Lapland stretches across the northern region of northern Europe and incorporates parts of Norway, Finland, and Sweden. The people of Lapland are known as the Sami, and have possessed the area for thousands of years. Here we take a look at the five things to do and see in Lapland.
Santa Clause Claus Holiday Village
Santa Claus is real! And yes, he lives in Rovaniemi in Lapland. The atmosphere of the Santa Claus Village is warm and comfortable and incredibly festive, with enchanting lighting throughout the night. You can have a chat and a photo with Santa Claus himself in the Santa Claus’ Office. On the off chance that you need to send some exceptional presents next Christmas, you can leave your address in their Santa Claus’ Main Post Office.
Dog Sledding
Pooch sledding is really a custom all the way from North America and Alaska. Conditions in Lapland are perfect for the dogs with them running best on dry snow. Sledding has become incredibly popular in Lapland over the last few decades with most tourists love to try it out for themselves whilst visiting this icy paradise.
If you’re familiar with Huskies and their temperaments – then you’ll know how lively they can be. As a sledding team the dogs can run for hours on end without feeling tired, in fact, the dogs thrive on adventure and teamwork. Sledding is an unexpectedly relaxing must-try activity in Lapland.
Sauna Gondola
Using the Sauna Gondolas is a Finnish tradition – being suspended above the ski slopes in a little wooden box which also happens to be a luxurious sauna is a very popular tourist activity. With the weather being a chilly -10 degrees Celsius outside, the sweaty detoxifying heat of the sauna is welcoming.
At the ski resort in Ylläs, you can rent a sauna gondola before sipping a lager and going in the jacuzzi outside the cabins. It typically costs around €100 each but it is entirely worth it.
The Northern Lights
Of course visiting Lapland doesn’t mean you’ll definitely get to witness the spectacular Northern Lights, but Finnish Lapland is one of the primary locations where individuals go for the best chance of seeing them.
If the weather is on your side you will most certainly stand a chance and there are many tours and excursions that take tourists to the best spots where you can watch perhaps the most magical lightshow of your life. If you take a good camera you could come home with some incredible shots of your experience.
Reindeer Safari
The general population who live in Lapland used to utilise Reindeer as a primary method of transport! These beautiful animals gave, and still do give, a great deal to the people of Lapland including food, warm garments, and even tools from the antlers, which they lose every year and then re-grow. What’s truly wonderful about the reindeers is that they are ‘semi-wild’ – they venture off into the wilderness each spring to breed before returning to their man-made stables in the winter knowing they can find comfort and food there.
You can take part in the Lappish lifestyle and get your very own reindeers and sleigh from a local reindeer farm before taking a magical journey through Lapland’s countryside. These safari excursions will cost you around €150 for an adult – but it’s worth every single penny.
