The modern-day home of Santa Claus, a popular skiing destination and one of the best places to see the Northern Lights, Lapland is at the top of plenty of travellers’ wishlists for a reason.
Many who visit will stop by in the Finnish Lapland capital, Rovaniemi, take to the pistes in Levi or Yllas and save some time for classic activities like husky sledding or snowmobiling.
But this region, which extends through parts of Finland, Norway and Sweden, has a host of other wonders to explore, from vast hiking trails to cultural centres and unique accommodation options.
And although the winter wonders are well-documented here, the sometimes overlooked summer months provide amazing opportunities to see incredible scenery and enjoy outdoor activities, all while basking in the never-ending light of the midnight sun.
Whether you visit for Christmas or in the middle of summer, Lapland will provide an excellent variety of things to do. Below, we’ve collated a list of some of the best.
See the Northern Lights
In most destinations, the best time to see the aurora borealis is between October and early April
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This area of the Artic Circle is the best place in the world to see the Northern Lights, with towns and cities in all three countries providing a great chance of seeing the aurora if you stay for long enough.
In Norway, the city of Tromso and the more remote Lofoten Islands are the best place to go, while in Finland Saariselka is perhaps the most popular light-spotting destination (though they can be seen throughout, including in Levi, Inari and Rovaniemi).
The top bucket-list destination for seeing the Northern Lights would probably be Abisko, a small village in the north of Sweden. It is home to the Aurora Sky Station, sat at an impressive 900m above sea level, which is self-styled as the ‘best place in the world to see the Northern Lights’ due to low precipitation rates and its location within the so-called ‘aurora oval’.
This area, surrounded by snow-capped hills and placid lakes, sees the aurora so often that the tourist board website confidently states that anyone staying for four or more nights between September and April is “almost certain” to see the Lights.
Read more on Europe travel:
Visit Santa Claus
The Santa Claus Village opened in 1985
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Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland – a city of…
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