Lapland - A Bucket List Must!

Lapland is my Disneyworld. 

You can throw all the rides and characters at me but nothing could come close to experiencing Finnish Lapland in December. I was lucky enough to spend a season working there in my twenties and the memories are simply priceless. Although it's been some years since I spent my time working and living there, the traditional Lapland holiday remains very similar to back in the day, 

Snow covered fells, endless night, hot glasses of Glog (or hot berry juice!)  and heaps of festive cheer are on the line-up for this particular holiday. Not forgetting getting the chance to meet the main man himself, Santa, who you might see meandering  around the bustling villages with his reindeer! Lapland is something truly magical and is to be experienced to be believed. 

Now, of course, for most, Lapland is a once in a lifetime experience. It's not the most economical of destinations to get to and high season runs for about 6-7 weeks, literally depending on the snow fall and of course everybody wants to be there for the run up to Christmas, and rightly so. The resorts come alive with everything festive and the excursions that you are probably wanting to do will run full time when there is a thick blanket of snow everywhere. So it goes without saying, the best time to visit is December, at a push, late November but there might be not as much snow covering as you are hoping for (my favourite past time is to keep checking the ski resorts weather reports and cameras!). Holidays do run out of this season and snow is not guaranteed ever. 

Once the snow falls however, it really, really falls. It completely blankets the landscape. And it's a nice dry snow- that might not make much sense right now but when you are layered up in your snow suits and boots, you will be the first to mention the quality of the snow- trust me! Speaking of snow, the temperatures can get a lot lower than you or I are normally used to. I captured a photograph of -33 degrees in my time there - my eyelashes were frozen white and I was super thankful for my extra insulated long johns! There is the option to ski or snowboard in some resorts like Levi, but you might want to only do say one afternoon due to the temperatures (sitting on an open ski lift in those temperatures is not for the faint of heart but the Finn's do it so we made it work!). 

There are a number of excursions you should have on your list if you are planning a Lapland holiday. There definitely should include:

- Snowmobiling (note you will need a valid driving license to use one)

- Reindeer and husky sledding (these can usually be done on a combined tour)

- Glass igloos (not just for the romantic out there!)

- Visiting the snow village (late December onwards)

- Santa visits

Snowmobiling is not for everyone but the thrill of zooming across a frozen lake and through the forests is breath-taking. When you book you can choose to drive or be driven - I did a bit of both and I found it incredibly similar to quad biking just a lot faster and I definitely felt like I was in a James Bond movie (sadly Piers did not appear out of the wilderness for me this time around). 

The reindeers and huskies should be a given for everyone visiting the region- due to the temperatures you might not find yourself on the actual sleds for long but the atmosphere in the villages is so cosy and fun. The husky farms usually have some puppies too (well at least they did when I was there) and dogs that are off duty to go and see (just take heed of the warnings- do not attempt to put fingers in cages and keep an eye on your own children). Same with the reindeers, it's a live farm you usually go to with a nice warm hut to have biscuits and warm drinks whilst you wait for your rides. Did you know reindeers usually start training at 6 months old through to when they are 4 years old...Which is when they should be suitably mature enough to walk you around in a circle, though they are mischievous animals. 

If you can source a glass igloo for the night during your stay it is almost definitely worth the pennies. Yes you can get a luxury igloo for two but there are family options available. There's never any guarantee of the Aurora coming out to play but the experience is still second to none without the added light show. These igloos usually are usually located on the side of fells and with an array of amenities so that your stay is as comfortable as it can be. 

The Lapland Hotel snow village visit will depend on whether it has been constructed by the time you get there, generally it opens late December (I know it's late but they need to wait for the snow to arrive and the temperatures to drop before they even consider building the first brick). No kidding they rebuild this hotel from scratch each year with a different theme and this year they are celebrating as they turn 25 years old and  because a new bus link has been added from the resorts of Levi and Yllas. If you are planning your Lapland visit to encompass Christmas/New Years then I would definitely add it to your list. 

Lastly, but certainly not least, is a visit to see Santa. Don't be put off if your not there with children, many many couples are welcomed each visit and if there's one thing that's going to bring out the child inside us all, it's getting to meet the main man in his home. Mrs Claus will be there usually hosting some sort of baking class (I made some scrumptious gingerbread cookies) and there are numerous elves hanging around causing all kinds of chaos in the snow and running other activities to keep everyone entertained. 

I would highly recommend booking a 3 or 4 night stay to experience Lapland at it's best and pack in all the activities you will be wanting to do. They will usually include some excursions such as the huskies and a visit to see Santa or these packages can be built. The trip usually finishes with a big Christmas party and you are accompanied by elves and guides everywhere you go with much frivolity and fun along the way. These trips are hugely popular and booking in advance is essential if you have a list of activities you are definitely wanting to do. 

Lapland is unlike any other place I have visited and is truly a unique destination and I hope I have helped inspire your next adventure. A few top tips to leave you with: 

- Layer layer layer all of the clothing, from long johns to balaclavas (a must if your are snowmobiling) and insulated gloves. Most organised tours will include snow suit and snow boot hire but check your inclusions. Regardless though you will need your jumpers a plenty- we found corduroy trousers too helped keep us warm. 

- Pick your resort and hotel based on your activities- Levi was a great resort to be in as I am a keen snowboarder and it also had some great nightlife. Yllas on the other hand  is more traditional Lapland, out in the wilderness and less of a resort feel.  Some hotels will be more designed with the ski-er in mind (so nothing too fancy) others will have all the bells and whistles. I had a log cabin just outside of Levi that was self-catering as I was working there but the last time I checked, these were still available to book. 

- Lapland quirks: You can't buy alcohol in the regular supermarket, there are specific bottle shops for this. Don't get caught out by their odd opening times like I did (hint they close early over Christmas!). The food in general can be quite rich tasting and most of it is dairy free (a win for my lactose intolerant self!). Like most of Europe, the Finn's celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, so no you won't get to see Santa the day before Christmas because it is the one night of the year he is meant to be working...

There is still availability for 2025 Lapland breaks- get in touch today for your bespoke quote! - Happy Sledding!