The Arctic Adventure: Finnish Lapland
Northern Lights, Hiking, Tours & Extreme Winter Experiences
If you want to experience winter wonderland and step into a world of pure winter magic, you should definitely consider a Finnish Lapland Holiday
With endless snowy forests, frozen lakes, long winter sunsets and sunrises, Santa Claus and charming villages, tons of activities and unspoiled wilderness, no wonder is the most famous winter destination in the world.
Finland is one of my favourite winter destinations, because of that cosy and calm feeling of untouched nature, surreal landscapes during sunset or sunrise, one of the best places to see the Northern Lights and it offers a wide range of winter experiences.
How to get to Finnish Lapland:
We drove our van there from Germany so it took us more than 30 hours driving but if you’re looking to fly into it, these are the options:
Rovaniemi Airport is the largest and most popular gateway to Lapland, located just 8 kilometers from the city center of Rovaniemi. It’s a great base for exploring nearby attractions like the Santa Claus Village and the Arctic Circle, and it’s well-connected by flights from Helsinki and other European cities.
Kittilä Airport is another key airport, situated close to the popular ski resort town of Levi, one of the largest in Finland. If you’re planning on skiing, snowboarding, or enjoying winter sports, Kittilä is your best bet. It’s about 15 kilometers from Levi, so you can easily reach the resort from the airport by taxi or shuttle.
Ivalo Airport serves the northernmost part of Lapland, making it the nearest airport to Inari, a region known for its stunning wilderness and strong Sami culture. From Ivalo, you can explore the remote beauty of the Inari-Saariselkä area, famous for cross-country skiing, dog sledding, and Northern Lights viewing. Ivalo Airport is about 10 kilometers from the town of Ivalo itself.
Kuusamo Airport near a popular destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers. The area is well-known for Ruka, Riisitunturi National Park and Oulanka National Park, offering incredible hiking, skiing, and wildlife experiences.
Driving in Lapland
I definitely recommend renting a car to get around because the distances from town to town are quite significant and there is not always public transport available. If you plan to stay in Rovaniemi the entire time and simply book activity tours, then renting a car might not be a strong necessity.
The roads are very well mentained but you are often driving directly on thick ice, so be cautios. Yes it’s safe and the rental cars are well equipped but check the weather forecast and try to keep a big distance from the vehicle in front of you, make smooth gradual turns and be aware of wildlife.
