as the flights are released. Easyjet don’t have a set schedule of release dates now so the best thing is to sign up to Easyjet flights to get email alerts. You can grab flights to Lapland for under £100 per person.

**22/23 Easyjet Lapland flights are being released on 3rd March 2022**

There was absolutely no availability on TUI to fly direct to Kittilä (for Levi) on the days we wanted and we noticed that Easyjet flights to Rovaniemi were £3500 for a family of 4 so we decided to book indirect flights.

If you need to book indirect flights, the best way to do this is on Skyscanner . If you have any flexibility on dates, choose the WHOLE MONTH option which will pull up the fares for each day of the month and you can then pick the most suitable.

It is not straightforward to find the whole month option so here’s how to do it. First, put your flight details in and search for flights. On the results page, you will see ‘Show whole month’ in the top right (circled in pink below).

Choose the month in which you wish to travel and it will show you the cheapest days of the month (highlighted blue).

You can even book a multi-city flight and have a stopover in another European city. There is bound to be a beautiful European Christmas market to pop into.

Here is an example of the flights we booked but there are so many different options from London to Lapland with airlines like Lufthansa, Air France and KLM.

KLM were offering the best value flights and at good times so we booked through Skyscanner :

LONDON – AMSTERDAM – HELSINKI – AMSTERDAM – LONDON

We had one night in Amsterdam on the way out and on the way home we just had a quick connection in Amsterdam.

We separately booked Finnair flights from Helsinki to Lapland (Kittilä) on Skyscanner . Even the most basic (cheapest) class allows us to change our flights up to 72 hours before departure (although are non-refundable).

If you are finding that the internal flights to Rovaniemi are quite expensive, you can try looking at the overnight train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi (the Santa Claus Express night train or on VR Matkalla ).

3. Lapland accommodation

There is a large choice of accommodation in Lapland ranging from budget to blow-the-budget. We suggest booking your accommodation on Booking.com for two reasons.

We found this was quite a bit cheaper than booking directly with the hotel and often they have a better cancellation policy than the hotel.

We stayed in a 2 bedroom suite with sauna in the Levi Panorama because it is ideally placed for people who want to ski. We also stayed in an igloo in the Northern Lights Village . You can read our review of the Northern Lights Village in Levi here .

We splashed out because of the once in a lifetime experience argument, but there are some lovely self-catering options on Booking.com for a fraction of the price. This is really where you can make some big savings.

An example of the savings we made on a 2 bedroom suite with sauna at the Hotel Levi Panorama for 5 nights:

Direct booking with the hotel = €407 per night (£1750 for 5 nights with NO breakfast)

On Booking.com = £1455 for 5 nights including breakfast. You can read all about our stay at the Hotel Levi Panorama here .

4. Book self-catering accommodation

If you are really looking to do Lapland on a budget, we would suggest booking a self-catering apartment or log cabin and take some supplies with you.

This was one of our money saving tips we used in Iceland where it was very expensive to eat out.

You can book self-catering accommodation through Booking.com which is a great travel resource for cheap holidays to Lapland.

5. Book your excursions through the local tourist office

There is usually a big price difference between the tours offered by the tour companies and those offered by smaller independent tour operators.

Take a look on the tourist information sites for recommended tours and then look on Tripadvisor for reviews to confirm.

You can either contact the local tourist information office to help with booking or you can wait until you get there to book (unless you are going peak season).

The main Lapland tourist boards are:

Lapland Safaris also have a good reputation and cover activities in all resorts.

6. Choose your Lapland activities wisely

Our kids love fishing and I imagine they would LOVE ice fishing – but after doing some research, it seems that nobody ever in the history of Lapland has caught a fish while ice fishing. OK, they may still love the experience, but they would probably love a bit of free sledging just as much.

The top activities in Lapland with kids and the ones we have booked are:

• Husky safari (5km should be enough with young kids)
• Santa visit
• Northern Lights hunting

Knowing how happy our boys were with all the free things to do in Iceland including playing with snow and ice, we are pretty confident that we don’t need to book any other activities in advance.

Just a note on booking activities, remember that in December there are very few sunlight hours and in mid-December you may not even see the sun.

The days are like a permanent dusk with the lightest part of the day being around noon.

Here are some top rated Lapland activities you might want to take a look at. Most of these tours have flexible cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

Levi: Lapland Reindeer and Husky safari .

Rovaniemi: Snowmobile reindeer and husky safari .

Rovaniemi: Snowmobile tour to see reindeers, huskies and Santa Village .

Rovaniemi: 3 hour family snowmobile tour .

Rovaniemi: family friendly snowmobile tour and artic animal adventure .

Rovaniemi: Ice Breaker cruise with lunch and ice floating .

Levi: Snow Castle guided tour .

7. Do you need to see Santa before Christmas?

If you are not that bothered when or even if you see Santa, you can save a lot of money just by avoiding the pre-Christmas frenzy.

January and February are better times to visit Lapland because of slightly longer daylight hours and better snow and the prices for flights and accommodation will come down significantly.

8. Book a ski package

If you have the time and like to ski or are interested in learning to ski, why not book a ski trip? There is some great skiiing in Lapland for beginners and intermediates.

A package ski trip to Finland is often cheaper than a package Lapland holiday to see Santa. Have a look at Crystal Ski or Inghams . The Lapland ski holidays are often 7 days as opposed to 3 or 4 days for the Santa breaks.

You can then book local excursions separately (see #5) and it will still be cheaper than the packaged Santa break.

FAQs on your DIY Lapland trip

FAQs on your DIY Lapland trip that we thought you may find useful:

Where is Lapland?

Lapland is in the Arctic Circle but did you know that Lapland spans Finland and Sweden? When people talk about visiting Santa in Lapland, they are talking about Finnish Lapland. If you are looking for a Lapland experience without visiting Santa, then you can also look at Swedish Lapland .

Where is the best place to see Santa in Lapland?

If you are basing your DIY Lapland trip around seeing Santa, you want to choose the best place to visit Santa in Lapland but this choice is still quite subjective.

We hve only been to Levi and we have not tried all of these experiences so we cannot vouch for them. This is simply to pull the information together to save you time with your research on Santa Claus trips in Lapland.

Here are the main places to see Santa in the Lapland resorts:

Rovaniemi is the official hometown of Santa Claus and where you will find the famous Santa Claus Village (and Santa Park ).

Levi –  Northern Lights Village or Santa’s Secret Cabin.

Saariselka –   Northern Lights Village or Kakslauttanen Resort.

Luosto – the nearest place to see Santa is in Rovaniemi (see above).

Ruka – Santa Claus at Ruka Village or at Santa’s Cottage (about 30 minutes from Ruka).

Yllas – the Secret Cabin or you can arrange for Santa to visit you in your cabin .

What to wear in Lapland?

If you are wondering what to wear in Lapland in December, make sure to read our guide to what to pack for Lapland .  Temperatures can range from 0 to minus 20 Celsius (and more).

In terms of what to wear in Lapland – it is all about layers. Good base layers / thermals, fleeces and a good quality (warm and waterproof) gloves. Good quality socks like Smartwool also make a big difference and the right footwear is crucial.

If you are booking DIY Lapland holidays, you won’t have the snow suits provided by the travel company so you will either need to hire them yourself.

If you are doing some snow activities, you should be able to hire snow suits from the company operating the activity (included in the price of the activity) or you can hire snow suits for the duration of your stay if you prefer.

If you have skiwear already, you should bring that, especially if you are planning on skiing.

Here are the items we take:

Warm waterproof  jacket 

We took our ski jackets with us which worked well.

We use these jackets:

• Mountain Warehouse jacket for men .
• Columbia women’s insulated ski jacket (possibly the warmest jacket I have ever owned).
• Spyder boy’s ski jacket .

You can find cheaper alternatives at Decathlon or Mountain Warehouse . Mountain Warehouse does good jacket and ski trouser sets for kids.

Waterproof trousers

We use our ski trousers. You can get good, affordable trousers from Mountain Warehouse.

Thermal socks

They are pricey but we LOVE Smartwool socks as they actually work! For a decent, cheaper alternative, we also use Mountain Warehouse thermal socks.

• Kid’s merino wool socks.
• Men’s merino wool socks.
• Women’s merino wool socks.

Thermal layers (top and bottom)

We recommend merino wool thermal layers. You should not use anything with cotton because cotton will retain sweat and cool you down.

We use Mountain Warehouse Merino Wool thermals . What I love about the Mountain Warehouse thermals is that the kids age 13 will fit me (5’5″ – size 10). These dino print thermals are really cute.

We also love Decathlon for thermal layers (not merino). See here for tops and bottoms for kids.

See here for women’s merino wool thermal layers from Mountain Warehouse and men’s thermals .

For a cheaper alternative, you can try the Mountain Warehouse Isotherm thermals ( Men ) and ( Women ).

Fleece tops

It is great to layer and fleece tops are warm, lightweight and dry quickly if you need to wash them.

Good quality snowboots are essential, especially if you want to be out at night searching for the Northern Lights.

We use these snowboots:

• Sorel kid’s snowboots.
• Sorel women’s snowboots.
• Sorel men’s snowboots.

Hat and gloves

You will want waterproof gloves for the kids as they may insist on playing with the ice and snow! We use Decathlon waterproof gloves for the kids.

Winter clothing rental locations Levi and Winterent Rovaniemi and Winterent Saariselkä Luosto Ruka Ylläs and Winterent

You can also rent your clothing from  Lapland Safaris which is present in all of the main resorts except Ruka.

Where are the glass igloos in Lapland?

There is a great article on the different types of Lapland glass igloos and where to find them. There are even some budget glass igloo options.

Can you do a cheap day trip to Lapland?

All of the above information is assuming that you want to spend a few days in Lapland but what if you want to do a day trip to Lapland?

In 2019, I saw an advert on Facebook for incredibly cheap Lapland day trips. The catch was, they were departing the following day.

I don’t have experience in this but would hazard a guess that it is pretty hard to organise your own day trip and for it to be successful and cheaper than the package deal.

You would need direct flights. It wouldn’t be possible to taking a connecting flight. You would need to have everything organised in a military style to be able to get everything done and if it is your first time, this could just all be a bit too much.

Your best option would be to wait until close to your time of departure and see if any of the tour operators are offering last minute holidays to Lapland.

When does it snow in Lapland?

The temperature in Lapland in December varies. There have been reports of very little snow at the beginning of December. This is not ideal at all if you are looking to do all of the winter activities on offer. There is obviously no guarantee of snow, but the later you go in December, the better usually.

The best snow conditions in Lapland are from January to March.

Still not sure about booking DIY Lapland holidays?

If you are really not sure about booking a DIY Lapland trip, then our top tip for booking a Lapland holiday with a travel agent would be to book late. Last minute Lapland holidays can be so  much cheaper IF you are prepared to risk with availability and don’t mind where you stay.

Tour operators start releasing their deals for any unsold holidays around 8 weeks before your intended holiday date and there can be big savings. There are unlikely to be many deals in 2021 because everyone who had a holiday booked for 2020 has been moved to 2021 and there is very little availability.

Here are some of the main Lapland tour operators offering holidays to Lapland – some are dedicated Santa holidays and others are just Lapland holidays:

• Santa’s Lapland
• Canterbury Travel Lapland
• Crystal Ski

More information on Lapland

VisitLapland is a great source of information for booking your DIY Lapland trip and if you are looking to speak to people who have been for unbiased opinions, we would suggest joining Lapland Budget DIY Trips or the Lapland Holiday Chat groups on Facebook.

There is a lot of invaluable advice on there which may help you narrow down your choice of resort and anything you’re not sure about, you can ask.

Can’t wait to get to Lapland? Check out these Lapland webcams for Levi , Yllas and Rovaniemi .

Map of Lapland

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Some great tips here, thanks! We are planning our own trip to Lapland over Christmas 2021, we have opted for Rovaniemi. So far we have only booked accommodation, but plan on flying to Helsinki and getting a night train from there. It should be a lot cheaper than a direct flight and will be a bit of an adventure for the kids! We have an Airbnb booked about 40 minutes from Rovaniemi and will hire a car. We are hoping the Northern Lights will be visible from out cabin. Will check out the tourist info site to get some activities booked soon. Thanks again for the tips! Keith (bullsgoglobal.com)

Hi Keith – glad you found it useful. Fingers crossed we’re able to travel in 2021!

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How to visit Lapland in one day

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Dreaming of a white Christmas? Good news: Santa's snowy Lapland home is an easy day trip from the UK. Cathy Toogood takes her family to Finland to meet Father Christmas, ride in a reindeer sleigh, and witness the magic of the Northern Lights – and still make it back to their own beds at the end of their adventure.

Being picked up from the airport in a sleigh and whizzing through the snow-covered landscape of Enontekiö is certainly an exhilarating way to start a family adventure in Finnish Lapland. We zip past pine trees dusted in snow and emerge into a dazzling white clearing. “Mummy, we’re on top of a frozen lake,” my six-year-old gasps, wide-eyed. And then he squeals delightedly as a chunk of snow is dislodged from the front of our sleigh, spraying us in the face. 

My family and I are on an Enchanting Lapland day trip with Canterbury Travel. The trip departs from more than 10 UK airports, so I travel from Newcastle with my nine-year-old daughter May, six-year-old son Zac and my husband. Having just turned nine, this felt like the last opportunity to get our savvy daughter to fully embrace the magic of Santa’s home.  

READ MORE: The UK's most magical Christmas experiences

Early birds 

We make it our mission to see Father Christmas as early in the day as we can, so we go through passport control and are kitted out in snowsuits, boots and balaclavas as quickly as is possible with two children in tow. Our eagerness is rewarded when we’re greeted by an elf as soon as we step off our sleigh and are ushered straight towards Father Christmas’s chalet.

One adult in every party is given a badge with a number on, which allows Santa Claus and his helpers to identify your group and greet the children with a personalised hello. My kids are impressed when Father Christmas beckons them in by name and makes a pun about our surname – “I hear you’re not only on the good list this year, you’re on the too-good list!” 

He doesn’t bat an eyelid when reading out Zac’s handwritten request for a carbon dating machine – thanks Santa! – and breezily answers sceptical May’s questions about why he’s currently living in Lapland, not the North Pole. “The North Pole is not a nice place to live really, May,” he says. “It’s just a story that I live there all of the time.”  

We leave Santa’s cabin clutching gifts and full of excitement to explore the Narnia-like landscape we find ourselves in. “Head straight to the huskies”, advises a friendly elf. “They are popular, so may be busy later.” 

This proves to be the best advice on our trip, as we are the first family to make it to the dog depot, where a pack of huskies are wrapped up snugly in hot pink and sunflower yellow jackets. Their handler has icicles hanging from his beard. We get a full introduction to the dogs, many of whom are named after biscuits (hello, Hobnob) and stroke them before helping to remove their jackets. 

Undressing them transforms what seemed like a friendly group of dogs eager for a cuddle into a restless pack, barking loudly and ready for a run. Their enthusiasm and speed make our short journey with them feel special. And while hurtling across the snow being pulled by huskies was our favourite way to travel in Lapland, there are plenty of other transport methods available on a day trip, from reindeer sleigh rides and kick-sledges to snowmobiles. 

Small things 

While you are largely left to take the day at your own pace (we arrive at Enontekiö at around 1.30pm and leave at 7pm), there are enthusiastic elves dotted around making sure that families are having fun. One called ‘Quack-Quack’ is energetically somersaulting in the snow as we pass and asks the children to help her make a snowman, while another spots their presents and gushes about how long they took her to wrap and why she chose the glittery paper. 

READ MORE: Europe's best Christmas markets

It’s this level of detail, accompanied by the winter wonderland setting, that will make even the most Scrooge of parents feel just as Christmassy as their children. From carols on the plane on our way out, to the cabin lights being dimmed on the return journey so we could see the green arc of the Northern Lights, we are kept constantly entertained. 

“That was the most amazing trip I’ve ever been on”, sighs May on the way home. “And Santa’s beard was definitely real” adds Zac. 

READ MORE: The world's most beautiful winter scenes

How to do Lapland in a day   

Lapland trips are popular and tend to sell out far in advance, so book early to guarantee the exact trip and departure that your family requires. 

Day trips tend to be the cheapest option to see Lapland, but they are long days – you leave the UK between 7am and 8am and land home at around 10pm. Plus, day trips only give you a taster of each activity so if you’d like to try an activity such as husky sledding in more depth, consider a longer trip. 

Pack spare pairs of gloves and hats for each child. They won’t be able to resist throwing a snowball or building a snowman and, once they are wet, they’ll get cold. 

Wear thermals with warm clothes on top underneath your snowsuit. Do check what clothing your company will provide on arrival so you don’t double up. 

Try to see Father Christmas early in the day. You’ll usually be able to arrange a slot on arrival. 

Look at the activities on offer and head to your top choice first, so you can check it off your wishlist. You’ll probably have time to do some activities twice. 

Remember that during winter, there are limited daylight hours this far north – it was dark by 2pm on our trip – so take plenty of photographs early on. 

Don’t forget to regularly eat and drink to keep your energy levels and temperatures up on a long day. Hot berry juice is a must! 

Getting there  

The starting price for Canterbury’s 2023 Enchanting Lapland day trips is £2,668 for a family of four (UK departures). This includes flights, a two-course hot lunch, in-flight meals, snow suits and boots, snowmobile and sleigh transfer from the airport, unlimited husky and reindeer sleigh rides, tobogganing, adult and children’s snowmobiles, an ice igloo, elves and a private meeting with Santa Claus. Departures from a variety of regional UK airports. 

Visit canterburytravel.com for more information.

READ MORE: 31 unexplored destinations you'll want to visit this winter

Main image: Canterbury Travel 

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Lapland in Winter: 20 Magical Things to do in Lapland in 2024

March 18, 2024

Paula Martinelli

Lapland in winter is magical!

Yes, it is true that a Lapland winter vacation is a once-in-a-lifetime trip ! Snow covers the North of Finland for almost half of the year, the Northern Lights light up the dark skies, snow-capped pine trees, and Santa Claus is around every day never letting us forget the Magic of Christmas is around. Does it sound dreamy to you?

Lapland is one of the most enchanting winter wonderland destinations on the Planet, stretching across the northern part of Finland, Sweden, Norway, and the Kola Peninsula in Russia .

Therefore, if you are consider to visit Lapland in December, you will find plenty of unique things to do. From catching the Northern Lights from your bed (yes you can do it here in Lapland), to going on a magical reindeer sledding , and of course, visiting Santa Claus!

I always wanted to visit Lapland in winter, and I had high expectations. But I have to say that everything I have done in Lapland exceeded my expectations! And now I am glad to share with you all I have experienced in Lapland winter time. This guide covers all the best winter activities in Lapland you cannot miss, what to pack, and all the essential tips for you to plan your perfect Lapland winter vacation!

You may also enjoy these articles ❤️ :

• How to Plan your Visit to Rovaniemi in Winter
• 15 Amazing Glass Igloos in Lapland to see Northern Lights

Is it Worth visiting Lapland in Winter?

If you are wondering if it is worth it to visit Lapland in winter, my answer to you is ABSOLUTELY YES!!!! You will just see from this list of my top things to do in Lapland in winter, to see why I am trying to convince you to add this destination to your bucket list!

What is the best way to Get to Lapland, Finland?

One of the most popular ways to get to Lapland is by taking the overnight train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi . I paid for a dormitory cabin and took my rental car with me on the train, and it was expensive! But I wanted to have the option to have my own car to explore more of Lapland and to chase the Northern Lights too.

Is Lapland Expensive?

Yes!!! Keep in mind that visiting Lapland in winter is not cheap , as it is a popular destination. My trip to Lapland was the most expensive part of my whole vacation in Finland. So keep in mind, if you are planning to visit Lapland in winter, you need to plan your budget in advance.

In order to have fun in Lapland, you will be spending money on activities . Most of the fun of Lapland in winter involves paying activities. So, if you are planning to visit Lapland on a budget, you will miss the best part of the magic!

You also have the option to stay at one of the amazing ice igloos , where you have the chance to see the Northern Lights from your bed. Such an amazing opportunity comes with a cost! But consider that most of the ice igloos accommodations offer breakfast and dinner, and some even offer activities, which will lower your cost.

The best way to save some money if you are planning to visit Lapland in winter is by booking your activities, accommodations, and transportation way in advance and trying to take advantage of the discount prices!

What are the main reasons I should visit Lapland in Winter?

❄️ CATCH THE NORTHER LIGHTS: One of the many reasons to visit Lapland in winter is to see the Northern Lights. However, before you visit, do remember that there is no guarantee that you will see the Northern Lights. So, keep an eye out for them when you are in Lapland in winter. You can even book fun Lapland activities to see the northern lights or stay inside a Northern Lights hotel in Lapland in December

❄️ ENJOY THE ARTICT EXPERIENCE: Lapland is easily one of the most beautiful places in the world. However, while taking in the stunning natural beauty of Lapland in November, feel free to embark on an incredible arctic adventure too. After all, there are a ton of one-of-a-kind things to do in Lapland in winter like dog sledding, cross-country skiing, a sledding safari with reindeer, snowshoeing, a snowmobile adventure, an arctic swim, and more.

❄️ GET INTO THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAYS: If you love Christmas then you need to visit Lapland in December. After all, Santa Claus’s official residence in the North Pole can be found in Santa Clause Village in Rovaniemi, Finland.

❄️ GET TO KNOW THE LOCAL ANIMALS: No trip to Lapland in winter would be complete without meeting some of the local creatures that call this amazing place home. In particular, Reindeer are an integral part of the ecosystem and were traditionally used by the Sami people for warmth, food, and transportation. To learn more about these adorable creatures, visit a Sami reindeer farm . It’s a great place to meet local people, go on a reindeer safari, feed reindeer, and taste smoked reindeer meat.

❄️ ENJOY A UNIQUE STAY: The only way that visiting Lapland in winter could get any better is by booking a unique stay inside an incredible ice or snow hotel . Typically, rooms are kept at around -4°C (25°F), and guests can sleep inside thermal sleeping bags and under reindeer blankets that are handed out by the hotel

Quick Tips for Your Lapland Winter Vacation

❄️ The days in Lapland in winter are shorter with the sunrise around 9:30 AM and the sunset around 2:30 PM

❄️ Lapland in winter is cold, so dress accordingly and plan your winter Lapland activities for during daylight time.

❄️ Lapland in winter is a popular destination, so I recommend booking our tours and accommodation in advance .

❄️ Temperatures in Lapland in winter vary depending on the location, Rovaniemi ranges from -20°C to +5°C, and further North you can even get as low as -30°C

❄️ 200 days of snow per year is the norm, with peak snow cover usually in late January and February

❄️ According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute , Lapland has a  better than 90% chance  of a White Christmas every year

❄️ You don’t need a car to explore Lapland, as all the tours offer transportation. To rent a car for a road trip in Lapland, get the best deals  with this reliable car rental  which compares prices across several companies.

20 Unmissable Things to do in Lapland in Winter

1. enjoy rovaniemi in winter.

Rovaniemi in winter is a perfect definition of Winter land. When I first arrived here, it took me a while to catch on to the views of seeing a whole town covered on a white snow blanket. Yes, I have seen snow many times before, but never so white as I saw in Rovaniemi in winter. The reason is that the snow doesn’t melt before it gets more snow again.

Rovaniemi  is the capital of Finnish Lapland. It’s one of the best places to stay for a white Christmas in Lapland, as it’s the official hometown of Santa Claus! Here, you’ll find a variety of activities,  reindeer farms , and of course Father Christmas which makes it a fantastic option for every kind of traveler.

Rovaniemi is located near the Arctic Circle and is one of the best places in the world to spot the Northern Lights. In fact, the Aurora Borealis is visible here for around 150 days of the year which is crazy! Here you will also find excellent restaurants, cafes, shopping opportunities and even an ice skating ring in the center of the city!

🔎 Read the full guide : If you are visiting Rovaniemi, I wrote a guide of the top things to do in Rovaniemi in winter.

2. Visit a Reindeer Farm & Go Reindeer Sledding

Reindeer sledding is an experience that often figures quite highly on anyone visiting the Arctic bucket lists. You will be able to experience something magical when you go on reindeer sledding in Lapland. You will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in  authentic Lapish culture , while you connect with the gentle reindeer, and experience the tranquility of the local forests as you travel along the glittering magical, and snowy trail.

During my trip to Lapland,  I visited this farm  and I was fascinated to learn that the farm belong to the family for the past 400 years old. This farm is an authentic and original Lappish reindeer farm, and the family has been practicing reindeer herding in Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland since at least 1800.

I would say that reindeer sledding is a must-do thing in Lapland in winter and is a great fit for anyone. Kids, adults, couples, or if you travel solo. But, please, do your research and choose a tour that offers an ethical experience by treating the animals with respect. So, if you are an animal lover, like me, and wondering if reindeer sledding is ethical , I have written an article about it that I recommend you read.

🔎 Read the full guide: All you need to know about reindeer sledding in Lapland

3. Go Dog Sledding

One of the most popular activities to do in winter in Lapland is to go on husky sledding . While reindeer sledding is very relaxing, husky sledding is perfect for anyone looking for more adventurous and exciting snow activities. It is a great activity for any age!

When you go on a dog sleigh you will ride through beautiful frozen forests, and also, have the opportunity to learn and interact with the energetic Siberian Huskies. They are very friendly and playful.

I am a big dog lover and have 2 puppies myself, I always worry about not engaging in any activities that do not treat the animals with respect. And one thing I learned during my first interaction with dog sledding while I was in Alaska , is that these dogs are not like ordinary pets. They are born to be in cold temperatures, and they get super excited about running and pushing against the harnesses. But I recommend doing our research about the tour company and making sure the dogs are well taken care of and healthy.

📷 Recommended Tour : Snowy Trails Husky Safari from Rovaniemi

4. Visit Santa Claus at the Santa Claus Village

The Santa Claus Village is at top of the list of the best-known attractions in Lapland in winter. Go Figure! Besides meeting Santa Claus in person, you will find many things to keep you entrained for hours, or if you have more time, for days. I found that the Santa Claus Village is not only kid-friendly but also, fun for adults!

I have a secret to share. I live in Florida, I don’t like Theme Parks, and I still loved visiting Santa Claus Village every day! That was one of the highlights of my visit to Lapland.

There are plenty of things to do in Santa Claus Village such as shops, restaurants, cafes, and ice bars. Also, you can go visit the Siberian Huskies, go on a reindeer sledding, or take a snowmobiling tour. You can even bake gingerbread cookies at Mrs. Claus’s house. Also, I just loved coming here for picture opportunities too. The lighting of the buildings, covered with white snow made me take so many magical pictures.

📷 Recommended Tour: Santa Claus Village tour + Arctic animals adventure.

5. Visit Santa Part II at The Home Cavern of Santa Claus

If you are looking to have a Santa Claus overdose, Lapland is a perfect location! The Santa Park Arctic World is a theme attraction in Rovaniemi, very close to the Santa Claus Village. The park is at a pretty cool location, hidden underground where you go through a tunnel, and where Santa and his Elves build toys for children from all over the world – cute right?

This is an indoor attraction where the kids can have plenty of fun, even on the coldest day. Right in the center of the building, you will find a big cafeteria and a stage where you can catch the magic of Christmas shows several times per day. Here you will also find Santa’s Office, Elve’s Post Office, the Ice Princess gallery with ice sculptures, and a couple of other activities.

Personally, I didn’t enjoy my visit. I paid 34,00 €/adult and I spent only 1 hour here. So, if you don’t have kids, I would skip this activity as you will find plenty of amazing things to do in Lapland in winter.

6. Hike to Frozen Waterfalls at Koruoma Canyon

If you are looking for one of the best adventures, you will also find it here! Not far from Rovaniemi. The Koruoma Canyon is 30 kilometers long and up to 130 meters deep valley. After a moderate hike, you will find a wonderful path leading down to the Korumo Canyon. You will be mesmerized by the views of the frozen waterfalls.

You can join a tour to go hike the canyons and forests, or ice climb the frozen waterfalls Hike among the striking frozen waterfalls of Korouoma. Besides the amazing adventure, you will learn about the Arctic’s flora, fauna, and geology as you travel through canyons and forests. Really, one of the collect things to do in Lapland in winter!

7. Catch the Northern Light s

This is one of the most magical things you can experience during your winter in Lapland. But let me start by saying that the Aurora Borealis is unpredictable!

After my two previous experiences trying to see the Northern lights in Iceland and then in Alaska, I was very determined to see them in Lapland. I spent 5 nights here, and I was only able to see it one night. But let me tell you, after driving for 9 hours, following an app on my phone for the best conditions. To increase your chances to see them, you can book a glass igloo and keep an eye on the sky.

The lights might unexpectedly appear and disappear at any time, and if you’re lucky, they might come out to play on your visit. Winter brings the best long nights and clear skies for viewing them. The Northern Lights in Finish Lapland are unpredictable. The best way to increase your chances to see it is to go on a Northern Lights Safari. You can book a midnight husky sledding experience as you can combine two bucket list experiences in one night.

8. Sleep under the stars in a glass igloo

Hands down one of the most amazing things to do in Lapland in winter is to stay in a glass igloo . This very unique accommodation is popular here in Lapland, especially when you consider catching the Northern Lights from your own bed!

Due to the region’s location, Finnish Lapland is one of the best places in the world to spot the Northern Lights. For this reason, you’ll find a wide variety of glass igloos in Finland that offer the ultimate experience in spotting the Aurora Borealis.

The majority of glass igloos options are located in and around Rovaniemi as this is where the Arctic Circle runs through! Some of them, are located even further north and in more remote areas of the country.

🔎 Read More: 15 Incredible Glass Igloos in Finland to Experience the Northern Lights

9 . Sleep in a Snow Castle

If you want to spend the night at a Snow Castle you should check out the Arctic Snow Hotel , considered one of the best snow hotels in Finland . With an excellent location, it is just a 30-minute drive from Rovaniemi. It is also a great place to spot the Northern Lights, due to its location in the Arctic Circle.

This hotel includes three restaurants, an ice bar, a snow sauna, and an outdoor jacuzzi. You can also get involved in plenty of activities including snow sculpting, snowshoeing, and ice fishing. Fun for everyone!

Now, the original Ice Hotel can be found in Jukkasjärvi, near Kiruna in Swedish Lapland. However, in Finnish Lapland, you can stay at either the Arctic SnowHotel near Rovaniemi, or the SnowCastle in Kemi.

10 . Dine at a Snow Castle and Drink at the Ice Bar

Another very cool (or cold) thing to do in winter in Lapland is to dine at a snow restaurant, have a drink at an ice bar, and why not, sleep at a snow castle. Oh, and if you feel romantic with your partner, you can also get married at the snow chapel.

The world’s most beautiful and professional Snow Castle is located in Kemi, and you can take a day tour from Rovaniemi . The majestic castle of Kemi rises up as in a fairy-tale world of the frosty Finnish winter. Each portion of the castle is lit with colorful lights that add splendor to the ethereal ice walls. Many artists come to lend their talents to the castle by creating ice sculptures throughout the waterside structure as well.

11. Take the Santa Claus Express Night Train

This is in fact the best way to travel from the Finnish capital of Helsinki to Lapland. The overnight double-decker train, Santa Express, is a perfect travel choice for anyone wishing to immerse into a come-to-life fairytale. The journey takes about 10 hours.

The night train is run by VR (Finnish Railways), and it features comfortable compartments you will find facilities such as Wi-Fi, a restaurant, sitting coach area. But you can also book a cabin where you can comfortably sleep, and even take your car with you.

12. Icebreaker Cruise and Ice Floating

One of the greatest adventures in Lapland in winter is to go on a  cruise in the frozen waters of the Bothnian Sea . You can take a day trip from Rovaniemi, to Sweden and get started with a sightseeing cruise through the ice in the Bothnian Sea, while you watch and feel the icebreaker and take incredible pictures.

During your cruise, the ship will stop and you can safely walk on the frozen sea, and you can also enjoy floating in the freezing water. But don’t you worry, as they appropriate survival suits in the middle of the Arctic Sea. At the end of your adventure, the captain of the icebreaker ship will reward you with a certificate!

📷 Recommended Tour: Icebreaker Cruise with Lunch and Ice Floating from Rovaniemi

13. Visit the National Park Pyhä-Luosto National Park

“This is the farthest North I have ever been in my life!!!” – This is precisely what I was saying in the picture below, while I stood in awe sank in snow up to my knees, and was surrounded by giant pine trees covered in a snow cap!

Pyhä-Luosto National Park is located about 90 minutes from Rovaniemi, making it a perfect day trip. But keep in mind that driving your own car can be challenging, considering the snow conditions on the road – yes, even with experience driving on snow, I got stuck at one point and had 3 cars stop to help me (Thanks to the kind Finnish people)!

The park area covers 142 km2, and the most important features are geological specialties, old forests, and wetlands. If you are really serious about exploring the winter trails at the park , you have plenty of options such as cross-country skiing, snow-showing trails, and winter bike trails. But the most important thing to consider is to follow the safety rules & regulations .

🔎 READ MORE: Ultimate guide on how to visit the Phyha-Luosto National Park

14. Enjoy the Lapland Winter Ski Resorts

One of the best things to do in winter in Lapland is to enjoy snow sports. In fact, Lapland has the best slopes in Finland and with that, you are left with plenty of choices to choose from. The ski season in Lapland normally begins in late October and lasts until around May. If you are into skiing or snow sports, you can check Ylläs, Pallas, Levi, Pyhä, and Suomu, where you will find the highest picks in Lapland.

No visit to Lapland in winter is complete without a ski run down the region’s snowy slopes. You can join this full-day small-group tour , with a round-trip transfer from your Rovaniemi hotel. Lunch, ski passes, and gear rental are all included in the price, leaving you free to focus on your skiing skills as you explore the site’s 43 slopes.

📷 Recommended Tour: Full-day skiing adventure in Levi

15. Experience the Traditional Finnish Sauna

If you are visiting Finland, you might know that the Finnish Sauna is part of the country’s culture. You will find them everywhere – from the shore of lakes, in private homes, and even at corporate offices. Yes, I was surprised to learn that they do business meetings inside saunas.

By Finn’s definition, it’s the place you strip down and go to sweat it out and relax. The traditional Finnish sauna is heated up to 80-110°C by burning wood inside a sauna stove. You will find the smoke sauna located by a lake so we will always go for a dip to cool down – even in the wintertime! Dipping in the icy lakes and rolling in the snow are said to be good for your blood circulation. Do you want to try it?

16. Marvel with Twilight (or Polar Night)

Catching the twilight during your Lapland winter vacation is magical, and also known for the Polar Night .

Because the days in Lapland in winter are shorter with the sunrise around 9:30 AM and the sunset around 2:30 PM, it takes the twilight time last longer. Around 3-5 PM should be the best time to catch the beautiful sky colors. First, a deep violet, then blue, and it brightest the sky glows cotton candy pink, and only an hour later the stars show up and the night falls.

The pictures you see below are from around 3 PM at the Pyhä-Luosto National Park, and for all the days I spent in Lapland, this was the most beautiful twilight I have ever seen. Being in the silent wilderness, with the deep snow cover and away from the artificial light of the city, it was truly a breathtaking photogenic experience.

But don’t you worry, you don’t need to be so far North to see the Polar Nights in Lapland. You will be able to see the phenomenon from anywhere during your Lapland winter vacation, including if you are staying in a glass igloo .

17. Go Ice Fishing Like a Finn

Last on this list of magical things to do in Lapland in winter, but not least, Ice fishing is a true Finnish experience. During the winter season, the ice-fishing safaris take you to a remote frozen lake that you will reach by snowmobile. In the breathtaking, peaceful surroundings it’s time to break the ice and try your luck at ice fishing.

The fun starts when you have to trek across the frozen lake, drill a hole into the ice, and try your luck at fishing beneath the thick ice. At the end of your adventure, you will have the opportunity to cook the catch of the day over an open campfire and tuck into a tasty fish brunch.

18. Go into the Mountains

Want to see Swedish Lapland in an entirely new way? If so then go even farther north and into the more mountainous areas of the region.

It is here that you’ll find Abisko. It is a stunning national park that is home to Aurora Sky Station.

Just hop on a chair lift and marvel at stunning views of the night sky and the northern lights swirling around you as you enjoy one of the best Lapland things to do. Then, once at the top, you can explore the area around the hotel or go skiing and snowshoeing as you enjoy all that winter in Lapland has to offer.

19. Get into the Spirit of the Holidays

If you love Christmas then you need to visit Lapland in December. After all, Santa Claus’s official residence in the North Pole can be found in Santa Clause Village in Rovaniemi, Finland.

Now, while you’re here you can meet the man himself (as well as Mrs. Claus and Rudolph) before heading to Santa Park to see elves perform acrobatic tricks. Next, check out the Arctic Circle underground, and enjoy all that this Christmas-themed place has to offer.

Just don’t forget to send a letter out from Santa Claus’ Post Office since it’ll get a special postmark that you won’t find anywhere else. You can also visit at any time of year since Santa Claus Village is open year-round.

20. Get to Know Local Animals

No trip to Lapland in winter would be complete without meeting some of the local creatures that call this amazing place home. In particular, Reindeer are an integral part of the ecosystem and were traditionally used by the Sami people for warmth, food, and transportation.

To learn more about these adorable creatures, visit a Sami reindeer farm . It’s a great place to meet local people, go on a reindeer safari, feed reindeer, and taste smoked reindeer meat.

Additionally, other adorable creatures that you’ll want to meet in Lapland in winter are Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies. Both species of domestic dogs are used to pull sleds through the region and can take you on an exciting dog sledding adventure. Then, head to Ranua Wildlife Park in Finnish Lapland and meet a variety of endangered arctic creatures that live in the northernmost zoo in the world.

📷 Recommended Tour : Rauna Wildlife Park day tour

What to Pack for Lapland in Winter

Winter in Lapland is cold! But as we say: “There is no such a thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing”. This fits perfectly for your packing rule for Lapland in winter. Therefore, to maximize space in your luggage, here are the best items to pack for your trip:

• Down jacket: Check here for the Best Travel Jackets
• Merino base layer
• Long sleeve tops
• Fleece jacket
• Fleece-lined leggings: Check here for the Best Travel Leggings
• Denim jeans
• Beanies, scarves, and gloves
• Merino socks
• Winter/ snow boots
• Bikini – if you are doing sauna

Winter in Lapland FAQs

What is lapland like in winter.

Winter in Lapland is absolutely magical and means tons of snow, dark skies for seeing the Northern Lights, and temperatures well below zero. It is also a perfect Christmas destination since you can visit Santa Claus’ home in Santa Claus Village in Finland.

Is it worth going to Lapland in December?

Yes, it is worth going to Lapland in December. Not only can you get into the Christmas spirit with a trip to see Santa Claus in Santa Village, but you can enjoy tons of fun winter activities and even see the Northern Lights dancing across the sky.

How Cold is Lapland in Winter?

Throughout January and February, Lapland can experience temperatures of between – 16 °C (3 °F) and 3 °C (37 °F), depending on where you are. However, temperatures can feel colder when you factor in the chill, although the region’s dry air helps make temperatures feel warmer.

Is Lapland at Christmas worth it?

Lapland at Christmas is absolutely worth it. Not only can you meet Santa Claus at Santa Claus Village in Finnish Lapland but you can see the northern lights, spend the night in an ice hotel, go dog sledding, and go for a sleigh ride with reindeer.

What are the chance to see Northern Lights in Lapland in winter?

That is the big question I always get, and one of the many reasons to visit Lapland in winter is to see the Northern Lights. However, before you visit, do remember that there is no guarantee that you will see the Northern Lights.

Sure, you can visit Lapland between October and March when dark skies mean there is a high probability of seeing the Northern Lights. But, this is a natural phenomenon that is dependent on charged particles and solar winds in the atmosphere to become visible.

However, because of Lapland’s arctic location, it is one of the best places in Europe to see the Northern Lights. In fact, it is situated in a section of the northern hemisphere that has the most northern lights activity. So, keep an eye out for them when you are in Lapland in winter.

You can even book fun Lapland activities to see the northern lights or stay inside a Northern Lights hotel in Lapland in December

Winter in Lapland Conclusion

A Lapland winter vacation should be on your travel bucket list! From husky and reindeer sledding to hunting the Northern Lights to visiting Santa Claus and enjoying the fairy tale forests covered in white snow, Lapland in winter is pure joy!

If the cold weather intimidates you, all you have to do is to dress appropriately and pick your best winter activities in Lapland to keep you moving and warm up by the fire. Or watch the Northern Lights from the comfort of your bed, when you choose to stay in an ice-glass igloo. Everything about Lapland in winter is magical!

If you have any further questions, leave me a comment below and as always, I will do my best to make your dream trip, be the trip of a lifetime!

If you are planning a visit to Finland, you may also enjoy reading the following:

• How to visit Pyhä-Luosto National Park
• Everything you need to know about reindeer farms in Rovaniemi + Best Tours
• How to visit Rovaniemi in Winter
• 27 Best Things to do in Rovaniemi in Winter
• 23 Famous Landmarks in Finland

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Plan your Trip

You can plan your trip with this easy guide and have access to the best services I recommend and you can get discounted prices.

Reindeer Farm in Rovaniemi: All you need to know about reindeer sledding in Lapland

How to Visit Rovaniemi in Winter: Lapland Winter Wonderland!

How to Visit Pyhä-Luosto National Park in Lapland, Finland

2 thoughts on “lapland in winter: 20 magical things to do in lapland in 2024”.

So magical. And love the clothes you posted links too. So informative.

Hey Kelly, so glad you enjoyed this article. Yes, Lapland is magical!

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Lapland on a budget

• Cheap Travel
• Family Travel

A complete guide to planning a magical DIY trip

• The Travel Mum

UPDATE: easyJet flights were released today (21/3/24) and prices have climbed to extortionate levels already (£800 return per person?! No thanks.) Don’t worry, these prices will fall as demand falls. easyJet price their flights based on demand, and with the tons of people searching this morning, they have shot through the roof. Most people aren’t booking at these crazy prices. Availability is still there. Hold tight! 

We can now see the dates and times of the flights, so one option is to choose an ideal time you would like to go, set price notifications for those flights and keep an eye on the prices. In the mean time you can book accommodation with free cancellation for those ideal dates. That way you have it booked and ready whenever the flights fall. If they don’t, you can cancel for free. Just make a note of the date that the free cancellation ends.

Visiting Lapland on a budget may seem like an impossible dream. With some package holidays costing upwards of £10k, lots of families have been left feeling like a trip to Santas homeland will never become a reality for them. Lucky for us all, budget airlines Ryanair and easyJet have recently changed the game. The introduction of their direct budget flights to Rovaniemi, Finland (From the UK) mean your Christmas dreams can now become a reality.

Our mission…

We are strong believers that travel experiences should be available to everyone, regardless of their income. As soon as we heard about these new budget flights, we had to go and check it all out for ourselves. With a maximum budget of £3000 for a 7 nights trip, we had a strict budget. This was for all three of us, and had to cover EVERYTHING. From airport parking, flights, petrol, food, activities… not one penny more was going to leave our pockets (spoiler alert: we kept it below budget even with some more luxury additions!)

In this post I will cover everything you need to plan your trip to Lapland on a budget, as well as detail every penny we spent. It’s a long one, but you won’t need anything else to help you plan your perfect budget trip to Lapland.

To make this post easier to read for our majority UK audience, I have converted prices into GBP. Note exchange rates may vary slightly and prices can change. I have added red text when discussing specifics of what we spent. 

Where is Lapland?!

Lapland is a region located in the northernmost part of Europe and spans across multiple countries. The majority of Lapland lies within Finland, with smaller portions extending into Sweden, Norway, and Russia. Lapland is famous for being an enchanting winter wonderland and being the legendary home of Santa. Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland is known as the official hometown of Father Christmas and where we will be flying to for this trip.  

Flying to Lapland.

First things first you need to research where you can fly to Rovaniemi from . I see a lot of people on our website trying to find trips from airports that don’t offer any direct flights to Rovaniemi. For this winter ( January – March 2024 ) Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Stansted and Dublin are offering the best prices. Bristol, Edinburgh and Manchester are also offering direct routes, but for a much higher cost. Also note what day the flights are scheduled, as they wont be daily. This means although you may want to go away for 3 nights, your closest airport may only offer flights on a Monday and Saturday.

As with all DIY trips, you should be considering flights before you book any accommodation. Flights prices can vary massively from day to day, whereas accommodation prices are much more stable in their nightly rates. If by the end of this article you still feel this is too much effort, we are happy to plan these trips for our premium members who pay £30 for the year . This comes with other benefits such as weekly cheap flights/hotel notifications. Note that we can only do personalised trip plans once the membership is paid, we can’t do this for people using the free trial due to the amount of time it takes.

Our flights were £75pp from London Gatwick travelling 4th – 11th December. We travelled with the free under seat allowance plus one carry on suitcase to share between the three of us. Flight total: £225 for a family of three.

When to travel to Lapland?

November – March are the most popular months for a trip to Lapland, with December naturally peaking in price and popularity due to the Christmas period. That’s not to say Lapland isn’t a beautiful place to explore all year round, but for the purpose of this post we will assume you are looking for the winter wonderland experience.

November is an affordable and popular time to visit, but snow isn’t guaranteed. That being said, the snow came really early this year near the start of November.

January will definitely have snow, and prices are excellent.

We visited in December to show it is possible to get some great prices in the peak Christmas month.

Whenever you decide to visit, Santa Claus village is open all year round. Remind the kids that Santa is a lot less busy after he has delivered all of the presents in December!

We visited on the 4th – 11th December, a peak time to visit but we were able to get decent prices on flights and accommodation by booking our trip early in June. I would recommend looking at flights as early as possible when they are released around March 2024, especially if you are wanting to travel in December / during the school holidays. 

If you are limited to the school holidays you can save a lot by setting off a day or two before the holidays start. Alternatively return a day or two after the kids return to school. Most schools wont issue fines for a day or two missed, and you will likely save a lot of money on your flights. We took Leo out of school for the whole trip but he hasn’t reached his 5th birthday yet.

So you’ve found your flights?

Don’t book them JUST yet, we need the whole puzzle to come together before we pay for anything. You may find cheap flights but then discover there are only really expensive accommodation options available on those particular dates. I know a lot of people who snapped up last minute December flights this month, only to then discover accommodation prices are currently extortionate due to the high demand.

When to book?

Ryanair and easyJet often release their flights around 9 months in advance, easyJet have announced they will be releasing their winter flights on the 21st March. Ryanair flights are likely to be released in April.

We booked in June and found a central apartment that was just over £100 per night, it slept up to 4 adults making it just £25 per person per night! This is the type of price you should be aiming for. This is the apartment we stayed in.  

You always need to take flight and accommodation prices into consideration together. It may be that it is worth paying £100 more for flights on a different date if this saves you £500 on accommodation and vice versa.

We can help you!

Our websites search feature can help you by finding great flights on dates that also have great hotels available. You can’t use this until the December flights are released. With one search you are looking for a cheap combination, saving you lots of time and effort. Make sure you know the available duration from your chosen airport. For example, last year Manchester to Rovaniemi flights were on a Tuesday and Saturday, so a 1 night overnight trip from Manchester isn’t possible.

Alternatively join our premium membership and let us do it for you!

Where should you stay?

The most popular area for families looking to book a trip to Lapland on a budget is Rovaniemi. It offers that traditional Christmas experience within a relatively small area that is easy to get around. The city is close to the airport, with easy access to Santa Claus village and Santa park via the Santa bus. We stayed here for three nights and felt that was just enough. On our first full day we visited Santa Claus village, on the next we went to Santa park, and on the morning before we drove north to Levi, we visited Snowman World. I’ll discuss attractions further down this post.

Our thoughts…

Our overall opinion of Rovaniemi was that it is perfect for families wanting a short and cheap trip with lots of magic for the little ones. It offers all the standard experiences (husky’s, reindeer, Santa, sledging) in a small convenient area. At Santa Claus Village you can queue and do activities on the day without pre booking, which is great for families like ours who lack organisation! Rovaniemi also gives you the chance of seeing the northern lights.

We did feel it was a little commercialised and although the big city is a convenient place to stay, it lacked that cozy Christmas atmosphere we were hoping for. That’s not to say it isn’t a wonderful place to stay, thousands of families return home saying their stay there was the best holiday they’ve ever had.

Levi was our second stop during this trip and we stayed there for two nights. It was just over a 2 hour drive north from where we stayed in Rovaniemi and the roads leading there were great. Kittilä airport is only a 19 minute drive to Levi and you may wish to consider flying here if you are staying solely in Levi. Bear in mind these flights are much more expensive.

Where we stayed in Levi.

We stayed at Levi Suites Levin Klubi which was great value. We paid £269 for two nights . Our two bedroom apartment was lovely and even had a sauna. The location was fine with a car, but would have been a little far out from the centre without. A more central option is at Levi Suites Levi Gold which is bang in the centre.

Levi is primarily a ski resort with a lot of the cozy Christmas charm we were looking for. A cute festive village in comparison to the large city we had just driven from. Whether you are a skiing pro or a complete beginner, this is a great option for anyone wanting a more active trip. The traditional Christmas experiences are more spread out than in Rovaniemi, but all are still available.

We didn’t ski but still really enjoyed our time here. ‘Kids Land’ is a great area with a small slope for sledging. There are lots of sledges to use for free and there is a small building with a log fire to pop into and get warm. We had a packed lunch which we ate in there and then toasted some marshmallows for desert.

I’ll list the activities we did whilst here below. Overall we preferred Levi to Rovaniemi, but Leo would tell you he preferred Rovaniemi to Levi! Levi is definitely better suited to older children and adults. We noticed tons of cozy cabins within the forest which we will definitely look into if we visit again.

After our stay in Levi we drove even further north to a small town called Inari. Lake Inari is the third largest lake in Finland and was the base for our two night stay here. The drive from Levi to Inari takes around 2.5 hours and the roads are beautiful and remote. We barely saw another car the whole time. Make sure you stock up on water and snacks as services along the route are limited. If you choose to drive to Inari from Rovaniemi (or drive straight back for your flight home) it will take around 3 hours 50 minutes.

Where we stayed in Inari.

I found some amazing cabins whilst researching the cheapest way to sleep under the northern lights. Inari Mobile Cabins are pulled out to the middle of the frozen lake at night to get the best views of the northern lights. I’d decided we had to stay there, even though it was pricey. Some experiences are so unique we just can’t miss them! As we had been so tight with our budget up to this point, we had the spare cash to book two nights here. The nightly rate was around £400, you get a 10% discount when booking directly with them (and not through booking.com). We justified this as a normal hotel was coming up at around £200 a night. With northern lights tours around £100 per person, we felt it would be better to stay in the cabins and keep an eye on the sky all night, instead of doing a tour.

The further north we drove, the less commercialised things became and the more authentic it felt. At the same time it also became less catered towards kids (and consequently better for adults travelling without kids). We are lucky that Leo has been travelling from birth, so he is pretty tolerant of long drives, uncomfortable weather and a lack of specific facilities just for him.

Inari is widely known as the capital of Finnish Sámi culture and houses the Sámi parliment of Finland. There is a Sámi museum as well as lots of other activities to enjoy. Whether you fancy husky sledging, reindeer experiences, ice fishing or cross country skiing – you won’t have time to get bored. The owner of Inari Mobile Cabins also helps arrange tours, so contact him through the website linked above if you need help planning your stay.

What to wear

A lot of people worry about how they will keep warm in the freezing temperatures. It was -22C whilst we were there, but we managed to stay toasty. Whether you buy your own items or rent will depend on how long you are visiting and what you already have at home. You can rent snow suits and boots for around £20 a day. Lapland Safaris is a good option and they operate in both Rovaniemi and Levi. If you are only staying for 2 or 3 days, this may be worth doing. If you plan to visit a cold climate again, or are visiting for a week like we did, it ends up being better value to buy your own things and have them to use again. My snow boots are so comfortable I have been wearing them back in the UK!

What we bought and prices

We bought our snow clothes from Aldi, Lidl, Decathlon and Vinted.  We already had some things like base layers, hats and my husband had boots. Essentially you need three layers of clothes. A warm base layer, wooly mid layer and a waterproof outer layer. As well as this you want a thin sock like bamboo plus a warm thick wooly sock on top. We had normal gloves with ski gloves over the top. We took hats, scarfs and balaclavas which we had already at home. I’ll list what we each bought and the cost below. The ski ranges at Aldi and Lidl were released in November last year.

Snow coat (Lidl) £25

Snow trousers (Aldi) £12

Snow boots (Aldi) £20

Ski gloves (Aldi) £6

Already had warm mid layers, base layers and socks.

Snow trousers (Aldi) £16

Gloves (Aldi) £6

Already had a coat, mid layers, base layers, socks and boots.

Snow suit (Vinted) £8

Snow boots (Decathlon) £25

3 x base layers (Decathlon) £36

3 x ski socks (Decathlon) £9

Ski mittens (Decathlon) £20

Total spent on clothes: £183 for the three of us

Getting around once in Lapland

For convenience we hired a car. We find with an impatient and unpredictable 4 year old, a car is always a good idea. It also meant we could easily go on our adventure into the north without worrying about public transport schedules. If we were only staying in Rovaniemi a car would have been completely unnecessary.  

Car Hire.  

Our car hire was £254 for 7 nights and we booked with the controversial company Green Motion. They had the cheapest prices by far but have a lot of complaints about them overcharging for minor damage/scratches. For this reason a lot of car hire excess insurance companies won’t cover them. When you hire a car you are covered for the basics, but you will usually have to leave a deposit which will be used as the excess should you do major damage to the car. This is often around €2000 and is held on a credit card. Excess insurance means that if you write the car off, the car hire company will keep your deposit, but then you can claim the money back through your excess insurance provider. The excess cover offered by Green Motion starts at €10 per day and goes up to €50 a day if you want to be able to reclaim all of your deposit. This adds a hefty sum onto the base price. easyJet car hire offer green motion cars and use AXA as their excess insurance. Leisure guard is another company that will cover Green Motion. (Research done by one of our lovely followers).

As a family we are quite risk averse, possibly too laid back! We meticulously film the car before we set off and on dropping it back off so we have evidence of its condition. We are pretty confident that we won’t damage the car (but also appreciate we don’t have control of all situations). I’d like to think if a hire company tried to scam us, we would be well prepared with evidence! We didn’t cause any damage to the car and luckily we had no issues with returning it. I mention the controversial history of this company as I know many people would rather avoid them and use one of the many other companies operating out there.

Do a search here to find the best value car hire for your dates. Looking at December 2024 you can get lots of similar prices to what we paid.

Public transport

Buses run often in all of the places we visited. Rovaniemi has the Santa bus which is €4 one way or €7 return. It stops at the train station, airport, Santa Claus Village and Santa Park. If you are staying within the centre it is really easy to access a lot of the main attractions.  

Lot’s of people choose to use taxis to get around. This will be more convenient than public transport, but will likely cost more (depending on how many people are splitting the fare of course).   Personally we found that with the intense cold and having a child with us, we didn’t want to be outside any longer than we had to. We had planned to use some buses for the experience and to get the content for you all, but in the end the convenience of the car being sat outside meant we could never bring ourselves to do it!  

Eating and drinking in Lapland on a budget

Self catering.

Lapland is a place where you will definitely benefit from having an apartment with a kitchen. Eating out is pricey whereas supermarket food is quite reasonable. On arriving in Rovaniemi we went to a supermarket near our apartment (K-Supermarket) and spent £66 on food. This included breakfast, things to make packed lunches, snacks and some dinners. Joao bought a few beers to have in the evenings and Leo got a £5 giant kinder egg (just to show we weren’t being completely tight!) We weren’t cooking fancy evening meals, we were eating things like pasta, pizza, salad, chips and fruit. For breakfast we were having cereal and some fruit and coffee. Lunches were sandwiches with some crisps/fruit/protein bars. We were drinking tap water and had brought our own hot chocolate. We did a second £40 shop on arriving in Levi and that covered all of our ‘home cooked’ meals for the trip.  

Leo is a very picky eater, so we always take a lot of super noodles away with us (he will only eat one flavour from one brand) just incase we are struggling to get him to eat. This covered a couple of his evening meals along with some fruit. We packed a lot of protein bars to take out and curb our hunger during the day. We also took a flask and some hot chocolate powder to have our own hot chocolate whilst out (this saved us £5 per cup).  

Total £106 spent on supermarket food.  

We always want to enjoy a few meals out, and the joy of being so budget conscious means you are left with spare money to splash out on a few nicer things.

We would rather provide our own sandwiches than buy expensive sandwiches in a cafe and by doing this a few times you are left with extra money to spend on a nice dinner. It’s not all about being as tight as possible, it’s about spending wisely. We could spend £10+ each on breakfast with a coffee, or we can eat before we go out and save that money. Preparing our own meals isn’t a sacrifice for us; rather, it’s a way to save money for the experiences that are more important to us.

At Snowman world we booked to have lunch in the ice restaurant and have a drink at the ice bar. It is a unique experience that we haven’t had before, so we didn’t want to miss out. You can have lunch or dinner there, lunch being the much cheaper option. It was a two course meal with a main and a desert. Joao and I had reindeer soup for our main and Leo had pasta bolognaise (prices detailed in the attractions section). All of the food was delicious, it was expensive for what it was but you are paying for the experience. We drank tap water so we didn’t spend extra on drinks and we ate a lot of bread! While it’s probably obvious for an ‘ice restaurant,’ it was quite chilly! To be honest, I don’t know what I was expecting, but dining with gloves on isn’t exactly ideal! After lunch we went to warm up in the cafe area overlooking Santa Claus Village. We got two glasses of Golgi (a traditional drink similar to mulled wine but without the alcohol) and this cost £5 for the two.  

During our visit to Santa Park, we stuck to our normal routine of bringing our own packed lunch. However, Leo decided he wanted the buffet food. Given his selective eating habits, we never turn down the opportunity for him to enjoy a hearty meal. Consequently, we bought him a child’s buffet lunch priced at £12. This ended up being ideal as he sat and ate it in the central restaurant area just as the Elf show was starting. The adults buffet is £20 but the food didn’t look fantastic so we gave it a miss. Joao and I ate our packed lunches and had prime seats for the show. We also spent £2.60 on a gingerbread cookie for Leo to decorate in Mrs Gingerbreads Bakery.

Whilst in Levi we had heard about a restaurant called Niliporo . Owned by a local reindeer herder, it has a menu full of traditional reindeer dishes. It is located right in the centre so we decided we would have dinner there. The restaurant is cozy with some interesting items on the menu. Leo didn’t fancy anything except mash potato and a hot chocolate. I ordered a reindeer burger and Joao had reindeer meat balls and some local beer. We also had the reindeer tapas as a starter to share. All of the food was amazing, really delicious and although a little expensive, it was worth it to try some traditional dishes. The meal with drinks came to around £82.

Our accommodation in Inari offered free breakfast. They also prepared a traditional grill hut dinner in the evening for around £30pp. We booked to have dinner with our hosts on our last night and Leo ate for free. The food was delicious, we had gingerbread and Golgi for dessert. A lovely end to the trip.

Total spent on food and drink bought whilst out: £199.10

(Relatively) cheap activities when visiting Lapland on a budget.

Rovaniemi  .

Visiting Santa – Rovaniemi is a great place to see Santa with Santa Claus Village and Santa Park being the go to spots for most. The Santa at Santa Claus Village is free to visit, but then you have to spend a fortune on the photos. They won’t let you use your own camera to take your own.

Santa Park is a paid attraction currently costing £36.50 for adults and £31 for children (age 3 – 12).  Once in there you can see Santa and take your own videos and photos. Overall if you want a photo, this ends up being better value than seeing him for free at Santa Claus village. The park has a variety of other activities, mainly aimed at younger kids. You can ride a magic train, do some crafting, attend elf school, decorate gingerbread cookies, watch the elf show and much more. It is all located inside a cavern and is lovely and warm.

Santa Claus Village – There are lots of things to do here. This outdoor village is free to enter and have a mooch around. You will find sledges with SCHV written on them, these are free to use and provide some free fun for the kids. You can do a husky ride, reindeer sleigh ride, visit the elf farmyard and feed reindeer, visit Santa or Mrs Claus and much more. I will list the current prices for these activities below. You can turn up and queue for these activities without pre booking. The Husky park recommends you book in advance, especially if you want to ride whilst it is still light. Leo enjoyed visiting Santas post office and sending some post cards home. Post cards can be bought for €1 and Lapland stamps are €2.50.

Santa Clause village prices

Visit Mrs Claus – we did this and the session lasted around 10 minutes. We didn’t buy the photo as we felt it was extortionate. €5 per person to visit – €20 digital photo – €30 printed photo – €40 for both Digital and printed.

Reindeer Sleigh Ride – We didn’t do this, but the queue wasn’t too long. People hadn’t pre booked.

400m path – Adults €25 Children €20

1000m forest path – Adults €40 Children €30

3km winter adventure – Adults €99 Children €75

Elf farmyard – We went here and felt it was relatively good value. We really enjoyed seeing the reindeer up close and feeding them. There is a slope for sledging in the farmyard, a little playground and a fire for toasting marshmallows. As well as reindeer there are also alpacas and sheep. You can pay to  

€15 per Adult

€10 per Child (age 3 – 15)

Additional €5 for a bag of reindeer food.  

Visit plus 15 minute walk with reindeer €38 adults €25 children  

Visit plus 1 hour walk with reindeer €70 per person

Husky park prices – We did the 2km ride. It lasts around 8 minutes and it a beautiful route through the forest. Sitting still and being pulled through the cold gets quite uncomfortable really quickly, so we felt this was the perfect duration. You can book your ride here .

Tour of park plus 2km ride: Adults €75 Child €45 (age 4 – 12)

2km ride only: Adults €45 Child €30

Elf hat academy – We were advised not to do this as it is a pricey experience for what it is. It is a 25 minutes session where you get to learn how to be an elf. Elf school is included with your Santa Park ticket.

€39 for a 25 minute session

Mini snow mobiles – suitable for ages 4-13. We didn’t feel Leo would be able to sensibly drive around the track so didn’t do this.  

€22 for 10 minutes (so we would have tried to distract him from these even if he was capable!)

Snowman World – This was one of our favourite things to do with Leo. Tickets are £25/person for all day access. This includes the tube snow slides, a snow maze, ice skating, an ice slide plus you can pay extra to get a drink at the ice bar or a meal in the ice restaurant. We booked our tickets in advance which included lunch and we saved a little by doing this.   By booking in advance it was £41 per adult for entry plus lunch and £35.50 for Leo . We pre booked 2 non alcoholic drinks in ice glasses too for £9. To book lunch on the day it was £21 for adults (plus the £25 entry – £46 total) and £15 for children (plus £25 entry – £40 total). The ice drinks were £5.20 each to buy at the bar, so we saved a euro each pre booking them. There is a luggage storage room here so it could be a great thing to do on your last day if you fly later in the evening.  

Angry birds park – Located in the city centre, this large park is free to enter and offers some great sledging opportunities. We saw a few sledges lying around here but we had bought our own in Santa Claus Village for €15. There is a big slope at the back of the park leading down to the river.  

Toast marshmallows – You will find lots of open fires around Santa Claus Village where you can sit and toast marshmallows. We took our own marshmallows along with some hot chocolate, a lovely way to have a rest and warm up plus a novelty for the kids.  

We only had two nights in Levi, so we were limited in time for what we could do. As we had already done the Santa / traditional Christmas activities, we were on a mission to fill our day with cheap but memorable experiences.

Drive up to the ‘Panorama hotel’ ( you can also take a gondola up there ) and find the ‘Levi summit’ cafe. This building houses a Sami museum, perfect if you want to learn a little about the culture and history. The museum was £11.20 per adult and came with a free hot drink at the cafe. Leo entered the museum for free.  

From here you can then walk to the “Secret cafe” . I show how to get there on my instagram highlight for Lapland, but it is pretty straight forward and people will be able to point you in the right direction. The walk to get there is mainly flat and takes around 5/10 minutes. The cafe is essentially a small shed with an open fire and a great view! Hot drinks are £3. There is an open fire to toast sausages (£3.50), marshmallows (£1.70) or prepare a hot crepe (£5.20). You can also get a Jagermeister for £6.

Kids Land – This small area set aside from the main slopes is perfect for little ones. There are lots of sledges there to pick up and play with. A hut with a little fire to warm up in and eat a packed lunch. It is free to access.

Sledging at the bottom of the main slope is very popular and occupied Leo for a long time. In the evening when the slopes close, kids can use the bottom of the main slope for sledging.

Christmas market – There is a small Christmas market in Levi – worth having a look around.  

Find Santas Secret cabin – We were excited about this one. Apparently it is best to book a guided tour but being the forever optimists, with a super tight budget, we decided to go and find it our selves. You need to take Gondola 2000 up to the top, and then head right towards the cabin which is apparently sign posted. Many people told us this was fairly easy, but they clearly hadn’t been up there during the snow storm we encountered! If someone told me it was -50C up there I would have believed them. Our hair froze, Leo’s eyelashes were frozen, Leo was being very dramatic and screaming ‘We need to get indoors!!’ – It was like something from an armageddon movie. So we pretty much called it a day and went back down. The gondola ride was beautiful, but it was not pleasant at the top! Please do let us know if you ever make it successfully!

I have shared A LOT of information above, but in summary.  

• Find cheap flights and self catering accommodation.  
• Plan what you will wear (buying vs renting)
• Work out how you will get around (Car / Buses / Taxi)
• Plan to do budget friendly activities.  

Ways to keep costs down:

• Buy budget friendly snow clothes (Aldi/Lidl/Vinted)
• Pack light and don’t pay for check in luggage.
• Do lots of free/cheap activities.
• Take your own pics with Santa at Santa park.
• Do short experiences rather than long ones.
• Bring hot chocolate and marshmallows for toasting.
• Cook most of your own meals, but do treat yourself to some nice meals too.

What we spent on our 7 nights budget trip to Lapland:

Flights and Accommodation:

Return flights: £224.87 (£75pp)

Airport Parking £59

3 nights Rovaniemi- £309

2 nights Levi: £269

2 nights inari: £800

TOTAL: £1661.87

Getting around

7 nights car hire – £254.88

£34 excess insurance  

TOTAL: £348.88

Food and drink:

Food shopping – £106

Eating out – £199.10

TOTAL: £305.10

Snow clothes – £183

Attractions – £384 (Mrs Claus, 2km husky ride, elf farmyard, reindeer food, 2 x post cards and stamps, Santa park, Snowman World, Gondola 2000, Sami museum, sausage and crepe at secret cafe)

Sledge – £13

TOTAL: £580

Lapland on a budget overall spend for the 7 night trip – £2895.85

This could be MUCH cheaper by staying for less nights, not hiring a car, not staying in a £400 per night cabin in Inari and eating out less!

I hope you have enjoyed this blog post and that it can help you plan your budget trip to Lapland!

If you would like us to plan your trip for you, sign up for our premium membership and get in touch!

Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. 

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Lapland itinerary: the ultimate travel itinerary through Finnish Lapland in winter!

A tour through Finnish Lapland : the ultimate winter experience! In this blog, you will find an itinerary for a five-day trip through the north of Finland: one of the most beautiful parts of Lapland. During this itinerary, you will have the chance to see the northern lights several times or to enjoy the other magical things that Lapland has to offer. We also give you tips on other highlights of Finland. This gives you a good idea of what there is to see in Finland and which destinations you want to include on your Finland itinerary.

Lapland itinerary

A trip to Lapland: the number one thing on Ries’s bucket list before he turned 30. Especially because of the northern lights that you can see well above Lapland in the winter months. But there are many more reasons to take a tour of Finnish Lapland. For instance to visit Santa Claus Village (together with your kids). You can also take a husky ride through the thick snow, or drive a snowmobile. All in all, a winter trip to Finnish Lapland is magical!

Round trip in Finnish Lapland

The northernmost part of finnish lapland.

In this blog, we focus on the northernmost part of Finnish Lapland, the region around Ivalo . A little further south are the cities of Rovaniemi, Levi & Kiitala. Here too you have the real Lapland feeling in winter. With snow-covered lakes and igloos to sleep in. However, here you are in a more southern part of the polar circle, which reduces the chance of seeing the northern lights. These areas are also more touristy.

Ivalo or Rovaniemi / Levi?

Not sure whether you should visit Ivalo (northernmost region of Finnish Lapland) or Rovanimie / Levi (southern region of Lapland)? Then consider what kind of a holiday you would like to have. If you go with small children , and you want to visit Santa’s village ( Santa Clause Village ), to sleep in an igloo or ice hotel, and you don’t mind if the region is touristy, visit Rovanimie or Levi . Also nice, in the surroundings of Levi you can ski and from here you can take a day trip to go out to sea with an icebreaker .

How expensive is a trip to Lapland Finland? Read all about prices and a realistic Lapland budget during your trip in this blog!

5-day itinerary for Lapland

The Lapland itinerary below is based on our own experience in the area around Ivalo (the northernmost tip of Finnish Lapland). And those experiences were great, so we would like to share this Finnish Lapland itinerary with you.

You start your journey (after a short stopover in Helsinki) in the city of Ivalo. Here you will pick up your rental car and then drive to the village of Inari . Inari is located on the beautiful Lake Inari which you can walk on in winter. After two days you drive on to Kaamanen , an even more northern area. Here you are close to the border with Norway. You will stay here for two days.

On the way back to Ivalo , it is nice to make a stopover in Saariselkä ! This is a large tourist village with a Christmas atmosphere, an ice bar and shops. Nice to have seen to complete your trip through Lapland.

The 5-day route through Finnish Lapland is as follows:

Ivalo (arrival & departure).

Your itinerary through the north of Lapland starts in Ivalo. This small village with an airport is located 300 kilometres above the Arctic Circle. If you have rented a car, this village is the place to do some shopping. We cooked in our lodges almost every day, and the supermarket in Finland is not much more expensive than the one in the Netherlands.

An activity that you should definitely not miss here is a snowmobile safari ! The lakes in Finnish Lapland are frozen over from mid-October to mid-April and therefore ideal to drive over with your snowmobile! So special how fast these snowmobiles go! Our snowmobile tour departed from Ivalo. For this, we drove up and down from Inari, the place where we slept. The distance Ivalo – Inari is only 35 km , you are already there in half an hour.

Inari (2 nights)

The snowy lake Inari: really a picture-perfect! We stayed in Inari for 2 nights, and highly recommend this to you too! This is the least populated municipality of Finnish Lapland and therefore perfect for star photography and for photographing the aurora (northern lights). We stayed in a lodge that was on the lake on which we created some snow angels! In the morning when we came out of the lodge, we saw fresh traces of reindeer everywhere. We also saw these beautiful animals in the wild several times around the lake.

From Inari you can do a cool activity: visiting a husky farm and then taking a husky sledge tour ! Seeing these beautiful dogs with their bright blue eyes was truly a highlight of our Lapland trip. Curious about what you can expect from this? Read our tips in the blog about a husky tour in Lapland !

Hotel tip: Wilderness Hotel Inari & Igloos

Travel time from Ivalo to Inari: 30 minutes by car

Kaamanen / Kielajoki (2 nights)

Kaamanen is a small village, even further north in Finnish Lapland. The village lies on a swamp and is surrounded by rivers and lakes. It’s a peaceful destination, really off the beaten path ! A stay near Kaamanen guarantees an authentic experience. No tour buses here full of tourists, but peace and a lot of space! We stayed near Kaamanen in the village of Kielajoki and the Giellajohka  hotel of the same name.

Activities you can do here include enjoying a Finnish sauna, ice fishing, hiking on the frozen lakes and cross-country skiing. In addition, you are so northern and with little light pollution that the chance of spotting the northern lights is even bigger here!

Kaamanen will always have a special place in our hearts. Here, in the snow on a frozen lake, Ries got on his knees to ask me to marry him ! It was amazing! And as icing on the cake, it was so bright that same evening that we saw the northern lights dance from our bedroom while we were warm in bed.

Hotel tip: Giellajohka Travel time Inari to Kaamanen: 30 minutes by car

Back to Ivalo via Saariselkä

If your journey is almost over but you still have some time to spare, consider heading back from Kaamanen to Ivalo, passing the village of Saariselkä . This nice and touristic village is about 30 minutes drive from Ivalo. Surrounded by mountains, Saariselkä is a good base for activities such as downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and hiking. We made a beautiful aurora night walk in Saariselkä where we saw the northern lights dance beautifully above the snow.

Hotel tip: Top Star Saariselkä

Travel time Kaamanen to Ivalo Airport: 1-hour drive.

Curious about what we packed and wore to stay warm in Lapland? Then read our Lapland packing list tips !

What are the most special & unique hotels to sleep in Finnish Lapland? Read this blog with the best hotels in Lapland !

Tips itinerary Finnish Lapland

Now that you’ve read the Lapland itinerary above, we have a few more tips to help you create your ultimate Lapland trip!

The Northern Lights in Lapland

It was a big dream of Ries to have seen the northern lights for its 30th year. Unfortunately, he did not succeed, he was 30 years and 3 months. But don’t feel sorry, because, during the 4 nights in Lapland, he was able to see the northern lights not once, but four times. Every night it was spot on! This is not normal, it can just as easily happen that there are clouds every day and unfortunately you do not see the northern lights once. You do have some influence on your chance of seeing the Northern Lights! How? You can read that in our blog about the northern lights in Lapland !

Flying on Ivalo:

Driving a car in lapland.

Although buses run between the villages in Finland, we recommend that you rent a car. We picked up this car immediately upon arrival at Ivalo airport. A rental car gives you all the freedom you want. In the evening, for example, we went for a drive by car to a place where there were no clouds. Because of this we also saw the northern lights that evening. We recommend renting a car through Sunny Cars . We are a big fan of Sunny Cars ourselves because it saves a lot of hassle, as you are always fully insured, and you can easily (and often free of charge) change or cancel your booking.

Driving a car in Lapland is not nearly as scary as it sounds. Cars have good winter tires and the roads are kept free of snow. In the evening there is good street lighting and everyone drives quietly and obeys the traffic rules.

Other destinations in Finland

Finland is not only a nice destination in the winter but also a great destination during summertime. An additional advantage: you are in the north, so you have very long summer days and you will find beautiful nature parks in Finland. A trip to Finland is a great adventure! You can do outdoor activities here such as canoe trips, multi-day treks and (wild) camping. See below a map of Finland with the best destinations.

Read more about Finnish Lapland here! 

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More blogs on Finland

Lapland tips: all you need to know for a winter holiday to lapland in finland, budget finnish lapland: costs and prices of a trip to (finnish) lapland, what to pack for lapland our packing list for lapland in finland.

Thanks for the great blogposts about visiting Lapland! We are currently planning our trip for March, and we probably only want to stay in the most Northern part (Inari/Saariselka) because we want the least touristy area and highest chances for seeing the Northern lights. In your experience, how different is the Inari area from the Saariselka area? We are debating whether it is worth the hassle to stay in two different places, or just book one hotel and do all activities from there.

Hi Kirsten, Oooo nice!! Well Saariselka is more touristic (with a whole village focused on tourisme) then Ivalo. So I would recommend Inari or even more north, Kaamanen. It isn't far from Saariselka so you can still do activities there. Northern light chances are highest in the most Northern and less light polluted area so that would also be Inari. Enjoy!

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Ultimate Guide to Lapland Holidays 2024

Uncover the Enchantment of Santa’s Lapland | Visit Lapland From Bristol

Lapland, the fabled northern frontier, is where the enchantment of the holiday season lives all year round. In 2024, it’s not just about the destination but also the experiences that make your journey unforgettable. Let’s delve into the heart of Lapland Holidays 2024 magic with these specially curated experiences for UK travellers.

Table of Contents

Are you ready to experience the enchantment of the Arctic? Lapland in 2024 promises a winter wonderland escape that’s both mystical and exhilarating. Whether planning a day trip or an extended stay in Santa’s home, this ultimate guide is your portal to a Lapland adventure that will leave you spellbound.

Day Trips to Lapland: A Whirlwind of Wonder

A day trip to Lapland is a perfect teaser of the Arctic magic. Fly from the UK and, in just a few hours, find yourself in the snowy embrace of the North. Upon landing, your Arctic adventure begins with a sleigh transfer straight from the airport, whisking you into the heart of a snow-laden landscape.

Feel the thrill of husky sledge rides, the laughter-filled joy of tobogganing, and the awe of exploring the majestic ice igloos. Each moment is curated to pack a punch of pure joy and excitement, perfect for those short on time but eager for an authentic Lapland experience.

Tips for Day Trippers:

• Dress warmly, but don’t fret over gear – snowsuits and boots are often provided.
• Embrace the pace – activities are condensed to fit the day, ensuring a full and vibrant experience.
• Capture the moments – the scenery is Instagram-worthy, so keep your camera at the ready!

Day Trip Highlights:

• Private Meeting with Santa : A personal family encounter in his woodland home.
• Husky Sled Ride : A dash through the Lappish countryside with your new four-legged friends.
• Snowmobile Adventure : Thrill as you glide over the frosty landscape.
• Reindeer Sleigh Ride : A serene journey through snow-laden trees.
• Tobogganing : Wholesome fun for the family on traditional wooden sledges.
• Unspoilt Wilderness : Revel in the pristine beauty of Swedish Lapland.

Multi-Day Trips: Immersive Arctic Escapades

For those desiring a deeper dive into the Arctic way of life, a more extended stay in Lapland is a must. Imagine waking up to a vista of frosted trees and spending your days immersed in Lappish culture and nature.

Extended breaks offer a more relaxed pace, allowing for leisurely reindeer sleigh rides, snowmobile safaris, and perhaps even the ethereal wonder of the Northern Lights. The longer duration also means more opportunities for personal encounters with Santa Claus, making it a dream come true for families.

What to Expect on Longer Stays:

• Luxurious accommodations that blend comfort with the rustic charm of the Arctic.
• Various dining experiences, from hot berry juice by the fire to sumptuous meals that showcase local cuisine.
• A blend of relaxation and adventure – unwind in cosy inns or amp up the adrenaline with junior snowmobiling.

Santa’s Magic: 2 or 3-Night Adventure

Nestled in the charming village of Saariselkä, Santa’s Magic offers a choice of four delightful hotels, each providing a warm welcome and an authentic Lappish stay. You’re not just booking a room but securing a passport to a world of wonder.

Highlights of Santa’s Magic:

• Accommodation : Choose from family-friendly rooms across a range of budgets.
• The Reindeer Barn Show : Immerse yourself in Lappish culture with a heartwarming display.
• Festive Gala Dinner : Savour the local cuisine at a dinner where festivities abound.
• The Great Search for Santa : An adventure like no other, aboard a snowmobile sleigh through the arctic wilderness.

You can read more about visiting Santa’s Lapland in our dedicated Santa’s Lapland Post

Magical Interlude: In Search of Santa

Step into a storybook tale where the magic of Christmas permeates the air you breathe. In this serene escape, you’ll find more than just a holiday; you’ll find a connection to the winter wonderland that is Lapland.

Magical Interlude Experience:

• Reindeer Experience : Engage in Sami culture, meet reindeer, and glide through the forest on a sleigh.
• Snowmobiling : An exhilarating introduction to snowmobiling for both adults and juniors.
• Santa’s Special Elves : Encounter the joy and jest of Santa’s most trusted companions.
• Sleigh Ride to Santa’s House : The highlight of your search, is a snowmobile sleigh ride deep into the forest.
• Gift from Santa & Celebration Dinner : Cherish a special gift and a communal feast to celebrate the adventure.
• Husky Experience : Learn about huskies and take a spirited dog sleigh ride.
• Snow Fun & Games : Create lifelong memories with snowballing, tobogganing, and more.
• Santa’s Post Office : Peek into the elves’ world as they manage the Christmas post.

Accommodation Options: From hotels to luxury cottages, you’ll find the perfect place to rest after your Lappish adventures in one of the four distinct Lapland resorts – Luosto, Pyhä, Ruka Valley, and Suomu.

Flights & Transfers: Chartered flights from various UK airports, including Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, Bristol Cardiff and Stansted, alongside seamless transfers, ensure your journey is as smooth as the sleigh rides.

Inclusive Packages: All these experiences come with the promise of no hidden costs. Your itinerary is fully inclusive, covering all meals, activities, and transfers, ensuring a stress-free adventure.

Making the Most of Your Lapland Holiday:

• Plan Ahead – Book early to secure the best deals and ensure availability, especially for special dates like Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
• Embrace Local Traditions – Engage with the Sami culture; their stories and traditions add depth to your journey.
• Stay Flexible – Arctic weather can be unpredictable, so be prepared for changes to your itinerary.
• Wellness First – The cold can be taxing, so make sure to stay hydrated and take breaks to enjoy warm meals and drinks.

Booking Your Lapland Holidays 2024 Trip

Magical Traveller offers a range of packages tailored to every desire – from luxury experiences to budget-friendly options. Our unique Protected Trust protects all our trips, and when flights are hotel/cruise are booked together, they are ATOL-protected for peace of mind.

Remember, Lapland isn’t just a destination; it’s a gateway to an enchanting world that exists nowhere else on Earth. From the moment you step into its snowy realms, the magic begins – a magic waiting for you in 2024.

Are you ready to make memories that will last a lifetime? Begin planning your Lapland adventure today and enter a tale of wonder and joy you’ll treasure forever.

Book an ATOL-protected holiday

If you would like to book an ATOL-protected holiday. Be it a multi-centre holiday or a fly-cruise holiday with a hotel break before or after, you can contact us using the form below.

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5-Day Tours in Lapland

Soak up the enchanting wonders of Lapland on a tour arranged by the regional travel experts at Nordic Visitor. With 5 days in Lapland, you could look for the northern lights and meet Santa himself. Your short break includes accommodation, excursions, and airport transfers.

VISIT LAPLAND ON A 5-DAY TRIP

Want to find out about 4-night Lapland holidays? Look no further!

Get set for a magical winter getaway to Lapland, where snow-covered landscapes await you. With 4 nights in Lapland, you’d have time to enjoy a host of activities, including dog sledding and meeting Santa. You could also chase the northern lights on a snowmobile safari.

Choose between visiting Swedish or Finnish Lapland for your 5-day tour. Read on to find out more about each region and see which one would suit you best.

When you book a trip to Lapland with Nordic Visitor, you get handpicked accommodation, airport transfers, access to our 24/7 helpline, and many other benefits. You also enjoy personal service from your own dedicated travel consultant.

Get in touch via our contact form, live chat or toll-free numbers and we'll gladly plan your Lapland getaway.

— WHY US?

Why book with nordic visitor.

• All bookings protected by our package travel insurance
• Accommodation, activities, transfers & breakfasts included
• Professional service from Scandinavian-based travel experts
• Hassle-free & seamless travel experience
• Flexible & customisable tour options

EXPERIENCE LAPLAND IN 5 DAYS

Escape to the Arctic Circle with one of these Lapland tours. Your personal travel consultant can customise any of the 4-day itineraries below if you’d like to spend 5 days in Lapland.

Lapland Adventure - Aurora Sky Station

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Extend your stay to experience more of Lapland in one trip. You’d get to try more activities and increase your chances of spotting the northern lights.

Lapland Adventure - Aurora Sky Station & ICEHOTEL

Best of lapland complete - rovaniemi, lapland travel experts.

As a travel agency based in the Scandinavia region, Nordic Visitor knows how to make the most of your time in Lapland. Choose from a variety of tours that include the must-see attractions as well as lesser-known highlights, all handpicked by our own Scandinavian travel experts. 

To ensure a stress-free Lapland trip, Nordic Visitor handles all the local details for you: accommodation, activities, airport transfers and other services.

Oh, and we can customise your itinerary! For example, you might decide you want to add extra nights at a certain location. In that case, your personal Nordic Visitor travel consultant will be happy to make suggestions and modify your itinerary.

What do our customers say?

The reviews speak for themselves. See what Nordic Visitor travellers said about their experience with us.

Camilla Thom, Spain

Icehotel winter adventure, january 2017, i will never forget this experience.

The tour guides were excellent. Especially Emile and Maurice. This was a huge adventure for us both, starting with the dog sled picking us up , going to the Ice Hotel and then the fabulous evening on the snowmobile. Even though we weren't lucky enough to see the Northern Lights, it was still wonderful. What good cooks all the guides were too! I will never forget this experience.

George, United States

Best of lapland classic - rovaniemi, march 2017, experience of a lifetime.

Everything was wonderful. It was the experience of a lifetime. My daughter and I had a blast!

Nilima, India

Lapland - land of the midnight sun, june 2015, lapland is beautiful.

Day tours were excellent, guide and service was excellent

Lapland is beautiful.  We were able to see the midnight sun because of nordic visitor they have planned our tour very well and the local guides were very co operative.

Vandana, United States

Classic lapland adventure & icehotel, february 2015, everything went smoothly.

Cicci Erikson customized our trip exactly the way we wanted, every thing went smoothly, the employees at Kiruna tours were very friendly and cordial, I would recommend Nordic Visitor to my friends and will use them in the future.

Arkadiusz, Singapore

Classic lapland adventure & icehotel, december 2014, worked perfectly well without any glitches.

My Travel Consultant, Cecilia, was extremely helpful and professional in all aspects of dealing with the customer. Her invaluable assistance allowed me to choose, modify, and combine the existing tours to fulfill all my needs. The hotel locations were excellent and the arrangements made by Cecilia ensured that everything worked perfectly well without any glitches. I would strongly recommend such excellent services to anyone who would like to have an unforgettably pleasant holiday.

Christy, United States

Icehotel winter adventure, january 2015, overall a great experience.

Overall a great experience. Cecilia was very helpful and responsive.

Mariana, Hong Kong, SAR

Classic lapland adventure & icehotel, january 2017, excellent time in kiruna.

My daughter and I had an excellent time in Kiruna during the Chinese New Year. I would like to thank Sofia Sundkvist who assisted us throughout the trip. She is very responsive and accomodating. We slightly changed our plans and she always quickly responded to me by email and helped us with what we needed.  Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to meet her in person, but all the people (from Nordic Visitor) whom we met throughout this trip are excellent people. They always carry a smile, happy with what they are doing, experienced and knowledgeable.  

Carla, United States

Lapland - land of the midnight sun, june 2017, outstanding in every way.

Your company is outstanding in every way. The booking agents were responsive when we had questions. The information provided was excellent. The tour guides and the company's you contracted with are without exception outstanding. I would recommend your company to anyone who is planning a Scandinavian trip

Olga, Israel

Husky tour in the wilderness of lapland, march 2015, beyond my expectations.

Thank you so much for being there and helping people to discover those incredible places around the Scandinavia. I've met so many great people and had such a splendid time, that I will never forget. My main purpose was to see the Northen Lights, but I've got so much more and everything was just beyond my expectations!  I would like to thank our Nordic Visitor agent Jennie Elofsson for a great assistance, she's been very helpful and super quick giving us all the answers we need.  Also I would like to thank our amazing guides, who made our tour so very special and intimate: Emil and Jenny.

Lapland Adventure - Aurora Sky Station, February 2015

Made every experience unforgettable.

Genuinely - one of the best trips we have ever undertaken. We received a great welcome in Kiruna, our guides were excellent - and made every experience unforgettable! The Aurora... was glorious!

Sue, Australia

Classic lapland adventure & icehotel, january 2014, suggestions were all great for limited time.

Jennie, our agent, was fantastic. She sorted everything out in the limited time we had in Kiruna and her suggestions to fit in as much as we did in three days were all great.

Hwee Hwee, Singapore

Best of lapland classic - rovaniemi, january 2017, enjoyable beyond our expectations.

Our experience with Nordic Visitor is absolutely delightful! We are very impressed by the professionalism of the staff and the seamless organisation of the tour. Our holiday was enjoyable beyond our expectations! 

Gianguido and Romana

Service was impeccable under all aspects.

A long sought after vacation resulted in a fascinating experience, and this result must also be credited to the careful preparation and to the friendly professional assistance of your consultants. On site, the service was impeccable under all aspects. 

Cold, silence and nature conjure in suggesting me to summarize what we have lived through with words from Sweden’s national anthem. "TYSTA, GLÄDJERIKA, SKÖNA".

Annette, Australia

Custom booking, march 2015, i am very glad to have chosen nordic visitor.

Everything went very smoothly and with great ease! Being greeted by the chauffer and shiny black Mercedes in Copenhagen and driven to the Scandic Palace Hotel right in the city centre was a real treat. Thank you. I am very glad to have chosen Nordic Visitor because you are based in these wonderful Nordic Countries and I wanted to experience local culture. Many thanks to Cecilia for helping us to achieve this.

Icehotel Winter Adventure, February 2015

One of the most amazing trips I've ever done and one of the best in regards of organization.

Geoff and Maria, Australia

Icehotel winter adventure, december 2013, a must for something completely different.

The Ice Hotel was AMAZING, what a concept. The dogsled from the airport was a fun experience. The Scandic Ferrum for the rest of the stay was fantastic. The staff at both places were exceptional. The snowmobile tour, although eventful, was just a hoot. The most fun we have had in ages. All the meals in all locations were just great and good value. Kiruna is a lovely town and the people are terrific. There aren't enough adjectives to describe it all. Just a load of fun. A must for something completely different. Everything was organised beyond expectation. Just do it!!!

Icehotel Winter Adventure, December 2016

Exceeded our expectations.

The overall experience exceeded our expectations and was a truly wonderful experience. The husky sled transfer from the airport was amazing. Every trip we did had helpful, happy and informative staff. 

Irene and Sarah

Lapland adventure - aurora sky station & icehotel, january 2013, a more beautiful place would be hard to find.

We have just got back home after probably the best holiday we have ever had! Everything was superbly planned and the guys at Kiruna Guidetur were fantastic. In fact everyone we met was friendly and so helpful. The hotels were excellent and the food really great - especially at the Abisko Tourist Station and when we went up to the Aurora Sky Station the girl who did the dinner there was world class, especially when she had to prepare the meal in such cramped conditions,

The activities were wonderful - the snowmobiles, the husky sleds, the horse and sleigh ride, cross country skiing and snowshoeing. The Ice Hotel was fantastic too. It is such a magical place - the snow, the clear air - all absolutely wonderful. A more beautiful place would be hard to find. Thank you so much for organising the holiday for us. I have been on the phone this morning urging all my friends to go there!

Adam, Italy

Would definitely recommend nordic visitor.

Everything was great. The tour guides and employees were extremely friendly and professional. They accommodated us as best they could whenever we needed something. I would definitely recommend Nordic Visitor and this package to anyone. Dress warm! 

Once in a lifetime experience! Thank you! It couldn't have gone better.

Paddy, New Zealand

Lapland adventure - aurora sky station & icehotel, january 2015, inside the artic circle at kiruna.

We booked through Nordic Visitor and they organised the activities with Kiruna Tourism and we had an amazing trip, meet at the airport -23 C, deck out in clothing which we kept for the 4 days, transported around, good hotel and had great guides who were welcoming, knowledgeable and communicative. Couldn't ask for anything more, Went snow walking, dog sledding, visited Abisko viewing station, Ice hotel and Sami Village.

C S, Australia

Icehotel winter adventure, february 2013, friendly efficient and very helpful.

We would like to say that our consultant Cecilia was fantastic, we travel widely and she is the best consultant we have dealt with, friendly efficient and very helpful.

Getting to Lapland

Nordic Visitor tours of Lapland begin in either Kiruna, for Sweden itineraries, or Kemi or Rovaniemi for Finland trips. You can find some direct flights from airports across Europe.

Otherwise, you can reach Lapland with connecting flights from Stockholm, Sweden’s capital, or Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Another option is to fly to Copenhagen in Denmark and travel to Lapland from there.

Stockholm Arlanda Airport is the main gateway for international air travel in Sweden. From Stockholm, you can fly to Kiruna with SAS or Norwegian. The journey takes around 1 hour 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is Finland’s main air travel hub. From here, you’ll be able to take a direct flight to either Kemi or Rovaniemi with Finnair or Norwegian. Both journeys take approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.

We recommend checking airline websites directly for flight availability and timetables. You can also use an airfare search engine, such as Skyscanner, Dohop or Kayak, for example.

Flights are not included in Nordic Visitor packages. However, all of our itineraries can be customised with extra nights in your arrival city if you’d like to rest up after your flight.

Different ways you can experience Lapland

We have tours for all varieties of travel styles and interests. See our options for exploring Lapland below.

ICE & SNOW HOTELS

Santa claus, snowmobile adventures, culture & history, reindeer & sami culture, winter tours, what to see and do in lapland with 4 nights.

Imagine jetting off to a winter wonderland in Northern Europe, discovering pristine scenery laden with snow. You could find yourself in this enchanting landscape on a 5-day Lapland holiday.

Lapland is situated in the far north of Sweden and Finland, within the Arctic Circle. It is a region characterised by beautiful forests, lakes and rivers. Here the dark night skies of winter light up with the shimmering colours of the aurora borealis.

Spend your 5-day tour enjoying activities in the snow, soaking up the native Sami culture, and cosying up by the fireplace.

• Explore these Lapland winter trips
• Discover 7 reasons to visit Lapland in winter

TOP THINGS TO DO IN LAPLAND

Lapland offers opportunities for adventures and indulgent experiences in equal measure. This means that you can be as active or relaxed as you wish on your winter trip!

Here are the top things to do in Lapland :

• Go mushing through the snow on a dog sled
• Marvel at the otherworldly northern lights
• Explore the countryside by snowmobile
• Have a private meeting with Santa Claus
• Sleep in an ice room or a glass igloo
• Try skiing, ice fishing or snowshoeing
• Experience local Sami customs and cuisine
• Celebrate Christmas or New Year’s Eve
• See Arctic animals in their native habitat
• Warm up in a traditional Finnish sauna

When you book a Lapland tour with Nordic Visitor, you can add optional activities and day trips to your itinerary. We recommend that you reserve any extras in advance to guarantee availability.

Speak to your personal travel consultant at Nordic Visitor about the excursions you’d like to incorporate into your Lapland itinerary. They will organise everything on your behalf, while you relax and look forward to your winter escape.

• Browse these classic Lapland holidays to start planning your trip
• If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact our Lapland travel experts

TOP PLACES TO VISIT IN LAPLAND

Where you go in Lapland will largely depend on the activities and sights you want to enjoy. You can read Nordic Visitor’s Lapland travel guide to learn more about each area, which will help you decide where to visit.

Here are the best places to go in Finnish Lapland :

• Santa Claus Village
• Kemi  

These are the top places to visit in Swedish Lapland :

• Abisko National Park
• Aurora Sky Station

VISIT ONE OF LAPLAND’S ICE HOTELS OR GLASS IGLOOS

One of the “coolest” things you can do in Lapland is stay in an ice hotel. Marvel at the ice sculptures, imaginative themed rooms, and restaurants and bars crafted from frozen water. Since many of the hotels melt in the spring, artists start from scratch and rebuild them each winter.

Spending the night in an ice suite is on many travellers’ bucket lists. You are kept cosy thanks to thermal sleeping bags and reindeer hides, with the chance to step into a hot sauna in the morning.

If you’d rather sleep in a warm room, you can take a guided tour of these ice hotels instead.

A great alternative is staying in a glass igloo in Lapland. Snuggle up in your heated dome, looking through the clear glass up to the night sky. You might even be treated to a northern lights show from your bed!

Here are the best ice hotels and glass igloos to visit in Lapland:

• ICEHOTEL (Kiruna)
• Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos (Rovaniemi)
• SnowCastle (Kemi)
• Choose from one of these Lapland ice and snow hotel packages
• Learn more about the best ice hotels in Finland and the ICEHOTEL in Sweden

VISIT FINNISH OR SWEDISH LAPLAND

For your 5-day trip to Lapland, take your pick from visiting Finnish or Swedish Lapland. Both destinations offer similar experiences, such as aurora hunting, snowmobiling, and riding in reindeer sleighs or dog sleds.

However, Finnish and Swedish Lapland each have particular highlights that you should know about before you decide where to go. Take a look at these itinerary recommendations for a taste of what to expect in Finland and Sweden, respectively.

• Check out the  best holidays in Lapland for a winter getaway

5-DAY ITINERARY SUGGESTION FOR FINNISH LAPLAND:  

Day 1 - Arrival in Rovaniemi & snowmobile safari Upon arrival, a driver will meet you at Rovaniemi Airport for your transfer to your accommodation. You could rest after your journey or head into town to explore a little before you start your first Lapland adventure.

Come evening, it’s time to embark on a snowmobile safari and hunt for the northern lights. An expert guide will lead you along the trails, looking for the aurora borealis and enjoying the exhilarating ride through the snow.

Round off your excursion with a hot drink and snack beside the campfire, then return to your hotel for a peaceful night’s sleep.

Spend the night in Rovaniemi.

Day 2 - Dog sledding and Finnish sauna Head into the snow-draped scenery outside Rovaniemi today with a guided dog sled excursion. Learn about this traditional mode of transport in Lapland, starting with a brief lesson at the kennel. Then mush through the woods with your own sled.

Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure in Rovaniemi. You could indulge in a sauna session, the typical way to relax and unwind here in Finland.

Day 3 - Reindeer farm and Santa Claus Village This morning, hop on a snowmobile and make your way to a traditional reindeer farm. Here you can learn about the culture of Lapland’s native people, the Sami, and enjoy a sleigh ride.

Next, prepare to meet the “man in red” with a visit to Santa Claus Village, just outside Rovaniemi.

Soak up the festive atmosphere of this Christmassy haven, which is open year-round. Enjoy a private meeting with Santa with the elves on hand, and send a postcard from the Santa Claus Post Office. Then why not browse for souvenirs at the craft shops?

Day 4 - Day at leisure and visit to the Arctic SnowHotel This morning, hop on a snowmobile and make your way to a traditional reindeer farm. Here you can learn about the culture of Lapland’s native people, the Sami, and enjoy a sleigh ride.

Learn more about the local history, nature and culture in Rovaniemi this morning by paying a visit to the Arktikum Museum. Here you can explore the intriguing exhibits about Finnish Lapland and the Arctic region.

Come evening, head to the Arctic SnowHotel in Lehtojärvi, just outside Rovaniemi. Take a guided tour of this fascinating frozen hotel, which is created anew each year. Check out the rooms, restaurant and bar, all sculpted from ice and snow.

After your tour sit down for a delicious 3-course meal at Restaurant Kota, inspired by traditional Sami architecture. Then, you’ll either return to your accommodation in Rovaniemi, or overnight in the Arctic SnowHotel for an unforgettable stay. Choose from sleeping in an ice room or a glass igloo.

Spend the night in Rovaniemi or the Arctic SnowHotel.

Day 5 - Departure Today you’ll be transferred back to Rovaniemi Airport where you’ll fly home from your Lapland holiday.

• Discover Finnish Lapland with one of these Rovaniemi tours  or Kemi packages
• Read this guide to Finland in winter for more inspiration

5-DAY ITINERARY SUGGESTION FOR SWEDISH LAPLAND:  

Day 1 - Arrival in Kiruna and snowmobile safari After touching down at Kiruna Airport, a driver will meet you and take you to your hotel. Enjoy some free time to yourself, perhaps getting to know the town or simply relaxing before you head out later.

In the evening you’ll get to explore the countryside on a snowmobile excursion, searching for the northern lights. Follow your guide through the snow as they lead you to the best spots to look for the aurora. Feel the thrill of the ride as you go.

Then, sit beside the log fire in a wooden hut and tuck into a rustic dinner of traditional local food. Afterwards, your guide will take you back to your accommodation.

Spend the night in Kiruna.

Day 2 - Snowmobile to the ICEHOTEL This morning, discover the famous ICEHOTEL, situated in the village of Jukkasjärvi just outside Kiruna. This was the original ice hotel that set a trend for the many others that now exist around the world.

To get to the ICEHOTEL, hop back on a snowmobile and journey through the white landscape to this extraordinary retreat. After you arrive, begin with a guided tour, learning how artists build it using ice from the Torne River nearby.

You’ll also get to explore the ICEHOTEL 365, a year-round structure that stays cold in the summer thanks to solar energy.

Once you’ve discovered the stunning ice rooms, sculptures, church and bar, enjoy a coffee and light lunch by the fireplace at the hotel’s traditional-style hut.

The rest of the day is yours to take at leisure. You could opt for a northern lights snowshoe walk or another adventurous activity.

Spend the night in Kiruna or the ICEHOTEL.

Day 3 - Dog sledding and Aurora Sky Station Today you can enjoy one of the most special activities and traditions in Lapland: dog sledding.

Meet the huskies at the kennel and learn how to drive your sled from an expert guide. Change into a thermal suit, head out onto the trails, and glide through the woods and snowy plains. Afterwards, fuel up with a hot cup of coffee and a light lunch by the campfire.

Later on, venture to Abisko National Park, located around 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Kiruna. An evening of admiring spectacular scenery and tasting fine food awaits you here.

Start by taking a chairlift ride up the mountain to the Aurora Sky Station. You’ll be treated to an exquisite 4-course dinner in the restaurant, with views of the national park from your window.

Then take a guided tour through the exhibition and look for the northern lights. With its remote location and lack of light pollution, Abisko is a great place to catch sight of the aurora.

Spend the night in Abisko.

Day 4 - Abisko National Park at leisure Spend the day as you wish in Abisko National Park, an area of stunning natural beauty. You could opt for a guided activity, or head out on your own to enjoy some winter sports like skiing.

Later, hop on a train back to Kiruna and relax for the rest of the day.

Day 5 - Departure Today you’ll take a transfer to Kiruna Airport where you’ll fly home from your Lapland holiday.

• Explore these Kiruna tour packages to experience Swedish Lapland
• Find out the top 10 reasons to take a winter break in Kiruna, Sweden

BEST TIME TO VISIT LAPLAND

The best time to visit Lapland is between December and March, when you can enjoy the magical white scenery, northern lights, and excursions in the snow.

Certain activities are available in Lapland year round. For example, in summer you can meet Father Christmas, or even visit certain ice hotels that use solar power to keep some of their rooms frozen. However, we recommend travelling in winter for the quintessential Lapland experience.

• Learn more about visiting Lapland in December or January
• Check out Lapland tours in February or March

Thanks to snowfall from mid-October to mid-May, you’ll be surrounded by snow-blanketed scenery between December and March. What’s more, in winter you have the best chances of seeing the northern lights. The long, dark nights provide the ideal backdrop for spotting the aurora borealis.

In summer, on the other hand, there are long daylight hours in Lapland – a phenomenon called the “midnight sun”. With light skies all night long, it is too bright to see the northern lights.

Find out how to increase your chances of spotting the aurora borealis with these guides:

Best time and place to see the northern lights in Sweden

Best time and place to see the northern lights in Finland

What are the northern lights? Aurora borealis explained

• Explore these northern light tours in Lapland to hunt for the aurora
• Read about Lapland’s daylight hours and climate on the Nordic Visitor travel guide  

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR IN LAPLAND

Perhaps you want to time your Lapland trip for December to celebrate Christmas or New Year’s Eve in this winter wonderland?

Spend Christmas in Lapland and you could attend a festive gala dinner for Christmas Eve, accompanied by Santa’s elves. Join in the fun and help to decorate the Christmas tree before you tuck into the big feast.

You could then have the ultimate Christmas Day in Santa’s homeland. Whizz through the snow in a reindeer sleigh, meet Santa in his workshop, and taste delicious Christmas food. Think freshly baked gingerbread biscuits and a warm glass of glögg (mulled wine).

Or visit Lapland at New Year for a celebration to remember. You could attend a New Year’s Eve party in a wooden hut in the middle of a Finnish forest, experiencing local customs and cuisine. And, of course, you’d get to watch a spectacular fireworks display at the stroke of midnight.

Don’t forget, you can get into the festive spirit at any time of year with Santa Claus Village breaks in Finnish Lapland !

• Check out these Santa holidays in Lapland
• Learn more about spending  3 days , 4 days  or  6 days in Lapland

— REGIONAL SUPPORT & KNOWLEDGE

Get the most out of your holiday.

• Explore places handpicked for you by regional experts
• Save time and effort with everything arranged for you
• Relax knowing you can reach us 24/7 during your trip

About Nordic Visitor Tours

Nordic Visitor is a Lapland tour operator and has been creating incredible travel experiences for customers in the region since 2010. Our Scandinavian travel experts know Lapland inside out, and will use their knowledge to craft your perfect itinerary.

With your Nordic Visitor package, you can expect personal service from your own designated travel consultant and a tailor-made itinerary with quality travel documents. Furthermore, we have long-standing professional relationships with trusted local partners, which are carefully selected by our staff for their high standards of service.

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We’re here to help, so get in touch with our friendly team to book your package or add extra nights and activities to an existing booking.

Our Swedish phone number is +46 8 666 23 30

How about a live chat with one of our local travel experts?

Blog posts you might like

Lapland for grown-ups: why lapland isn’t just for kids, a few fun facts about swedish lapland, 7 reasons to visit lapland in winter, how to eat like a local in lapland.

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Why Lapland

What better way to enjoy the magic of Christmas and make your child’s dreams come true than a trip to see  Santa on a Lapland holiday?  Think crisp white snow, reindeers, huskies and elves – it’s a place where childhood dreams can become reality. Father Christmas has put some time aside in his busy December schedule to welcome you into his hideaway Lapland home, with the elves on hand to join in the fun – all you need to do is wrap up warm and bring your Christmas list! Experience the thrill of Husky Sledding, Tobogganing or take a ride through the stunning landscape on a magical Reindeer Sleigh. And at the end of the day look out for nature’s very own light show, the Aurora Borealis, Northern Lights. We can offer Lapland Day Trips throughout the month of December - flying out early morning and returning late at night. Extend your stay on a 2, 3 or 4 night break staying in 3 or 4 star hotels in various resorts, including Saariselka and Rovaniemi, both a short transfer from the airport.

Whether you’re looking for an affordable last minute Lapland break or a luxury Lapland holiday , you’ll find your perfect snowy escape with Hays Travel. To book yours, chat to one of our travel experts today. Alternatively, take a look at some of our other winter holidays . 

Want to know more about our Lapland holidays? Browse our FAQs below to learn more about Santa’s magical home. 

You’ll find Lapland in the northernmost region of Finland, bordering Norway and Sweden. The Arctic Circle crosses into Lapland too, which is why Lapland holidays are known for their magical wintery settings. 

The flight time from the UK to Lapland is approximately 3 hours. Its short flight time is why Lapland day trips and mini breaks are so popular!

Yes! A chance to spot the Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights, is just one of the things that make Lapland holidays so special. 

A day trip to Lapland for a family of 3 usually costs around £1660. At Hays Travel, we offer low deposits and pay monthly options on all our Lapland holidays to help make your trip as affordable as possible. 

To book your Lapland holiday, chat to a member of Hays Travel now.

Guide on How to Travel from Helsinki to Lapland

A re you heading to Finland and wondering what the best way to travel from Helsinki to Lapland? Did you know that for most visitors to Finland, these are the two most visited areas? It makes sense as most visitors fly into Helsinki, spend a day or two and then head off into the vast wilderness of Finnish Lapland.

In this guide I will help you in your travel research by providing up to date information on how to travel to/from these regions of Finland, whether its by plane, train or even car. 

One of the biggest factors in your decision about how to get from Helsinki to Lapland will be the amount of time you have and your budget. Below I go through the practical details on the three main transport options, providing the positives and negatives for each so you can make the most informed decision. Let get into it!

What are the airports in Lapland?

As I mentioned there are currently 5 airports in Lapland. Below are the airports with the main locations serviced from them.

Rovaniemi Airport (RVN)

Rovaniemi is the third busiest airport in Finland and is the most popular of the ones in Lapland. Located in the south of Lapland, just near the Arctic Circle, this airport is seen as the gateway to Santa Claus Village. Given the towns popularity, there are several flights a day between Helsinki and Rovaniemi. This is one of the few that also is international airport accepting flights from several major European cities. 

In general, Rovaniemi can feel a quite commercial and crowded, especially during the peak winter season. This airport also serves as the hub for Pyhä  and  Salla which are popular for their natural beauty and skiing, both downhill and cross country. 

Ivalo Airport (IVL)

Two popular destinations with skiers and snowboarders include Inari and Saariselka , which are both serviced by the Ivalo airport. The airport is within 30 minutes of both destinations and is the northernmost airport in Finland.

Kittilä Airport (KTT)

Kittila is one of the main airports in the northernmost region of Finland, and the only other accepting international flights. This airport services the popular ski area of Levi. Levi is a popular spot for families during the festive season, but is smaller and quieter than Rovaniemi. Additionally, the popular Snow Village can be found here.

Our favorite destination serviced by this airport is Muonio which is a laid back destination offering all the popular touristy activities found in Rovaniemi but without the crowds and is excellent for spotting the Northern Lights. 

Kemi Airport (KEM)

Kemi-Tornio Airport is located on the coast of the Bay of Bothnia, serving travelers heading to Southern Lapland. Kemi has slowly become more popular in the tourist circuits for their magnificent Snow Castle that is built there every winter and for the famous Sampo icebreaker cruise. 

Kuusamo Airport (KAO)

Lastly, the Kuusamo Airport serves one of Finland’s major holiday destinations Kuusamo, attracting almost a million tourists annually. Many of these arrive for skiing at nearby ski resorts, especially Ruka Ski Resort , one of the largest in Finland.

Flying from Helsinki to Lapland

Domestic flights from the capital Helsinki to Lapland airports are operated by Finnair. While the flights can be reasonably priced if booked well in advance, domestic flights on Finnair do impose an extra fee for checked luggage. Additionally, the new Finnair carry on limits are quite strict with a maximum of 8 kg for all carry on items combined. This means, that for most travelers,  it makes most sense to upgrade to the main fare price which includes both carry on and checked baggage. Once you upgrade your flight, a round-trip flight will cost a minimum of €200.  Note, if you are looking for cheap flights, sign up for Finnair’s email blast and keep an eye out for flash sales.

That said, this is still the quickest way to travel between Helsinki and Lapland. It can be cost effective if you are a solo traveler and/or traveling with extremely light luggage. However, it can be get expensive if you need to check a bag or are traveling in high season with several people

Traveling by Train from Helsinki to Lapland

Next we will move on to traveling by train from Helsinki to Lapland , which is the second most popular option.

I personally find travelling by train in Finland to be a wonderful experience and the most convenient way to get around the country. The trains are clean and reasonably reliable depending on weather conditions of course. Additionally, it is better for the environment and saves you money on accommodation if you can take an overnight train to travel while you sleep. All long-distance trains in Finland are operated by VR Train. 

Day vs. Night Trains

The most popular train that visitors take to Lapland from Helsinki is the Santa Claus Express train which ends in Rovaniemi. It leaves close to midnight and arrives around 11 a.m. the next morning. If you are traveling with children, this train is great as the sleeper cabins are essentially sold as a two person cabin. Prices for an upstairs private compartment sleeper cabin which includes a private toilet run around 300 Euro one way. The train also has a restaurant car for snacks and meals while on the train. Note, Rovaniemi train tickets for the sleeper cars can sell out quickly, so book well in advance to ensure you have a cabin.

Another popular route is to Kolari, which is the northernmost railway station in Finland. Travel here from Helsinki takes approximately 14 hours. Boarding is around 7:45 p.m. in Helsinki with a 10 a.m. arrival.  Even though it sounds like a long trip, it goes by quite quickly once you get settled in your sleeper cabin, grab some food from the restaurant car and then hit the sack. 

If you are unable to secure a sleeper cabin, you can consider a day train. With free Wifi, power sockets and the ability to walk around, an 8 hour train would actually go quite quickly if you can keep yourself occupied! These tickets run around €75 per ticket during high season. 

Take Your Car on the Train

For readers who live in Europe or have a rental car already booked, they can consider putting the vehicle on the train as well! These trains depart from Pasila Station and can be extremely handy if you have brought your car over from mainland Europe, but don’t want to drive all the way to Lapland. This is not cheap, but is a dobale option to ensure you have more access to explore around Lapland.

Train Stations in Lapland

There are many train stations in Lapland that I can’t list them all, but the main ending/starting point for the major lines include Kolari as the furthest north, Rovaniemi and Kemijarvi in the east. 

Kolari is in the far north of Finland, northeast of Rovaniemi, and very close to the Swedish border. This station is perfect for those traveling to Levi or Muonio. You can reserve a shared taxi or bus from the station to both locations. 

Kemijärvi is located east of Rovaniemi and from here you can easily access Salla and Pyhä.

Overall, I personally feel that if you are traveling with others or even on your own that taking an overnight train to or from Lapland is a great option. Train travel is scenic, cost effective if you have a family or a lot of luggage and you also have the option of taking a vehicle. The negatives are that it does take a long time and there are times that the trains leave late at night making it awkward for families with smaller children. 

Driving from Helsinki to Lapland by Car

For many travelers further afield, this would mean renting a car and needing to return it either in Lapland or back to Helsinki which can be quite an expense.

I am not sure I would recommend this option for many, but if you have your car and you are confident on driving on the right hand side of the road, in snow or inclimate weather, you will most likely be fine.

But you must be aware that this journey is at least 800 kilometers and can take around 10 hours. That said, the journey up to Rovaniemi is along one main road and the views will be stunning for much of the way.

In general, I’d only advise driving to Lapland from Helsinki if you’re touring elsewhere in Finland, have your own vehicle and have at least a couple of weeks here to make it worthwhile and cost-effective.

Important Information for Your Finland Trip

When is the best time to visit finland.

In reality, you can visit Finland at any time of the year as there are a multitude of activities to suit any weather condition. That said, in my opinion, the best time to visit Finland is definitely during the winter months between December and February. This is when you will see the most beautiful winter wonderland landscapes and you have a great chance to see the aurora borealis. Note, it is also the coldest time of the year, so you will need to prepare for that!

What is the best way to get to Finland?

Finnair offers direct flights to Helsinki Airport from all over the world, including from here in Los Angeles. The international flights are on newer Airbus A350 planes which have ample legroom, flight cameras and more. Subscribe to their newsletter for deals and special offers if this is a trip you are looking to plan far in advance. 

If you are in mainland Europe, you can also make your way overland to Tallinn and take the Viking Express over to Helsinki for a very affordable rate. Note, this is also a great day trip idea from Helsinki.

Where do you recommend to stay in Helsinki?

There are so many amazing options to stay in Helsinki. I think where you stay is dependent on what you want out of your visit. During my stay in the city I was leaving on an early morning ferry and arriving late at night from the airport so I chose the Noli Studio Apartments which were cheap, clean and convenient to everywhere I wanted to go. There are several of them located throughout the city, so pay attention to the neighborhood that you wish to be in! 

If you want a little more luxury and don’t mind being a little further out, consider the Clarion Hotel which is a favorite for repeat visitors to the city. 

What are the best things to do in Finland?

There are so many amazing things to do in Finland that I can’t list them all here. But a start would be to check out our top experiences in Lapland that you can find all over the region. Winter activities are some of the best on offer here in Finland.

What do I need to pack for Finland?

Layers is the short answer. The longer answer will depend on what time of year you are visiting. Assuming you visit during the high season of winter, you will need to pack a lot of warm breathable layers such as merino wool . Overall, I would say to focus on layers, good boots that have room for several pairs of socks, good gloves or mittens and a warm hat.

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The post Guide on How to Travel from Helsinki to Lapland appeared first on No Back Home .

When is the next total solar eclipse in the US after 2024 and what is its path? What to know

The highly anticipated 2024 total solar eclipse will cross North America on Monday , giving millions of sky-gazers the chance to see a rare cosmic event that won't be viewable again for 20 years.

The eclipse's  path of totality  will travel over a portion of northern Mexico before entering the U.S. It then it will cross 13 states  from Texas to Maine, where the spectacle is expected to attract huge crowds.

If you aren't lucky enough to be in the path of totality this time around, you will have another chance - you'll just have to wait until the 2040s.

Here's what we know about the next total solar eclipse to cross over the U.S.

Eclipse playlist: Fans return to Bonnie Tyler's 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' ahead of total solar eclipse

When is the next total solar eclipse visible from the U.S.?

It will be 20 years before there's a chance to  witness a total solar eclipse  in the United States again.

According to NASA, after Monday's total solar  eclipse , the next one viewable from the contiguous U.S. will be on Aug. 23, 2044.

2044 total solar eclipse path of totality

Unfortunately, the 2044 total  solar eclipse  won't have the broad reach across the U.S. as the 2024 eclipse.

The path of totality during the 2044 eclipse will only touch three states, according to the Planetary Society, a nonprofit involved in research, public outreach, and political space advocacy.

The eclipse will begin in Greenland, sweep through Canada and end around sunset in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Pets and the eclipse: Will my pets be safe during the April 2024 solar eclipse? What experts say.

2045 solar eclipse

While the 2044 total eclipse will only touch three states, a 2045 eclipse will have a more robust path across the U.S.

Expected to occur on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2045, this solar eclipse will trace a path of totality over California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

A partial solar eclipse will also be viewable in 35 other states, according to National Eclipse.com

What is a total solar eclipse?

Any celestial object like a moon or a planet that passes between two other bodies can create  an eclipse  by obscuring the view of objects like the sun.

In the event of a solar eclipse, the moon comes in between the Earth and the sun, blocking its light from reaching a small part of our planet. Partial eclipses, when some part of the sun remains visible, are the most common, making total eclipses a rare sight to behold.

Total eclipses can lead to a period of darkness lasting for several minutes, during which time nocturnal animals stir while confused birds and insects may fall silent, NASA says.

When a solar eclipse reaches totality, people are able to see the sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona, which is usually obscured by the sun's bright surface. This offers scientists an uncommon opportunity  to study the corona .

Totality also offers spectators a chance to gaze upon the spectacular sight with the naked eye, though  proper  safety  glasses  are still required for the rest of the time.

What states are on the 2024 eclipse path of totality?

Mexico's Pacific coast will be the first location in continental North America to experience totality, which is expected to occur at about 11:07 a.m. PDT,  according to NASA .

As the moon's shadow will northeast, totality in the U.S. will begin in Texas at 1:27 p.m. CDT. The path will then cut diagonally across the country, traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.

The eclipse's path is expected to end in Maine at 3:35 p.m. EDT before visiting the maritime provinces of Canada, according to estimates.

See  interactive maps of the 2024 path .

Contributing: Doyle Rice, Ramon Padilla & Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY

Solar eclipse guide: What you need to know about viewing Monday's eclipse in Brevard

The total solar eclipse is just one day away.

Still not sure what it will look like in Brevard or what time to, safely, look outside? All your solar eclipse questions are answered here.

From where to get glasses if you haven't yet, what the weather will be and even what to wear.

Here are 21 things to know about tomorrow's solar eclipse

When is the total solar eclipse?

Dubbed the Great North American Eclipse, it will take place tomorrow.

Brevard residents should start to see the eclipse beginning about 1:48 p.m. EDT, with the midpoint at 3:04 p.m.

What will Brevard be able to see of the solar eclipse?

While Brevard, and actually all of Florida, is not in the path of totality, it’s still worth observing – safely of course. Brevard’s view of the eclipse  will be just over half of the sun to more than ¾ of it obscured by the moon. It will vary a bit depending on where you are.

More of the moon will be blocked the farther northwest you go.

What is the best place to see the eclipse in Florida?

Pensacola will be treated to a spectacular partial eclipse of just over 80% coverage at the midpoint, according to  eclipse2024.com , but if you want to see the most eclipse possible within state lines you'll need to head to Pineville (82.4%), Bratt (82.3%), or Walnut Hill (82.2%).

What will the weather be Monday for the solar eclipse?

Rain isn’t expected tomorrow during the solar eclipse.

Cloud coverage is another story. There may be intermittent clouds, but hopefully not enough to block the entire eclipse.

What is the path of the solar eclipse?

The eclipse will start in the South Pacific Ocean, travel from Mexico into Oklahoma and move diagonally across the country through Maine.

What is an eclipse?

There are two types: lunar and solar.

During a lunar eclipse, Earth's shadow obscures the moon.

This is a total solar eclipse. During a  solar eclipse, the moon passes between the sun and the Earth .

There are  four types of solar eclipses:  total, annular, partial and hybrid.

• Total solar eclipse:  A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun, according to  NASA .
• Annular solar eclipse:  This happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, but when it is at or near its farthest point from our planet. Because its farther away, the moon won't completely block the sun.
• Partial solar eclipse:  This happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth but the three are not lined up perfectly, so only a part of the sun will appear to be covered, giving it a crescent shape.
• Hybrid solar eclipse:  Because Earth's surface is curved, sometimes an eclipse can shift between annular and total as the moon’s shadow moves across the globe.

How to safely view the solar eclipse

Even though Brevard is not in the path of totality, it’s still imperative to wear proper eyewear when viewing the eclipse. You're looking up at the sun, after all.

Eclipse glasses are thousands of times darker than regular sunglasses (which are not enough to protect your eyes during an eclipse) to block nearly all visible, infrared and ultraviolet light. But eclipse glasses should not be used if they are torn or scratched.

All approved-eclipse glasses will have ‘ISO’ on them. The international standard for solar eclipse viewers, called ISO 12312-2 after the International Organization of Standardization, was adopted nine years ago.

Protective gear is needed even if viewing the eclipse through binoculars, a telescope or camera lens.

Where can you get eclipse glasses?

All Brevard County libraries had NASA-provided eclipse glasses while supplies lasted. Libraries are closed Sunday. Call tomorrow morning to see if your local library has any glasses remaining.

Prescription glasses retailer  Warby Parker  also has been handing out free eclipse glasses. Brevard has one Warby Parker location at The Avenue Viera.

Sonic Drive-in gave out free glasses with the purchase of  their new limited-edition, eclipse-inspired drink , the "Blackout Slush Float." There are  six Sonic locations through Brevard  – Titusville, Merritt Island, Cocoa, Palm Bay and two in Melbourne. They may still have some available.

Retailers selling glasses include:

• Cracker Barrel

What happens if you look at the eclipse without glasses?

Don't do it.

Dr. Paul Winslow, a Melbourne retina specialist, explained that you can cause severe damage to your eyes if you look at the sun, especially when an eclipse is occurring.

“The most basic explanation is when you have any sort of intense UV rays that can produce heat damage, you can injure your retina,” said Winslow, whose office is in Melbourne. “The UV intensity is much higher during an eclipse.”

There is no surgery or medication that can fix damage done to eyes by looking at an eclipse.

Can you make your own glasses?

You can use an indirect version to avoid looking at the sun, such as a pinhole projector that projects the sun on a nearby surface. The American Astronomical Society has  a guide  to set them up. Follow the guide closely. Don't take any chances.

Will the eclipse affect my child's school day?

Brevard Public Schools issued this statement:

“To minimize any risks for students, safety measure will be taken at every school. Student transition during class change and regular dismissal will not be affected; but will adhere to safety measures. Outdoor activities between 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. will be moved indoors. Athletic events and practices will not commence until after 4:30 p.m. Any pre-planned educational activities are permitted if all safety protocols are followed, and parents have granted permission for student participation in the activity.”

Some school districts that are in the path of totality are closing entirely tomorrow.

How often do solar eclipses occur?

On average, a total solar eclipse is visible from somewhere on earth  every 18 months,  according to  Space.com.

When will Brevard experience a total solar eclipse?

Brevard, and nearly all of Florida, will be in the path of totality for a total solar eclipse Aug. 12, 2045.

Other states that also will see the moon completely blocked by the sun are California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia.

Wear red or green when watching the solar eclipse

Green, specifically, will look very bright against the dim surroundings as the moon covers the sun. 

If you want to experiment with color and optical science this eclipse, have one of your friends or family wear green and dress yourself in something red (or vice versa). You can compare how the red clothing seems to fade to a shade of gray as the green clothing seems to get brighter.

Watch shadows during the solar eclipse

Shadows take on a crescent-like shape due to the position of the sun.

Where to watch the eclipse in central Florida

• Partial Eclipse and Earth Day Celebration  at Kennedy Space Center - Space Commerce Way, Merritt Island, FL 32953
• Solar Eclipse Viewing Party  at the Orlando Science Center - 777 E Princeton St, Orlando, FL 32803

Deals on eclipse food

Sonic has a limited edition "Blackout Slush Float." There are  six Sonic locations through Brevard  – Titusville, Merritt Island, Cocoa, Palm Bay and two in Melbourne.

Krispy Kreme is partnering with Oreo to offer the total solar eclipse doughnut. The glazed doughnut is dipped in black chocolate icing, sprinkled with silver sprinkles and piped with a buttercream made with Oreo cookie pieces and topped with an Oreo cookie​. 

It’s available through April 8.

Burger King Royal Perk Members can text ECLIPSE to 251251 to get a Whopper buy-one-get-one offer. The deal can be used on the Burger King app or online at BK.com through April 15.

Does the solar eclipse affect insects?

It does seem to affect some insects, according to research scientists at the University of Florida.

During totality honeybees have been known to remain in their hives and act as if they are shutting down for the night. Crickets also get confused by the sudden darkness and will often be heard chirping.

Is the eclipse safe for pregnant women? More eclipse myths

Over the years there have been many myths regarding eclipse, but not to worry: all of these have been debunked by NASA.

Here are some of the myths:

It’s dangerous for pregnant women to experience an eclipse. It was believed that the eclipse emitted harmful radiation that would harm the unborn baby. It’s not true.

An eclipse is an omen and a sign of bad things to come. Again, not true. NASA cautioned people to remember there have been hundreds of years of eclipses occurring in which no catastrophes followed. If something bad happens to coincide with the eclipse, it’s a coincidence.

The moon turns black during a total solar eclipse. No, it does not. It may look black, but NASA assured that is not the case.

 "As viewed from the moon, Earth is very bright in the sky and its weak light is enough to turn the lunar surface a pale milky white,” according to the NASA website. “This is called earthshine, and the same thing applies during a total solar eclipse. Most of Earth’s surface is actually in broad daylight off the path of totality, and from the moon it would be in full phase, shining down on the lunar surface at its brightest. So, during a total solar eclipse, the lunar surface will be dimly seen due to earthshine, surrounded by the much more brilliant corona of the sun.”

Eclipse playlist: Songs to listen to during the solar eclipse

We all know what we’ll be looking at tomorrow afternoon, but what will we be listening to?

The most obvious song needed on a solar eclipse playlist is “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler. Here are other tunes to add.

“Blinded by the Light” by Bruce Springsteen

“Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd

“Eclipse” by Pink Floyd

“Moon at the Window” by Joni Mitchell

“Moonshadow” by Cat Stevens

“The Moon and the Sky” by Sade

Last minute road trip to experience the total solar eclipse

Want to take a last minute trip to be in the path of totality for tomorrow’s solar eclipse?

Pack your bags and get on the road - now!

The closest place from Brevard to experience totality is about 14.5 hours away. You’ll want to head to the Texas/Arkansas border.

Cities like Redwater, Texas and Yarborough Landing, Arkansas will get 100% coverage. You’ll want to make sure you’re there by 1:46 p.m. CDT. That’s when the eclipse will begin.

Spitzer is a Trending Reporter. She can be reached at [email protected].

Watch CBS News

What time the 2024 solar eclipse started, reached peak totality and ended

By Sarah Maddox

Updated on: April 9, 2024 / 5:04 AM EDT / CBS News

The 2024 solar eclipse will be visible across North America today. As the moon's position between the Earth and sun casts a shadow on North America, that shadow, or umbra, will travel along the surface from west to east at more than 1,500 miles per hour along the path of totality . 

That means the eclipse will start, peak and end at different times — as will the moments of total darkness along the path of totality — and the best time to view the eclipse depends on where you are located. Some places along the path will have more totality time than others.

In Texas, the south-central region had clouds in the forecast , but it was better to the northeast, according to the National Weather Service. The best eclipse viewing weather was expected in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine, as well as in Canada's New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

What time does the 2024 total solar eclipse start?

The total solar eclipse will emerge over the South Pacific Ocean before the shadow falls across North America, beginning in parts of Mexico. The path of totality , where onlookers can witness the moon fully blocking the sun (through eclipse viewing glasses for safety ), is expected to first make landfall near the city of Mazatlán around 9:51 a.m. MT. 

The total solar eclipse will cross over the U.S.-Mexico border into Texas, where it will emerge over Eagle Pass at 12:10 p.m. CT and then peak at about 1:27 p.m. CT.

In Dallas, NASA data shows the partial eclipse will first become visible at 12:23 p.m. CT and peak at 1:40 p.m. CT. The next states in the path of totality are Oklahoma and Arkansas, where the eclipse begins in Little Rock at 12:33 p.m. CT. 

Cleveland will see the beginning of the eclipse at 1:59 p.m. ET. Darkness will start spreading over the sky in Buffalo, New York, at 2:04 p.m. ET. Then, the eclipse will reach northwestern Vermont, including Burlington, at 2:14 p.m. ET. Parts of New Hampshire and Maine will also follow in the path of totality before the eclipse first reaches the Canadian mainland  at 3:13 p.m. ET.

Although the experience won't be exactly the same, viewers in all the contiguous U.S. states outside the path of totality will still be able to see a partial eclipse. Some places will see most of the sun blocked by the moon, including Washington, D.C., where the partial eclipse will start at 2:04 p.m. ET and peak at about 3:20 p.m. ET.

In Chicago, viewers can start viewing the partial eclipse at 12:51 p.m. CT, with the peak arriving at 2:07 p.m. CT.  In Detroit, viewers will be able to enjoy a near-total eclipse beginning at 1:58 p.m. ET and peaking at 3:14 p.m. ET.

New York City will also see a substantial partial eclipse, beginning at 2:10 p.m. ET and peaking around 3:25 p.m. ET.

In Boston it will begin at 2:16 p.m. ET and peak at about 3:29 p.m. ET.

The below table by NASA shows when the eclipse will start, peak and end in 13 cities along the eclipse's path.

What time will the solar eclipse reach peak totality?

Millions more people will have the chance to witness the total solar eclipse this year than during the last total solar eclipse , which was visible from the U.S. in 2017. 

The eclipse's peak will mean something different for cities within the path of totality and for those outside. Within the path of totality, darkness will fall for a few minutes. The longest will last more than 4 minutes, but most places will see between 3.5 and 4 minutes of totality. In cities experiencing a partial eclipse, a percentage of the sun will be obscured for more than two hours.

Mazatlán is set to experience totality at 11:07 am PT. Dallas will be able to see the moon fully cover the sun at 1:40 p.m. CT. Little Rock will start to see the full eclipse at 1:51 p.m. CT, Cleveland at 3:13 p.m. ET and Buffalo at 3:18 p.m. ET. Totality will reach Burlington at 3:26 p.m. ET before moving into the remaining states and reaching Canada around 4:25 p.m.

Outside the path of totality, 87.4% of the sun will be eclipsed in Washington, D.C. at 3:20 p.m. ET, and Chicago will have maximum coverage of 93.9% at 2:07 p.m. CT. New York City is much closer to the path of totality this year than it was in 2017; it will see 89.6% coverage at 3:25 p.m. EDT. 

Detroit is another city that will encounter a near-total eclipse, with 99.2% maximum coverage at 3:14 p.m. ET. Boston will see 92.4% coverage at 3:29 p.m. ET.

What time will the solar eclipse end?

The eclipse will leave continental North America from Newfoundland, Canada, at 5:16 p.m. NT, according to NASA.

At the beginning of the path of totality in Mazatlán, the eclipse will be over by 12:32 p.m. PT, and it will leave Dallas at 3:02 p.m. CT. The eclipse will end in Little Rock at 3:11 p.m. CT, Cleveland at 4:29 p.m. CDT and Buffalo at 4:32 p.m. ET. Burlington won't be far behind, with the eclipse concluding at 4:37 p.m. ET.

Meanwhile, the viewing will end in Chicago at 3:21 p.m. CT, Washington, D.C. at 4:32 p.m. ET, and New York City at 4:36 p.m. ET. 

In Detroit, the partial eclipse will disappear at 4:27 p.m. ET, and in Boston, it will be over at 4:39 p.m. ET.

How long will the eclipse last in total?

The total solar eclipse will begin in Mexico at 11:07 a.m. PT and leave continental North America at 5:16 p.m. NT. From the time the partial eclipse first appears on Earth to its final glimpses before disappearing thousands of miles away, the celestial show will dazzle viewers for about 5 hours, according to timeanddate.com . 

The length of the total solar eclipse at points along the path depends on the viewing location. The longest will be 4 minutes and 28 seconds, northwest of Torreón, Mexico. Near the center of the path, totality takes place for the longest periods of time, according to NASA.

Spectators will observe totality for much longer today than during the 2017 eclipse , when the longest stretch of totality was 2 minutes and 32 seconds.

The moon's shadow seen on Earth today, called the umbra, travels at more than 1,500 miles per hour, according to NASA. It would move even more quickly if the Earth rotated in the opposite direction.

What is the longest a solar eclipse has ever lasted?

The longest known totality was 7 minutes and 28 seconds in 743 B.C. However, NASA says this record will be broken in 2186 with a 7 minute, 29 second total solar eclipse. The next total solar eclipse visible from parts of the U.S. won't happen until Aug. 23, 2044.

Sarah Maddox has been with CBS News since 2019. She works as an associate producer for CBS News Live.

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Solar eclipse 2024: Follow the path of totality

Thinking of taking a last-minute drive to see the eclipse here's what to know.

Geoff Brumfiel

RV traffic sits at a standstill along a two-lane road near Madras, Ore., a few days before the 2017 total solar eclipse. Experts say traffic could be heavy, but eclipse watchers shouldn't necessarily be deterred. AFP Contributor/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

RV traffic sits at a standstill along a two-lane road near Madras, Ore., a few days before the 2017 total solar eclipse. Experts say traffic could be heavy, but eclipse watchers shouldn't necessarily be deterred.

NASA says that roughly 31.6 million people live in the path of this year's total solar eclipse, and a little under half of the U.S. population lives within 200 miles driving distance of the path of totality .

That could mean many millions of Americans will hit the road to get a better view on April 8. If you're still pondering whether or not you want to make the journey, here's what to consider.

Have some destinations in mind, and check the weather and cloud cover forecasts in advance

It's a good idea to scout out one or more locations within driving distance, so that you have some flexibility if traffic or weather is threatening your plans, says Jonathan Upchurch, a professor emeritus of civil engineering at Arizona State University who has studied travel around solar eclipses.

There are several interactive tools that show the path of totality, including Eclipse2024.org and the National Solar Observatory . You can use them to figure out what sites might work best for you.

In terms of weather, check not just the weather forecast, but also the cloud cover forecast. Some websites, such as Windy.com will predict cloud cover ahead of time, giving you a sense of whether you'll actually be able to see the eclipse in all its glory.

Everything you need to know about solar eclipse glasses before April 8

During the total solar eclipse in 2017, Upchurch says he chose to go to Idaho "because there were some great chances of having sunny skies, and I had the opportunity to be nimble and relocate if I wanted to."

Before driving into the path of totality, make sure your gas tank is full and that you've got everything you need

During the last total solar eclipse in 2017, it's estimated some 5 million people took to the roads, and those numbers will potentially be much higher this year.

Given all that, Upchurch says it's important to make sure you're taking what you need into the path of totality. You should make sure your car is gassed or charged up, and that you have plenty of snacks and water with you in case you get stranded for a while, especially when trying to leave.

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Also don't forget to bring eclipse glasses, which must be worn anytime you're looking at the sun, except for the few minutes when it is completely blocked by the moon.

Some state emergency planners also recommend bringing a paper map or road atlas in case cellular networks become overloaded with visitors seeking directions from their phones.

Don't forget your eclipse glasses everyone! Erika Goldring/FilmMagic hide caption

Don't forget your eclipse glasses everyone!

Arrive early and stay late

Once you figure out where you're going to watch the eclipse, and you've got your supplies, try to get there early. Although traffic is likely to be heavier than normal on the morning of eclipse day, it still should be possible to reach many destinations without too much hassle, says Upchurch.

"Leaving is definitely going to be more of a problem," he says. As the eclipse concludes, people will take to the roads all at once to try and get home as fast as they can. In 2017, that led to traffic jams that lasted many hours in some areas. If possible, Upchurch says, people should stay put for a while to try and avoid the worst of the post-eclipse rush, which in 2017 stretched even into the following day in some parts of the country.

Here's what time the eclipse will be visible in your region

And one more thing: If you do find yourself on the move near the time of the eclipse, state officials stress that you should not simply pull over to the side of the road or highway you're driving on. It's important to be parked legally and safely at the moment of totality.

If you're already in the path of totality: Relax and enjoy!

Several major metropolitan areas including Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland and Buffalo are already inside the path of totality, so there's no need to seek a better view, Upchurch says. You'll probably have the most fun simply staying where you are.

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If you're on the edge of the path of totality, however, you might consider making a short trip to get closer to the center of the eclipse's path.

"If you're within about 40 miles of the center line, you'll have two-and-a-half minutes or more" of complete totality, Upchurch says. It's up to you to decide whether it's worth making the trip to a more central location.

Despite studying the potential hassles of traveling extensively, Upchurch says he's still looking forward to seeing the 2024 eclipse, which he plans to watch from Texas.

"Totality is absolutely spectacular," he says. "If you have a chance to witness it, I would do it."

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