10 ESSENTIAL tips for visiting Lapland

Here are 10 things that no one tells you about visiting Lapland that you really should know.

I've just arrived in Rovaniemi — the heart of Finnish Lapland and the home of Santa Claus — but it's actually my second visit to Lapland, because the first thing that no one tells you about Lapland is that it's an area that spans across four countries. It covers all of Northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and also a tiny part of Russia.

Just a quick editing note: I have since discovered that this area of Northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula collectively shouldn't actually be known as Lapland — it should be known as Sápmi, which is the area where the Sámi people traditionally live. Lapland is actually technically only used as a term to describe Northern Finland and Northern Sweden. But many of these travel tips do apply if you are visiting Northern Norway as well.

Now, I'm here in December and it is looking pretty snowy. But when you look at the actual snow on the ground, it's quite different to how it was, for example, this time last year. This is just because it's the start of the season. If you go in November or December, you're really not guaranteed snow. In general — the later, the better. Early November, there may well not be snow. Late December, there probably will be. It varies on how thick it is. January and February are much more likely to have snow, but it is nature, so there's never any guarantees.

So if you know you want to do husky or reindeer sledding or snowmobiling, then I would really recommend booking a little later in the winter.

Another good thing that you need to remember about Lapland is that it goes up as well as across. So Rovaniemi, where I am, is really the start of Finnish Lapland — and there are so many other towns and cities in the north of Finland, and also in the north of Sweden and Norway, that are more likely to have deep snow earlier on in the season.

The fourth thing that you should know, especially if you're visiting in the winter, is about the light. So I'm close to the shortest day of the year at the moment. When I walked out of the station this morning, it was about 8:00 a.m. and I could see the first glows of the sunrise on the horizon. But it is now 11:00 a.m. and the sun is only just starting to come up.

Obviously, this will vary drastically depending on what time of year you visit. From January onwards, you'll find that the days start to get longer very quickly.

The next thing you should know about visiting Lapland is that it might be the home of Santa Claus, but it is also the home of the Sámi people. The Sámi people are native to this part of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark — and a small part of Russia as well — and they have an amazing, really really rich culture. So I do really recommend trying to learn a bit about them and their life while you're here.

One of the ways you can do so is through this museum in Rovaniemi. I also had a couple of really great Sámi experiences in Northern Norway. There seem to be a few more of them there rather than in Finnish Lapland. But any that I'll find, I'll put in the description.

I'm back at home now, but I did want to share five more things that you should really know if you are heading to Lapland this year or any year.

So the first thing I wanted to talk about is sauna culture. It's no secret that saunas are an integral part of Finnish culture. However, it is important to sauna correctly.

So, when you go to a single-gender sauna, it is usually the done thing to go without anything on. I do understand — I am British myself and I do find that very awkward. So if you do feel the same, you can put a towel around you, but generally, people prefer that you don't wear a swimsuit. This is because if you have chlorine in it, it can get into the air, or the fibers can also cause issues.

However, this is not the case if the saunas are mixed gender — for obvious reasons. In every mixed gender sauna I've been to, you have to wear a swimsuit.

It can really vary depending on where you are and the type of the establishment, so just double check what the rules are before you go into the sauna.

Whatever you do, you are expected to shower without a swimsuit on before you go into the sauna. Again, sometimes these showers are communal, and I do understand for some people that can be quite awkward. I would say just make sure you have a good wash before you go and use the sauna or any public bathing facilities in Finland, because they do take it very seriously.

I know this is a hot topic for many people visiting Nordic countries. So — it isn’t cheap. It's definitely not a cheap destination. But there are ways to keep costs down.

My best tip would be to get somewhere with a kitchen where you can cook some of your own meals. You can save a lot of money that way. And also — there are plenty of free activities. So I would say prioritize those and maybe just do one or two of the expensive pay-for activities like husky sledding or reindeer sledging or snowmobiling — that kind of thing.

I actually visited Lapland on a budget, and I have actually written a post with a full cost breakdown of everything that I spent. I spent about €400 in 2 days, and that included transport to and from there, hotel, and all activities and food.

So if you want to take a look at that free resource, it is linked in the description. I also go into costs in my full video about visiting Lapland on this channel.

So visiting Santa in Rovaniemi is actually free — at least at his Santa Claus Village and his office in the city center. You don’t have to pay to see him, but you do have to pay to get photos with him. And obviously, most people do want a photo. So these start at €40 — so it’s definitely how they make their money.

That’s in the Santa Claus Village at least. I think in the city center office, it’s about €30. Obviously, most people are going to want a picture. I knew that if I saw Santa Claus, I would have to take a picture — obviously — so that is where you end up spending money, even though the actual visit is free.

If you go to the Santa Claus City Center office, it is only €30 for a picture, and then I do believe you can take as many photos and videos with him as you want. So that could be a good tip for seeing him on a slightly lower budget.

A lot of people arrive in Lapland, rent a car, and drive around. This is great, and it does obviously mean that you can get to anywhere you want to go — it does mean you have a lot less restrictions.

But I did just want to stress that sometimes driving in Lapland is not for the faint-hearted. The cars are well kitted out with winter tires, they will be well serviced and everything — but you may be driving in blizzard conditions, icy roads, darkness — the day is dark.

So if you aren't used to driving in these conditions, please do reconsider your need to have a car.

You can explore without a car. The train goes up to Kemi — so not hugely far — but then there are buses, like long-distance buses, that connect all of the towns in Finnish Lapland and across into the borders as well.

And around Rovaniemi you can take buses — like local buses. You can also take Uber and Bolt, which do definitely add up but aren’t crazy expensive for the journeys.

So there are definitely other ways, and I really would recommend — like if you aren't a confident driver, then do reconsider whether you need a car. Obviously, if you are a competent driver and you know you want to get to all of these like secret spots you can't get to by public transport, then by all means, go for it — but just, just think about it.

This actually connects to my last point a bit because obviously if you have a car, you can drive to a lot of places to see the Northern Lights. But Northern Lights tours are offered throughout Lapland. And of course, they are good — like you’ll go with an expert who will take you to the ideal place to see the aurora.

But if you are a bit worried about finances when you’re visiting Lapland, you don’t necessarily need a tour.

You can see the Northern Lights from a lot of places in Lapland. If the visibility is good and the aurora is active, you can pretty much see them anywhere — apart from maybe in the city centers. But also, sometimes in the city centers, if they are particularly bright. If you just go a little bit out of the city center — like a little bit on the edge — then you should be able to see them.

And there aren’t any metropolises in Lapland — so it's not like you'll go that far. If you don’t have a car, you could even just take like an Uber or a Bolt