What better time to visit Lapland than during the Christmas season? Christmas in Lapland is lived throughout the year, but if you want to enjoy the snow and a completely Christmas atmosphere, the best time to enjoy Christmas in Lapland is between November and December.
In this article, we will show you all the places that you cannot miss on your trip and the best things to do in Lapland at Christmas.
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When does Christmas start in Lapland?
The best season to fully enjoy the Christmas experience in Lapland is between the months of November and December. In November, Rovaniemi kicks off the Christmas season and themed decorations reach every corner of the city.
The snow begins to fall before the beginning of November, so you will find everything covered in snow if you decide to make your trip during these dates.
Many tourists decide to travel to Lapland during Christmas. For this reason, we recommend that you start planning your visit well in advance so as not to have problems with booking the flight, the hotel or the activities you want to do.
What places to visit to experience Christmas in Lapland?
The Lapland region has a large number of cities, towns and hidden corners where it is possible to experience the Lapland Christmas. However, we leave you some of the best places with a Christmas atmosphere in which to go sightseeing and carry out different activities.
Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi, the main city of Lapland, is one of the places that you cannot miss. There is the house of Santa Claus, so it is an almost mandatory stop to experience Christmas in Lapland.
Rovaniemi has a wide variety of activities, which makes it an ideal destination for families and all types of tourists. In Santa Claus Village and Santa Park you have a large number of alternatives: visit Santa Claus, meet the reindeer or even write your letter at Santa’s post office.
Levi
Levi is another of the places that attracts a large number of tourists every year. The town has numerous hotels and small cabins where you can stay and enjoy its varied ski slopes. So, if you would like to ski during your trip, Levi is one of the places you cannot miss.
Ylläs
Ylläs, like Levi, is a municipality very famous for its ski slopes. It is the second-largest ski resort in Lapland, second only to Levi. In the area, it is also possible to find various national parks, so it is a great option if you want to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere in Finnish nature.
Pyha
Pyha is another small Finnish town to enjoy Christmas in Lapland. In Pyha we find two ski resorts, a huge national park to explore and, best of all, the light pollution is very low, which makes it a great place to find the Northern Lights.
How long should my trip to Lapland at Christmas last?
Travel to Lapland, especially around Christmas time, can be expensive. For this reason, it is important to correctly choose the duration of this. The ideal duration to be able to properly enjoy the Christmas experience is about 3 nights.
Many people choose to take a day trip to Lapland to avoid spending a lot of money, but in a single day, it is very difficult to fully discover all the Christmas secrets that the region hides.
A trip of about three nights will allow you to fully enjoy the Christmas experience in Lapland. You will have enough time to visit the most important points of Rovaniemi, spend a day skiing in one of its many resorts and do many more activities that the Lapland region has to offer.
What to do in Lapland at Christmas?
Living Christmas in Lapland is an ideal experience for everyone, especially for families since the little ones in the house will never forget the trip. Visiting Santa Claus and his reindeer, seeing arctic animals or crossing the line of the Arctic Circle are just some of the options available to you.
Despite the low temperatures, enjoying Lapland completely covered in snow and with Christmas decorations on the streets of all its cities and towns is an experience that you cannot miss. We invite you to discover the best activities to do in Lapland at Christmas.
Visit Santa Claus
In Santa Claus Village, the town of Santa Claus, you can visit the famous Christmas character. It is an ideal activity to do as a family, in which you can visit their offices, meet the elves, discover their living room and other magical rooms of the place, as well as the Santa Claus post office where you can write and send postcards and letters to Santa Claus himself or anywhere in the world.
Cross the Arctic Circle line
In the city of Rovaniemi, you will find the line of the Arctic Circle, the exact point where you happen to be in Lapland and on the polar circle.
In the same room where Santa Claus is, you will find this symbolic line that marks the beginning of the Arctic Circle. You can take photos both on the line and on a post that marks the exact coordinates (latitude 66º 32 ’35’ ’) and welcomes you to the polar circle.
Try the typical Christmas dishes
During your trip to Lapland at Christmas, you cannot miss trying some of the most typical dishes that Finns eat during this time of year. All the cafes and restaurants have typical dishes of the region and the most delicious Christmas sweets.
Visit a reindeer farm
There are a large number of reindeer farms scattered throughout the Lapland region, so you have many options for this activity. Santa Claus Village, in Rovaniemi, is one of the places where we recommend that you do the activity, as it will allow you to meet Santa’s reindeer.
In addition to visiting the farm and interacting with the animals, it is also possible to go on a reindeer sleigh ride. On many occasions, this activity is included in the total price of the visit.
See arctic animals at Ranua Wildlife Park
Ranua Wildlife Park is the northernmost zoo in the world. In it, you will find a great variety of arctic animals that inhabit the area. In addition, it is the only place in Finland where you can see polar bears.
One aspect to take into account is that the park does not have any type of lighting to favour the welfare of the animals, so you will have to bring your own flashlight or rent one if you visit the park after two in the afternoon, when the sun has already set.
Activities in Lapland at Christmas
As you can see, during your stay in Lapland you will be able to do a large number of activities, some of them, such as seeing the Northern Lights, are only available in this region of the planet.
You can also go on a snowmobile safari or try ice fishing, a very common hobby among Finns. In addition, the Lapland region has numerous natural parks and ski resorts where you can enjoy nature and practice sports.
If you are thinking about travelling to Lapland and enjoying Christmas in Finland and you have any questions, we invite you to leave your question in the comments section of the article. In addition, we invite you to share it on social networks using the icons that you will find below.