Things to Do in Rovaniemi

As the capital and main transport hub of Finnish Lapland, most travelers will find themselves staying in or passing through Rovaniemi, a city well situated for discovering the region’s many highlights. Rovaniemi’s idyllic setting is its biggest asset, perched at the meeting point of the Kemijoki and Ounasjoki rivers, right on the Arctic Circle and overlooked by the winter sports resort of Ounasvaara. 

The city itself is an atmospheric spot, dramatically lit up in the evening hours and home to a lively Christmas market during the festive season, but for most visitors Rovaniemi remains synonymous with one thing—Santa Claus. Just five miles (8 km) north of the city, Santa Claus Village and Santa Park are the top draws, where Father Christmas is in residence year-round and the festive fun includes reindeer sleigh rides, husky sledding and exploring Santa’s workshops.

The landscape around the zoo is beautiful and worth a visit in itself. The trail around the park is around 1.5 miles (2.5 km) and cold in winter, so dress appropriately.

Finland’s SantaPark may be as close as you can get to actually visiting Santa at the North Pole. Located near the town of Rovaniemi in northern Finland, it offers the quintessential Christmas experience. Children and adults alike can attend Elf School to learn elf secrets and decorate gingerbread made with Mrs. Claus’ secret recipe in the Gingerbread Kitchen. Visit Santa Claus in his office and hand him your Christmas wish list or drop by Calligraphy School to practice old-fashioned elf writing and write your own Christmas card. Then, drop it off at Santa’s Post Office and watch the elves hard at work sorting out all of Santa’s mail. Your card will be stamped with a special stamp and you can even get a head start on next year’s Christmas mail.

Don’t miss the opportunity to cross the Arctic Circle through a tunnel 50 meters underground and get your own Arctic Circle Undercrossing Certificate. Finally, ride a sleigh through the winter landscape around Rovaniemi and through the Elves’ Toy Factory before stopping at the Elves’ Workshop to make your own Christmas decorations.

Lapland has long proclaimed itself the Official Home of Santa Claus, and the Santa Claus Village is the ultimate destination for festive visitors, a unique theme park devoted to the red-suited fellow and located right on the Arctic Circle.

Children are sure to be swept up in the magic as they explore Santa’s workshops, where his elves are hard at work, pet Santa’s friendly reindeer and have their photo taken with the big man himself, but there’s fun for all the family too. Get in the festive spirit exploring a series of Christmas-themed exhibitions, shop for gifts at Santa’s official souvenir shop, take your photo at the border of the Arctic Circle (denoted by a white line running through the village) or take a ride on a husky sled or snowmobile. Don’t forget to send a letter home from Santa’s official post office too, hand-stamped with the special Santa Claus postmark and guaranteed to arrive in time for Christmas.

A circle of latitude marking the southern boundary of the Arctic region, the Arctic Circle has long been thought of as the gateway to an icy, uninhabitable wilderness, but for visitors to Finland, it's also the entry point to one of the country's most breathtaking region. The majority of Finnish Lapland lies within the Arctic, with popular destinations like Rovaniemi and Suomu lying directly on the Arctic Circle and attractions like Santa Claus Village even marking the location of the circle on the ground for the benefit of tourists. 

The unique location of the Arctic also lends itself to a number of natural phenomena, most famously the otherworldly Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights, which can be seen in and around the Arctic region during the winter months. Equally unusual is the Midnight Sun, a period during midsummer when the sun appears to never set, while conversely, the midwinter months appear to be in a perpetual state of twilight, with temperatures dipping as low as -58 degrees F.