If you want to step into a snow globe, escape into pristine nature, and explore the Arctic Circle, you’ll want to start looking into a Finnish Lapland Holiday.

You might lose feeling in your fingers or constantly crinkle your nose from your nose hair freezing, but it is more than worth it.

Finland has become one of my favorite winter destinations because of its unique charm, access to unspoiled wilderness, traditional Sami culture, and endless winter activities.

Sunrises melt into sunsets, and pink skies and blue hour seems to last forever—a photographers dream.

Finnish Lapland is above the Arctic Circle in Northern Finland so you can experience an array of winter activities like snowshoeing, sleeping in a glass-roof igloo, stargazing, watching the Northern Lights, visiting a reindeer farm, ice skating, dog sledding, snowmobile tours, cold plunging, and Finnish saunas.

You can even meet Santa Claus in his official home in Rovaniemi!

It’s a perfect place to travel with friends, partner, family, or solo! As a woman, I felt incredibly safe here.

How to get to Finnish Lapland

Getting to Finnish Lapland isn’t easy, but it is worth it. The entire journey for me was about 30 hours (one way) from Vancouver, BC.

Most flight paths will take you to Helsinki first and then on a second flight to Northern Finland.

There are a few airports in Finnish Lapland where you can choose to land, which is great because you can compare prices and choose the best one.

1. Ivalo Airport (IVL) is near Saariselkä and Muotka Wilderness Hotel (about 30 minutes from Saariselkä). I decided to fly in and out of this airport and had no problems. I would recommend it to a friend, aka you!
2. Rovaniemi Airport (RVN) – The gateway to Santa Claus Village and the most popular starting point for a Finnish Lapland adventure.
3. Kittilä Airport (KTT) – This airport is close to popular winter destinations like Levi and Ylläs and is 57 km away from Muonio
4. Kuusamo Airport (KAO) —This is the gateway to Lapland’s Ruka ski resort and Finland’s stunning national parks.

Traveling in the winter means delays and setbacks can happen, so I’d opt for longer connection times so you don’t need to rush if a flight is delayed.

We were in Finland from January 16–27, 2024, and flew into Ivalo.

Our flight had two stops, one in London and a second overnight stopover in Helsinki, so we decided to stay at the Hilton Helsinki Airport Hotel, conveniently located at the airport.

It was the perfect spot to get a few hours of sleep before continuing to the Arctic! We walked back to the terminal to catch the connecting flight to Ivalo bright and early for the second leg of the trip.

Driving in Finnish Lapland

In my opinion, you need a rental car to get around Finnish Lapland during the winter.

The drive from one town to another can be barren and lack public transport. I rented one with Alamo via Expedia.

If you booked a stay that includes an airport pickup/dropoff (and you don’t have plans to go elsewhere), booked a group tour, or are staying in a city like Rovaniemi the entire time, you could get away without a rental car.

I have driven in Iceland, Canada, and Norway in the winter, and Finland was the easiest winter driving I’ve ever experienced. The roads were so maintained!

Of course, winter conditions will be different for everyone, but it was smooth sailing when I was there for ten days.

Some things to remember:

• Always drive cautiously, slow down, and make smooth, gradual turns.
• Watch for wildlife, especially at dawn and dusk.
• 112 is Finland’s emergency services number.
• Keep a big distance between you and the car in front. It may take longer for you to brake.
• Always check the weather conditions before driving.

Cost of a trip to Finnish Lapland

Finland is one of the more expensive countries I’ve travelled to because flights, accommodations, and activities are the biggest expenses. I booked my flights and accommodations on Expedia.

If you want to make the trip as cost-effective as possible, I recommend getting together a group to split expenses, finding affordable accommodations instead of expensive resorts, glass igloos, etc., and cooking your meals.

I loved the glass igloo experiences and would recommend booking one for one night if you can swing it. It’s a very memorable Finnish experience but I know it is quite the big ticket item.

• Flight (from Vancouver, BC) — $1,347.16 CAD
  
• Rental car for 10 days — $1,252.08 CAD. This was split between 4 people so I paid $313.02.
  
• Gas for 10 days — This really depends on how much you drive and your car but I spent about around $100-200 CAD. Again, I was with three friends so we all split gas.
  
• Accommodation — In Finnish Lapland, you can stay in more expensive options like glass igloos and resorts or more affordable options like a cabin or holiday home with friends. I’ll share accommodation recommendations below for every area we visited.
  
• Food — Food was included in some resorts, so it’s hard to give an exact number here. Anytime we weren’t at a resort, we bought groceries and cooked for ourselves. We bought groceries for a few days and it was about $80 CAD. Remember that groceries will always be a bit more affordable in the cities (vs. small stores farther out)—something to keep in mind when planning your trip.
  
• Activities — Along with accommodation, activities in Finland were a bit expensive. I’ll detail every experience we did more below but here are some examples to give you an idea.

• Lux Arctic Spa Experience — $750 CAD (split between four people)
• Aurora Hunting — can range from $150 to $500 CAD (per person)
• 1-Day at Levi Ski Resort with Rentals — $144 CAD (per person)
• Arctic Fishing & Open Fire Cooking — $220 CAD (per person)
• Snowmobiling Adventure — $162 CAD (per person)
• Private Tour with Guaranteed Northern Lights Sightings — $400 CAD (per person)
• Evening Snowmobile Safari — $215 CAD (per person)

Best time to visit Finnish Lapland

The best months to visit Finnish Lapland in the winter are December-March.

December: Lapland usually has a significant layer of snow this time of year, but the days are incredibly short. Polar nights are in full swing, which means there are only a few hours of light a day. If you’re a festive person, this would be a great time to visit as there is a lot of Christmas magic, especially in Rovaniemi, which is the home of Santa!

January: This is prime time for all winter activities, and there is a lot of snow in all areas of Finnish Lapland. It is the coldest month, and it can get down to -40C. The days gets longer each day, so you get a bit more daylight. Long nights mean more time to see the Northern Lights, though!

I found this website to help check sunrise and sunset times.

February: Conditions are similar to January, but the days are even longer. This is another great month for winter activities and to experience Finish Lapland’s glory.

March: The days are back to normal length, so there is much more time during the day for winter activities. It’s a popular time for skiing.

No matter what time of year you go on your Finnish Lapland holiday, the snow-covered landscapes will enthrall you, the possibility of the Northern Lights and the seemingly endless types of outdoor adventures.

Northern Lights

Since you’re in the Arctic Circle, there’s a good chance you can see the Northern Lights on your trip! My friends and I stayed up every night when the skies were clear in hopes of seeing them.

We did see them a few times but they were weak and we didn’t have too much luck. Remember, they are elusive, so there’s never a guarantee they’ll dance in the sky. Here are a few tips for the Aurora:

• To see the Northern Lights, make sure you’re in an area with low light pollution, the sky is clear and dark, check the Aurora forecast (you want negative BZ) on the Aurora app, and, most importantly, be patient.

• Make sure to layer properly (check out my suggestions here) and stay cozy.

• If you’re keen to photograph the Northern Lights, use a tripod and set your camera to a long exposure (8-15 seconds). A wide aperture (f/2.8 or lower) and a high ISO can help capture the lights. You also want to focus your camera manually to get the sky sharp!

• Don’t give up! Every night, the sky is clear, get outside.

• Booking a Northern Lights tour (like this one in Rovaniemi) is a good idea if you want some guidance!

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What to do on your Finnish Lapland Holiday

I’ll go into detail about what we did in each location but here are the amount of days I recommend:

• Saariselkä: 2-3 days
• Levi: 2-4 days
• Muonio: 2 days
• Kuusamo: 2-3 days
• Rovaniemi: 2 days

Saariselkä

After landing at Ivalo Airport, we made our way to the Muotka Wilderness Hotel, where we would stay for a few days. It was the perfect base from which to explore the beauty of the Saariselkä area!

I loved this hotel because it really felt like we were in the middle of the wilderness, especially because there was no big towns anywhere close.

Saariselkä is a tiny village with a gas station, supermarket, liquor store, and some hotels and shops—and to be honest, I don’t even recall stopping by. All food, served buffet style, was included in the stay, so we didn’t need a grocery store.

The hotel offers classic-style rooms, private glass igloos, and a variety of winter activities, so it’s easy to spend a few days here!

Saunas are a huge part of Finnish culture, so we took every opportunity we had to relax in them. It was one of my favorite parts of my Finnish Lapland Holiday. There was a sauna at Muotka Wilderness Hotel right along a frozen river that you could cold-dip into! I loved it.

Every night, we went Northern Lights hunting.

We drove around the area for two nights, and for one night, we booked Aurora Camp through the hotel.

We were driven to an open spot in the trees with a laavu—a traditional dwelling used by the Sami people—where we could drink traditional drinks and roast cinnamon buns on the fire while we waited for the Aurora to come out.

We also visited a Sami reindeer farm and learned about the traditional lifestyle that has been dependent on reindeer, which has shaped the region for centuries.

On our visit, we fed reindeer and enjoyed a ride on a sleigh. Please ensure that any reindeer farm you visit is run by Sami people.

Where to stay:

• Bucketlist Stays:
  • Muotka Wilderness Hotel – $285 CAD a night ($670 CAD a night for a glass igloo)
  • Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort – $700 CAD a night
  • Wilderness Hotel Inari & Igloos – $ 670 CAD a night
  • Star Arctic Hotel – $430 CAD a night
• Affordable Stays:
  • Wilderness Hotel Juutua – $200 CAD a night
  • Lapland Hotels Riekonlinna – $180 CAD a night
  • Holiday Club Saariselka – $130 CAD a night

Levi

After our time in the Saariselkä area, we drove down to Levi. The drive was supposed to be three hours, but with the winter roads, it took us longer.

We didn’t mind because it was absolutely stunning, and we stopped along the way.

We wound our way through snow-covered forests and frozen lakes, the landscape feeling like a fairytale. Even though we spent the better part of the day driving, it was a memorable day.

Levi is a very popular tourist destination and an iconic stop on any Finnish Lapland holiday. It’s a small town with many facilities, so it’s busy, and because of this, it has a completely different vibe than Muotka Wilderness Hotel.

We stayed at the iconic Levin Iglut where we had the unique experience of sleeping in a glass igloo under the Arctic sky. The food was incredible and we could keep warm in a classic laavu.

I loved this stay because it was not around too many city lights, so if the Northern Lights were out, you could see them from bed. Sadly, I did not, but that’s why they’re so elusive!

We also stayed at Northern Lights Ranch, where the rooms were unique and lovely! We had reindeer for neighbors (that you could feed), a skating rink, and a few other winter activities available to book.

We skied at Levi Ski Resort, and it was such a fun day. This popular resort is a decent size! Skiing in Finland was a highlight for me so be sure to add it to your Finnish Lapland holiday.

Remember to stop by Santa’s Cabin, which has become one of the most “instagrammable” places in Finland.

Take the lift up to the top of the resort, and go down slope W.3. You’ll see it on your right. It’s also on Google Maps if you need a visual.

In Levi, we booked a time slot for a sauna at Northern Lights Village. I love that we didn’t have to stay there to book a time slot.

We also booked the sauna at Levi Foxfires, which truly was one of the best experiences of the trip. I’m a sucker for anything cute and cozy and this was just that.

Northern Lights hunting was a bit harder in Levi because there were so many lights, and we didn’t really know where to go to find darkness.

I would recommend hiring a tour or scouting out a spot on a map that was farther away from the town (which would require some driving).

Where to stay

• Bucketlist Stays:
  • Levin Iglut – $1,000 CAD a night
  • Northern Lights Ranch – $750 CAD a night
  • Levi Foxfires – $751 CAD a night
  • Northern Lights Village – $750 CAD a night
  • Aurora Pyramid Glass Igloos – $500 CAD a night
• Affordable Stays:
  • Levi Suites Levin Klubi – $220 CAD a night
  • Levi Suites Levi Gold – $200 CAD a night
  • Levi Hotel Spa – $295 CAD a night

Muonio

From Levi, we drove towards Muonio and stayed at Torassieppi Eco Reindeer Resort. We chose this resort because we wanted to hang out with reindeer more, and it was close by to a nearby hike we had on our bucketlist, Särkitunturi!

Särkitunturi is an easy hike with a relatively low incline. It’s about 3km to the top. The path was packed down enough that we didn’t use our snowshoes (ps. we rented them from the resort).

It was incredible to watch the sunset from here, and it was a photographer’s dream. Snowy trees for as far as the eye could see.

We even found a warming hut along the way up to the summit which was very welcomed at -20C. Definitely a must-do on your Finnish Lapland holiday.

It’s important to keep top of mind that temperatures outside can get down to -40C, so you have to be prepared.

If there is fresh snow, it can get disorienting, which, coupled with not much daylight, can be dangerous. There are local guiding companies that bring you up here if that is a better fit for you!

Out here at Torassieppi Eco Reindeer Resort, I felt like we were back in the wilderness and out of the hustle of Levi—not that that’s bad, just different.

Like Mutoka Wilderness Resort, food was included and they had an array of winter activities to book. We went on a husky tour and fed reindeer!

Since we were away from any towns, the sky was super dark which was perfect for Northern Lights viewing. You didn’t have to go far either and could stay around the resort and enjoy the show.

Where to stay

• Bucketlist Stays:
  • Torassieppi Eco Reindeer Resort – $500 CAD a night
  • Arctic Skylight Lodge – $670 CAD a night
  • Design Hotel Levi – $750 CAD a night
  • Elves Village Hotel – $745 CAD a night
• Affordable Stays:
  • Lapland Hotels Pallas – 250 CAD a night

Kuusamo

The last leg of our journey took us to Kuusamo area and Ruka, a charming ski town.

We had just enough time for a full day here, but later, we realized that was not enough time. I loved it here! My friend and I spent the day skiing at Ruka Ski Resort, a highlight of my trip.

Once we ran out of daylight, the ski hill erupted with lights hanging on trees, lights along the ski runs, and little firepits along the runs were bustling with riders taking a break.

There was a stockpile of wood that you could use to keep the fires going, and it was the perfect way to warm up when it was probably about. -20C outside.

This was an inexpensive day compared to others, yet so much fun, so definitely I recommend it for your Finnish Lapland holiday.

While we were skiing, my other two friends visited Oulanka National Park (below) to take in the stunning views of the surrounding mountains and river. The below photos were taken by my friends Brendin and Meghan.

Where to stay

• Bucketlist Stays:
  • Magical Pond Nature Igloos – $570 CAD a night
• Affordable Stays:
  • Ruka Village Hotels – $270 CAD a night
  • Hotel Royal Ruka – $220 CAD a night
  • Ski-Inn Ruka Suites – $320 CAD a night
  • Kussamo Hotels Ruka Valley – $290 CAD a night

Rovaniemi

We didn’t have time to visit Rovaniemi, a place I’d really like to see one day on another Finnish Lapland holiday. I researched a lot before this trip, so if you are heading there, here are my notes to help get you started.

The most unique thing about Rovaniemi is that it is the home of Santa Claus’ Village!

The Christmas vibes here are unmatched, and it seems like a great stop if you’re heading on a Finnish Lapland Holiday in December.

The Arctic Circle hiking area has several trails and countless winter activities you can book here.

My favorites are Northern Light Hunting, ice fishing (I wish I had done this), and visiting this Sami reindeer farm.

Where to stay

• Bucketlist Stays:
  • Arctic Snow Hotel Glass Igloos – $400 CAD a night
  • Santa’s Igloos Arctic Circle – $1,000 CAD a night
  • Sky Lodging – $800 CAD a night
  • Arctic Treehouse Hotel – $ 1,000 CAD a night
  • Apukka Resort – $900 CAD a night
• Affordable Stays:
  • Arctic City Hotel – $350 CAD a night
  • Scandic Rovaniemi City Hotel – $400 CAD a night
  • Rovaniemi Hotels Scandic Pohjanhov – $350 CAD a night

My Learnings

• Fill up on gas when you can cause stations are far and few in between.
• Book lift tickets and rental for skiing 24h before because they will be cheaper.
• Pack a set of baselayers, a beanie, gloves, and a sweater/jacket for when you land in case your luggage is lost or delayed. My luggage was delayed for a day because I had a connecting flight in London that was only 15 minutes, and I regretted not having more with me in my carry-on.
• Wear thin gloves (like these) and don’t take them off and big mittens for extra hand warmth.
• For bottom layering, I always wore a baselayer, then pants (my snow bibs, Fjallraven pants, or casual pants) on top. On the really cold days I wore a baselayer, fleece pants and then my snow bibs.

What to Wear on a Finnish Lapland Holiday

Figuring out how to dress for a Finnish Lapland holiday is important because it can make or break your trip. There’s nothing worse than not being able to have fun because all you keep thinking about is how cold you are.

Read my detailed blog post on what to wear in Lapland here.

Baselayers:

Fleece:

Wool Sweater:

Insulated Layer:

Pants:

Snow gear:

Beanie, gloves, and socks:

Winter boots:

Extras:

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