Visiting Lapland (Rovaniemi) in the Shoulder Season (October)
When anyone mentions Lapland, all we can think of is snow. But honestly, Santa or snow wasn't the reason I wanted to visit Lapland. It was the Northern Lights! I did some research and found that October is one of the cheapest months to visit Lapland and also one of the best months for viewing the Northern Lights. That was it!
This was one of the most relaxed trips for us. Having said that, I think it was necessary, especially as the sun sets as early as 3:48 PM.
Rovaniemi seemed very modern to me.
It was a three-night trip, but I think a maximum of two nights would actually be enough, as there are limited activities during the shoulder season.
OUR STAY
We stayed at Santasport Apartment Hotel, part of the Santasport Resort. The location suited us perfectly, as it was close to the city centre yet in a calm area.
The 2 bhk apartment were great too — nice, clean and cosy, with three proper beds, a private sauna and a spacious balcony. The resort also has some nice facilities. We used the lovely indoor swimming pool, went bowling and even managed to watch a local women's volleyball match.
The only issue was that there wasn't a bus stop very nearby, so we used Uber throughout our stay.
DAY 1
We arrived at 4 PM, rested at the hotel and visited a nearby supermarket. We ended the day with a pizza dinner.
DAY 2: Santa Claus Village
We visited Santa Claus Village (santaclausvillage.info). Honestly, although the place had all the Christmassy vibes, it was a bit on the expensive side. There were lots of gift shops and restaurants.
We did the reindeer wheel-cart ride (no sledges until November), sent a postcard from Santa's Post Office and visited Santa Claus. Taking a picture with him was too pricey, but Santa did say "Namaste" and mentioned that he avoided India because curry sticks in his beard. I can totally feel his pain!
We also visited some huskies through the back entrance.
Note: The restaurant in the reindeer park was beautiful and served great food. Among other things, we tried reindeer meat, which was delicious, and an indigenous Christmassy hot drink called "Glögi". According to my husband, it tasted like warm Carmozyme, but I managed to finish it!
Once back at the hotel, we enjoyed some bowling and ordered burgers for Deliveroo.
Day 3: Arktikum Museum & Northern Lights
This was 'the day' as our Northern Lights tour was booked for that night.
Arktikum Museum (arktikum.fi) showcases Arctic life, which I personally quite enjoyed.
After the museum, we had lunch at Roka (ravintolaroka.fi), a well-known restaurant in the city centre. It was a very small restaurant, but the food was lovely. I tried another famous Finnish dish, salmon soup. It was ok. Lingonberry drink is also Finland special.
Once we got back to the hotel, I enjoyed some sauna while Shiva spent some splashy time in the warm indoor pool of the resort.
Our Northern Lights tour started at 8 PM. According to the aurora forecast, there was supposed to be very good activity around 11 PM.
The tour took us outside Rovaniemi in search of clear skies. Finally, at around 11 PM, the show began — and what a show it was! It was as if God was sitting up there with a paintbrush. The display was spectacular! It could have been even better if the moon hadn't been so bright, but it was still absolutely mesmerising.
Day 4: Ounasvaara Forest
After checking out of the hotel, we went on a short hike in the Ounasvaara forest, a famous ski and outdoor recreation area. Of course, there was no snow, but it was still wild and beautiful.
We wanted to visit Ranua Wildlife Park, only to realise that we had missed the only bus, which left at 9:30 AM.
We spent the rest of our time playing another bowling match, had a good dinner at the hotel and then left for the airport.
A Few Points to Remember
1. If you are visiting Lapland in October, expect no ice or snow activities.
2. The place is a bit on the expensive side. But October seemed to be a cheaper month.
3. There are very few free activities at Santa Claus Village.
4. There is more than one Santa-themed attraction, such as SantaPark so do not be confused.
5. If you are chasing the Northern Lights, keep tracking the forecasts and plan accordingly.
Send us a message and we'll get back to you.
Every pound goes directly toward our events, celebrations, and community programmes in Hounslow.
Hullor is a registered community organisation. Donations may be eligible for Gift Aid.
