Lapland Holidays 2024/2025

After a holiday in Lapland, Christmas will be transformed forever. That’s of course because trips to Lapland are a trip to the official Santa Claus Village and some serious holiday cheer. Enjoy skiing, sledding and traditional Lappish cuisine, plus plenty of snow!

Lapland Holiday Deals 2024/2025

Winter wonderland

Lapland might be chilly in temperature, but where holiday warmth is concerned, your heat will be warmer than ever. Lapland is found in Finland’s northernmost territory, edging just into the Arctic Circle. The temperatures up here have been known to dip into the double minus figures, but it’s nothing some good winter clothing can’t cure.

Trips to Lapland certainly call for a Santa hat and booming holiday spirit, as Santa’s official home can be found here at the Santa Claus Village. It’s not only Christmas festivities though, there are ski resorts to thunder down, Lappish restaurants to dine in and the Northern Lights to marvel at, too.

Holidays in Lapland

Regions

Santa Claus Village

Chilled cheeks are made rosy in Rovaniemi’s very own Christmas wonderland. Here the holiday spirit isn’t just reserved for Christmas day – it’s a year-round celebration.

Peek into Santa’s office and you’ll come face-to-face with the man himself. Kids will get the chance to sit with the big guy in red and tell him their Christmas wish. They can also feed Rudolph a carrot or go underground in the Santa Park and meet a few of Santa’s trusted elves. Trips to Lapland are the kind of fun that entire families can get on board with.

The Santa Claus Village is also a top spot to pick up Christmas gifts, as there’s no better place than the source itself – you might even meet the elf that made them! On offer here are local handicrafts, Finnish baubles and textiles, souvenirs and Christmas toys to help commemorate your visit.

The Northern Lights

The Northern Lights – also known as Aurora Borealis – are known for lighting up the night sky in Lapland, and many people take trips to Lapland just to see them. They’re a natural phenomenon that manifests itself as glittering ribbons of greens and pinks when electrically-charged particles collide.

The Northern Lights are best viewed between September and April, especially around the equinoxes – when the sun crosses the Earth’s equator. The winter might be the chilliest time of year in Lapland, but you’ll have a much better chance of the Northern Lights as there’s very limited daylight during this time.

Though weather conditions and other factors can affect how visible the Northern Lights are, there are a number of tour groups that’ll up your chances by taking you to top viewing spots.

Lappish treats and chilly nights out

Because of the long history of ice-fishing and the nature surrounding the snowy terrain of Lapland, the cuisine here often involves fresh, raw seafood. Reindeer is another popular item on the menu and is commonly served in steaks or in stew.

The kids will be happy that Lapland comes with its fair share of international restaurants and pizzerias too, but dining on smoked salmon in a traditional snow-covered hut at Santa’s Salmon Place is definitely postcard-worthy.

The fun doesn’t stop there as Lapland’s nightlife scene is alive and kicking, brought to you in the form of dance clubs, ice bars and pubs. There are even adult-only spots to ensure everyone has a holiday to remember.

Location

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Frequently asked questions about holidays to Lapland

Trips to Lapland tend to be best in the winter, from November to April, plus this gives the most magical Christmas feel. The Northern Lights are usually visible throughout these months too.

If you’re looking to explore and see the sights (including Santa) then Rovaniemi is a great choice, and Levi is also a great pick being the liveliest resort. 

Yllas and Ruka can be the best for skiing and Saariselka is your best bet for the Northern Lights. 

All of the resorts in Lapland offer incredible experiences for all the family.

Trips to Lapland can be done on a budget and by shopping around for different dates and durations, you’ll find one to suit yours. There’s an immense amount of activities to do in Lapland and magical experiences for all. 

To ensure you get the best value for your money, keep up to date with offers and exclusive online discounts.

Most, if not all Lapland resorts give you the chance to see the incredible Northern Lights. With the correct latitude and being north of the Arctic Circle you are in prime position to spot the lights. Saariselka tends to be the best resort for catching the Northern Lights.

Between August and April offers the best chance to see the Northern Lights. It needs to be dark with clear skies in order to see this natural phenomenon, and usually between 7pm and 2am. 

The flight to Lapland from the UK is around 3 hours – that’s no time at all!

The temperatures can be freezing in Lapland so it’s important to pack several warm layers. It’s always helpful to have looser outer layers so you can fit more under layers on – thermals and fleeces are essential. 

Warm hats, gloves and scarves, as well as sensible shoes for walking and playing on snow. It’s important to be warm and comfortable!