Lapland, Finland

Lapland is one of those rare places that is festive all year-round. To children, it is most famous to be the home of Santa Claus which cements its reputation as a winter wonderland. The region offers so much more though from the stunning views of the Aurora Borealis, the midnight sun, and the ruska during fall.

Image from pixabay

The capital, Rovaniemi, is a great starting point for any traveler who wishes to explore this part of the Arctic. The Rovaniemi Airport services the city. Airline carriers, Finnair and Norwegian, have flights that connect the airport to Helsinki. Other options include taking flights from Gatwick Airport in London.

The VR connects Rovaniemi by railway. If you are travelling from Helsinki, there are daily trains to Rovaniemi for at least 80€ or at least $93. Coach services are offered by Matkahuolto and Omnibus. Ticket fares can range from 29€-45€ ($29-$52). Other transportation options include driving by car of inter-country bus services.

Image from flickr

You can take Bus Number 8 to Santa Claus Village which is open all throughout the year. The village features a main post office, Santapark, and Santa’s office. Joulukka is also another spot you can visit that is a lake deep into the Arctic forest. These places are guaranteed to make you feel the Christmas spirit no matter what month you choose to visit.

Image from pixabay

Don’t limit yourself to seeing Santa Claus though, you can enjoy the Aurora Borealis from anywhere in the area from August until April. If you plan to watch the lights from Rovaniemi, the Arctic Garden and Ounasvaara are popular spots for catching these spectacular views.

If you find yourself away from the capital, you can experience the Northern lights in several unique destinations like Kemi Seaside Glass Villas by The Bay of Bothnia, from the village of Nellim with its Aurora Bubbles through the Wilderness Hotel, and the Aurora Dome in Harriniva. Each location gives you a different point of view of the lights from glass ceilings in the Finnish wilderness to seaside villas, it takes the Northern Lights viewing to new heights.

Image from flickr

Summers are distinctive in Finland as the sun never truly sets from May to August; thus, the term midnight sun. And the midnight sun is most beautiful when observed in Lapland. Taking full advantage of this light, several notable festivals happens during these months. The Midnight Sun Film Festival is an annual event in Sodankylä, one of the Lapland’s municipalities. The Jutajaiset Folklore Festival is a three-day musical event in Rovaniemi where local artists gather to celebrate tradition and heritage.

The wide Lapland wilderness brings the best autumn foliage. There are plenty of leaf peeping tours organized to witness the ruska which is the short season when the leaves change color during late September to early October.

The Lapland outdoors allows locals and tourists to do a lot of activities from hiking, cycling, fishing, Arctic swimming, to rafting. Tours can be organized according to the activities that you want to do; 6-day or 5-day tours are increasingly popular among more active tourists. Every season brings forth a different beauty and charm to the region that you should not miss.

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