It is good to feel small beneath the sparkling northern lights, small beside the mighty river. Nature is so close to us up here. My troubles and difficulties just shrivel up. I like being insignificant.
Asa Larsson
Finnish Lapland is a magical place that should be put on everyone’s bucket list. If you want to see unspoiled nature and artic wilderness, this is the place to appreciate it. Best time to see northern lights from October through April and I was told by people that work at the resort that March is the best time see northern lights. We did the entire trip without renting a car and managed to travel within Finland through public transportation. As usual with my blogs, if you just want to see the itinerary, please check here.
Our finnish adventure started with a wish from the kid for his 13th birthday that he wanted to see northern lights. I started planning to trip and wanted to go during December but quickly realized that there are 2 main reasons not to go in december- it is the high season and everything costs more, and days are really short especially around Dec 21st. We decided to change the trip to February break which turned out to be better time to visit especially if you want to see Northern lights
- Where to go in Finland:
- Top winter activities to do in Finland and where to do them
- What to wear
- Day 1 and 2 : Rovaniemi
- Day 3, 4, and 5 : Saariselkä and staying in glass igloos at Kakslauttanen Arctic ResortÂ
- How to get to Saariselkä or Lake Inari
- Snow activities at Kakslauttanen Arctic resort
- Day 6 and 7- Helsinki
- Final thoughts
- Further reading
Where to go in Finland:
There are several towns and cities you can visit based on what you want to do:
- Helsinki– Capital city and good base for rest of the trip. If you have time, you can also visit Tallinn, capital of Estonia as day trip or 2 day trip.
- Rovaniemi- Capital of Lapland and city in arctic circle. You can do all the winter activities in this city including northern light hunting, dog sledding, snowshoeing etc
- Ivalo/ Lake Inari/ Saariselka : Ivalo is a small town and airport near Lake Inari (Inarijärvi) in Finish Lapland, an is about 1450 miles south of the North Pole. Saariselkä is few miles from Ivalo, year-round resort town.
- Pyhä/Pyhätunturi – Pyhä is a true Lappish ski resort surrounded by Pyhä-Luosto National Park
- Levi– Levi is a micro-city built around a ski resort in western Lapland. During the winter months, from mid-November to mid-May, Levi is Finland’s most popular ski resort, with a total of 44 slopes serviced by 28 lifts, 180 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle
- Kemi– part of southern Lapland known as “Sea Lapland”. Kemi is located on the Gulf of Bothnia and is known for its beautiful natural surroundings and outdoor activities as well as the icebreaker boat tours.
- Salla– is a small town located in the eastern part of Lapland and is known for its ski resorts and other outdoor recreation opportunities.
- Oulu– As the biggest commercial and cultural hub in the region, Oulu is often called the Capital of Northern Scandinavia. It’s a vibrant city that holds over 700 events annually, including one-of-a-kind experiences such as the World Air Guitar Championships, Polar Bear Pitching, The Irish Festival of Oulu and Qstock music festival.
Top winter activities to do in Finland and where to do them
- Northern light hunting: Finnish lapland is supposed to have northern lights 200 days of the year and you have pretty good chance of seeing them anywhere from Rovaniemi to Lake Inari and beyond. We saw them in Rovaniemi.
- Huski Safari : Can be done in Rovaniemi, Ivalo/ Lake Inari/ Saariselka
- Reindeer Safari : Rovaniemi, Saariselka
- Snowmobiling : Rovaniemi, Saariselka
- Ice fishing : Rovaniemi, Lake Inari
- Sauna : Can be done pretty much anywhere in Finland
- Santa Claus : Rovaniemi
- Skiing and snowboarding : Pyha, Levi
- Ice plunge /ride on an icebreaker boat : Kemi, Salla, Levi
- Coffee/City vibes – Helsinki
What to wear
If you go during the peak winter months, you definitely need proper layers to do any outdoor activities. Most activities done through the tour operators and they provide snow shoes, snow suit, and gloves that will keep you warm and toasty. Check with the operators see what they provide so that you don’t buy ton of stuff you will only use during the visit. We bought thermal layers like this and this that kept us warm when we were walking around on our own. Good winter hat/beanie, gloves and a warm jacket like this were perfect to keep us warm.
Day 1 and 2 : Rovaniemi
After a long flight from US, we reached Rovaniemi around 4 PM and made it to our hotel –Santa’s hotel Santa Claus. We chose this hotel as it was in the middle of city center and close to restaurants and activities and also included breakfast in the price. We had booked a junior suite with Sauna in the room and we used this sauna every night. It was a good way to start our finnish experience.
Other good hotels : There are several options at various price point depending on your budget. We liked the Santa’s hotel which was middle of the range and restaurant on-site along with access to coffee houses and other restaurants.
Artic Tree house hotel : This is a high end hotel that provides great views and close to santa village. If you are looking for unique hotels, this is a good one to stay and hotel offers several activities that you can book through the concierge.
Hostel Café Koti : Budget friendly hotel in the city center with several options
Apukka Resort : If you want to stay in glass igloos, you can check out this hotel.
Since the hotel was near the city center, once we checked in, we decided to explore the area including the Lumberjack’s candle bridge and downtown including Lordi’s square, and restaurants. These are some of the restaurants and cafes we tried during our 2 day stay in the city center and food was really good in all the places we ate.
Pancho Villa Rovaniemi- Good Mexican food and don’t need reservation
Rang Mahal Indian Restaurant- Pretty decent Indian food.
Massimo- Great pizza place and my first experience drinking the long drink (in Finnish lonkero) – a very popular mixed drink made from gin and a mixer, traditionally grapefruit soda.
Cafe & Bar 21 – Great coffee
Korundi Kitchen & Café : Another great coffee place
Day 2 : We started the day with a breakfast at the hotel and decided to take a cab to Santa’s village. This place is close to airport and costs about 20-30 euros for the cab from city center. Cabs in Finland are expensive and public transport seems to best way to reach various places. You can also take public transportation and route 8 goes from city center to Santa village. It will take about 3-4 hours to do the whole thing and you can get lunch before heading back to city center. February was not very busy season to see Santa and there were no long lines for any activity.
Photo Courtesy : Photo of a photo at Santa’s village
Must do things at Santa village:
- Visit Santa Claus– One of the best Santa’s I have ever visited. He was very personable and chatted with us for a while. Extra fee for taking photos with Santa and you can get either digital or physical copy of the photo
- Santa’s post office-can mail post card to anyone at any time of the year. You can put into either send now or send next christmas mailbox
- Christmas House Safaris and Reindeer Farm– Walk around and enjoy the winter wonderland and can go on reindeer safari
- Arctic circle– take photos while crossing artic circle
- Visit Roosevelt’s house– is the first building in the Rovaniemi Arctic Circle area. It was erected in the summer of 1950 in honor of Eleanor Roosevelt’s visit.
Day 1 afternoon and evening : We spent the afternoon at Arktikum a science centre and museum that lets you experience northern nature, culture, and history up close and learn all about northern lights.
Northern lights hunting by minivan: This was the event all of us looking forward to and I had booked the trip through Nordic adventure . Around dinner time, it started raining/snowing and when the diver came to pick us up from the hotel, he said our chances of seeing northern lights is very minimal. The tour operator said we can move the tour to next day but since we were going to Saariselka next day we decided to take a chance and see what we get.
Pro-tip- Find out from your tour operator if they rent snow shoes and suit. None of us on the northern light tour had proper cloths and shoes and we froze our butt off. Some times, the hotels also rent out snow boots and they make a huge difference when you are standing for couple of hours on a frozen lake waiting for Northern lights to show
After driving for about 20-25 min from the city, we stopped at a lake. Rain/Snow had slowed down and waiting about 30 min, stars started appearing giving us the hope that we might see Northern light. The guide, Gale started fire and heated up some mulled wine and sausages to keep us warm, but our toes were getting frozen. There were 7 of us on this tour and we took turns going back to the van to keep ourselves warm. Around 10 PM, after standing around for an hour, a white cloudy thing appeared on the horizon and Gale said that we are in luck. Slowly the white cloudy thing started turning green and for next hour and half, we saw one of the most incredible displays of northern lights. We were spellbound and speechless at the magnificent lights. None of us had figured out how to take pictures using our iphones but the tour included photos that the guide took using professional setup. This worked out perfectly as we could enjoy the lights without having to take photos. If you want to take photos of northern lights, please check this blog. If you want to check your chances of seeing northern lights, the aurora pro app works really well. There are few other apps you can use and more details on these apps can be found here.
Rovenomi is great place to not only see northern lights but to do other activities such as snow mobile rides, husky and reindeer safari, and other winter activities. There is also a snow/ice hotel you can visit and have dinner. We decided to do most of these activities at our next stop in Saariselka and stay only 2 days in Rovaniemi which was perfect way to start our finnish adventure. If you want to book any other activities, there are several options on getyourguide or viator. Nordic adventures also offer a lot of these activities and we had really had a great time on aurora hunting with them.
Day 3, 4, and 5 : Saariselkä and staying in glass igloos at Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort
One of the things we were looking forward to when we planned our trip is our stay in a glass igloo. There are several hotels that have glass igloos, and we chose Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort which pioneered the glass igloo concept. Kakslauttanen is a good option, albeit an expensive one, but the reason we chose them was that they offer several activities including reindeer safari, and husky safari. If you plan to stay here in December, you can also meet Santa and do other activities related to Christmas. Since we stayed in February, we didn’t get to see Santa. There are several options for rooms at this resort and for details on the resort, check out this blog which helped me to plan our stay. We decided to stay in 2 different rooms to get the full experience. First 2 days of the stay we stayed in Kilo glass igloo and for 1 night we stayed in the glass igloo.
Kelo glass igloo:We found these igloos to be the best of both world with comfort of the log cabin with glass igloo master bedroom. This version of the room sleeps up to 6 people and for 3 of us this was really good accommodation and came with kitchenette, fireplace, and of course ensuite sauna.
Glass igloo : Depending on whether you book small or large igloo, it can fit 2 or 3 to 4 people. We chose the one that fits 4 people and it had a small bathroom and toilet in the room. The smaller version may not have a bathroom and common shared bathroom in the main building can be used.
There are several other options at the resort including log cabins to luxury gold-digger cabin and you can chose the one based on your requirement and budget. All in all, it was great experience to stay in the resort and other great thing is that rooms come equipped with Northern light alarm in case northern lights appear in the night.
How to get to Saariselkä or Lake Inari
There are several ways to get to Lake Inari or Saariselka hotels. Easiest way is to fly to Ivalo airport and take a cab or ask the hotel to pick you up from the airport. Since there were no direct flights from Rovaniemi to Ivalo airport, we took bus. On our return trip, we directly flew from Ivalo to Helsinki airport. The bus journey takes about 3 hours and more details can be found here and you can directly buy the tickets from the bus operator on-line or you can buy the tickets from the driver on the bus. For timetables and tciket purchase, check out the website of Matkahuolto, a Finnish company that organizes bus trips nationwide. We got dropped off at the east village entrance of the Kakslauttanen resort, but we were supposed to be at West village. Thankfully there were couple of people at the reception and were able to arrange a van to transport us to the resort. The bus driver was also very helpful and called hotels to get transportation to few people on the bus that got dropped off the entrance.
Pro-tip – The bus drops you off at the entrance of your hotel and it stops at various hotels in Saariselkä area. Some hotels are long-way from the entrance (1-2 km) and it would good to have hotel send a van/ transportation to pick you up from the entrance so that you don’t have to drag your luggage through snow
Snow activities at Kakslauttanen Arctic resort
Lapland is great place to do snow activities and we booked all our activities through Kakslauttanen resort and combined most activities with Northern light hunting. Even if we didn’t see Northern lights, we still enjoyed the husky safari, snowmobile ride and reindeer safari. Check here for the list of all the activities organized by resort. We did Aurora hunting with snowmobiles, Husky Safari (favorite of the teenager as he got to drive his own husky sled), Reindeer safari, and a whole day trip to Lake Inari with ice fishing and visit to Sami museum.
Lake Inari visit: This was our favorite activity at the resort. We were picked up from the resort at 8AM and were driven to Lake Inari. The drive itself is beautiful and very serene. After we changed into out winter suites, we drove our own snow mobiles to Lake inari. It an exhilarating ride with typical Lapland views with wild reindeers, and snow-covered trees. Once we reached lake Inari, our guide demonstrated making hole in the ice to catch the fish and we all dug our own holes and sat for few hours without any luck. In the meantime, our guide prepared lunch on an open fire and heated up tea to warm us up.
Wilderness church of Lake Pielpajärvi -Built in 1760, after the Christianization of the Sami people, this church was built on the site of an old Sami winter village. It is one of the oldest buildings in northern Lapland. It was in use until the end of the 19th century and nowadays puts on special services during Easter and Midsummer. The church is also a popular site for weddings. In the summertime, Pielpajärvi is only accessible by foot along a 5 km hiking path or by boat from Pielpavuono pier in Lake Inarijärvi. The easiest way to reach the church is to hike from Inari village. The starting point of the trail is the Sarviniementie parking area, which is about 3km northeast of the Siida museum. From the parking area it’s about a 5 km hike through the woods to the church (route is marked with occasional signposts and more frequent red stakes). An alternative is to the Inari Lake cruise where the catamaran can leave you at Pielpavuono which is about two kilometers from the church and you can walk along the path from there (the route is also marked with red stakes). In the wintertime it can be reached by skiing and snowmobile, and we chose snowmobile as our option. The church is always open and can be visited free of cost.
Siida’s open air museum– If you are in Lake Inari, you should definitely take time to visit to Siida’s open air museum to understand the cultural and architectural heritage , as well as livelihoods of the Sámi in Finland. This museum tells story of Inari and Sami in the last 10,000 years and gives information about Sami way of life including, evolution of transportation method from reindeer to snow scooters and more. We also got to see other Sami traditions including their food habits, hunting practices, and ingenuity of Sami people living in harmony with nature. Check here for the open times and other information.
Day 6 and 7- Helsinki
We started the tour of Helsinki with a walking tour and it was a good way to get the lay of the land and see some key sights. We booked one through getyourguide and similar ones can be found in viator too. We met our guide at Senate square and covered the following places in about 3 hours on foot. It was really informative and we enjoyed visiting the city with the local person who had lived in the city for more than 20 years.
Senate Square– Senate Square is the main square of Helsinki and is surrounded by buildings on the four sides of the square representing the four powers of the state as conceived during 17th century : senate, church, university and commerce. The Square itself is empty except for a statue of Tsar Alexander II in the middle. The main structure that dominates the square is the Helsinki Cathedral.
Helsinki Cathedral– Designed by Carl Ludvig Engel, this cathedral is the landmark and symbol of Helsinki. Also known as St. Nicholas Church and Great Cathedral, it was completed in 1852 and have sculptures of 12 apostles on the roof that guard the city. The church is build in the shape of the greek cross and has six corinthian pillars in the front. The outside wall is decorated with scenes from life of christ and above the main there is an hebrew inscription of Jahave (God). For more information on the architecture and opening hours, check here
Uspenskin Cathedral– Built in 1868, this church is considered as the largest cathedral in Western Europe. This Cathedral represents Russian impact on Finland. The cathedral was designed by the Russian church architect Aleksei M. Gornostaje and it is built to represent Slavonic architecture with golden cupolas and redbrick facade. It’s a prominent sight as you walk around the city center, as it sits on a hilltop overlooking the ocean and its 13 towers with their gilded spires are eye-catching. 12 of the towers stand for the 12 apostles and one for Jesus and interior is very splendidly furnished with columns made of solid granite support the main dome, which is designed like a starry sky. Numerous colorful mosaics decorate the interior walls along with icons, religious paintings and gilded sacraments.
Kauppatori or the market square – Close to Helsinki city hall and President’s palace, is the outdoor market on the waterfront, with lots of food vendors (mostly selling various seafood–and sides like veggies and potatoes), lots of fresh produce (everything looked delicious), and some souvenir stalls. It is great place to spend some time enjoying finnish food.
Old Market Hall– Open since 1889, this old food hall or market hall is close to market square and sells all sorts of cheese, fish, vegetables, fruits, cakes and pastry. There are some cafes and restaurants too and it is also great place to try some authentic finish dishes.
Havis Amanda – A fountain and statue designed by sculptor Ville Vallgren is located in the market square and symbolise the rebirth of Helsinki and is beloved pieces of art in Helsinki. Havis Amanda is a mermaid who stands on seaweed as she rises from the water with four fish spouting water at her feet. She is surrounded by four sea lions and is depicted leaning backwards as if to say goodbye to her element. Vallgren’s intention was to symbolize the rebirth of Helsinki. Vallgren himself called the work simply Merenneito, or The Mermaid in English, but it quickly started to earn nicknames. The Finland-Swedish newspapers dubbed it Havis Amanda and the Finnish Haaviston Manta or simply Manta. Every year on Vappu, Manta serves as a center for the celebrations. Students of the local universities put a cap on the statue in an elaborate ceremony. For many it is a “must see” event (Source: https://www.gpsmycity.com/attractions/havis-amanda-33017.html)
Other places to visit in Helsinki
Ekbrg 1852Рcaf̩ Ekberg is the oldest bakery, patisserie and caf̩ in Finland, founded in 1852.
Sea Fortress Suomenlinna– https://www.suomenlinna.fi/en/ Suomenlinna is an 18th-century sea fortress and nature area with centuries-old artillery and defensive walls, spread across 6 linked islands. There are walking trails that take you to popular sights like the King’s Gate drawbridge and Suomenlinna Museum. There is also a brewery and several waterside restaurants.
Private guided tours of the fortress, in several languages, can be booked in advance (guidebooking@suomenlinnatours.com). Public guided tours in English are announced in the events calendar on the Suomenlinna webpages. The fortress is easily accessed all year by public transport (HSL) ferry from the Market Square (daily) or the HSL maintenance ferry from Katajanokka (on weekdays). The travelling time is approx. 15minutes (Source: my Helsinki)
Sibelius Monument– This a memorial seaside park constructed honor Finnish Composer Sibelius. The main attraction is the abstract monument called Passio Musicae, was created by pioneering artist Eila Hiltunen and is actually a kinetic, musical sculpture—a bundle of 600 steel tubes that capture the wind like a pipe organ.
Day Trip to Tallinn, Estonia from Helsinki– Another popular option from Helsinki is to take a ferry ride to Tallinn, Estonia as day trip or two-day trip. We didn’t do this but there are several tours available that you can take such as this and this
Final thoughts
Finland is a great place to visit and experience true arctic wilderness and magic of Christmas during winter. To this day, my family considers this as the best trip we have taken together.
Peaks to Palaces 