Lapland: a winter wonderland❄️
Rovaniemi is the Capital of Lapland and the official home of Santa Claus in the World.
The northernmost region of Finland manages to cast a powerful spell and lure you back again and again, thanks to its fairy-tale forests, roaming reindeer and glittering aurora borealis.
Day 1: Rovaniemi - city center
A day or two is enough to explore the city center.
If you like history and museums, I recommend getting the Culture Pass. This pass gives you access to three main cultural attractions - Arboretum Arktikum, Pilke Science Center and Korundi Cultural House.
The best part is that the pass is valid for 7 days and you can visit these three cultural monuments as many times as you want.
You can also meet Santa Claus in the city center. This has an advantage over visiting him at Santa Claus Village - cheaper, no long lines, you can get his autograph and take a picture together.
Day 2: Santa Claus Village
The main reason why many tourists go to Rovaniemi is the famous Santa Claus village.
It is only less than 8 kilometers from the city and you can get there by bus - line 8 or Santa Claus express, it runs every hour and the round trip costs 7 euros.
Santa Claus Village Rovaniemi is the only place on Earth where you can meet Santa Claus any day of the year beyond the Arctic Circle. You will meet him in his office in this small village. Then go beyond the arctic circle, enjoy the polar zoo, huskies, reindeer and taste the local cuisine in a local restaurant.
Reindeer in the forest
There is a small zoo in Santa Claus Village where you can feed the reindeer and see other animals. The entrance fee is 15 euros.
Husky safari
There is also a Husky safari near the zoo with an entrance fee of 10 euros and the opportunity to pet the huskies.
Snowman World
Snowman World is a place with interesting winter activities in the village. Here you can enjoy ice skating, a slide or slide, or just have a drink at the ice bar.
The entrance fee is 29 euros.
Day 3: fairytale forests
Around Rovaniemi you have many options for winter trails in the beautiful snowy forest. The most famous is the Ounasvaara trail.
Trails start 1,6 km east of Rovaniemi city centre.
The trail is marked and equipped with information boards, and part of the route connects to the Ounasvaara Educational Trail.
There is an observation tower on the winter trail, which offers a wonderful view of the city center and the Kemi River.
The trail is 7.2 km long, generally considered moderately difficult, and takes an average of 3 hours to complete.
But you can take your time and enjoy a small barbeque next to the lookout because there is a fire pit.
Finnish sauna
If your accommodation does not have a sauna, there are several public saunas in the city. It is the perfect place to relax after a winter trail.
There are more than 3 million saunas in Finland - that's more than cars. Finns love sauna and for the perfect experience there is something you have to try there.
Husky Sledding and Husky safari
Husky Sledding is another popular activity in Rovaniemi. You can book it online or at one of the agencies in the city center (prices are similar).
Aurora hunting
The Arctic Circle is the best place to see the Aurora in its season. All you need is a clear sky and a dark place. You can easily find this if you walk from the city center.
Many agencies offer Aurora hunting with barbecue or photography, prices start at 79 euros. Instead of renting a car, we decided to try a tour this time.
Worst idea - we decided to do a trip with a highly recommended agency. Basically they just take you to their place in the woods or outside of town and you stay there and wait there two hours and then they take you back.
Instead, it's better to rent a car, download some Aurora app and hunt it yourself. There's a better chance you'll spot it.
Other places to visit:
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