Is Rovaniemi, Finland, Worth Visiting? 19 Reasons You Should Visit in Winter

Planning a winter escape and wondering if Finnish Lapland lives up to the hype?

I’ll be honest—before my first trip to Rovaniemi, I had my doubts. The idea of traveling somewhere that reaches -20°F (-28°C), where the sun barely rises for a few hours each day, and where you need to layer wool upon wool just to survive outdoors sounds… well, a bit extreme.

But here’s what nobody tells you: Rovaniemi in winter isn’t just worth visiting—it’s absolutely amazing.

After spending 12 nights in the Arctic Circle, experiencing everything from the world’s only snow sauna to hunting the Northern Lights across frozen lakes at midnight, I’ve learned that this winter wonderland delivers experiences you literally cannot find anywhere else on Earth.

Sure, the Northern Lights aren’t always as vibrant as those Instagram photos suggest (I’ll give you the real scoop on that). And yes, you might look like a red lobster in an ice floating suit. But you’ll also discover why Finland has been named the world’s happiest country for eight consecutive years.

Whether you’re a solo traveler worried about safety, a family seeking magical winter memories, or a photographer chasing that perfect aurora shot, Finnish Lapland offers something extraordinary.

Ready to discover why I say yes to ‘Is Rovaniemi worth visiting?’

Let’s dive into everything this magical region has to offer, complete with travel tips, realistic expectations, and money-saving strategies I wish I’d known before booking my trip.

1. Witness the Northern Lights (With Realistic Expectations)

Why do I say ‘realistic expectations?’

Well, because they aren’t as bright as they photograph, so I was kinda disappointed when I saw them.

In all honesty, I actually thought it was the Milky Way until I was told otherwise. I then decided to take a photo (with a long exposure) and actually saw the vibrant colors.

I’m told this is not always the case, but I wanted to note it in case you, too, happen upon some not-so-bright Auroras.

You can, of course, rent a car and drive around in hopes of spotting them (I’ve had good experiences booking with DiscoverCars); that’s what my travel buddy and I did toward the end of our trip.

DIY Aurora Hunting Tips:

• Book at least a week in Rovaniemi, we were there 12 nights and got to see them 4x
• Prime locations to spot them are away from the city (aka light pollution), near frozen lakes
• The best viewing times are from 11 PM onwards, and they last for 20-30 minute bursts
• Download My Aurora Forecast & Alerts app, which’ll alert you to any sighting possibilities
• Make sure you have a charged phone, the Maps.me app for offline access, bundle up correctly since it’ll be freezing, and bring a tripod for steady shots

If you are set on photographing the Northern Lights on your own, check my dedicated post for some tips.

However, if you’re on a limited time or don’t plan to drive, I recommend booking an Aurora hunting tour.

Tour Options:

• Ice Floating + Northern Lights tour (affordable, guaranteed fun even without aurora)
• Dedicated photography tours (Kun’s Aurora Hunting with professional photos)
• “Guaranteed” tours (typically offer refund/rebooking if no sighting)

2. Experience the Magical Polar Night

Polar night is a natural event in Earth’s polar regions during which the sun stays below the horizon for a full 24-hour period, lasting from 20 hours at the Arctic Circle to six months at the poles.

It’s why it’s so darn dark in Rovaniemi during the winter! And if you head even further north, it’ll get darker.

December/January: Only 2-3 hours daylight in Rovaniemi

• Sunrise: ~11 AM
• Sunset: ~2 PM

While this may sound dreary to some, it actually wasn’t that bad, other than I had zero clue what time of day it was constantly.

Thank goodness for watches, cause 4 pm looked exactly like 9 pm back home!

However, this darkness does have its advantages; it increases the chances of spotting the Northern Lights.

Be aware that if you want photos in the ‘sun’, you should ensure that you do whatever you plan to do during these hours.

3. Meet Santa Claus in His Official Hometown

Who doesn’t love getting their photo with the big guy?

Well, I did, but I didn’t pay for it 😬.

Because while visiting with him is free, those pics are pricey!

Downloadable photographs and video starting from:

• €55 (max. 5 people)
• extra person €5/person
• extra photo file €25/file

Photograph A4 size :

• €40

Whether you choose to pay for the photo or not, Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi is open 365 days a year, so no matter when you visit Rovaniemi, you’ll be able to share your list with Santa.

At Santa’s village you can also:

• Cross the Arctic Circle line for free
• Visit Santa’s Post Office and send letter with the Arctic Circle postmark
• Check out the reindeer
• Go tubing at Snowman World
• Visit the Ice Bar & Snow Restaurant
• Grab a bite to eat at a few different restaurants
• Enroll in Elf Hat Academy

While visiting Santa’s Village is free, activities such as meeting Santa, husky safari, and visiting the reindeer farm are additional costs.

4. Go Ice Floating Beneath the Auroras

I honestly wasn’t super excited to do the ice floating activity, but it was a compromise with my travel buddy, who’d wanted to do the ice breaker tour, which is priced astronomically in my opinion.

Instead, I suggested the Ice Floating with Northern Lights experience.

This way, we could still enjoy ice floating and hopefully catch the Northern Lights, which we hadn’t seen yet, without the hefty price tag.

We did look like lobsters in these strange red suits, but did I enjoy it—definitely!

The tour guides were terrific; they were very jovial guys and helped us get into these wetsuit-looking contraptions, which required peeling down to our base layers to suit up and step into the icy waters.

While Rovaniemi isn’t super budget-friendly, this experience is somewhat affordable and guaranteed fun, regardless of whether the Northern Lights appear or not.

5. Enjoy Thrilling Winter Activities

Aside from ice floating, there are a LOAD of winter activities that make me say yes to ‘Is Rovaniemi worth visiting?’

• Husky sledding: We did the Call of the Wild tour, which is a 2-hour safari, but there are longer experiences, or you can visit the huskies without sledding as well. A great family-friendly activity, though you have to be old enough to ‘drive’ the sledge.
• Reindeer sleigh rides: A slower, more chill experience is reindeer sleigh rides, which makes it perfect for everyone. You’ll also get photo opportunities and be able to feed the reindeer after the ride.
• Snowmobiling: We were trying to fill some of our time towards the end of our Rovaniemi itinerary, so we decided to give snowmobiling a go. We did it in the afternoon, which means it was dark, so it wasn’t so much about sightseeing as just being on the vehicle, but day tours are also available.
• Snowshoeing: One of the most enjoyable things I did in Rovaniemi was snowshoeing. I really underestimated this activity, and being properly attired this time truly did wonders for my mood! Our guide got us up this lovely hill to a view of Rovaniemi just before sunset to take tons of photos.
• Hiking: I am not a hiking person, but my travel buddy is, so we ventured out of Rovaniemi to the Korouoma Frozen Waterfall, Summit of Ukka-Luosto Fell, and Tunturiaapa Nature Trail.
• Ice fishing: I didn’t participate in this activity, but my travel buddy did while we were at the Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos, as it is a popular winter excursion in Lapland.

6. Relax in the World’s Only Snow Sauna

This is one of the most memorable things I did in Rovaniemi and is a top reason I saw yes to ‘Is Rovaniemi worth visiting?’ because it’s the WORLD’S ONLY snow sauna!

Anytime I get to do such a unique experience, I’m thrilled!

This is an Arctic SnowHotel exclusive attraction, made entirely from compressed snow with wooden benches set inside for guests to sit upon.

As it has limited uses before melting, this adds to the exclusivity, and honestly made us wonder how many more times the sauna we were in had left in it before it went kaput!

It looks like a mini-igloo inside and is lit with an ethereal green glow.

The steam is so thick that you can’t see someone even inches away! And the walls crackle audibly as the steam hits ice.

My travel buddy and I decided to use our time hopping between the snow sauna and the outdoor jacuzzi to give it that bit of polar plunge experience. You can also add a bottle of champagne to your experience.

Note, you do not have to stay at the Arctic SnowHotel to have this experience, and it is cheaper to book directly on the hotel website.

7. Stay in Unique Arctic Accommodations

Speaking of the SnowHotel, we stayed there for two nights and opted for the Glass Igloos in hopes of seeing the Northern Lights (it was also cheaper than the SnowHotel rooms).

However, it is certainly unique, as it is one of the world’s largest snow hotels (sleeping ~70 guests) and only opens from December 15th until it melts around March 31st.

It is rebuilt uniquely every year (read my review to find out how), never the same design twice, and features ornate ice art and illuminated sculptures.

Each room is themed (rock ‘n’ roll, aliens, childhood toys, etc.), while the bathrooms are located down the hall (not ensuite).

We spoke to guests staying there who said it was surprisingly warm given the sleeping bags provided.

As for the Glass Igloos where we stayed, they boast private bathrooms with showers and offer a glamping-style experience.

However, as for seeing the Aururos, the weather causes condensation on the glass ceiling, so we weren’t able to see much, even the stars through the glass.

Plus, the Aurora Alarm, which is supposed to alert you if they’re spotted, didn’t work. My travel buddy spotted them, but the alarm never sounded.

Smells also lingered in there a bit so we had to open the front door occasionally.

One big bonus of staying at this hotel, however, is the vast amount of amenities!

Aside from the snow sauna, there is:

• Ice Bar, shots in ice glasses, which you can smash against the wall
• Ice Restaurant, which makes for a unique dinner
• Kota Restaurant, fresh salmon grilled over open flame (best meal)
• Sky Bar, for Northern Lights viewing
• Log-style Restaurant for breakfast (included)
• Free tubing and toboggans
• Reindeer on property
• Ice fishing available

Tours Available: Whether you are staying here or not, you can take a guided tour of the SnowHotel.

Aside from the SnowHotel, other unique accommodations offer glass igloos, log cabins, and lodges around Rovaniemi.

8. Discover Authentic Sámi Culture

I’m a big museum girlie, so Arktikum Museum was a must-visit for me!

Here you can learn about the culture, history, and modern life in the Arctic.

Their exhibits rotate, but during my visit, they featured three parts of Lapland: Rovaniemi, Southern Lapland, and Upper Lapland.

They focused on Rovaniemi’s markets, the Lapland War, occupations and livelihoods in the north, reindeer herding, the Sámi people, and the Petsamo region.

The Sámi people are the only indigenous people in the EU, which I had no clue about before my visit! They have centuries-old reindeer herding traditions and have their own unique traditional crafts and joik music.

For those interested in learning more outside of Rovaniemi, you can visit farms like Ounaskievari, a historic roadhouse located 15 minutes from Levi.

9. Indulge in Finnish Sauna Culture

Of course, if you don’t want to do the snow sauna, you can do a ‘regular’ sauna, not made of snow!

Every hotel we stayed at had one so there’s really no reason to book time elsewhere to experience saunas unless your accommodation doesn’t have one.

Sauna etiquette traditionally is going in naked, but at the hotels, so no one made us do that. We were also the only people we saw, so there’s that.

Finland takes saunas so seriously that there is one sauna for every two people, or 50% of the population.

Traditional wood-burning saunas get to temperatures of 176-230°F (80-110°C). I tend to get overheated quickly, so I didn’t spend more than 5-10 minutes in a sauna, except for the snow sauna, which had the advantage of icy walls to cool me down.

However, authentic cooling methods are:

• Ice swimming (avanto)
• Rolling in snow
• Frozen lake plunges

… unfortunately, none of those were available at the hotels, except the SnowHotel.

10. Devour Arctic Cuisine & Local Delicacies

Apologize to Rudolph in advance, cause you’re going to be eating a lot of his friends!

I ate reindeer burgers, pâté, as steaks, and in stew—there are just so many ways!

I also ate a load of salmon, in fillets (my fav was at the Kota Restaurant) to soup form.

Cloudberries, a local superfood, are also popular, as well as lingonberries.

Glögg, gløgg, or glögi is a spiced, often alcoholic, mulled wine, or spirit we drank on the regular, as it was a nice way to warm up after a cold day outdoors.

Traditional Lappish cuisine is delicious, so try it every chance you get!

11. Explore Europe’s Last True Wilderness

Did you know Finnish Lapland has 200,000 reindeer, but only 180,000 people?

Yeah, there are more Rudolphs than people in this area, which means it’s easy to find complete isolation and privacy in this wilderness.

Lapland is sparsely populated in some areas and boasts several national parks that rival those in the USA.

So if you’re looking for a place that looks straight out of Narnia, with fairy-tale forests and frozen waterfalls, then Rovaniemi and the surrounding Lapland is for you!

Making it a good reason to say yes to ‘Is Rovaniemi worth visiting?’

12. Tour Incredible Ice & Snow Buildings

Aside from the Arctic SnowHotel, its ice bar, and restaurant, there are other opportunities to tour ice and snow structures.

In Rovianemi is the Snow Restaurant and Ice Bar in Snowman World.

The ice bar offers shots in ice glasses, while the restaurant boasts frozen table settings lit with colored LEDs.

Please book ahead, as I’ve been told it can get busy at times.

Just keep in mind that you’re dining in a cold room, so the food might not always be very hot. Even the wait staff wears winter clothes. Also, don’t anticipate the most extraordinary dishes, especially since there’s a fixed menu.

However, if your goal is to view interesting things, you’ll definitely enjoy it!

13. Visit Ranua’s Arctic Wildlife Park

An affordable reason to visit Rovaniemi is Ranua’s Arctic Wildlife Park.

Ranua Wildlife Park focuses on Arctic and northern animals.

The animals’ large enclosures are set within the northern coniferous forest, which is also the natural habitat for most of the park’s species, making it more natural than typical zoos.

It is also home to Finland’s only polar bear and 50 other Arctic and northern animal species, totaling approximately 150 individual animals—including Bears, wolverines, wolves, Arctic foxes, and much more.

14. Enjoy Peaceful Solitude and Digital Detox

If you’re tried of overcrowded tourist destinations, then Rovaniemi is for you!

While we did meet other tourists on our trip, we did not meet a load of them.

The only place that had a fair amount of people was Santa’s Village, and that’s partly because it’s so family-friendly, but also because it’s got a lot of activities.

15. Photograph Winter Wonderland Scenery

Nearly every corner of Rovaniemi is photogenic!

Whether driving to experiences outside of the city or just wandering the streets, you won’t be disappointed by the wintery wonderland around you.

Which makes it a perfect location for photography-minded visitors.

For those wanting to photograph the Northern Lights, check my guide for tips.

16. Experience One of the World’s Safest Destinations

Thinking about traveling here solo or just worried if Rovaniemi is safe in general?

Finland boasts extremely low crime rates, and I heard no reports of pickpockets or scam taxi drivers, making it safe for solo travelers, families, and all ages.

It’s also LGBT+ Welcoming, as it ranks 6th in Europe for LGBTQ+ rights.

Open expression is encouraged, anti-discrimination laws are in place, and regular pride events occur even in conservative northern areas.

Honestly, your only safety concerns will be frostbite or getting lost, so make sure to review my packing guide for Lapland and download an offline map, such as Maps.me, so even if you have no reception, you’ll be okay!

17. Visit the Happiest Country in the World (8 Years Running)

Finland has been named the happiest country consecutively for the last eight years!

It has an extremely family-friendly culture and boasts a welcoming atmosphere throughout Lapland.

Every local I met had a positive attitude, which is likely partly attributed to their focus on work-life balance and quality of life.

18. Participate in Sustainable Arctic Tourism

Lapland promotes environmental sustainability through initiatives in tourism, hospitality, and local business practices, including waste reduction, energy efficiency, responsible resource management, and encouraging eco-friendly choices among visitors and operators.

This commitment is backed by national initiatives such as the Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) certification, along with international efforts to preserve the region’s distinctive natural environment and cultural heritage for future generations.

They take a lot of pride in protecting their magical forests and have instilled responsible tourism practices in order to do so.

They also support local and indigenous communities through tourism, cultural centers, legislative efforts, and the preservation of traditional crafts.

Visitors can support Sámi culture by engaging in traditional reindeer farming, visiting cultural centers, joining activities like snowshoeing and hiking in national parks, which help provide income for Sámi people, and by purchasing local handicrafts.

19. Create Once-in-a-Lifetime Memories

The prior points to ‘is Rovaniemi worth visiting’ all lead up to creating once-in-a-lifetime memories, whether you’re solo, with friends, or with family.

This city truly has multi-generational appeal and a magical atmosphere for all ages.

While some activities may be more challenging for those of advanced age, such as snowshoeing, there are numerous options for activities that will leave you with a wealth of choices.

Final Thoughts on ‘Is Rovaniemi Worth Visiting?’

Yes, Rovaniemi is certainly worth visiting!

While it is a frosty destination, there is so much to do here that you’ll never be bored.

I especially loved the ice floating, snow sauna, arctic cuisine, ice restaurants, snowshoeing, and husky safari.

FAQs

Related Finnish Lapland Travel Guides

• How to Build a Rovaniemi Itinerary: Finnish Lapland Winter Guide
• Is the Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos Worth Staying at?
• How to See the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi, Finland
• Arctic Cuisine Dining Guide: Best Lapland Finland Restaurants
• Is Rovaniemi Worth Visiting? 19 of the Best Reasons to Visit in Winter
• My Epic Experience Ice Floating in Rovaniemi: An Honest Review
• How Many Days in Rovaniemi? A Simple Guide for First-Timers
• Where to Stay in Rovaniemi: In a Glass Igloo or the City Center?
• 29 of the Best Things to Do in Rovaniemi Finland this Winter
• The Ultimate Finnish Lapland Winter Guide for First-Time Visitors to the Arctic Circle
• What to Pack for Lapland, Finland: How I Stayed Warm in -20°F

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