Lapland with kids: Rovaniemi, Santa Claus and how to plan the trip

Picture the crisp cold on your face, the crunch of snow and a reindeer walking slowly between white spruce trees. Your child squeezes your hand, because at the end of the trail there is a wooden house with glowing windows. That is where Santa Claus lives. Lapland is not a theme park: it is the kind of trip you remember for the rest of your life, whether you are seven or seventy. In this guide we cover what to do in Rovaniemi with kids, when to go, what to wear and how to plan a four or five-day itinerary.

The images in this article are AI-generated.

Rovaniemi, the gateway to the Arctic Circle

Lapland is Finland's northernmost region: endless forests, frozen lakes and reindeer that cross the road as if they owned it. Its capital, Rovaniemi, sits right on the Arctic Circle. There is a line marked on the ground and you can jump across it. Kids do it again and again, as if leaping from one world into another.

Santa Claus Village

A few kilometres from the centre lies Santa Claus Village. Santa receives visitors in his office all year round: you queue with butterflies in your stomach, sit down with him and tell him what you wished for. Right next door is his post office, where letters arrive from children all over the world. You can send a postcard with the official Arctic Circle postmark and schedule it to arrive home at Christmas.

Five experiences you will never forget

• Reindeer. On the farms, many run by Sámi families, you can hand-feed them and go for a sleigh ride. Slow, soft and silent, like travelling inside a fairy tale.
• Huskies. Pure energy: the dogs howl before setting off and, when the guide releases the brake, you fly through the forest with the wind on your face. Little ones usually ride seated and well wrapped up.
• Snowmobiles. Always with a guide. Children ride as passengers in special sleds.
• Arctic wildlife. Ranua Wildlife Park, a little over an hour from Rovaniemi, is home to polar bears, lynxes and snowy owls.
• Northern lights. With clear skies and solar activity, the sky can turn green. They are never guaranteed, but seeing them as a family is priceless.

When to go to Lapland

December is the most magical month, with everything lit up and full Christmas atmosphere, but also the most in demand: if you dream of those dates, look at your trip now, in November. From January to March there is less of a Christmas feel, but the snow is at its best, days get longer and availability is usually better. And don't worry: Santa is there all year.

In midwinter daylight is very short. Around the solstice the sun barely shows for a few hours in Rovaniemi: this is kaamos, the polar night, with blue and pink skies for hours on end. Plan activities during daylight and keep the nights for looking up at the sky.

What to wear for the Arctic cold

• Base layer next to the skin, preferably merino wool rather than cotton.
• Mid layer of fleece or wool.
• Windproof outer layer with snow trousers.
• Hat, neck gaiter, mittens over thin gloves, thick socks and snow boots.
• Give kids one more layer than you think. Many excursions lend thermal overalls and boots: ask when you book.

How to get there

Most travellers fly to Rovaniemi via Helsinki; in winter there are sometimes seasonal direct flights from some European cities. Another option is to fly to Helsinki and take the night train up to Rovaniemi: you fall asleep in the capital and wake up among snowy forests.

5-day Lapland itinerary with kids

1. Day 1: arrival, a walk around Rovaniemi and the Arktikum museum, which explains Arctic life and Sámi culture.
2. Day 2: Santa Claus Village at a relaxed pace: the office, the post office and the jump across the Arctic Circle.
3. Day 3: reindeer farm in the morning and husky safari in the afternoon.
4. Day 4: Ranua Wildlife Park or a snowmobile ride, depending on the kids' ages. At night, eyes on the sky.
5. Day 5: one last walk in the snow and back home.

For accommodation there are hotels in the centre, wooden cabins with a sauna and the famous glass-roof cabins, which are the first to fill up.

Plan your trip to Lapland

Lapland is not just a trip for the kids: it is a trip for the child inside you. To avoid a mess of open tabs, tell Pangora Travel you are travelling with children, your pace and your budget, and it builds a day-by-day itinerary you can edit and rearrange. Download it as a PDF with maps, accommodation, contacts, emergency numbers and a packing list, which you will appreciate in the Arctic. You get five free trips a year: start at pangoratravel.com.