20 Fantastic Reasons to Visit Finnish Lapland in Winter
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Considering Lapland, Finland for your next holiday? If you’re on the fence about going somewhere snowy and cold, rather than somewhere warm and sunny this winter, I’ve got 20 fantastic reasons why Finnish Lapland NEEDS to be on your bucket list. And why it’s a must-visit destination if you love breathtaking landscapes, unique experiences, and outdoor adventures.
Psst, this post contains affiliate links. Read our disclosure.
Finnish Lapland is one of the most magical destinations I’ve been to (it’s no wonder the region is rumored to be the home of Santa Claus)… so much so that I’ll actually never shut up about it.
I visited Lapland last winter from January 18–27 and months later, I’m still thinking about all the incredible things I did and experienced there.
From watching the Northern Lights streak across the night sky with hues of vibrant green and purple to snowmobiling at sunset, feeding reindeer and learning about Sámi herding traditions, dog sledding and snowshoeing through snowy landscapes, and so much more, it was unforgettable.
Aside from the breathtaking outdoor adventures, there are so many other reasons to visit Finnish Lapland in winter. Have a read below and find out why this up and coming destination needs to be on your bucket list!
20 COOL REASONS TO VISIT LAPLAND, FINLAND
1. Finland has some of the freshest and cleanest air in the world.
I know this might sound like a funny reason to visit somewhere, but hear me out. Finland consistently ranks among the top countries in the world for air quality, and when you’re standing in the middle of an Arctic forest with nothing but snow and pine trees around you, you can actually feel the difference.
Every breath feels crisp, clean, and almost medicinal. After living and breathing in city air, it was genuinely one of the first things I noticed when I stepped outside in Lapland.
Seriously, you have to experience the fresh, Arctic air for yourself!
2. The locals are unbelievably welcoming.
Finns have a bit of a reputation for being reserved, but in my experience, the people of Lapland were some of the warmest and most genuine locals I’ve encountered.
Whether it was the young Sámi lady that unexpectedly taught us how to lasso reindeer antlers (after we were forgotten at our chalet by the bus driver and missed the reindeer sleigh ride lol), the café owner who recommended her favorite hidden spots, or the locals who consistently said “hello” and “good morning” while passing us on our daily walks, everyone we met truly wanted us to love their home as much as they do.
That kind of hospitality is rare, and it made the trip feel really special.
3. The Indigenous Sámi culture is fascinating.
One of the most meaningful parts of my winter trip to Finnish Lapland was learning about the Sámi people—the Indigenous community who have called this region home for thousands of years, and the only Indigenous people officially recognized within the European Union.
From their traditional reindeer herding practices to their distinctive joik music and colorful gákti clothing, Sámi culture is deeply rich and unlike anything I’d encountered before.
I got a real taste of it at Jaakkola Reindeer Farm, a beautiful family-owned farm just outside of Luosto in Northern Finland, where we learned about reindeer herding traditions firsthand.
There are opportunities to engage with Sámi-led cultural experiences throughout Lapland, and I’d really encourage you to seek them out—it adds so much depth and context to your visit, and it’s a way to support the community directly.
4. It’s one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights.
This one probably doesn’t need much convincing, but Finnish Lapland is genuinely one of the best spots on the planet to witness the Aurora Borealis.
The combination of its location within the auroral zone, its low light pollution, and its long, dark winter nights means you have a really solid chance of seeing them—especially between November and March.
I saw the Northern Lights multiple times during my trip, including one completely unforgettable night when our small group headed out to a secluded spot on our own (after keeping a close eye on the Aurora App!) and were treated to the most insane light show.
I genuinely cried (don’t judge). It was the kind of moment that made me feel very small and very lucky all at once.
5. Finnish Lapland is a responsible and sustainable destination.
If you care about traveling responsibly (and I think we all should be thinking about this more), Finnish Lapland is a destination worth getting excited about. Finland has a long-standing commitment to environmental sustainability, and that ethos flows through to the tourism industry in Lapland.
From eco-certified accommodations to wildlife experiences that prioritise animal welfare, there’s a genuine effort to protect the region’s stunning natural environment for future generations.
6. You can tick the Arctic Circle off your travel list.
Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland, sits right on the Arctic Circle… and yes, you can literally stand on the line. In fact, the line basically runs right through the airport—it’s pretty freakin’ cool.
And even if, like me, you choose to base yourself in a quieter village like Luosto rather than Rovaniemi, you’re still spending a week living and adventuring above the Arctic Circle, which is a travel milestone that never gets old to say out loud.
7. The snowy landscapes are incredibly unique.
No photo—and trust me, I took hundreds—does Finnish Lapland justice. The landscapes in winter are completely otherworldly.
Fun fact: the pine trees here can hold up to 3 tons of snow on their branches! That’s why the forests look so impossibly sculpted and surreal. It’s so incredibly cool.
Aside from the snowy forests, there’s countless frozen lakes stretching out for miles and rolling fells around Luosto blanketed in an unbroken layer of white.
Driving into Luosto for the first time genuinely felt like entering a fairytale town inside a snow globe… and that feeling never quite wore off, even after a week of seeing and experiencing it every single day.
If you’re already itching to book a winter trip to Finnish Lapland, take a peek at the company that I went with: Lapland Travel! Their Lapland packages are affordable and include flights, transfers, four must-do activities, and an English-speaking guide. It was amazing! Click here to learn more.
8. There’s an array of unique winter activities to do.
One of the things I loved most about Lapland was how many different activities there are to do, and how different each experience felt.
In the space of just one week, I went dog sledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing in Pyhä-Luosto National Park, electric fat tire biking, sledding (aka sledging), ice fishing, and reindeer sleigh riding.
There’s genuinely something for everyone here, whether you want full-throttle Arctic adventure or something a little more slow and peaceful. And the best part? Even the “relaxed” activities still feel completely magical.
9. You get to warm up with mehu (warm berry juice).
During several of our activities, including a break on our snowshoe hike up Luosto Fell, our guides handed out cups of hot juice, a traditional Finnish drink made from berries called mehu.
It sounds simple, yes, but standing in the middle of a snow-covered Arctic forest with frozen eyelashes, warming your hands around a cup of sweet, steaming berry juice is one of those small, unexpected moments that stays with you long after the trip.
It’s the kind of thing that’s so uniquely Finnish and so perfectly suited to the environment that you can’t imagine it anywhere else. Don’t sleep on it!
10. Foodies will love the unique food options in Finnish Lapland.
Finnish Lapland has a really exciting culinary scene that doesn’t get nearly enough credit. The region’s cuisine is deeply tied to the landscape and the seasons.
On our trip, we experienced what was called a “wilderness dinner” at Aarnikota near Luosto—a magical three-course meal by a crackling fire in a traditional kota, featuring Lappish fingerling potatoes, smoked salmon, seared reindeer, cloudberry jam, and flambéed apples with homemade ice cream.
(As a vegan, I was genuinely blown away—the chef made me home-smoked tofu with a mushroom cream sauce, and mango sorbet with cloudberry jam for dessert. An absolute dream.)
Even if you’re not typically an adventurous eater, the food here is hearty and comforting in the best possible way.
11. It’s the land of the Polar Night.
During the height of winter, Finnish Lapland experiences kaamos—the Polar Night—where the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon for several weeks.
I know that sounds daunting, but in reality, it’s one of the most atmospheric and unique things about visiting Lapland in winter!
The sky shifts through the most incredible shades of blue, pink, and lavender throughout the day, creating this dreamy, perpetual twilight that’s unlike anything else.
Our guide Florian told us that when we arrived in late January, it was actually the first time the locals had seen the sun in weeks. (They were thrilled!)
12. There’s almost zero light pollution.
Finnish Lapland is one of the darkest places in Europe, and that’s a very good thing. Staying in a quiet village like Luosto, far from the tourist crowds and bright hotel lights of Rovaniemi, means the night sky is absolutely jaw-dropping.
On clear nights, you can see the Milky Way, the Big Dipper, and more stars than you’ve probably ever seen in your life… all with the naked eye.
Even on nights when the Northern Lights weren’t out, just standing outside our chalet and staring up at the sky was an experience worth traveling for on its own. (That said, the Northern Lights did make an appearance most nights we were in Lapland! Which was amazing.)
13. Sauna culture in Finland is next level.
Sauna isn’t just a wellness activity in Finland, it’s a way of life. And experiencing it properly in Lapland is something you absolutely have to do.
Most chalets and cabins in the area come with their own private sauna (as our Luosto chalet did!), and there’s something deeply cozy about heating up in a wood-fired sauna while a snowstorm rages outside.
If you’re feeling brave, you can follow it up with a roll in the snow or a dip in a frozen lake, which sounds completely wild, but it’s honestly so invigorating!
My tip if you sauna in Lapland: stick with the 15/15 rule. That’s 15 minutes in the sauna followed by 15 minutes of resting and cooling down outside the sauna. (However, if you get too hot, get out! Don’t push yourself in a sauna.)
Click here to learn more about Finnish sauna culture!
14. You can sleep under the stars in a glass igloo.
If you’re looking for a bucket list accommodation experience, it doesn’t get much better than spending the night in a glass igloo in Finnish Lapland.
And the best part? You don’t have to go far.
There are spectacular glass igloos right in Luosto at Santa’s Hotel Aurora, where you can lie in bed and watch the Northern Lights dance across the sky directly above you without even getting out from under the covers.
Though they’re not cheap (expect around £700/night for a premium igloo), if it’s within your budget, it’s an experience you will never, ever forget.
Click here to check out Santa’s Hotel Aurora.
15. The silence and stillness of the Arctic is unmatched.
In a world that rarely stops making noise, the silence of Finnish Lapland is one of its most underrated personality traits.
Out in the wilderness—especially on a snowshoe hike or a peaceful reindeer sleigh ride through the forest—the only sounds are the crunch of snow underfoot and the occasional whisper of wind through the trees.
Fun fact: snowy landscapes are actually quieter than bare ones, because fresh, fluffy snow acts as a natural sound-absorbing blanket. It’s the kind of stillness that you feel in your whole body, and after a few days of it, going back to normal life feels like quite the adjustment.
16. You can visit Santa’s “official” hometown in Rovaniemi.
If you’re traveling with kids (or you’re a big kid yourself), add a visit to Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi to your bucket list.
Rovaniemi is officially recognised as Santa’s hometown, and the village leans fully into the festive spirit in the most charming way.
That said, my personal recommendation is to use it as a day trip from somewhere quieter—Luosto is just 1.5 hours away by car—rather than basing yourself there.
You get all the magic without the tourist crowds and eye-watering hotel prices. Best of both worlds!
17. The frozen lakes and rivers are otherworldly.
As someone who is from Minnesota, I’m no stranger to frozen landscapes. But standing atop Luosto Fell, gazing out towards an endless frozen landscape stretching as far as the eye can see, dusted with snow and gleaming in the low winter light, took my breath away.
It makes for some seriously dramatic scenery.
Even more crazy was that we watched the Northern Lights from the frozen surface of a lake near Luosto on a magical self-guided aurora night. It was unreal.
18. The breathtaking sunrises and sunsets last for hours.
Because of Lapland’s position straddling the Arctic Circle, the sun stays low on the horizon throughout winter, which means golden hour lasts for what feels like forever.
The sky shifts slowly through long, dreamy waves of pink, orange, and deep purple, and it’s absolutely spectacular to witness.
Our sunset snowmobiling safari with Lapland Safaris was one of the most visually stunning experiences of the entire trip—racing through snow-covered pine forests while the sky turned cotton candy colors above us.
For photographers, it’s an absolute dream.
19. It’s one of the few places in the world where you can try ice fishing.
How would you feel about walking onto a frozen lake, drilling a large hole into the thick ice, dropping in a line, and waiting quietly for a fish to bite while your guide pours you a cup of hot juice?
As someone who grew up ice fishing in Minnesota, I’m a big fan of this activity. And I highly recommend you try it when visiting Finnish Lapland.
Sure, it may sound kind of scary (drilling a hole into the ice?!) but ice fishing is so unique and a surprisingly meditative experience.
Whether you catch something or not, doing this in the Arctic wilderness of Finnish Lapland takes it to a completely different level.
20. Finnish Lapland is surprisingly accessible with many direct flight options.
…and shockingly affordable with Travelbase and their tour company, Lapland Travel. (Their Finnish Lapland packages start at around £1,250, which includes flights, transfers, accommodation, and four exciting winter activities!)
Sure, Finnish Lapland may feel like the ends of the earth. However, getting there is actually much easier than you might expect.
I flew direct from Manchester to Rovaniemi with Ryanair in just over three hours—and there are direct and connecting routes from London, Birmingham, Bristol, Amsterdam, Brussels, and more.
Once you land in Rovaniemi, getting to a quieter village like Luosto is easy, too. It’s just a 1.5-hour taxi ride or 2-hour bus journey away.
For such a remote, otherworldly destination, the logistics are surprisingly straightforward.
Click here to explore Lapland Travel’s 7-day winter trip.
So there you have it: 20 reasons why Finnish Lapland absolutely needs to be on your travel radar this winter.
Whether you’re chasing the Northern Lights, craving adventure, or simply looking for a destination that will genuinely take your breath away, Finnish Lapland delivers every single time. I can’t recommend it highly enough, and I’ll definitely be going back.
Have some questions about a winter trip to Finnish Lapland? Or have you been and want to share your experience with others? Stick any and all comments in the section below!
Sophie xx
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