Lapland, The Finnish Winter Wonderland
Ditch the tourist traps in Rovaniemi and uncover the hidden gems of Lapland, where you can enjoy reindeer sledging, chasing northern lights, and skiing above the Arctic Circle in a true winter wonderland. Follow my journey for the inside scoop on my favourite Lapland spots.
WHAT TO VISIT IN LAPLAND?
Pallas National Park
Pallas is Finland’s third-largest national park, located in Western Lapland in the municipalities of Enontekiö, Kittilä, Kolari, and Muonio. A winter wonderland destination for people who want to enjoy nature at its purest, and the Lappish wilderness.
Lapland is also the homeland of the indigenous Sámi people and reindeer, and it attracts many tourists from all over the world, thanks to its beautiful Arctic light — a gem for nature photographers.
How to reach it?
By plane
To reach Pallas, the fastest way is to take the flight that arrives directly at Kittilä, the closest town. Depending on your starting point, you might have to change in Helsinki. There are some direct flights from France and the UK.
By train
From Helsinki, there is a train that goes all the way to the town of Kolari, where you can find different accommodations.
When to visit?
If you don’t mind cold weather, I recommend visiting Lapland during the Winter Season, from December until March.
The winter offers many different activities, perfect if you want to spend your Christmas Holidays in a winter fairytale, under the northern lights.
Climate & Seasons
Pallas is located at 68° N, above the Arctic Circle, and has the coldest climate I’ve ever experienced in Scandinavia. It’s very common to have -30 °C, and locals seem to be used to it. I recommend wearing very good winter clothes — you will never feel overdressed in Lapland. If you are going snowshoeing, try to take some warm tea with you; it can make a difference after a long, cold day outside. Usually, if you are going on an organised tour, the guides always take some warm beverages with you.
Temperatures
The climate is cold-continental, with freezing winters and mild summers. The average temperature is -13.5 °C (7.7 °F) in December and January. The coldest record is -46.2 °C (-51.2 °F) and was set in January 1999. The warmest month is July, with a mid-temperature of 14.4 °C (57.8 °F). In summer, there can be short hot periods. The highest record is 30.8 °C (87.4 °F) and was set in July 2018.
Seasons
The midnight sun can be seen from May 28th to July 17th.
In winter, the polar nights are from December 10th to January 2nd, when the sun does not rise. Even though it’s extremely cold during the winter, the polar nights in Lapland don’t get as dark as those in Northern Norway. Finland has more stable weather, with a clear sky, which also increases the chances of seeing the northern lights. Also, in Finland, there are no tall mountains to cover the first rays of light.
Must do.
Dog sledding
Dog sledging is a unique experience that you will remember for the rest of your life, whether you decide to do a half-day trip or a multi-day adventure.
Sledge dogs used to be the main form of transportation in the Arctic, connecting some of the most isolated places in the world.
Today, you can enjoy the Lappish wilderness, snuggled up in warm clothes and hides, guided by the Alaskan Huskies.
Reindeer sledding
Both Finnish and Saami people are entitled to own reindeer and practise reindeer husbandry. This is in contrast to Norway and Sweden, where only the Saami are allowed to practice reindeer husbandry.
If you want to learn more about reindeer and come close to these beautiful animals, you can visit the reindeer farms — there are many tours available in Lapland that offer reindeer sledging through the Lappish forest.
Snowshoeing
In Pallas National Park, you can find one of Finland's most popular hiking and skiing trails — Hetta-Pallas.
To reach it is very easy; you can park the car next to the Pallas Hotel. At the visitor centre, you can rent a pair of snowshoes for 15 Euros for the whole day. All the hiking trails are very well marked, and in the forest, you can also find a cabin where to put the fire and barbecue.
Snowmobile safari & northern lights hunting
Many tour companies offer snowmobile tours on frozen lakes while looking for northern lights. Lapland is one of the best places for enjoying the Aurora Borealis and the Milky Way, thanks to its stable weather and vast landscape.
stratospheric clouds
You may also experience the natural phenomenon of the stratospheric clouds.
They are high-altitude clouds that form during the winter, when temperatures in the stratosphere fall below the frost point at very low temperatures. These clouds are best observed during civil twilight when the sun is between 1 and 6 degrees below the horizon.
Visit Saariselkä, Finland’s northernmost ski resort
Saariselkä is like a real-life winter fairytale tucked away in the far, far north! ❄️✨ It’s a cosy little village where the fells look like giant, powdered sugar mounds and the trees wear thick "snow sweaters" that turn them into wonky, marshmallow statues.
Saariselkä Ski Resort is a unique, snow-guaranteed destination, built on the slopes of two mountains: Kaunispää and Iisakkipää. Known for its family-friendly atmosphere and stunning Arctic views, it offers a compact yet varied skiing experience.
The resort features approximately 15–21 km of skiable terrain. Depending on current openings, there are up to 24 slopes with several illuminated for night skiing.
Beyond the downhill slopes, Saariselkä is a major hub for cross-country skiing, with a vast network of 230 km of trails, 34 km of which are illuminated. Popular routes include the Saariselkä-Kiilopää illuminated trail.
A ski day pass is around 53 €/pax.
From December through March, temperatures typically fluctuate between -10 and -20°C. I was there at the end of January, and it was -25°C, not the ideal skiing temperatures. I remember the ski lifts were frozen and covered in snow, since they didn’t have a heating system. I was skiing two runs, and then I had to go to the restaurant to warm up.
If you struggle with the cold like me, I recommend going in March or April, when the temperatures are a lot more bearable.
Despite the cold, I really enjoyed the cosy restaurant at the start of the slope—Lieggâ Láávu, the food was great, and there is a fire where you can warm up.
I recommend trying the reindeer pasta, the cauliflower salad, and the marshmallow hot chocolate.
Experience the Sauna Culture
You can’t go to Lapland and not experience the real sauna culture. In the past, it was very common to give birth in saunas. Not when it was heated, of course, but it was a sterile place where hot water was available. There are two million saunas in Finland, for a population of 5.3 million, which means that they have more saunas than cars. Big companies and state institutions have their own saunas. The president has an official sauna, and so does the prime minister. Every house has a sauna and is considered a ‘must’ in Finland. Traditional saunas are heated by wood, burned either on a stove with a chimney or just by a stove. The latter – a smoke sauna – is the original sauna and is believed by most Finns to be the best.
The temperature in the hot room is a matter of preference, but the Finnish people recommend from 80 to 100 °C. There used to be an international sauna competition, where Finns and Russians were considered to be the best. They could stay hours in the sauna until they basically passed out. Unlike what they teach in other countries, there is no precise timing to follow if you go to the sauna. Finns just go when they feel like it, most likely with a cold beer and always naked.
Basic etiquette in the sauna is quite simple. You first take all your clothes off – something you have to try not to be shy about. It’s considered polite to shower before going in. Other than that, just stay in as long as you feel comfortable, and return to the sauna several times if you wish. After the sauna, jump into a frozen lake, also called ‘ice dipping’, or roll in the snow. Is very good for blood circulation and for the immune system.
Taste the Finnish Cuisine.
Karelian pies
Karelian pies are the Finnish equivalent of pizza in Italy. These tasty delicacies are made from pastry and filled with mashed potato or rice pudding. Traditionally, they are eaten with egg butter or other toppings.
Sautéed reindeer
Finns enjoy reindeer meat throughout the year. This classic is not just popular in Finland, but also in other Nordic countries, though with local variations. In Finland, the reindeer meat is thinly sliced and sautéed in water, cream, or beer and served with mashed potatoes, pickled cucumber, and cranberry sauce.
Salmon soup
There is a huge variety of this absolute classic, but essentially, lohikeitto is a delicious fish soup made with cream, salmon, potatoes, and vegetables. Enjoy with a slice of rye bread!
Salmiakki
Salmiakki, or ‘salty candies’, is perhaps the best known of all of the seemingly odd Finnish delicacies! This liquorice is flavoured with salmiakki salt. It’s so popular in Finland that you’ll find alcohol, milkshakes, ice cream, cakes, and muffins flavoured with salmiakki. People say that you can only really enjoy the taste if you’ve had it since childhood, and I can totally agree!
Thank you for reading this post! You can find more winter destinations in the 'TRAVEL GUIDES' section above.