Visiting Lapland is one of the most magical experiences, whether you’re an adult or a child, there is just something so special and awe-inspiring about the landscapes, the experiences, Santa’s home!
Last winter we spent 5 days in Finnish Lapland and while we did base ourselves in Rovaniemi for 2 of them, we actually only spent one day in Rovaniemi itself, hear me out…
This is my argument for seeing more of Lapland: go beyond the crowds and commercialisation of Rovaniemi - yes it’s fun, but the authentic Lapland experience is beyond that.
We hired a car for our trip and explored Aavasaksa, Ruka, Riisitunturi National Park and even popped over the border into Sweden!
So if you’re planning a winter adventure to Finland, here’s my 5 day Finland winter itinerary for you to try!
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Riisitunturi National Park
How long to spend in Finnish Lapland
I get it, Finland is expensive so we packed a lot into 5 days which is why this is a fairly action packed itinerary!
There is no right or wrong length of time to spend there though, it all depends on how much time you have and your budget.
For this trip, I wish we had a couple of extra days to have maybe seen Levi and also the weather wasn’t great so viewing the Northern Lights was limited.
But if you only have a long weekend or perhaps very young children and you choose to stay in Rovaniemi then I think 2-3 days is plenty.
Best time of year to visit Finnish Lapland
We thought we picked a great time to go in mid-March but I wish we had gone earlier.
By the time we got there on 10th March, the snow had all melted off the trees because they’d had an unseasonably warm start to March - it actually didn’t drop below -1C for the entirety of our trip which apparently is pretty rare.
I wish we had gone in February when the snow monster trees “tykky” were still heavily laden with snow.
We picked March because we had heard it would still be cold (it wasn’t) and because we knew we wanted to do a lot so we wanted more daylight hours. I think February would have been a good middle ground to get both of those things.
Although staff at our hotel said it had got down to -30C in February so it’s worth being prepared for that!
Overall here are my thoughts:
February: best for cold weather but better weather for northern lights, shorter days but also good for seeing northern lights. Snow monster trees are still around. But very cold.
March: better if you don’t want shockingly cold temperatures like -30C! We also enjoyed the daylight being longer so we could do more during the day. But no snow monsters, things starting to melt so it didn't feel as wintery in Rovaniemi especially.
December: the most festive time to visit but also the most expensive and very short days.
January: very cold, very dark - good for Northern lights and can still be expensive right after the New Year.
Websites for seeing the Northern Lights / Aurora
I used several websites recommended by other people who had visited Nordic countries and also websites recommended by our hosts in Finland.
Finland specific sites for monitoring aurora activity:
RWC Finland
Finnish Meteorological Institute
General Aurora monitoring sites:
Space Weather Live
Northern Lights
Where to stay in Finnish Lapland
We stayed in two places for this itinerary.
The first was Aava Sky Village in Aavasaksa for the first half of our trip.
Then the second half of the trip we stayed in Rovaniemi. There are heaps of accommodation options in Rovaniemi and a lot of them are apartments. We actually stayed in an Airbnb apartment which was close to downtown and the river and came with parking but I can no longer find the listing.
This hotel is in a similar location and also offers free parking: Arctic City Hotel
If you’re looking for the igloo experience in Finnish Lapland or you want to stay outside of Rovaniemi to increase your chances of seeing the northern lights away from light pollution then I can definitely recommend Apukka Resort
We actually spent the afternoon before our flight at Apukka Resort. We booked their sauna and arctic plunge experience, met their reindeer, had lunch at their restaurant and we both said we would stay there if we came back to Apukka.
Everyone was just so friendly and helpful, there are so many activities you can do on their site: sauna and arctic plunge, ice fishing, snowmobiling, reindeer sleigh rides, snowshoeing, husky sledding, horse riding tours, northern lights tours and full winter gear hire. Honestly you could stay there a couple of days and not have to leave for anything!
Aava Sky Village Cabin
Aava Sky Village Cabin interior
Our Finnish Lapland itinerary map
Day 0 - We flew into Rovaniemi and drove to Aavasaksa and spent 2 days there
Day 1 - Aavasaksa activities, visited Overtornea in Sweden over the border
Day 2 - Aavasaksa activities and adventures
Day 3 - Aavasaksa activities, drove back to Rovaniemi in the afternoon
Day 4 - Did a day trip to Riisitunturi National Park and Ruka and drove back to Rovaniemi
Day 5 - Spent a day in Rovaniemi before leaving on an evening flight
Finnish Lapland 5 day itinerary
Day 0: arrive, collect rental car and drive to Aavasaksa
We flew direct from Manchester and had very favourable flight times. Our flight out was the late afternoon/evening so we used this as our Day 0 to arrive at Rovaniemi and pick up the rental car then drive to Aavasaksa.
Our return flight was early evening on day 5 so we also had a full day at the other end of our itinerary too without having to spend money on another night of accommodation.
We booked our rental car with Sixt via Expedia.
Remember you’ll need to declare if you’re crossing a border (we visited Sweden briefly) as they will need to provide you with a Cross Border Authorization.
The drive from the airport to Aavasaksa took about 1.5 hours and the roads were clear and well-maintained. All rental cars are already equipped with winter tyres. Obviously drive with caution, especially in winter conditions.
We check into our gorgeous cottage lodge at Aava Sky Village in Aavasaksa
Quick note: I just wanted to clarify that I was invited as a guest to Aava Sky Village to experience Aavasaksa, however all views are my own and I was not required to write this article. The rest of my road trip and accommodation around Finnish Lapland was totally self-funded, I just want to share this whole itinerary with you because it made me totally fall in love with Finnish Lapland!
Aava Sky Village Cabins
Aava Sky Village is a family run accommodation in Aavasaksa on the Finnish border with Sweden and the individual cottages have their own sauna - perfect for embracing the Finnish sauna tradition.
Also being so rural and away from major cities, the lack of light pollution makes Aava Sky Village the perfect place to spot the northern lights right from your own lodge porch or balcony!
Aava Sky Village log cabin
Aava Sky Village Main building
Day 1: Huskies and Santa’s River House
I cried a lot on this day just from sheer joy of doing some of the most incredible bucket list winter experiences!
Husky Sledding
Morning: Husky sledding experience
We kicked off the day at Aavasaksa Adventures with a half day husky experience which was pure magic and just a 5 minute drive from Aava Sky Village.
We were greeted by one of the dog handlers who knows the huskies so well and so many of them have been rescued from awful situations, Aavasaksa Adventures rescues, rehabilitates and cares for them - it’s incredible to sit in a yurt around a fire and hear all about the history and story of the company and the dogs.
During this intro time you’ll also be taught how to drive the sled, how to stop, start and brake. Although the dogs are basically just having a great time and following their besties ahead of them as your guide leads the pack through the trails, so you don’t need to worry about directions or getting lost!
Once the dogs are set up in their sleds you’ll be assigned to your sled for your husky sledding experience. You will have 4-6 dogs pulling your sled depending on weather conditions. Our dogs were called Turku, Elio, Ash, Tammi and Lissu.
And this isn’t just a quick 15 minutes through the forest… This is a 90 minute sledding experience through the rural fields and forests around Aavasaksa. We stopped halfway for anyone who wanted to swap drivers of their sled and also to take some pictures.
Afterwards we got to hang out and meet our dogs properly, give them cuddles and take pictures before they were rewarded with big bowls of food!
I just felt so happy that we were able to support a local business and the amazing work they do with these dogs, over other more commercialised options elsewhere.
This was just the most incredible, thoughtful and extensive husky experience I could ever have dreamed of and I can’t recommend it enough as one of the best things to do in Lapland!
Husky sled team
Husky sled dogs
Afternoon: Sweden and Santa
After our husky experience, we headed over the border into Sweden which is just a short 10 minute drive.
We crossed the river and over the border into Sweden to check out Övertorneå for an hour or so. But on the way we stopped at Forest Jewel which is a craft shop on an island in the middle of the river.
Forest Jewel sells everything from knives to ornaments, to cookware and kuksa - a traditional, hand carved, wooden cup that originates from the Sami people of Scandinavia, intended to be used in the wilderness. Everything is handmade and you can even join a kuksa carving class to make and engrave your own kuksa.
Unfortunately we didn’t have time to join a class but we did buy a kuksa to take home as a souvenir of our trip.
In Övertorneå we had a wander through the town, checked out the shops and visited the unique church there. We also love a trip to the local supermarket whenever we travel to see what’s available!
Then we drove back over the river to Santa’s River House for our afternoon appointment with Santa!
Something you’ll learn about Finland is that Christmas isn’t just for December, it’s all winter! And everyone knows about Santa’s Village in Rovaniemi, but did you know that Santa also has a river house on the banks of the Torne River?
I have to say, if you’re looking for a memorable experience with young children, family or just anyone who loves Christmas, this experience is so personal, authentic and totally unhurried.
You’ll need to book your experience here, then you have an hour and a half to enjoy the festive atmosphere by the crackling fire with snacks and drinks while you make some festive crafts. You have unhurried time to meet with Santa, chat to him, hear his stories and take pictures and get a present from Santa.
Having seen the queue for Santa in Rovaniemi, this experience at Santa’s River House could not be more different. You have your own visiting slot for your group to have unhurried, unrushed time with Santa, Mrs Santa and their elf.
It really felt like such a personal and peaceful visit for a memorable experience of a lifetime.
In the evening we ate at Aava Sky Village and enjoyed our cottage sauna - don’t forget to look out for Northern Lights too!
Santa’s River house
Santa
Overtornea, Sweden
Day 2: Snowmobiling and snowshoeing
Today was our more adrenaline filled day of adventures in Aavasaksa!
Aavasaksa, Finland
Snowmobiling experience
Again we booked with Aavasaksa Adventures to go on a half day snowmobile experience into the hills and forests of the region.
Aavasaksa is one of Finland’s 27 National Landscapes so you have plenty of beautiful open space and wilderness to explore in your group.
The experience started with a safety briefing and information on how to safely drive your snowmobile and navigate the terrain. You ride as a group with a group leader and two people per snowmobile.
The experience lasted around 2.5 hours and we saw incredible landscapes, snowcovered panoramas, climbed hillside forests and more.
The speed and exhilaration were incredible, it was such a fun morning!
Helena on a Snowmobile
Snowmobiles Parked
Our Snowmobile Group
Snowshoeing adventure
We decided to take the afternoon a little easier and do some exploring of our own.
Many accommodations in Lapland offer equipment rental and Aava Sky Village is the same. We were able to get some snowshoes and go out onto the trails of the Kruununkierros National Landscape - the Finnish National Landscape that Aava Sky Village is in.
We snowshoed through the forest and up to the Aavasaksa Observation Deck.
Aavasaksa, Finland View
Day 3: Reindeers and Rovaniemi
Reindeer experience
This was another Lapland activity that I knew I wanted to experience in Finnish Lapland and now I’m obsessed with how soft reindeer noses are?!
Again, Aavasaksa Adventures offers great options for this must-do Lapland experience: a 90 minute reindeer sleigh ride and feeding experience, or a 30 minute sleigh ride.
These animals are so gorgeous and as with all the experiences we had in Aavasaksa, felt so personal and genuine learning about the animals.
Aavasaksa Adventures
Afternoon drive back to Rovaniemi
We drove back to Rovaniemi which took around 1.5 hours again and enjoyed the scenery on the way.
We also made a stop at Lapland Brewery on the outskirts of Rovaniemi to stock up on some craft beer for the evening (anyone who’s read my guides before will know how much I love craft beer and am always on the hut for local independent breweries!)
We stayed in a centrally located Airbnb which I can’t find the listing for anymore, but Arctic City Hotel is in the same area and has free parking too.
In the evening we went for dinner at Bull Bar and Grill for a quick and easy dinner option, food and portions were great!
Day 4: Snow monsters and Alpine coasters
This was definitely our most full-on day of our itinerary.
Also, if you’re not comfortable driving this far in the winter in Lapland or don’t have a car for your trip, this day trip from Rovaniemi visits the same places we did on this trip: Riisitunturi National Park and the Ruka Coaster.
Riisitunturi National Park
Riisitunturi National Park
We left Rovaniemi at 8am and drove towards Riisitunturi National Park. My goal for wanting to go here was to see the tykky or “snow monsters” - the famous snow covered trees and Riisitunturi National Park is famous for them. However as I’ve already mentioned, it was unseasonably warm and the snow monsters had all melted the week before (boo!)
BUT, it’s a good reason to go back! And it was still a stunning place and a beautiful day of adventures. If you do want to get out to a national park, I really think Riisitunturi is one of the best places to visit in Lapland.
The drive itself was gorgeous and I wish we had longer to explore the cute towns and gorgeous waterfalls and landscapes.
The main parking area for Riisitunturi National Park is located here on Google Maps. Parking is free and there’s also an incredible cafe there which I’ll get to in a minute.
We followed the winter walking trail which is fairly short and only took us about 1 hour to get to the famous Riisitunturi plateau and viewpoint. You’ll know it when you get there, the start of the trail is through trees but is well marked and signposted, then the trees thin out and you’ll follow the trailmarkers up a hill onto the plateau with 360 degree views - this is where you’ll see the famous tykky snow monsters if you come at the right time in the season.
I will say that if we had come earlier, we probably would have needed snow shoes for this. The snow was very deep and while it was compacted and frozen enough in the tree area, on the plateau, we kept sinking into the snow up to our knees. Fortunately we had waterproof snow trousers on but our feet got pretty cold!
Once we returned to the car park, we stopped at the cafe there: a traditional, picturesque wooden hut with a roaring fire in the middle and run by a local couple.
They have different specials each day but we had reindeer soup and a slice of carrot cake. The soup was incredible, so thick and warming after our cold hike with big chunks of meat and veg. The carrot cake was the best one I’ve ever had and my husband (a certified carrot cake nut) still talks about it to this day!
Riisitunturi National Park café
Riisitunturi National Park
Riisitunturi National Park snow
Ruka
We definitely did go a bit out of our way for this one but I really wanted to do the alpine coaster at Ruka! And this is the northernmost rollercoaster in the world!
Again, because the snow had fallen off the trees, it wasn’t quite as scenic as I’d imagined, but it was a lot of fun!
You can book your tickets here. We booked the two ride tickets since we wanted to at least ride it twice after driving so far! But it is over pretty quickly, maybe 2 minutes on the ride in total.
We parked in the main underground car park of the ski resort which was pay-per-hour and had a wander around the ski resort and the shops there too.
Alpine Coaster Ruka
Ruka
Käylänkoski Rapids
Again, I’d researched this as a great spot to stop and see scenic, snow-covered river rapids in Lapland but sadly the snow melting off the trees didn’t quite give it the same effect.
If you are looking for snow-covered river rapids that are easy to see from roadside parking, this is a great option.
Again, this day trip option is a great alternative if you don’t want to drive: National Park and Ruka day trip from Rovaniemi.
In the evening, we met up with a friend in Rovaniemi who took us to Kauppayhtiö for dinner - I’d highly recommend it!
Then we wandered around Rovaniemi and saw the festive lights and displays after dark.
Day 5: Sauna Arctic plunge and Santa’s Village
Our flight times were super convenient and having a late departure on our last day gave us the entire day to explore Rovaniemi without having to pay for another night of accommodation.
We got breakfast and coffee from Coffee House Rovaniemi in the morning before having another wander around town, seeing the town centre in daylight, doing some shopping and seeing the river and people snowmobiling on the frozen water.
Morning: sauna and plunge experience
I knew I wanted a relaxing last day after the busy day before (although perhaps a plunge isn’t everyone’s idea of relaxing!) but I was struggling to decide between these two sauna experiences:
I ultimately decided I wanted to do the one with the arctic plunge experience but I do really wish we had time to experience both and reviews of the forest sauna one look incredible too.
The private sauna and lake plunge was incredible, definitely one of the best things we did in Lapland. This specific experience is at the Apukka Resort and while I would have loved to stay here, it doesn’t come cheap!
But this experience on the property really did convince me to stay here next time - the Apukka Resort is spectacular and every activity you can think of is here.
The sauna manager greeted us, showed us how to use the sauna and wood fire stove and also stayed with us for our first plunge, showing us how to enter the water calmly, regulate breathing and the recommended time to spend in the water and the sauna.
It was also a pretty quiet day so he very kindly gave us a few extra minutes for free which is the kind of customer care I really appreciate, especially for an activity which is not cheap!
The sauna was gorgeous, the decor, the heat, the privacy: there is a changing area inside each sauna hut so you and your partner/travel group have total privacy from the huts next door. The plunge was quite literally breathtaking but I loved it and probably went in and out 6-8 times during our session - I highly recommend this experience!
After our session and getting changed, we had a wander around the resort and saw reindeer, snowmobiling and some people ice fishing in the distance on the lake we’d just been plunging into!
We loved it so much that we decided to have lunch at the resort restaurant - you can just pay to dine there and we had the buffet - it’s not for guests only.
Overall I’d definitely consider staying at Apukka Resort next time. as there’s so many iconic things to do in Lapland all in one place.
Frozen Lake Cold Plunge
Apukka Private Sauna
Private Sauna interior
Afternoon: Santa’s Village
Santa’s Village turned out to be the perfect place to end our Finnish Lapland itinerary: not only is it the quintessential festive experience, it’s also right opposite the airport - perfect for us to head straight over the road and check in for our flight when we had to.
There are lots of paid areas and activities in Santa’s Village, my husband had visited 10 years ago and said it was tiny back then, now it’s a massive, sprawling complex with every activity you can think of! This is definitely convenient if you have young kids but we personally didn’t pay for any extra experiences as it was quite busy and overcrowded.
For example, the queue to see Santa was over an hour and this was in mid-March! I can’t imagine what it’s like in December or January. But needless to say, after our incredible experience at the Santa River House in Aavasaksa, we didn’t bother queuing here.
I often watch live stream locations on YouTube and the Santa Claus Village is a regular one, so I went to find the main square and got some friends at home to spot us on the Santa Claus Village live cam and take a picture of us!
In the square you’ll also find the official Arctic Circle line so of course we got a picture with that and if you go into the Arctic Circle Information centre, you can buy your official Arctic Circle certificate to say you’ve been to the Arctic Circle: a pretty cool souvenir!
We did visit the animals and feed the reindeer, sheep and goats as well as see the other animals they have on site.
We watched the reindeer sledding from the viewing bridge and also saw the gingerbread village before it was time to head across the road to the airport and fly home.
Santa Claus Village
Santa Claus Village Reindeer
Santa Claus Village Buildings
Summary: 5 days in Lapland, Finland
I hope this Finland Lapland winter itinerary has given you plenty of ideas and inspiration for your trip to Finnish Lapland and the best things to do in Finnish Lapland over 5 days.
I know it’s a pretty action packed itinerary but Finland is expensive and while I wanted to seize the chance to do all these incredible bucket list winter activities in Lapland, I also wanted to do them all in as few days as possible to keep costs down - obviously if you’re able to spend longer in Lapland then you can spread out these activities or do more.
Lapland is truly magical and I had the best time! I’d recommend a winter trip to Lapland for everyone, no matter your age or whether you’re travelling with kids. As a couple in our 30s, everything we did put a smile on our face and there’s no denying it is one of the most magical places in the world.
