5 Days in Lapland: The Perfect Winter Holiday Itinerary

What’s a better way to spend your Christmas (or Winter) holidays than visiting the home place of Santa Claus? If you’re not afraid of the cold, but are excited about days where sunrise and sunset are merged, to have the possibility of seeing northern lights, and to enjoy spectacular hikes of snow-covered nature, check out this 5 days itinerary to the Finnish Lapland!

When you’re coming to Lapland at the end of December or beginning of January, be aware that the hours of sunlight are very limited. That means also that the number of outdoor activities that you get to do will be rather sparse. Thus, prepare some good books or movies to entertain you or enjoy saunas, pubs, and restaurants.

Day 1 – Arrival in Helsinki and train to Rovaniemi

We arrived to Helsinki quite late in the evening, and after a short walk around the station, we took the Santa Claus Night Express train to Rovaniemi. We got lucky, as we took the last possible cabin on that day, that happened to be the sleeper cabin for two people with private bathrooms. I can totally recommend it. The total trip takes around 8 h and the price varies during the season.

Day 2 – Floating in frozen waters and catching auroras

Floating in frozen waters

Our first activity in Rovaniemi was the one that I was the most excited about – floating in ice cold waters. A Safartica minibus picked us up from the meeting point and drove us to a hut. The hut was located near a lake, where the ice had been removed so that we could float. We then got divided into two groups to avoid overcrowding the water space. We went into the first round, which I preferred as there was still some sunlight, although the lake was obviously well illuminated once it started getting dark.

Our guide showed us how to dress up in the dry suit, and then we headed towards the lake. Getting into it was quite easy, as there were stairs prepared for us. We were told to lay on our backs to avoid any cold water getting into the suits. It was very relaxing, especially since you cannot really talk to anyone as you have very little mobility in the suit. Also, not cold at all! After we came out, we got a warm drink and explored the surrounding area while the second group was doing the activity, before heading back to Rovaniemi.

Looking for the northern lights

In the evening, we joined a tour to see the northern lights. The city of Rovaniemi itself is not a great spot due to the light pollution, but driving few dozens of kilometers into nature quickly solves the problem. Unfortunately, a problem that no one can solve is a cloudy day. We didn’t get to see the lights, despite the driving around and waiting, which of course is unfortunate. However, we still had a nice experience, with the guide explaining stories about Rovaniemi and by having a warm dinner next to a fire in the forest.

Day 3 – Huskies, reindeers, and snowmobiles

Getting a ride from motivated huskies…

Because of our short time we were in Rovaniemi, I found an activity that combined a ride on a husky-driven sledge, one with a reindeer, and a snowmobile ride on the same tour. We got picked up from our hotels and driven to the center. There, we were first split in groups of four people to sit on the sledge and get driven for 2 km by the huskies. While 2 km may seemed like a decent distance, when carried by the dogs it really flies by. I was surprised about how fast the sledges with other groups reappearing, and obviously once it was our turn, the trip was also incredibly short – but really fun! Had I known it, I would have chosen the longer route.

Animal lovers – don’t worry! The guides explained us that huskies really love running and have plenty of energy to do so. You could clearly see that the dogs were really motivated to run, much more than staying in the same place. Some of them were even starting fights with their neighbours, probably out of inactivity boredom. We were also discourage from petting most of them, except for maybe two or three who were more friendly, as these are working dogs, not pets.

…and (un)motivated reindeers

Once we finished with the dogs, we went to greet the reindeers. These reindeers are wild. They just come to the center in the search of food for the winter and chill there until spring. Their way of paying rent is to carry tourists around in sledges. Being carried by reindeers is the slowest way of transport imaginable. We had a bit to encourage them to move, but they would stop every few steps to chew on some plants, and ours decided to pee when we just sat down. Honestly, it was quite boring for us and for the reindeers, so I would skip this if I were to go again. The reindeers are cute though.

Snowmobile tour

Ever driven a snowmobile? It’s a pretty cool activity if you want to experience speed (especially after riding with reindeers). Snowmobiles are a great mode of transport in places with plenty of snow (check this guide to Yellowstone as another cool tour you can do). Snowmobiles are quite easy to drive, although it takes a bit of time to get used to it, especially going fast.

Glamping in a fancy igloo hotel

Ever dreamt of laying in a cozy warm bed with the northern lights dancing above you? Dream no further, as you have the chance of doing exactly that in this. Provided that there are northern lights and no clouds, of course. But what is life without some risk? In any case, we took a risk and stayed one of the nights in the hotel, the Arctic Snow Hotel & Glass Igloos. There’s other hotels in Rovaniemi that have a similar vibe, so there’s a few options there.

I liked this hotel. We had one of the glass igloo cabins, which was separated enough from each other to feel private, and have quite high wooden walls. The inside feels like a standard hotel room, just the ceiling is made of glass, which does not get fogged. There’s also the possibility to turn on or off the alarm to wake you up if the lights appear.

Apart from the igloos, there is a Snow Hotel, that is, the rooms are completely made of snow, with each room decorated individually. These rooms are really cool to see, and you can visit them until 20:00, when the guests are allowed to come in. I’m not sure about the logistics of sleeping inside a snowy cold room, and that’s clearly not my personal preference. If you just want to visit the snow hotel, tickets are also sold separately from the rooms.

If you don’t have a car, the hotel also provides you with a paid shuttle service to reach your accommodation, which is quite convenient.

Is an igloo hotel worth it?

That obviously depends on many factors. Is it a cool experience? Absolutely. The igloos are very modern and are an interesting structure, probably quite different from what you’re used to. So, if you have the money to spend on it, why not do it?

Now, if you’re thinking whether to spend the money on the hotel or in another activity, I would go with the activity, unless the igloo hotel is a bucket list item. A night in that hotel isn’t cheap (over 500€ per night), and you cannot ensure that there will be northern lights or that the sky will not be cloudy. That’s what happened to us, we could not see any northern lights at the end. Sad, but that’s how it goes.

Day 4 – Hiking and visiting Santa Claus

Hiking in Lapland

One of the highlights of Lapland for me are the fantastic landscapes it offers. We took a tour to do a short 1 h hike in the forest, visiting some photogenic places. Why a tour instead of driving ourselves? Well, 1) I’ve never driven with snow and Finland seemed a hardcore way to start, and 2) Getting potentially lost in a Finnish forest in winter was not something I wanted to do. Therefore, tour it was.

I was a bit sad that it was not cold enough/there had not been enough snowfalls to also cover the trees (the photos would have been amazing amazing), but you take what you get. It was a nice walk through the forest, and we definitely visited some very photogenic places. The group we got also was quite small – we had a guide, and then another man who joined by himself, so it was a great size for us. The guide was really nice and showed us beautiful locations to take nice photographs. She also took photos of the guests, which was nice.

Visiting the Santa Claus Village

While I don’t necessarily disregard touristy experiences for the sake of being touristy (I’m going to places to do tourism after all!), there’s a certain kind that I don’t particularly like. Perhaps the more artificial, capitalism-driven experiences based on consumerism are what I don’t particularly enjoy (think of Vegas or Disneyland). I would say that’s what the Santa Claus Village is. How did I end up there? Let me be honest – when you have 3 h a day of light, there’s not much outdoor stuff that you’ll be able to fit in your day, and there’s not much to do in Rovaniemi otherwise. So there I went. There’s nothing wrong with the Village, it’s just not my vibe.

Visiting the Village (and Santa Claus)

The Santa Village consists of a few stores, festive decor, restaurants, and kid activities. You can take a pic of yourself crossing the Arctic circle (and buy yourself a certificate that you did), or, more famously, get a picture with Santa. If that’s your plan, be prepared to queue. We stayed in line for several hours. We ended up in the queue quite naively, as it did seem quite short from the outside. Since we were in Rovaniemi, why not do it? Only once we entered into the rooms full of people queuing, we realized our mistake. That was a very long line. After a couple hours of waiting, we finally reached the room with Santa. That was quite fun. The assiting staff asked about our preferred language, and then Santa would greet us in that language and made some small talk before taking a photo.

What was less fun was the price of the photo. Honestly, I didn’t see the price until we were already out of the experience (not sure if that’s planned). Knowing it’s 40€ per bundle of a photo and a short video would have certainly deterred me (that was in 2020 pre-covid, so might have increased). However, that’s the trick to get you in, right? You won’t be not paying after spending few hours queuing. I also checked online and if the prices are there, they’re well hidden. Anyhow, that’s what I call a rip off, but if you have kids of certain ages it might be worth doing it.

Day 5 -Back to Helsinki

We again took the night train from Rovaniemi to get back to Helsinki. It was now time to visit the Finnish capital until it was time for the flight! It was my second time in Helsinki, although the first time in winter. We went to do the highlights: the Helsinki Cathedral and the harbor area. It was quite cold and we had our suitcases, so the rest of the time we spent in cafés and restaurants to warm up.

Highlights of the trip

I had a lot of fun in this short trip to Lapland. I really like a white winter, so obviously I’m a bit biased there. My personal favourites were:

• Floating in the frozen waters. It’s just a cool concept, why not do it?
• The husky ride. It’s a very relaxing way of doing sightseeing and the dogs are cute.

The aurora tours and igloo hotel would have been cool as well had I seen the auroras, but I went during a solar minimum, so that’s what you get.

Practical advice

Will I see the northern lights?

The northern lights are a natural phenomenon and obviously no one can promise you whether you’ll get to see them or not. The longer you stay, the higher your chances are. Winter holidays are probably not the best time to go, as it’s still quite cloudy, but of course you may still see them. The year 2024 was a solar maximum, which means that the probability of getting the northern lights was higher. The solar cycles last 9 to 14 years, so the next one is still some time away, but 2025-2026 might still be good years to try your luck.

Is it expensive?

Yes, Finland is expensive, and Rovaniemi even more, since it’s a touristic place. There’s also not that many free activities to do, so budget for quite a bit unless you plan to stay in the hotel the whole day.

Which clothes should I bring?

Bring many layers! Temperatures may be very low (-30ºC) or acceptably low (down to -10ºC), but better be safe than sorry. Some activities will offer you th clothes to change as well, but it’s important to be ready especially if you’re going hiking.

For a 5 day trip, I brough:

• 5 warm inner shirts, such as the Uniqlo heattech shirts (not sponsored). I’ve had mine for over 5 years and they’re still going strong.
• 3-5 tops, better with turtle neck if you’re one to feel cold.
• 1-2 wool sweaters to put on top.
• 3-5 warm inner pants, leggins, or warm tights.
• 1 pair of light pants to put in between.
• 1 pair of outer winter hiking pants.
• 1 pair of jeans or everyday pants to go to restaurants and walk around Rovaniemi in between acitivites.
• Scarf.
• Good hat.
• Earwarmers (if your hat is not covering your ears).
• Gloves.
• If it’s really cold when you’re going, consider getting mittens to put on top of the gloves.
• Warm jacket.
• 5-6 pairs of wool/winter hiking socks.
• Winter boots. Make sure they don’t slide.

Obviously, also bring your desired underwear changes (min. 5), bras, pajamas, and at least one swimming suit.