🎅 Lapland: guide to the homeland of Santa Claus
If you love winter, it’s in Lapland! It seems that this region was specially created for those who are not indifferent to the coldest time of the year. Here you are not afraid of bitter frosts and endless snow. And even snowstorms and blizzards can not spoil the mood, but create it. How could it be otherwise, if the spirit of Christmas is everywhere, the northern lights are lurking somewhere in the sky, and the Finns, flushed from the frost, do not let the fire of warmth in each of us go out with their smiles. So, let's go on our New Year's trip – to conquer the Arctic. And we start with Finnish Lapland.
Where we go?
Lapland is a vast region that covers northern Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway. The most famous part of it is Finnish, where Jolupukki (the local Santa) lives. The capital of Finnish Lapland is Rovaniemi, the largest city in the north of the country.
Rovaniemi suffered greatly during the Lapland War of 1944. After the conclusion of a separate peace between Finland and the USSR, the German troops stationed in Finland took offense at their former ally. And, retreating to controlled Norway, they burned everything around. The capital of Lapland suffered especially, the city was almost completely burned out. Therefore, there is practically nothing to see in Rovaniemi itself; it is a newly built city. We are primarily interested in the village of Santa Claus, located eight kilometers from Rovaniemi. And the border of the Arctic Circle, which lies there.
How to get to Rovaniemi?
The cheapest way to get to Rovaniemi is from the capital of Finland, Helsinki. You can choose from bus, train, plane or personal transport.
If you don’t mind saving money (which is more than appropriate in the Nordic countries), then I recommend choosing a bus. From the capital of Finland, the national carrier Onnibuss, with proper luck in purchasing tickets, will deliver you for 25 euros. The flight is very convenient: departure at midnight, arrival in Rovaniemi at 10 am. A day in the center of Lapland is enough.
The train will not be faster or more comfortable. But it will cost more. But if you want to explore the local railways, then get your tickets here.
If comfort outweighs costs, then you should think about choosing air transport. Flights arrive in Rovaniemi from Finnish cities (Finnair) and from Norway (Norwegian).
There is a convenient bus service between Rovaniemi and Santa Village. City bus No. 8 departs from the railway station every 40-45 minutes; its exact schedule can be found here.
Life hack: don’t get caught in the web of travel companies that tempt you with frequent flights to Santa Claus Village right from the bus station. The walk to the train station is only five minutes, and you save 10 euros.
10 things in Santa Claus village that will bring out the child in every adult
Santa's Village is a large tourist complex that offers a huge range of services: from nature walks to luxury hotels. Entrance to the complex itself is free. Everything else is quite expensive, because we are in Finland – one of the richest countries in Europe. Nevertheless, even with a minimal budget you will not remain indifferent. And if you want to get into a real winter fairy tale, then where if not here to spend a couple of hundred euros to make your dream come true.
Visit the Head Office and Santa Claus Post Office
Anyone who believes in Christmas will be in awe when visiting this main building of the complex. It is here that millions of boys and girls send their letters every year, asking for their dreams to come true. This is where Santa determines which of them has behaved well and is worthy of finding a gift in the stocking on the mantelpiece. Well, someone will get a piece of coal. I'm sure you fall into the first category. After all, getting to this wonderful place is a great gift in itself.
By the way, the post office not only receives letters, but also sends them. Don't miss the opportunity to send your loved ones a postcard from Lapland itself.
Cross the Arctic Circle
A few tens of meters from Santa's Post Office and… awe again! We are in the Far North, BEHIND the Arctic Circle.
Geography lessons remind you: this is a harsh and sparsely populated region, where for several months of the year the sun hardly appears (this is called the polar night), and for several months it almost does not set (this phenomenon is called the midnight sun). Cross the Arctic Circle and decide for yourself whether there is a difference.
Don't forget to take a selfie next to the sign. An epoch-making event will delight your subscribers.
Ride a reindeer sleigh
Alas, Comet and Rudolph are not among the reindeer providing transport services to tourists. They are busy transporting Santa. So you won't be able to soar in the sky. But an earthly walk on a reindeer sleigh is also nothing. You will be seated in a real Lapland sleigh and covered with warm skins.
You can choose an inexpensive walk around the village, or you can book a long deer tour. And burst into the endless Finnish tundra with its most indigenous inhabitants.
Visit an elven farm
Elves, Santa's little helpers, work tirelessly not only on gift wrapping. Ensuring the economy of the main winter magician rests on their fragile magical shoulders.
If you are traveling with children, then they will certainly not let you pass by the Elven Farm. Visitors will find tame deer, alpacas, sheep, goats, rabbits, donkeys and various birds. You can ride ponies, alpacas and, of course, deer.
But that is not all. The northern elves are so hardworking that they launched their own industrial production of hats. Moreover, they are tirelessly studying the improvement of hat technologies. What in the secular world is called a research institute, the little cunning people nicknamed it the “Elven Academy of Caps.”
Go on the Bearhill husky tour
If anyone besides deer feels like a salmon in the North Sea, it's huskies. The fluffy four-legged creatures don’t mind snowstorms and frosts; they flaunt their fur coats in front of chilling tourists.
These are the same hard workers as elves. They are ready to transport significant cargo over vast distances. And therefore, historically, they were the main helpers of the indigenous Laplanders, along with deer. You can test the husky's endurance too. Book a husky tour and ride through the snowy fields.
For the most intrepid travelers, day and even three-day dog sled trips are available. However, they are very expensive – up to 600 euros. And the three-hour trip is not cheap – from Tartu it starts from 99 euros. What did you want: work for a husky in extreme conditions, you have to pay extra for being harmful. You can book a husky tour on the official website.
Catch the Northern Lights
This is the most difficult task on the list. Her decision cannot be helped with money, nor can she be guided by the calendar. This is how it should be with a natural miracle. A capricious phenomenon will appear only when it wants to.
I have not yet managed to catch the northern lights (this is how the phenomenon is literally translated from English) neither in Finland, nor in Norway, nor in Iceland. Hope you have better luck. But luck, as we know, favors the prepared. Therefore, here are some tips on how to catch “northern luck” by the tail.
The best time to hunt for the northern lights is autumn and late winter. The best time varies depending on the season. But, on average, it’s worth keeping your eyes peeled from 11:30 p.m., when the Earth’s magnetic field experiences its strongest disturbances.
The further you are from the city (the source of artificial light), the more likely you are to see the Northern Lights. Therefore, get out into nature or into the least populated parts of Rovaniemi. You will find even more tips in this material.
Excellent tours have been created for lovers of this natural wonder. But even professionals cannot guarantee you at any cost that the northern lights will manifest themselves. The most persistent ones can approach the matter professionally: there are several sites indicating where and with what probability the northern lights will appear. Feel like a tracker with Real Time Aurora Alert s and Space weather over Finland.
Pamper yourself at Glass Resort
A combination of Scandinavian style, ultra-modernity and Lapland traditions – that’s what Glass Resort is! The creators of this complex, located a few steps from Santa's village, perfectly integrated man-made architecture into nature. Huge glass windows and a glass ceiling, eco-friendly and natural materials, Lapland crafts decorating the walls – all this creates an indescribable atmosphere. You will feel unity with nature and at the same time the comfort of home.
The premium lodge will add to the list of pleasures a 10-seat sauna, an outdoor hot spring spa, a fireplace room and excellent local cuisine. But be warned, the prices are as impressive as the views! During the season they start from 429 euros.
Try authentic Lapland cuisine
And there is no better place for this idea than Snow Restaurant. Despite the fact that this establishment belongs to the ice element, it looks like a fiery phoenix. Every year it disappears and rises again – such is the fate of ice buildings.
The restaurant also resembles the Snow Queen’s palace: walls and furniture made of ice, ice sculptures and patterned paintings. In such an environment, lunch or dinner will become not just a meal, but a long-remembered ritual.
The restaurant is open from December 6 to March 17, unless weather interferes with the schedule. Lunch is served at 12:00-15:00, dinner at 17:00. Be sure to pre-book your table on the website. A visit starts from 29 euros.
For drinks, you should go to the Ice Disco Bar of Snowman World. Glasses made of real ice that burn with cold and incendiary dances dousing with flames at zero temperatures will become the most vivid memories of winter.
Visit Roosevelt Cottage
Roosevelt Cottage is the birthplace of a fairy tale called “Santa's Village.” In 1950, Eleanor Roosevelt, former first lady and wife of US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, visited Rovaniemi. Mrs. Roosevelt was known for her humanitarian endeavors and was the “soul” of the UN Relief and Reconstruction Administration. This organization was engaged in the restoration of Europe, destroyed by the Second World War, and made a significant contribution to the revival of the destroyed Lapland capital.
Roosevelt Cottage was the first attempt to attract the growing number of visitors wanting to stop at the Arctic Circle, drink a cup of coffee, buy souvenirs and send home a postcard with a special Lapland postmark. And he coped with this mission perfectly: the guest book contains the names of US leader Lyndon Johnson, Soviet Secretary General Leonid Brezhnev, Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito and many others.
Spend the most unusual night of your life in an ice igloo watching the northern lights
Why not combine points six and seven into one? Fortunately, this option is also available among the endless amount of entertainment in Santa’s village. Rent an ice igloo from €199 per day and I bet you won't sleep a wink there. After all, the colors of the polar night and the northern lights will spread before them.
Development of treatment for the hardened. The temperature in the igloo can drop to below freezing. Guests sleep in sleeping bags, having previously dressed in thermal underwear, woolen socks and other warm things. It is not recommended to spend more than one day in such Spartan-Lapland conditions.
To warm up after a frosty night, tourists are invited to use a real Finnish sauna. Ice and fire in one key!
Kilpisjärvi – a city lost in the snow
Continuing your Arctic journey, I advise you to go to Kilpisjärvi. Just over 100 people live in this village in the very north of Finland. But in the case of Kilpisjärvi, this fact makes the village not boring, but mysterious. Located in the most bearish corner of Finland, it is distinguished by its harsh climate, close to the tundra. In winter you can experience really extreme temperatures – down to minus 35 – which happened to me. Therefore, be sure to take warm clothes with you and take walks in the fresh air.
Kilpisjärvi is not spoiled by tourist locations. This is a place where a tourist's best friends are silence and imagination. The first allows you, alone with virgin nature, to think about what there is not enough time for in the normal rhythm of life. Well, the imagination will complete the story of this mysterious, harsh place.
However, there are also more traditional tourist sites here. In the outskirts of the village there are several mini-waterfalls, hills, ice grottoes and many excellent natural views. 10 kilometers from the village, three national flags proudly flutter at once – Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian. This is the so-called “border flag of the Three Kingdoms”. Their northern borders converge in this place, remote from civilization. We can say with a high degree of confidence that having been there, you will join the small cohort of people who have conquered the tourist site.
But the main attraction is under your feet. This is snow! The Kilpisjärvi region is known for its record snow depth for Finland – 190 cm.
Several logistics life hacks. Staying in Kilpisjärvi will be very expensive. The average hotel price is 250 euros, apartments will cost twice as much. It’s better to make a small stopover in Kilpisjärvi for a few hours.
And here the second life hack opens. Usually you pass the village by taking the Best Arctic bus from Rovaniemi to Tromso. The cost of a ticket on this bus is impressive – about 150 euros. If you take it from Rovaniemi to Kilpisjärvi, it’s 50 euros cheaper. You can save money by taking the route Rovaniemi – Kilpisjärvi on Onnibus (due to low congestion, the flight is sometimes canceled) and Kilpisjärvi – Tromso on Best Acrtic. This way you can save 35-40 euros.