What could be more fascinating than spending Christmas in the official hometown of Santa Claus? If you also dream of experiencing the true magic of Christmas, then look no further than Lapland, Finland. Lapland, the best destination for your once in a lifetime dream trip where your dream may come true to meet Father Christmas himself. The arctic wonderland has plenty of magical experiences, amazing culture and enchanting landscapes to offer to people of any age.
Situated in Scandinavia, Lapland occupies northern part of Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia. Rovaniemi, located in Lapland and the capital city, is not only the home of Mr. Claus, but also host the extraordinary polar phenomena throughout the year. Rovaniemi has also been voted as the best Christmas destination in the world. As most of the region of Lapland is above the Arctic Circle, its likely to experience Midnight Sun in summer and Polar nights in winter. Lapland is a winter wonderland like no other, you can have Christmassy feeling where ever you turn on this magical place. While there are multiple places to stay in the arctic region, but i chose Rovaniemi which was convenient for me to get to Santa Claus Village and other nearby spots like Santa Park.
Whether you are planning a romantic getaway with your life partner or a family visit to Lapland, there’s a lot to see, explore and get into the spirit of the festive season. Visiting Lapland was on my bucket list since 2019 and dreamed of meeting Santa, watching the enchanting Auroras, getting Reindeer ride and much more. Finally i fulfilled my dream visit to Lapland which will be my favourite one and the memories of this place will last a lifetime. So i also want to share with you my experience and some tips that i learned during my trip to the wonderland so you can also experience the magical journey to Lapland and make the most out of it.
No doubt travelling to Lapland is not cheap, so its important to plan carefully before visiting the region as its a once in a lifetime trip. But if you plan everything in advance and make a list of everything like what to do and what to visit, for how many days you want to stay there, you can make it a little less costlier trip and memorable for a lifetime.
How to get to Lapland
Well that depends on which city you choose, i stayed in Rovaniemi which is the final destination for almost everyone and easier to reach to nearby spots and cities. There are two ways to get to Rovaniemi via Flight and Train.
- Flight: You can get flight to Rovaniemi, which is the third busiest airport of Finland and is 10-15 minutes drive from the city centre. Buses are also available to get from the airport to the centre of the city. Always remember to book flights ticket in advance in order to get cheap deals or if you want to have a budget trip, you can opt to visit during non-peak months.
- Train: Train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi is the other option to consider to get to the capital. I chose to travel though train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi, as overnight trains are also available. It would not only save you a night’s stay cost but you can also enjoy the breathtaking views from the window of your cabin during the journey. The train at night i had around 11 which reached the capital around 11 in the morning. You can buy meal in the food section located in one of the carriages or you can also bring food or snacks with you before getting in the train.
Best time to visit Lapland
Although, Lapland offers festive season and opportunity to meet Santa and his elves all year round, but if you seek snowy christmassy atmosphere, then November-December is the ideal time to visit this winter wonderland. As this would offer opportunites to capture enchanting landscapes blanketed in snow, waking up in a cottage surrounded by pine trees covered in snow, feel crispy cold air and smell of gingerbread cookies, see herd of reindeers and enjoy sleigh ride and much more.
Where to stay in Lapland for Christmas
Lapland offers a wide variety of accomodation from ice hotels to glass igloos which will make your dreamy trip more magical and romantic. Some of these beautiful and luxurious options to stay are listed here:
Arctic Snow Hotel and Glass Igloos:These are the biggest snow hotels in the world made entirely out of snow and ice where you can have opportunity to witness the mesmerising Northern lights. The glass roof of the Glass igloos let you have the view of heavenly magic of skies.
Arctic Tree House Hotel: One of the best luxury romantic hotel, located near Santa Park, offers suites where you can enjoy views of the surrounding forest covered in snow and even northern lights if you are lucky. Hotel has facilities of tea/coffee, a mini bar, free parking, gift shop at property for the guests. If you want to have a romantic and memorable time staying in Rovaniemi, Arctic Tree House is best for you.
Santa Claus holiday village : These accomodations are located inside the Santa Clause Village which gives a breathtaking view of beautiful cabins surrounded by pine trees covered in snow. These heated cabins have private sauna inside, kitchen and bathroom. As its situated within Santa Clause Village, shops selling souvenirs, restaurant, Santa’s house is on site to explore anytime.
Guesthouse Arctic Heart: This one is more a budget option for those looking for less expensive hotel to stay in Rovaniemi. The guesthouse offer guests rooms with shared bathroom, kitchen and a sun terrace. It is situated near Arktikum science centre and walking distance from city centre.
However i chose to stay at Motelli Hotel in Rovaniemi which was 15-20 minute drive by bus. It was a budget accomodation to stay and beautiful as well. It was convenient for me to get to Santa Claus Village and other nearby spots from this hostel as i had the option to travel by bus as bus stand was nearby the hostel and taxi was another way to get to the nearby spots.
Must to do once in a lifetime in Lapland
- Santa Claus Village
No doubt, for most travelers and families the very first thing to do after reaching Rovaniemi would be Santa Claus Village, atleast that’s what i did. I was so excited to go there and visit Santa, his home and his elves that i didn’t even rest a bit once i reached in Rovaniemi. You can meet Big Man and Mrs. Claus here which is free for everyone and have photos with him which costs but not much, imagine the joy on the face of your child after meeting Father Christmas, share their wish lists with him or even get a and preserve those memories in photographs that will last a lifetime. There are many shops selling souvenirs, handmade traditional goods, many restaurants, there is Christmas house restaurant inside where you can have a nice traditional meal.
Don’t forget to share your wishlist with Santa and post your letter at Santa Claus’s main post office where you write and post letters to Santa himself. You can even get a certificate of reaching the arctic circle and meeting Santa, take a Husky and Reindeer Safari around the village which will leave you plethora of memorable moments that won’t fade ever. There’s another magical thing in village as the Arctic Circle line is marked in the Santa Claus village’s central square which you get to cross, so you can experience something magical and exciting here. The staff of Safari Centre at village also arrange for you tour packages of many winter activities including Reindeer and Husky safari through reindeer and husky farms, Aurora hunting tours, visit to Ranua Wildlife Park, Skiing and Snowshoeing trips and many more.
- Santa Park
Santa Park is an underground Christmas theme park where you can meet Santa, his elves, visit Santa’s secret forest, have your very own Elf school diploma, enjoy the magical Elf show, take magical train ride through the park, visit ice gallery and gingerbread room. This is the place where Santa’s elves make toys and presents for children all over the world. You can even make christmas cookies with elves in the workshops, have local cuisine in the restaurant. This is the great place for both children and adults to explore, make memories and to get yourself and your family into the Christmas spirit.
- Must see Aurora Borealis
How can a trip to Lapland be complete without watching the mesmerising Auroras dancing in the sky? Imagine yourself with your loved ones outside in the crisp snowy winter, wrapped in a warm blanket,, surrounded by snow covered pine trees, frozen lake, Arctic wilderness, as the enchanting vibrant colours dance over head across the sky. It’s such a sight that will leave you stunned and give you memories that will last a lifetime. You can experience this phenomena yourself by exploring places where the possibility of lights are high like in dark clear sky away from city or book a guided Northern lights hunting tour. Glass igloos are also great to watch Auroras but it cannot be compared to the magical lights show in open sky surrounding Arctic wilderness.
- Arktikum Museum and Science Centre
Explore rich culture and history of Lapland by visiting Arktikum that provide insights to culture, history, unique ecosystem and Arctic wildlife of Finnish Lapland. The museum also highlights rich traditions, culture and lifestyle of Sami people. The museum also includes a Northern lights theatre where you can experience the beauty of fascinating lights through immersive presentation. The science centre includes scientific information and ongoing research projects related to the arctic region
- Winter activities to not miss
Apart from visiting Santa, there are plenty of activities you shouldn’t miss during your Christmas trip to Lapland. You can also book guided tour of these activities at Santa Claus Village to have a hassle free experience. Visiting Ranua Wildlife Park is the only place in Finland where you can see Polar bear and where you can see Arctic animal species. You can try snowshoeing or go on a dreamy Husky or Reindeer sleigh rides though the white snowy forest and picturesque landscapes, try ice fishing on one of the frozen lakes for unique and unforgettable experience and you can explore Arctic wilderness and witness the beautiful wonderland through snowmobiling. If you want a calmer experience, you can opt for cross-country skiing so you can glide through the peaceful and breathtaking arctic landscapes and experience the beauty of untouched nature of Lapland.
Some useful tips before travelling to Lapland
- To get on a budget, you can choose to visit during non-peak months as it will let you get cheap flight tickets, less expensive accomodation and book local attractions tours with discounts.
- Plan your itinerary for atlease 5-7 days to make most out of your dream trip to enjoy all winter activities and see most of the major attractions. If you opt to stay less than 5 days, you will be exhausted and feel rushed, you can also miss some of the most fascinating activity or spot to see. So make a trip of atleast 5-7 days in order to have a hassle-free and memorable trip and to increase chances to see the Northern lights.
- Make a list of things to do or places to visit in a day as days are shorter and darker during winter, so plan activities accordingly.
- Remember layering of warm clothes to survive the extreme cold temperature of Lapland and enjoy the whole trip and activites. Pack essential warm clothes, thermal socks, hand gloves, thick wool jumpers, merino layers, skiwear, snow suits and snow boots. Although there are options to rent them in Lapland, but its better to wear and pack your own.
- Always add Travel insurance in your trip to secure your travel and cover any risks or mishappenings associated to it.
- Pack essential items such as power banks as the batteries of phones get drained quickly in the extreme cold weather.
- Don’t forget to prepare your camera because you don’t want to miss chance of capturing mesmerising views of Santa’s village and Auroras during polar nights.
- If you want to get into the spirit of Christmas and want your children to always have belive in Santa, then its best to visit in November-December.
- If you have less time to explore, then choose one place in Lapland to visit to make most out of once in a lifetime trip.
- Try local cuisine in the amazing restaurants and explore the rich culture of Sami people, who call Lapland home, as you don’t want to miss anything in this once in a lifetime trip.
Do also share your experiences of Lapland and suggestions in Hayat’s community 🙂
