7-Day Finnish Lapland Itinerary in Winter: My Perfect Lapland Finland Trip For You

Is there anything cozier than a 7-day Finnish Lapland itinerary? Thinking back on it, it truly was magnificent to see the northern lights dance above my head, to plunge into ice-cold water and warm up in the sauna, to meet Santa, and to race across the snowy landscape on a dog sled. It was otherworldly. Mesmerizing. Magical.

Lapland, Finland has that effect on you. So when I heard about the sun reaching a solar maximum in 2024/2025 (when the sun is at peak activity in an 11-year cycle, causing more intense auroras here on earth), I was tempted to visit a place where I could see the northern lights in action.

But it wasn’t until my friend Amanda from A Dangerous Business approached me with an invitation to go with her on a trip to the Arctic in winter that the plans were set into place. We opted for Finland as it stood a good chance weather-wise for snowy activities and auroras, and that was that!

I purchased snow pants, extremely warm winter gear, and started learning how to shoot the northern lights on camera (sorry for my rusty photos of the auroras) and we were off!

And spending a week at the Arctic Circle was the winter wonderland adventure of my dreams! So let’s discuss how to plan the perfect Lapland itinerary in 7 days including where to stay, how to visit, what the weather is like, and other tips!

Don’t have time to read this now? Save it here!

Ultimate 7-Day Finnish Lapland Itinerary

Here is a quick recap of what we did during our time in Finnish Lapland. For more details, including our hotels, getting there, and more, please keep reading below! 

• Day 1: Overnight Train to Rovaniemi
• Day 2: Explore Rovaniemi & Santa’s Village
• Day 3: Rovaniemi Arktikum Museum & Arctic SnowHotel
• Day 4: Rovaniemi Culture House Korundi & Northern Lights Chasing Tour
• Days 5-7: Apukka Resort in the Wilderness
  • Enjoy reindeer sledding, dog sledding, snow shoeing, a lakeside sauna, and the northern lights train

Day 1: Overnight Train to Rovaniemi

First things first, you have to get to Rovaniemi. And while Rovaniemi does have an airport (it’s the official airport of Santa Claus!). There is another, more special way to arrive in Rovaniemi: the train. 

But not just any train, the Santa Claus Express!

This is an overnight train and arrives in the morning in Rovaniemi. 

We booked the direct train that departs around 11 pm at night from Helsinki and arrives a little past 11 am the following morning. Yes, it is a 12-hour train. Thankfully, you don’t have to just sit overnight-they have sleeper cabins! 

This made sense for us as we were spending a few days in Helsinki prior to Lapland, so we opted to just take a train. 

And we also opted for the sleeper cabin with a private toilet and shower. And it was only like €250 or so for 2 people, making it about €125 per person when we booked it. Not bad at all and worth it for a place to sleep on a train.

Pro-tip: Ask if your hotel has late check out in Helsinki if you do this! Ours allowed us to stay until our train so we showered and got ready at the hotel before boarding. 

They even have a dining car, or you can prebook your breakfast to be delivered to your room like we did before our arrival in Finnish Lapland.

While there wasn’t much to see when we got on board at night, when we were getting ready that morning, we enjoyed the snowy landscape we were traveling through!

But essentially this day is just journeying to the Arctic Circle! 

Book your train here!

Alternatively, you could opt to fly here from Helsinki and it is 1.5 hours long. But the train was honestly an adventure and added to the fun of it all! 

Rovaniemi airport also gets flights from Dublin, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Warsaw, Rome, Barcelona, Istanbul, etc. Check flights on Skyscanner here!

Day 2: Explore Rovaniemi & Santa’s Village

If you take the overnight train, you’ll arrive just before lunchtime. You can take a taxi to your hotel in the city of Rovaniemi. We prebooked a taxi with Lahitaksi.

Then, you’ll drop off your bags and can get exploring!

We ended up walking in the village and grabbing lunch at Yuca. Yes, it is a Mexican restaurant… in Rovaniemi. And no, it is not the only one.

If there is something you need to know about Nordic people is that they LOVE Mexican food. And bless them for it. 

And it’s actually pretty good! Is it super authentic with all the same flavors? No, but when you’re in the Arctic Circle can you really expect to get all the exact same ingredients as Mexico?

I got a veggie burrito and a Jarritos soda, and I was happy with it! 

Then, in the afternoon, we hopped on the Santa’s Express bus in town and headed straight for Santa’s Village!

We arrived in the late afternoon and had so much fun! We took photos at the Arctic Circle (which runs right through Santa’s Village), met Santa and got a photo with him, met Mrs. Claus, saw the post office where Santa receives mail from around the world, and we even sent post cards back home from here!

And we even spotted some of his reindeer! This is a winter wonderland and visiting Santa’s Office and meeting him was so much fun! Him and Mrs. Claus were just as sweet as you’d imagine them to be! 

While you’re there, you could also check out Snowman World which is a snow park and the Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park. 

You could opt to do a tour of Santa’s Village or a tour with a husky and reindeer ride instead from Rovaniemi. We just visited the village and then went back to town.

And to wrap up the day in Rovaniemi, we came back into the city and had a delectable dinner at Roka Kitchen and Wine Bar, where I tried reindeer for the first time. The reindeer roast here was so good as well as the cloudberry creme brulee. 

From there, you can head to bed early, OR you could try to opt for a Northern Lights Chasing Tour.

I’ll discuss more details when we do this below. But we actually did plan on going on a chasing tour this evening, but it was sadly canceled due to cloud cover. I actually recommend spending a few days in the town of Rovaniemi to do the things I’m discussing in this itinerary as well as increase your chances of being able to go on these northern lights chasing tours as they don’t always run if conditions aren’t good.

Book it here!

Note: If you book a tour, you may want to do a quick dinner and then go, as pick up is usually around 7 pm.  

Where to Stay in Rovaniemi:

I will mention the Arctic SnowHotel below, and yes, you could definitely opt to stay here!

This is a snow hotel made from ice and snow! Don’t worry- the hotel is typically slightly warmer inside than outside, but they also provide high-quality sleeping bags to keep you toasty!

However, they also have glass igloos to stay in and perhaps catch the northern lights from bed!

Book it here!

I will say, however, that I actually recommend staying in the town of Rovaniemi the first few nights, because later in the trip, we’re going to visit a better spot in the Finnish Lapland wilderness for a few days that is great for more adventures! 

Here are other places to stay in Rovaneimi:

Arctic City Hotel: This is where we stayed the first few nights in Lapland and it was great! It is walkable to most things in town, the rooms are cozy and warm, and the staff were so helpful! They also have an incredible breakfast buffet in the morning.

Book it here!

Arctic Light Hotel: This place has lovely rooms and suites, and they too have free breakfast (you’ll find this to be common in most places in Finland which is so nice), a restaurant, and a bar to relax and warm up after a long day in the arctic. 

Book it here!

Day 3: Rovaniemi Arktikum Museum & Arctic SnowHotel

Today you’re waking up in Rovaniemi and it’s time to explore more of the town, head to an iconic coffee shop, and visit a “cool” hotel.

Grab a delectable breakfast complete with blueberry juice and coffee-staples in Finland! 

After that fuel, head to the Arktikum Museum. This museum details the history of the area including information about the northern lights, the flora and fauna of the area, and even about the Sami people. 

The Sami are the indigenous people who live in the arctic in Sapmi, which includes northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. 

This was a fascinating museum and a great way to learn more about the local area. 

After that, we needed to get more caffeine and a bit of lunch as we knew today would be a later night. So, we went to Coffee House.

At the time, we didn’t realize this would be a popular spot for us to hang out for the next few days, as I think we popped in here at least a couple of times, and it was great! We got some lattes and sandwiches and enjoyed it.

Then, around 4:50 pm, we were picked up from Rovaniemi City Center to explore the Arctic SnowHotel. 

The Arctic SnowHotel is a resort that has a gigantic snow hotel and each year it has to be rebuilt from snow and ice. And there are several rooms including a chapel, bar, and hotel rooms (yes, you can stay here overnight!) where you can explore and admire the ice and snow carvings.

Each room looks completely different and has various designs from ice and snow! It is magical to see it in person and learn how much effort it takes to make this place each year. And it opens around December 15 and is essentially open until the snow melts. 

While you could stay here in either the SnowHotel or their glass igloos, we opted instead to just visit with one of their packages. 

To fully appreciate this place, we opted for the Snow Sauna experience with dinner at the Ice Restaurant. 

This included a ticket and tour of the iconic Arctic SnowHotel, where we could wander through the rooms, grab a drink at the ice bar (shots are served in ice glasses that you smash against the wall!), and even see the ice restaurant.

We also got a 3-course dinner at the restaurant where dessert was served on an ice plate shaped like a snowflake!

We also got to experience the traditional sauna, their snow sauna (although it isn’t super warm as it quickly gets cold from the snow), and even a jacuzzi under the stars. 

We even had a chance to go sledding on their big sled hill because we had until 11 pm when we were picked up and driven back to Rovaniemi.

All in all, it was a fantastic experience dining at a snow hotel, experiencing our first Finnish sauna, and exploring this incredible place! If you’re in Lapland in the winter, this is a must visit.

Book it here!

Day 4: Rovaniemi Culture House Korundi Art Museum & Northern Lights Chasing Tour

So today is a big day, because we’re finally chasing the northern lights. Now, this is just how it happened to shake out in our itinerary as we visited the snowhotel the night before. 

The thing is though, I recommend doing as many northern lights chasing tours as you can. That is because there is really no guarantee you’ll see them…so why not increase your chances by trying to go as much as you can?

Hence why on our first night in Rovaniemi, we signed up for a tour…which was then canceled as the conditions were pretty bad to see them. It happens. Thankfully, they had another opening on this day, and we did it! 

Plus, with this tour, you can cancel 24 hours out for a refund, so if you get lucky and see them earlier and don’t want to do it again, you can cancel within 24 hours. 

Book it here!

But let’s rewind a bit as these tours don’t happen until the evening. 

So what do we do in the meantime? We slept in because we knew tonight would be a late night, and then we ventured over to the Culture House Korundi, which contains the Rovaniemi Art Museum, featuring contemporary art. 

And it was really fun! I personally enjoy contemporary art, and they even had a Bingo card where you could mark off things you spotted on certain pieces throughout the museum. 

They have different exhibits that change to check out.

Afterward, we explored the mall a bit (also to warm up after walking around outside), and then grabbed dinner at Roka Street Bistro. The veggie sandwich with fries was tasty!

After that we were picked up by Arctic GM Experiences for an epic Northern Lights Chasing Tour. 

And if there is one thing to know about chasing tours is that they are really chasing. You’re not going to some remote designated location and standing around waiting for an hour, seeing the lights, and going back. 

These tours can go quickish if you’re lucky and they drive somewhere outside of town, you happen to see the lights for a while, they drive around a bit to see more, and then go you back.

But a lot of the time, you’re potentially going out all night. 

And that is what we did! 

That is because while the northern lights have been strong, that doesn’t mean the weather and cloud cover is going to cooperate. And sadly for us, it didn’t cooperate much with us while in Finland.

Our first evening our tour was canceled because the conditions weren’t good at all. And we even received a message telling us that the chances were pretty low this evening too but they still planned to go.

After reading reviews and seeing that people still saw it at times in these conditions, we opted to take a chance and see what would happen, realizing that it could be a total wash. 

Thankfully we went! But it wasn’t a quick trip. We drove way into Swedish Lapland to find an area without cloud cover. And even the spot we went to had some fog. But the fog cleared out and the northern lights were on display!

We actually stayed here for a long time as the lights will dim and fade and then come back with a vengeance! 

We witnessed the northern lights stretch and dance across the sky! And we got some great videos and photos! We even stood in awe and wonder for a long time. It was phenomenal! 

We wrapped up with muffins and blueberry juice before the long drive back to Rovaniemi. And we arrived at 6:40 the following morning. This means we were out almost 12 hours. 

Were we exhausted and had to check out at 11 am for our next stay? Yes. Did we sleep on the car ride back to Rovaniemi? A little. Was it worth it? 100%!

Book it here!

Day 5 of a Lapland Itinerary: Head to Apukka Resort & a Reindeer Sleigh Across the Night

As you can imagine, we did not opt for breakfast this day as we slept pretty much until we had to pack up (no late check out available for us 🙁 ).

So we checked our bags into storage at the hotel and went to get lunch at the Shopping Centre Revontuli at Friends & Brgrs Rovaniemi, which had a great veggie burger and halloumi fries! 

Then, we grabbed a much-needed coffee at, you guessed it, Coffee House. Yes, at this point we’ve exhausted most of what to do in Rovaniemi. 

But the main reason to check out the city itself was that it was easier for pick ups for day trips like the northern lights tour, Santa’s Village, and the snow hotel. 

But now it is time to grab our bags and to catch the bus from Rovaniemi to an iconic resort in the Finnish Lapland wilderness: Apukka Resort for the next part of our Lapland Finland itinerary.

Apukka Resort is located along the shores of Olkkajärvi, a large lake known for its fishing, kayaking, and outdoor activities nearby (depending on the time of year). 

So other than the exciting things we did in Rovaniemi, it was nice to get more in the wilderness and in nature for the remainder of our stay. 

And this place has it all! They arrange dog sledding, reindeer sleighing, northern lights watching, snowshoeing, and more! Just be sure to arrange things ahead of time, as tours do get booked quickly!

This place also has cabins with giant overhead windows to see the northern lights as well as igloo suites, a couple of delicious restaurants, and even a couple of sauna experiences.

Book it here!

We arrived in the afternoon and checked in, and were given a wooden sleigh to carry our bags to our rooms. We booked the Aurora Cabin Queen room which can accommodate up to 4 guests between the bed and pretty comfortable pull-out couch. It has a bathroom and a mudroom, where you can leave your outside layers to dry when you’re inside the cabin.

We had booked the It’s All About Aurora Package here, so it included 3 nights here, the snowtrain for the northern lights camp one night, and a reindeer sleigh across the night. It also includes breakfast (of course!), a northern lights app called Aurora Alert to let you know when to look outside your window, airport transfers, and use of their thermal clothing (great if you didn’t pack heavy enough clothes). 

We loved it! We settled in and walked around the resort, spotting the reindeer and horses hanging out and even saw the lake saunas. 

Also, we added on dinner at their upscale restaurant Kota near the lake. Here we were given a 3-course menu and you sit beside an open fire. 

It was tasty and warmed us up to go on our reindeer sleigh across the night afterward.

We met at an area where the group tours meet up, made sure we were bundled, and we walked over to the reindeer farm nearby, met a fearless (and quite eager) reindeer named Borsha, and we were off!

The reindeer are linked to each other and to the sleighs and are guided by a person, ensuring that they don’t completely take off with you in the night. And we slowly sleighed across the snowy landscape under the cloudy night (no northern lights for us). 

We got to a place in the woods where we learned that all the reindeer in Finland are semi-domesticated. In fact, every reindeer is either owned by a Sami person and/or an EU citizen who lives in the area of Finnish reindeer husbandry. They must also be a member of the reindeer herding district.

They have a cap on the amount of reindeer allowed each year to keep their population in control, and anything over that has to be culled. So they slaughter several a year in meat production. 

Which means that while we were warming up in the tent by the fire, we were given reindeer sausages to roast and try. Thankfully, they weren’t from the farm where the reindeer we were sleigh riding with came from.

It was delicious though. 

We also learned that the reindeer really only work a portion of the year, and many farmers let them roam free in the off season. And then they are gathered again when it is time to work. Hence them being semi-domesticated.

And, because they are semi-domesticated, petting wasn’t allowed. Neither was flash photography (but that’s for most activities around animals as it can be alarming for them).

All in all, it was fascinating to learn more about reindeer husbandry and the reindeer in the area as we were pulled across the snowy forest in the dark of night. Although Borsha was certainly trying out to be lead of the pack! 

After a fun evening with dinner and reindeer sleighing across the night, it was time for bed.

Day 6 in the Arctic in Finnish Lapland: Apukka Dog Sledding & the Snowtrain

Today you’re waking up in your charming glass cabin in a winter wonderland! And today you get to go dog sledding and perhaps see the northern lights at night! 

We woke up and had a much-needed coffee. And you’ll quickly realize that many activities during your Finnish Lapland itinerary will mostly take place in the afternoon and well into the evening. 

Which means that you’ll likely be sleeping later in the morning, having a later breakfast, and resting before all the daily fun.

Today is one of those days, and thankfully, Apukka has quite a breakfast buffet, and it goes until 10:30 am. 

Dog sledding wasn’t until 2 pm so we had plenty of time to walk around, and we even saw some people setting up a private sauna carriage. 

This is a sauna on sleighs that they park in front of cabins and people can have their own private sauna! We didn’t do this as we did the lakeside sauna later, but it was amusing to see.

There are also other activities like sledding, a sauna experience with outdoor jacuzzi, and other things they can arrange for you.

We partook in some sledding, walking around the property, and relaxing in our room before we did one of the most fun things you can do in Lapland, Finland: dog sledding! 

Guys, this was a blast! You meet at the meeting point at Apukka and they walk you over to the dog sledding area. And our guide was honestly the best. He was a Finn who loves dogs and has worked with dogs for years. He literally has the best job in the world, which he mentioned a few times.

But we learned how to use the dog sled because (contrary to what I thought beforehand) we were the ones steering the sleds! 

Okay, there is a set course and the dogs know where to go, but you are the brakes and gas pedal so to speak. Although the gas pedal is literally just not putting on the brakes- the dogs will just run until you have them stop. 

And my friend and I ended up taking turns steering and sitting in the sleigh, taking photos and videos (well the one not steering did) and laughing our butts off the whole way! 

We were pulled by 5 dogs, including another overly enthusiastic animal named John who was perturbed anytime we had to stop along the way. He even kept trying to pull the sleigh when it stopped. There is a reason they put the stronger males in the back to power the sleigh and have the ladies predominantly in the lead. 

We had so much fun with these dogs and thoroughly enjoyed racing across the snowy wilderness during the daylight hours as the landscape is stunning!

Once we finished, we were allowed to pet the dogs, as they had finally calmed down. There is a huge difference between when they are hooked up and ready to go and when they’re finished with the sleigh. They were significantly calmer and quieter than before. You also cannot pet them beforehand because of this.

Once we thanked the dogs for being the goodest pups, we were taken to a tent for hot blueberry juice and to learn more about the dogs and dog sledding.

And they even had puppies we got to play with at the end! 

Overall this is the perfect winter activity in Lapland for kids and kids at heart alike!

After dog sledding, it was time for dinner, which we ate at the other restaurant at the resort called Restaurant Aitta where we sat down and ordered a la carte.

And to wrap up the evening was the other activity included in our stay: a snowtrain to their northern lights camp. 

The snowtrain is a train on sleighs where you can enjoy the views as you ride across the night to the camp in the wilderness. Here, we learned more about the land and heard stories of the Northern Lights and how you shouldn’t whistle at them.

Now if you’re lucky, you may spot the northern lights while here! That is the point of this train is to take you to the wilderness to potentially see the northern lights.

Sadly, we kept striking out in Finnish Lapland. We had not-so-great weather the whole week we went, with cloudy days and cloudy nights, meaning our one time witnessing them was the only time we got to see them.

If there is one thing that I learned here, it is that it is key to be grateful for any northern lights you get to see! 

Although ever since leaving, I still have the aurora app on my phone, and it alerts me a lot (outside of summer of course) that there is aurora activity going on at Apukka. So chances are you’ll have better luck than we did.

But after that later evening, it is time for bed!

Day 7 & Final Day of Your 7 Days in Finnish Lapland: Snowshoeing and Sauna on the Lake

It is your final day in Finnish Lapland, and you’re not done yet! You’ve got to do at least a couple more essential Finland winter activities! 

Start off with breakfast again before heading to snowshoeing! I’ve only gone snowshoeing once before in Cuyahoga Valley National Park back home during the winter. And the snow was only a few inches deep and pretty easy.

Little did I know that you don’t just walk on top of the snow while snowshoeing- you sink in it a bit! 

You could either opt to be at the front and make the tracks and do the hard part or keep to the back with the harder part done and tracks made. 

I did a mix of both, and trekking ahead in the snow with it sinking a bit beneath you while you have to keep lifting your feet is a workout! 

I fell so many times, but it was hilarious and fun! Soon, I found myself getting very warm and having to undo my jacket from sweating from the work. 

However, it was a lot of fun to trek through the woods and see many trees, smell the fresh pine, and enjoy the wintry forest.

After that, it was time for something so Finnish, you can’t not do it: the sauna. 

Sauna culture is huge in Finland with many hotels around the country having saunas as well as places like Helsinki having large areas for winter bathing and saunas. 

And Finnish Lapland is no different. We opted to book the sauna on the lake. So we bundled up and went to the lake, where we were given instructions for our sauna experience. 

Then, we began with a sauna session. They recommended 10 minutes, but it got so hot so quickly. We aren’t Finns after all. So we opted to take turns doing the lakeside plunge in the freezing water before going back to the sauna.

And while we had done a sauna experience earlier in the trip at the Arctic SnowHotel, there is something entirely different about winter bathing in between. All I can say is that I totally understand it now.

Sitting in a sauna for 10 minutes is super easy and even incredibly relaxing in between plunging into ice-cold water. 

And the ice-cold water was equal parts a shock to the system and exhilarating but also incredibly prickly and fun knowing that we could soon warm up in a very hot sauna. 

We were booked for 1.5 hours and we weren’t even sure we’d make it 45 minutes at the beginning. Time quickly flew while alternating between the wooden sauna to the ice plunge and before we knew it, it was time to wrap up. 

The sun had gone down, and the ice plunges felt even colder than before as the snow started to come down. 

So we got dressed and went to our cabin to freshen up for one last dinner at the buffet before bed.

Again, this evening could be another evening for a northern lights tour if you want to as well (and don’t mind a sleepless night).

After today, tomorrow, you can either fly to your next destination, or do as we did and take the day train back to Helsinki. 

Thankfully, the daytime train is faster, and we left around 9:22 am and arrived in Helsinki at 5:35 pm. We ended up staying at the Scandic Helsinki Airport as we flew to Paris the following day.

Although at the start we didn’t know we’d be flying back to Paris. Had we known, we likely would’ve just flown straight there from Rovaniemi. 

Either way, check Skyscanner to find flight deals!

That wraps up your time in Lapland Finland in the winter! It was truly a magical experience!

If You Have More Time in Finnish Lapland

If you’ve got more time in Lapland, Finland, there are other options like going snowmobiling, ice fishing, etc.

Another thing we seriously considered doing if we had the time was an icebreaker cruise with ice floating! It looks like so much fun to do! So if you’ve got more time and don’t mind a splurge, this would be cool!

Book it here!

However, I’d use the time to try to see more of the northern lights if you didn’t on the first chasing tour and/or at Apukka. Either book another northern lights chasing tour to see them or perhaps rent a car and head further north in Finland. 

You could drive 4 hours north to Inari to potentially see the northern lights and perhaps get more of a wintery landscape! Spend a day or two here to explore.

When we visited in late February/early March, the snow wasn’t covering the trees quite like the winter wilderness we had imagined. But 2025 was a weird winter, the locals said, and they had a lot less snow in general. So to get even more snow, heading north helps.

Plus, in places like Inari, you can learn more about the Sami people and partake in reindeer sleigh rides and dog sledding here as well.

Oh, and if you’ve got extra time and have had your fill of Lapland? Head south to check out Helsinki! It was such a fun city to explore too! 

We spent a few days here at the start of our Finland trip before going to Rovaniemi.

If You Have Less Than 7 Days in Finnish Lapland

While we’d all love the issue of too much time for a Rovaniemi itinerary, most of us realistically don’t have enough time for traveling. So if you have fewer than 7 days, I’d prioritize maybe 2 days in the town of Rovaniemi to see the Arctic Snowhotel one evening and Santa’s Village and a northern lights chasing tour another. 

Then, I recommend spending 2-3 days in Apukka to enjoy the winter wonderland activities and hopefully spot the northern lights from your own cabin!

And I also recommend flying to/from Rovaniemi rather than taking the train.

How to Visit Rovaniemi Without a Car

Thankfully, we did this so we know you can! 

Getting to Rovaniemi is fairly simple thanks to its nearby airport. So if you’re coming from many places around Europe you can fly here especially in the winter when most flights are running as most flights are seasonal. 

Check Skyscanner for flights here!

Or, if you’re already in Helsinki as we were, you can take the Santa Claus Express train overnight and the train back to Helsinki afterward. 

Check the train times/prices here.

Once you’re in Rovaniemi, it’s a pretty walkable town for seeing the sights, but to get to places like Santa’s Village, Apukka, and the Arctic Snowhotel, they have buses.

You can check the links I input for each to figure out how to get there via their buses.

That is how to get to Rovaniemi and around without a car in Finnish Lapland.

When to Visit Rovaniemi and Lapland, Finland

I would say for purposes of this itinerary, which is a winter-focused itinerary, you’re going to want to visit in the winter.

This is from late November through early March. However, note that the snowhotel doesn’t open until mid-December, so opting to visit after that is ideal to catch the snowhotel! 

And while you could visit for the holiday season, it will likely be busy and expensive. Instead, opt for January-early March for this itinerary in Lapland. February and March tend to have better weather, making it more pleasant (and hopefully clearer for your visit). 

In late December/early January, there is only like 2-3 hours of daylight, meaning you’ve got even more chances to catch the northern lights!

We visited in late February and early March for this trip. And I will say it was definitely still busy. That is because we happened to be traveling during some school holidays in Europe, particularly France. 

And in a normal year, this would be a great time to go for daytime winter activities and dark nights that are perfect for northern lights watching. Sadly, we just got unlucky the week we visited and only saw them once.

It was also a weird weather year so there was less snow. So opt for late January to early February maybe for more snowy weather!

Lapland Finland Temperature in Winter

Again, I’ll preface this in that we went during a weird year. It hovered right around freezing (32ºF/0ºC) for most of our stay. 

But that isn’t normal this time of year. So be prepared for really cold temperatures. Here is a monthly breakdown from December-March.

• December: Average high is 24ºF/-4ºC during the day and 12ºF/-11ºC at night. They have precipitation for about 9 days during the month. Average daylight hours are between 2-3 hours per day.
• January: Average high is 19ºF/-7ºC during the day and 4ºF/-16ºC at night. They have precipitation for about 9 days during the month. Average daylight hours are between 3-5 hours per day.
• February: Average high is 22ºF/-6ºC during the day and 8ºF/-13ºC at night. They have precipitation for about 7 days during the month. Average daylight hours are between 7-9 hours per day.
• March: Average high is about 32ºF/0ºC during the day and 14ºF/-10ºC at night. They have precipitation for about 6 days during the month. Average daylight hours are between 10-12 hours per day. 

And these are averages! It can easily dip into sub zero temperatures quickly, especially in January and February, the coldest months of the year. 

So this leads me to my next points about what to wear.

What to Pack for Arctic Finnish Lapland in Winter

I simply do not have the space for a full packing list in this article, and I don’t expect you’d want to read all of that in this post. I will do a full packing list soon, but in the meantime, here are essential items to bring.

1. Layers. Common sense I know, but layers upon layers upon layers. I mean things like these thermal socks, wool under layers, warm leggings to go over the wool under layers on really cold days, a thermal shirt to wear over the wool under layer on really cold days, etc. I even wore a sweatshirt over my undershirt when I was outside at night and it was cold.
2. Snow pants. If you think you need multiple pairs of this, you won’t. For starters, you skin will never touch the inside of these pants as you’ll have on the aforementioned layers above. So be sure to size up if needed for these to fit everything in it. I bought this one pair and it worked like a charm the whole trip. 
3. Triclimate Jacket. No sense in purchasing a whole new jacket for the trip unless you need one. I live in Cleveland, Ohio, so I own many coats and jackets to endure the rough winters here. But I needed a new The Northface Triclimate and got that before this trip as it also doubles as a ski jacket. I love this jacket especially for its layers. You’ve got a waterproof rain jacket top and a thermal insert so you can mix and match the jacket based on how you’re feeling temperature wise.
4. Snow boots. Again, one good pair works just fine. I lived in snow boots the entire trip in Finnish Lapland and these were great!
5. Gloves, scarf, earmuffs. You could also get a hat as again, layers are key. There are also gloves that have electric warmers in it.
6. Handwarmers. You could get some of these to bring with you to keep you warm if it is really cold.
7. Ice Spikes. This was something I did not pack, but my friend Amanda did, and I wish I had. Walking around the streets of Rovaniemi can be super slippery thanks to the ice and snow. Having ice spikes can really help prevent you from falling flat on your bottom. Note that if you bring this, you’ll likely have to put it in your checked luggage.

There are far more details to include, but these are certainly the key things to include on your packing list! 

Thankfully, many resorts and activities have outer wear for you to borrow too if it is super cold!

Other Tips For Visiting Finnish Lapland

Before you head to the winter wonderland that is Finnish Lapland, here are other tips to know before you go!

1. Currency: Finland is on the Euro. This converts to about €1 to $1.19 USD, €1 to $1.63 CAD, €1 to £0.87, and €1 to $1.77 AUD. Thankfully, most places in Finland take card, so use a card with no foreign transaction fees!
2. Language: People in Finland speak Finnish. While most people also speak English and we had zero issues, knowing a few words helps too like “Hello” (“Hei”), “thank you” (“kiitos”), “please” (“ole hyvä”), “yes” (“kyllä”), and “no” (“ei”). 

That is how to spend an incredible 7 days in Lapland, Finland including exploring Rovaniemi, enjoying the Lapland wilderness, chasing the northern lights, dog sledding, and more!

Would you like to visit Finnish Lapland in winter? 

Want more great winter destination inspiration? Check out these posts!

• What to Wear in Europe in Winter
• Ultimate 10-Day European Christmas Market Itinerary
• Cologne Christmas Market Crawl in a Day
• Best Prague Christmas Markets
• Vienna in December Guide
• 4 Days in Budapest
• 2 Days in Budapest
• 2 Days in Vienna
• 1 Day in Bruges
• 1 Days in Antwerp
• How to Spend 1 Day in Bratislava
• 2 Days in Prague
• Where to Honeymoon in December
• Where to Honeymoon in January
• Top Places for a February Honeymoon
• Best Warm Winter Vacations in the USA
• Ultimate 7-Day Galapagos Itinerary
• Galapagos Trip Cost
• 7-Day Puerto Rico Itinerary
• 5 Days in Saint Lucia
• Perfect 10-Day Costa Rica Trip
• How to Spend a Week in Belize
• 10 Days in Thailand
• 3 Weeks in Southeast Asia
• 2 Weeks in South Africa
• 10 Days in South Africa

Pin it here!