Lapland - A Winter Wonderland

Regardless of the strength of the winter we are experiencing at home, the cold weather will often ignite in many of us a desire to get away at the next available opportunity. However, although many of us will be dreaming of warm beaches, the romance of the even colder climes of Lapland – and of course a visit to meet the real Santa Claus himself – is becoming ever more popular.

As the most iconic of all winter escapes, Lapland offers a range of experiences which are relatively unique - beginning on the flight. Many of the companies charter their own flights and so you can expect the excitement to begin on the flight with themed decoration and activities. Flying into one of the three main airports of Ivalo, Roviemni or Kittila, you can expect to arrive in around 3 hours 40 minutes.

Although many holidaymakers will have their eyes on the iconic log cabins, there are also a range of other accommodation including family apartments on either self-catering or half board and hotels offering both standard hotel rooms and suites. The log cabins are lovely though and are a great option for families travelling together as they sleep up to ten people. The majority of people tend to go half board as there is access to both local restaurants and shops. And although drinks can be expensive generally food is reasonably priced.

For those of you wondering how you will cope in the cold weather, it is worth noting too that most tour operators will include suits and boots which are given out on the first day. You are recommended locally to wear 4 layers as temperatures can reach -15 – or lower. But don’t let the weather intimidate you – it really is all part of the fun! Of course, for many people a huge part of the appeal for booking a trip to Lapland will be visiting the big man himself - Santa Claus. Generally, your itinerary will include a ‘Search for Santa Day’ which is dedicated to the whole magical experience. Having experienced the tour from Levi myself, I can tell you that it will take around 25 minutes to transfer to Santa Village – but this will differ at other resorts. The excursion tends to last around three and a half hours and includes a visit to Elf School, gingerbread making and even an opportunity to cook sausages with the elves in the Northern Lights Hut. Outdoor activities also include sledging, tobogganing, a visit to an igloo, and of course a chance to meet the reindeers. In terms of meeting Santa, the preparation actually begins at home. Parents will receive a ‘For Parent’s Eyes Only’ pack which will detail how parents can contribute to the magic by secretly handing Santa your children’s letters before they meet him and each family is given a time-slot. It really is a magical, once in a lifetime experience. The magic doesn’t end there though. Also included in the itinerary is a ‘Santa Dinner’ which includes a further private meeting with Santa. In the majority of resorts, this takes place on the last night. During the rest of your stay there will be an opportunity to spend time with the huskies and reindeers. Guests should be mindful when booking that although some packages include these activities they are often shortened 20 minute taster sessions. If the Husky or reindeer experiences are added on to the package separately, they can last for around two hours so it depends what you are looking for and pays to read the small print when booking. Other optional activities include snowmobiling and skiing