7 spectacular ways to experience Finnish Lapland this winter

Kerry Walker

It doesn't matter whether you're five or 50; Lapland is the winter wonderland of childhood dreams. If you're a parent, you've probably been planning when to whisk the kids off to see Father Christmas since they took their first baby steps.

Meeting local reindeer in Lapland © Natasnow - Adobe Stock Image

And here in Lapland, Finland^* you can meet the chimney-diving dude and his toy-making elves in glittering grottoes that are Christmas in overdrive 365 days a year.

But here's the thing: there's far more to Lapland^* than Santa, and it's even more magical than you ever dared hope. Arriving here in winter is like pushing through the wardrobe into Narnia: a pristine blanket of snow, forests shimmering with hoarfrost, reindeer and huskies dashing over fells and frozen lakes, and, with any luck, the Northern Lights raving in Arctic skies.

While it's tempting to snuggle up by the fire and watch the flakes fall, you'll no doubt be itching to get out and experience all Lapland has to offer. Here are seven ways to do just that.

Getting there: search affordable family holidays with TUI^* plus escapes with Crystal Ski^*, which offers adventurous wintry breaks to Lapland.

Venturing off piste in Ruka-Kuusamo

Sidling up to the forested Russian border in Finland's east, Ruka-Kuusamo appears like something from a dream when you arrive in the pastel-lit, snow-dusted depths of winter.

At the region's heart, the car-free, Alpine-style village of Ruka^* is like a snowglobe scene, with woodsy chalets, frozen lakes and fells. There's plenty to appeal to families, with gentle skiing, the Rosa & Rudolf snowpark with magic carpets and snowtubing for kids, and the Ruka Coaster, a whizzy rollercoaster twisting and turning through spruce forest at speed.

Snowshoeing in Ruka, Lapland © Harri Tarvainen - courtesy of Visit Finland

Santa hangs out in a snowbound cottage, where kids can bake gingerbread with Mr and Mrs Claus, grill sausages over a campfire and go sledding with elves.

From winter fatbiking to reindeer-sleigh rides, dog-sledding, snowshoeing and ice fishing, you'll find a blizzard of different ways to make the most of the snow. Or ramp up the adventure with Arctic river floating; don a dry suit, life jacket and helmet to drift along the icy Kiveskoski rapids, gazing up at the northern skies in quiet exhilaration.

To tune into nature, try reindeer yoga: practise antler and deer poses on reindeer hides (instead of yoga mats), surrounded by snow and reindeer.

When it comes to where to stay, Lumo Resort is the dream, with its eyes-on-stalks views of forest and fell, Northern Lights arcing in night skies, ultra-stylish glass-walled aurora rooms and private reindeer farm.

Headed up by Kim Mikkola (previously of three-Michelin-starred Noma), the restaurant bigs up locally fished, foraged and hunted ingredients into Arctic dishes with finesse.

Seeing the Northern Lights flash in Inari

Believe the hype: the Northern Lights really are one of the greatest shows on earth. You'll never forget that pinch-yourself moment when the skies suddenly shift in an otherworldly way, erupting in greens, purples and pinks.

With dark skies, clear conditions and high activity, you can see the lights in much of Lapland, but Inari has the edge. In this village at 68.9°N, you can still feel the pulse of Finland's indigenous, reindeer-herding Sámi people.

And from September to mid-April, you stand excellent chances of glimpsing the aurora, with wide-open horizons and reflections across frozen Lake Inari that make for brilliant photo ops.

Finns call the lights revoltulet, or fox fires, as folk legend says they were created by a fox who sent sparks into the sky as it dashed across the frozen tundra. The Sámi are silent in the presence of the lights, which they believe to be the dancing spirits of their ancestors.

The Northern Lights over Lake Inari © Bernhard - Adobe Stock Image

The darker the better, so get yourself a guide and find zero-light-pollution viewpoints. Besides minibus tours, you can hunt for the Northern Lights, from snowshoeing on a guided night hike into a twinkling forest to snowmobiling across the lake.

Right on the lake, Wilderness Hotel Inari is an alluring escape, with cosy log cabins, aurora cabins and a raft of Arctic activities.

Meeting Santa in Rovaniemi

It's Christmas 365 days a year in Rovaniemi^*. Right on the Arctic Circle, the capital of Lapland is Santa's HQ and childhood fantasy stuff.

Direct flights from the UK make it a breeze to reach, and snow blankets the ground roughly from November to April, meaning the town delivers the full-on winter wonderland experience for five months of the year. Everyone wants to visit in December, so avoid this month and watch prices fall like a heavy dump of snow.

Festive Santa Claus Village, Rovaniemi © Santa Claus Village - courtesy of Visit Rovaniemi & Visit Finland

If you have kids in tow (and even if you don't), you'll want to head straight for the Santa Claus Village, where you can whisper your wish list into the one-and-only Santa's ear, post letters home with the Arctic Circle stamp and hear real-life jingle bells on a reindeer-driven sleigh. The Santa Park is festive overload, with gingerbread baking, elf shows and magic train rides. Kids love it.

For a night to remember, check into the Arctic SnowHotel, where you can spend a frosty night in a proper igloo sculpted fresh from the snow, or admire the Northern Lights flicker from the comfort of bed in a glass dome.

Going into the wilds in Saariselkä

Some 250 km north of the Arctic Circle in Lapland's north, the dinky village of Saariselkä^* is the winter dream when the flakes begin to fall. On the fringes of Urho Kekkonen National Park, which stretches east to Russia, Lapland leaps into true wilderness.

If you fancy giving the Santa crowds the slip, here you can: gliding into silent forests and over frozen fells on 200km of cross-country tracks. And rustic wilderness huts where you can bed down for the night, far from the buzz of civilisation, add to the sense of the intrepid.

Santa is synonymous with Rovaniemi, but his spiritual home for Finns is right here in the shape of the 486m-high fell of Korvatunturi, where herds of reindeer roam free. Far from any light pollution and under the ring-shaped aurora oval, this is an entrancing place to watch the Northern Lights dance.

Saariselkä is also a terrific springboard for all of the other activities that draw you to Lapland, from dog-sledding to snowshoeing, ice karting and sledding on Finland's longest toboggan run. The 1800m track is most magical when lit at night and the Northern Lights flash.

Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort immerses you in the snow-frosted wilds with glass igloos and rustic timber cabins that are the springboard for myriad winter activities.

Where to see the Northern Lights: don't miss our guide to spotting the Aurora Borealis, with top tips on when and where you're most likely to spy nature's most spectacular phenomenon.

Racing downhill in Levi

The fact you can step off a plane in Kittilä and be pounding some of Finland's finest powder in Levi within minutes is pretty special; but the rest is fabulous, too.

Host of the November slalom opening of the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, this village has pretty looks, with its timber chalets and frozen fells, but it is also the place for après-ski in Finnish Lapland, with pumping live music and skiers partying in their snow boots at the Hullu Poro (Crazy Reindeer).

Skiing on the slopes of Levi, Finland © Belov3097 - Adobe Stock Image

The downhill season is long, with snowsure conditions from October to May, and many slopes are floodlit at night. For peace and big wilderness, skate along 230km of cross-country slopes instead. Kids are in their element with magic carpet lifts, sledding and snow tubing at Leevilandia Family Park, and under-sixes ski free with a paying adult.

If you want to mix things up and crank up the speed, dash across the snow in ice karting or thunder along snowy trails on e-fatbikes at Levi's Ice Activity Park.

Mushing in Muonio

In the remote, snowbound fells in the far north of Finland, snug against the border with Sweden and 200km north of the Arctic Circle, Muonio is the real winter wonderland deal. You won't find glitzy Santa grottoes here; just mile after thrilling mile of frozen lakes, shimmering forests and ringing silence.

There are many ways to head into the great white wilderness, but few more enchanting than dog-sledding with a team of frantically yelping, run-hungry huskies. Top billing goes to sustainable companies like Wildmaker and Harriniva, who really care about their dogs.

Both will take you on short safaris, where you can give mushing a whirl, lean into the bends, and gradually pick up speed. Or to really dial up the adventure, go for an entire day, rounding out with drinks by a campfire and cuddle time at the kennels.

On the banks of the Muonio River, Harriniva Adventure Resort is a cracking pick for escapades into the wilds by dog sled or snowmobile.

Skiing & ski-high saunas in Ylläs

High in northern Lapland and just a snowball's throw from the nearest airport in Kittilä, Ylläs^* is a terrific playground for skiers, with some of Finland's longest and most varied slopes.

Running from November to May, the ski season is long. And the crowd-free slopes and fresh powder snow are the stuff many Alpine resorts can only dream of, despite the fact that the tallest fell is Yllästunturi at just 718m.

This is family heaven, with 53 km of slopes devoted mostly to beginners, carpet lifts, gentle kids' pistes and tubing and sledding fun. And if you'd rather skate into the dusk as the aurora comes out to play, 300 km of free cross-country trails let you glide along.

There's a flurry of other activities, too, from dog-sledding to ice fishing, snowmobiling and e-fatbiking on ice. A novel way to warm up? Ride the world's only sauna gondola.

Climate in Rovaniemi

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	-10	-9	-3	3	10	17	19	17	10	3	-3	-7
Hours of sunshine (daily)	0	1	3	5	7	9	8	6	3	2	1	0
Days with some rainfall	22	20	17	13	12	14	16	17	17	20	20	21

The above guide shows the climate in Rovaniemi. Find out more about conditions across the country in our full guide to the climate in Finland.

Ready to experience Lapland? See the latest offers on holidays from TUI and wintersports breaks with Crystal Ski, which both promise unforgettable trips to Lapland.

More about Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Kerry Walker

Kerry Walker is a Wales-based travel writer and author. Kerry specialises in Wales, Central and Southern Europe. She regularly writes for The Telegraph and National Geographic Traveller among others. She's also authored/co-authored over 20 travel guides. Kerry's a qualified translator, avid photographer and lover of mountains and remote destinations.

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