Our trip to Finland was hosted by Visit Finland and Visit Rovaniemi. All opinions are our own.
Rovaniemi, Finland is located in the northern region of Finland known as Lapland and it is such a remarkable place to visit. It is a land of remarkable beauty, filled with forests and lakes, and includes so many things to experience and places to explore.
The Finnish culture and hospitality run deep here. You’ll have no problem filling an exciting itinerary for your visit. Here is a list of our favorite things to do in Rovaniemi, Finland.
How to Get to Rovaniemi
Flying to Rovaniemi Finland
The best way to get to Rovaniemi by air is to take Finnair. I had the privilege to fly with them and it was an excellent experience. They offer multiple flights into Rovaniemi daily, most of which come from Helsinki. Finnair makes it super easy to connect to Rovaniemi. It is important to know that other airlines also fly into Rovaniemi from Spain, Russia, Turkey, and other international destinations. A flight from Helsinki to Rovaniemi usually takes 1-2 hrs.
Driving to Rovaniemi Finland
Driving to Rovaniemi is possible, but it is quite a distance from many major cities. To drive from Helsinki to Rovaniemi takes 12-14 hours. Depending on the weather, especially in winter, it could take much longer.
I’ve never personally done the drive, but I’ve read that it is through a lot of forests and can be a dull drive. Doing a little more research I quickly found a few routes that would offer more scenery but the travel time also increased. Drive time from
Getting to Rovaniemi Finland by Train
Taking a train to Rovaniemi is also an option. You can catch a train in Helsinki or many other cities in Finland. The train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi takes about 9-12 hrs, so it is slightly quicker than driving.
There is a special Santa Claus Night Train from Eurail that travels through the night to Rovaniemi from Helsinki. This train leaves Helsinki in the evening, offers sleeper cars, and arrives in Lapland in the morning.
Christmas Themed Activities in Rovaniemi
Santa Claus Village
Rovaniemi is the official home of Santa Claus and they are proud of it. There is an entire village set up specifically to host the jolly old elf. Everything at Santa’s village is tastefully Christmas themed and fun to wander through. Entrance to the village is free and here you can see reindeer, shop the outdoor mall, visit a coffee shop and visit Santa’s Post Office. Of course, the main highlight of Santa Claus village is meeting Santa himself. I had the chance to meet him and tell him exactly what I wanted for Christmas. He even took the time to shoot a short video for my family to watch.
There are many summer activities available but activities really ramp up during winter when they have sleigh rides, ice skating, snowmobiling, northern lights tours, and more. Santa Claus Village is a short 4-mile drive from Rovaniemi and is open year-round.
Santa’s Post Office
The post office at Santa’s Village is really cool, they accept letters to Santa from all over the world. It is a functional post office and you can send letters or postcards from the “North Pole” to your home.
Meet Some Reindeer
Reindeer are everywhere in Lapland. In fact, most roam the country freely, even though they are technically all tagged and owned property. We saw many reindeer roaming fields freely and apparently there are thousands of them scattered in the forests through Lapland. In Rovaniemi and the surrounding areas, there are a bunch of places that offer close up experiences with reindeer. Rides behind sleighs and petting and feeding experiences are just a few. I had the chance to hand-feed and pet some of these gentle northern mammals. It was surreal, to say the least.
Cultural Activities in Rovaniemi Finland
Finnish Crafts at Hornwork Studio Irene
Hornwork Studio is a small shop run by Irene and her husband Ari. Irene runs the craft workshops and she is a Finnish Legend!
We had so much fun with her as she showed us how to work pieces of reindeer antler into beautiful jewelry and crafts. During the class, she’ll also keep you entertained with Finnish folktales, traditions, and history.
If you’re lucky you may even get to sample her wonderful cinnamon rolls which were amazing. They only take small groups, but it is definitely a personalized and authentic experience like no other.
Arktikum Museum
The Arktikum is a museum and science centre teaches of the Lapland region, its people, history, geography, and animals. It is a beautifully designed building with interesting exhibits and even has a cafe. Everything is labeled in Finnish and English so there is no translation barrier. We took a guided tour for even more insight and enjoyed ourselves while learning about the region and the indigenous Sami people.
Pilke Museum
Pilke Museum is a regional museum focusing on the forests of Lapland. It shares information and exhibits on the many values that the forests provide including hunting, lumber, paper, ecology, and more.
Many of the exhibits are interactive and the museum is kid friendly. They even have full-size lumber tractors for kids to explore and play on.
Visit a Sauna
Believe it or not, a sauna experience is a huge part of Finnish culture. There are saunas everywhere and they are often charged together as a fun family activity. Make sure to research each sauna individually before heading out as each sauna has different rules and etiquette, that is unless your hotel room has one. Yes, many of the hotel rooms and igloo hotels in Rovaniemi have their own sauna!
Outdoor Activities in Rovaniemi Finland
Ranua Wildlife Park
Ranua Wildlife Park is similar to a view but more woodsy. Let me explain. It is similar to a traditional view, but in my opinion better in many ways.
First, the zoo only has animals that are arctic animals and are comfortable in Finland year-round. Here you’ll find reindeer, polar bears, wolves, and more. Because the animals are native and used to the climates, the exhibits and zoo are open year-round, all 365 days, really!
Secondly, the wildlife park also is set up like a hike through the woods. Many zoos that I’ve visited are set up more like an attraction or even theme park, but not Ranua Wildlife Park. The animal enclosures are safe, yet simple and properly spaced out. As you explore the park from animal to animal it feels like a pleasant stroll through the woods. If there is a crowd, you would never know it because you’re just hiking through the woods.
Walk an Alpaca
Yes, you’re reading this correctly. There is a new startup venture outside of Ranua, called Revontulen Alpakat where you can hike the woods with an Alpaca. Guided Alpaca walks are family friendly and give you a chance to get up close and personal with these furry creatures. I found spending time with these fluffy animals strangely therapeutic.
View the Northern Lights
One of the biggest tourism draws to Lapland and Rovaniemi is the spectacular northern lights. In the summer Finland is known as the land of the midnight sun because the days are so long but during the winter Finland is the opposite. From mid-August to April in Lapland is perfect for observing the northern lights in Rovaniemi.
The Aurora Borealis are spectacular and if you’re in Lapland you need to make sure to take advantage, stay up late and watch the lights dance across the sky. Make sure to dress warm and be prepared. If you’re wanting to snap some photos of the lights read this article which details the best ways to get the perfect northern lights shots or invest in a northern lights tour.
Go Dog Sledding
Dogsledding is the perfect family activity that mixes the snow, with adorable dogs. Bearhill Husky has the dogs and the know-how to make sure you have a great time mushing your own team of dogs through a winter wonderland. Not in Finland during the winter? Don’t worry! Bearhill has state of the art dog carts that allow you to be pulled year-round. I got to drive a team through the forest on one of these carts and it was so much fun!
They provide boots and coveralls to keep you clean and dry, but you’ll want to be prepared with warm layers especially in the winter. When you’re finished with your ride feel free to warm up by the stove in their comfortable yurt.
After our mushing experience, we were lucky enough to get a short tour of their kennels and close up view of the newest members of Bearhill Husky, their husky puppies! Bearhill’s husky safaris are super family-friendly. Younger kids can ride the sleds or carts, but you need to be 16 to mush.
Visit the Arctic Circle
In Lapland, you can literally step across the Arctic Circle into the true north. The Arctic circle crosses through Lapland and in many places is it marked on the roads. Touring the area you can literally cross it multiple times a day. We stopped for photos in Santa Claus Village make sure that we documented our travels.
Forage in the Forest
Finland is an outdoor-loving country. They are proud of their lakes, rivers, and forests and spend a lot of time outdoors enjoying them. The Finnish people have a collective respect for nature and often spend time in the forest harvesting wild berries, mushrooms, and other plants for their eating. Most forests and national parks allow for foraging to find these natural edibles and you can find many of them for sale in local markets. The best part of this activity is that when you’re done, you get to eat what you’ve found!
Family Friendly Hotels in Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi has many great lodging options in and around the city. Here are some of our favorites.
Santa Claus Hotel
Right in downtown Rovaniemi sits the Santa Claus Hotel, a traditional hotel with comfortable Finnish decor and a great breakfast spread. The rooms have great views of the city and many of them have in-room saunas which are great for chilly winter nights.
Santa Claus Igloos
Located very near Santa Claus Village are the Santa Clause Igloos. They are a sister property to the Santa Claus Hotel and offer a truly unique experience. Imagine watching the northern lights while you lounge in a posh glass-domed igloo. They even have a few adjoining igloos that can accommodate large families and have an extra bed or two.
Arctic Fox Igloos
Arctic Fox Igloos is another igloo property where you can sleep in a special igloo style room with a glass roof. They are located on a picturesque Finnish lake. If you book here during the northern light season you get the best of both worlds, watching the northern lights and staying warm and cozy. Finland has many of these igloo hotels, many of them which are in Lapland and offer a bucket list travel opportunity.
Places to Eat in Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi has a great selection of restaurants to enjoy. There are many different types of food available, but since we were in Finland we ate mostly Finnish food and it was great. Almost every restaurant in Finland will have some menu items featuring Finnish favorites reindeer, salmon, mushrooms, or berries.
Roka Kitchen and Wine Bar (Koskikatu 8)
Roka is a newer restaurant in the heart of downtown and is very easy to get to. The atmosphere is modern and friendly. The appetizers we sampled at Roka were delicious and the broiled salmon with roasted potatoes was also delicious. My favorite part of the meal by far was the creme brûlée with wild berries. Amazing!
Arctic Restaurant (Valtakatu 18)
Another downtown favorite, Arctic Restaurant is a great place to enjoy some Finnish food. We stopped in for dinner and enjoyed soup, salmon, and a dessert featuring fresh berries. They have a fun selection of cocktails and drinks available too.
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Our trip to Finland was hosted by Visit Finland and Visit Rovaniemi. All opinions are our own.
Comments 1
I am not sure if I want to go to Santa Town as an adult or to go with my kids. I will probably have more fun compared with them! Rovaniemi must be on the bucket list of any parent with kids even if it’s a bit expensive to go there!