Written by Maryse on June 1, 2024

First Day in Rovaniemi: From Santa Claus to chasing Northern Lights on snowmobile

As soon as we stepped off the plane in Rovaniemi, the temperature was -18 degrees Celsius. It was by far the coldest temperature we had ever experienced. However, we had done our research and came prepared with multiple layers, including thermal underwear, and we were pleasantly surprised to find that we weren’t as cold as we thought we’d be.

For those worried about the cold, it’s important to note that Lapland is not a windy region, which makes the cold feel more bearable. We found that as long as we had enough layers, we were comfortable in the cold weather.

Exploring Rovaniemi

Our first stop in Rovaniemi was our cozy Airbnb in the city center, where we dropped off our luggage and headed out to explore. We walked from the city center to Santa Claus Village (+-8km), which was a refreshing way to take in the crisp air and beautiful surroundings.

Santa Claus Village

Santa Claus Village is a popular tourist destination, and we decided to try a short reindeer sleigh ride while we were there. Although the ride was enjoyable, we couldn’t help but feel that it was a bit too touristy for our liking. We later discovered an authentic reindeer farm located in the middle of nowhere, which we highly recommend visiting, if you have half a day to spare, it’s definitely worth the trip.

Santa Claus Village is a charming place with lots to see and do, including meeting Santa Claus himself and sending postcards from the official Santa Claus Post Office. It’s a magical place that’s perfect for families with children to embrace the holiday spirit and get a taste from wonter wonderland. We also got the opportunity to have our very first ride in a reindeer sleigh.

Snowmobile Aurora Hunting Trip

Finally, we heard that the night was going to be a good one for the Northern Lights, so we decided to join a snowmobile aurora hunting trip with Arctic Lifestyle. Arctic lifestyle is a 100% local company and highly experienced. Our guide had driven a snowmobile since he was 4 years old! They provided us all equipment to make us feel safe and warm.

Riding snowmobiles on the frozen river and trough the white forrest was an unforgettable experience. After driving for on hour the colorful lights started dancing in the sky above us. They took us to a sectret place, not accesible by car, so we we could admire this fenomenon privatly. This was an experience of a lifetime, and we would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Lapland during the winter months.

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