The Ultimate Christmas Trip
Located right on the Arctic Circle, the Santa Claus Village is regarded as “Santa’s official residence” and is one of the top tourist destinations in Finland. You really can’t find more Christmas in one place anywhere else in the world. Year-round you can find Santa greeting visitors at his office in the center of the village. The path to meet The Big Guy passes his workshop where you can look through the keyholes of the small doors to spot his elves working away on toys for children around the world.
Hang Out With Dogs
No visit to Rovaniemi would be complete without spending time “staring at the south end of a northbound team” of beautiful Siberian Huskies as they speed through the snow-covered forest. There are various routes and durations of sled rides offered by multiple operators. And if you are not interested in sledding you can just visit, pet, and “Hug a Husky”.
Ride With Reindeer
If you want to see the scenery at a little slower pace, a reindeer sleigh ride through a winter wonderland is a lot more relaxed and offers a chance to get up close to these beautiful creatures. Like husky sledding, there are many variations of tours available through various operators.
Catch A Show Starring Aurora Borealis
The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) are one of the big draws of any trip to Lapland. There is never a guarantee that you will get to see them, but they do happen on average about 150 days a year in Rovaniemi. Tours are available by snowmobile, sleigh, hiking, and bus.
Get Moving On The Snow
Finns love being outdoors and moving across the snow with their sporting equipment. Try a snowmobile tour or exploring the countryside on a pair of snowshoes. If skiing is your thing you’ll find both cross-country trails and downhill slopes available in the area.
The Logistics
Rovaniemi (RVN) is an easy 75-minute Finnair flight from Helsinki (HEL). The airport is located about 6 miles north of the city center. The Arctic Circle crosses the runway closer to its northern end.
I recommend staying outside the city, where you will find snowy forest scenery and less light pollution which gives you a better chance to see the Northern Lights.
The Arctic TreeHouse Hotel provides designer accommodations that offer panoramic views of the forest and Arctic skies. Right next door you will find SantaPark, home of the Cavern of Santa Claus.
Each year The Arctic Snow Hotel molds snow and ice into sleeping rooms, suites, a chapel, a bar, and a restaurant. Bundle up for a very cool adventure.
