Greetings from Ukka-Luosto Fell!
Finland 🇫🇮
As the official home of THE Santa Claus, Finland is undoubtedly a winter wonderland!
During a January trip we planned, my travel buddy and I explored the Arctic wilderness of Lapland, where we thrilled in the many winter activities Rovaniemi offers, such as reindeer sleigh rides, the world’s only snow sauna, snowshoeing, ice floating, and a husky safari.
We even saw the Northern Lights four times on our nearly two-week trip! And ate loads of salmon, lingonberries, and yes, even reindeer.
Whether you’re planning a solo trip, a friend’s vacation, or a family getaway, these Finland travel blogs will help you plan an extraordinary, budget-conscious (Lapland isn’t cheap) trip to these Finnish destinations.
Should you visit Finnish Lapland in winter?
Yes, visiting Finnish Lapland in winter is an incredible experience. It offers a magical winter wonderland with pristine snowy landscapes and world-class winter activities (like dog sledding, reindeer sleigh rides, and ice floating). The best way to see Finnish Lapland is to split your time between major hubs like Rovaniemi (the home of Santa Claus) and smaller, more remote areas such as Pyhä, which have less light pollution, increasing your chances of spotting the Aurora Borealis. I personally spent 12 days between these areas and saw the Northern Lights four times—worth the trip length if seeing the Aurora is your top priority.
Fun Facts About Finland
- 🎅 Rovaniemi is the official hometown of Santa Claus, and there’s literally an Arctic Circle line you can cross for proof you’ve made it that far north! Over 500,000 visitors flock to Santa’s Village annually, where you can mail postcards with the official Arctic Circle postmark (I sent a few and they made it all the way to California).
- 🌌 The Northern Lights are visible in Rovaniemi every second night statistically, but they appear in 20-30 minute bursts starting around 11 PM, and you need total darkness (only 2-3 hours of daylight in winter!), and zero light pollution to see them properly.
- 🧖 Finland has 3.3 million saunas for 5.5 million people—that’s one sauna for every two Finns! Every hotel has one, and traditional Finnish culture includes jumping from a 176-230°F sauna directly into frozen lakes or rolling in snow (yes, people actually do this).
- 🏨 The Arctic SnowHotel is rebuilt every single year and never looks the same twice—it opens December 15 and melts by March 31. They carve out some of the rooms entirely by hand and use molds for the hallways. It even has the world’s ONLY snow sauna!
- 🦌 Reindeer herding has been practiced by the Sámi people for 2,000+ years. The Sámi are the only indigenous population in the European Union, and their traditional kotas (wooden huts with fire pits) are still used for cultural experiences and dining throughout Lapland.
- 🍽️ Eating reindeer in Lapland isn’t just acceptable—it’s practically mandatory—and yes, you’ll feel conflicted about it after meeting Rudolph on a sleigh ride (one of the top things to do in Rovaniemi)! Reindeer meat appears on nearly every menu (as burgers, stews, steaks, pâté, sampler platters), and locals will assure you it’s sustainable. My honest take? The reindeer burger at Kauppayhtio was delicious.
- 🐻❄️ Ranua Wildlife Park is home to Finland’s only polar bear, along with 50+ Arctic species, including Arctic foxes, wolverines, and wolves. The animals live in large forest enclosures that mimic their natural habitat, though on genuinely cold days (even by Finnish standards!), some animals refuse to come out!
The Best Time to Visit Finland
Why everyone comes in winter—including me:
- Northern Lights viewing season (visible every 2nd night statistically)
- With consistent snow coverage, all winter activities are available: husky sledding, reindeer sleigh rides, snowmobiling, ice floating
- Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos is operational (opens December 15th)
- Santa’s Village is at full festive capacity
The brutal reality nobody warns you about:
- Only 2-3 hours of daylight (sunrise ~11 AM, sunset ~2 PM)
- Everything costs more during peak season. Go in January/February if trying to save (that’s what I did), as it’s slightly cheaper than December
- Book at least 4-6 weeks in advance as limited tour slots are available
My biggest mistake: Underestimating the cold (temperatures reached -20°F/-30°C—locals told me it was especially cold when I visited). I bought what I thought were “warm enough” gloves for skiers and suffered through multiple activities because my hands were freezing. Invest in 100% wool everything, or you’ll be miserable.
Things to Know Before You Go
Finland uses the Euro (€)
You can exchange money before a trip, but I find it best to withdraw cash at a local ATM on an as-needed basis.
They speak Finnish
Practice basic phrases (Hei, Näkemiin, Kiitos, Anteeksi), but in most tourist areas, people also speak English.
A visa isn’t needed
For short tourist visits (90 days max), no visa is needed. However, you will soon need to apply for ETIAS before entering. Additionally, EES requires non-EU travelers to provide fingerprints and facial images to enter Finland.
Download the Omio, Waltii, & Maps.me App
Use the Omio app for long train and bus journeys. The Waltti Mobile app for local buses, featuring real-time info and discounted tickets, or tap on with a contactless card. Use Maps.me for offline access, as some areas are rather remote.
Finland Travel Tools
Lapland in winter is expensive and requires serious planning, but it’s still 100% worth it if you want the authentic Arctic experience. Just don’t underestimate the cold, book everything in advance, and invest in proper gear.
Below are the exact tools I used to plan my Finnish adventure! Finland is incredibly rewarding but requires more advanced planning than you’d think.
To avoid any mistakes and secure spots at sold-out experiences, here are my essential planning tips:
- ✈️ Book hopper flights for savings: From California, it was super expensive for my travel buddy and me to fly directly to Finland, so what we did instead was fly into London for a few days, then had a separate flight to Rovaniemi, Finland, which totaled out far cheaper than the one booking
- 🧑💼 Guided tours aren’t optional in Lapland—DIY doesn’t work for Arctic activities: You can’t just show up at a frozen lake and start ice floating. Professional operators provide equipment, safety training, and transport to remote locations. Tours worth every penny: husky sledding, reindeer farm sleigh ride, and ice floating
- 🎟️ These experiences WILL be fully booked if you wait—book 8-12 weeks ahead: Ice floating, professional Northern Lights photography tours (small groups), premium husky operators, and reindeer sleigh rides
- 🚗 Book rental cars 8-12 weeks ahead or pay premium prices: If you’re exploring beyond Rovaniemi (Ranua Wildlife Park, Korouoma frozen waterfalls, Pyhä-Luosto), a rental car is essential since public transport doesn’t reach these locations
