Finnish Lapland · on the Arctic Circle
Rovaniemi
The capital of Finnish Lapland.
- Airport
- Rovaniemi (RVN)
- From Helsinki
- about 1 h 20 by air
- Position
- 66°30′ N
- Midwinter sun
- about 2.5 hours
- Snow
- Nov to Apr
- Nearest fell resort
- Pyhä-Luosto
The place
What Rovaniemi is actually like
Rovaniemi is the capital of Finnish Lapland and sits on the banks of two rivers, the Kemijoki and the Ounasjoki. It is often called the largest city in Europe by area, covering 8,017 square kilometres (about 3,095 square miles). During World War II nearly 90% of Rovaniemi was burned and destroyed. When it was rebuilt, the famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto redesigned the city, and the street plan looks like the shape of a reindeer’s head and antlers. In 2010 Rovaniemi received the official status of the Official Hometown of Santa Claus.
8,017 square kilometres. Often called the largest city in Europe by area, and you can walk across the middle of it in twenty minutes.
The marked line of the Arctic Circle runs through Santa Claus Village, and visitors can cross it there. Thanks to the position of Rovaniemi under the auroral oval, the northern lights are visible here for roughly 150 nights a year, from late August to early April.
In Rovaniemi everything is close. The airport is ten kilometres from the city centre and handles more than a million passengers a year, mostly between November and April. Santa Claus Village and the Arctic Circle line are also 15 minutes from the centre. Rovaniemi is the hub of Finnish Lapland: many visitors arrive here and travel further north from here.
What you do
Things to do in Rovaniemi
Eight things worth the money. Book them ahead: December and February fill up first.
Where to sleep
1,552 places, in five kinds
Every place to stay in and around Rovaniemi, ranked so a strong score from hundreds of guests beats a perfect one from a single review.
Hotels & lodges
68 places · from €67 a night
Reception, breakfast, a restaurant that stays open in the dark.
Pictured: Arctic Light Hotel · 9.3
See all
Apartments
1,109 places · from €144 a night
Your own kitchen and washing machine, usually in town.
Pictured: Arctic Circle Holiday homes II · 9.8
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Cabins & holiday homes
337 places · from €199 a night
Log walls, a stove and a sauna, ten minutes from the centre.
Pictured: Ounasvaaran Lakituvat Chalets · 9.3
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Glass igloos & aurora cabins
11 places · from €899 a night
A glass roof over the bed. Book these months ahead.
Pictured: Apukka Resort · 9.3
See all
Budget & unusual
38 places · from €50 a night
Hostels, yurts, homestays. Cheaper, and often the better story.
Pictured: Yurt District · 9.5
See allGetting here
Four ways north
Fly to Rovaniemi
About an hour and twenty minutes from Helsinki, plus direct winter flights from several European cities.
Search flights
By train
Several trains a day from Helsinki, including the overnight sleeper that gets you here by morning.
Times and tickets
By bus
Coaches run the whole way from Helsinki, and far more often from Oulu.
Times and tickets
Driving yourself
Winter tyres are the law from November, and we would not recommend it unless you have driven on ice before.
Rent a car
The airport taxi
Know the fare
before you land
Meter tariff, winter road times, no surprise at the kerb. The whole booking happens in the panel here: no second page, no account.
- We watch the flight
- Give us the number and a late plane costs you nothing.
- We are inside arrivals
- With your name, before the bags come out.
- Up to eight people and the bags
- Six with a suitcase each. Child seats and skis if you say so in the booking.
When to come
Every season has its reason
Winter is why most people come, but the town does not close for the rest of the year.
Winter
December to March
Short blue days in December, when the sun barely clears the horizon, the deepest snow in March, and the sun back long before the snow goes. Every safari runs and the aurora season is at its best.
Spring
April to May
Long bright days with snow in the forest until the end of April, then the thaw, when the rivers break up and the town empties.
Summer
June to August
For a month from early June the midnight sun never sets, so you can walk Ounasvaara or take a river cruise at two in the morning. Green forest, berries, warm water and no queues.
Autumn
September to November
Ruska turns the whole forest yellow and red in September, the dark nights come back and the aurora season opens again before the snow arrives.
The sky tonight
Northern lights, honestly
Activity peaks near Kp 5.3 around 03:00, clearest 03:00–04:00 (13% cloud).
Kp now
1.67
live, every minute
Peak tonight
5.3
around 03:00
Cloud
55%
while dark
Dark
20:00–04:00
in Rovaniemi tonight
Sun 09:33 Finnish time. Every number is read from NOAA and MET Norway and refreshes on its own.
Where to eat
Nine places we send our own passengers to
Our picks, from eating in them. A name opens the restaurant's own site, where the hours live.
NiliCity centreValtakatu 20, 96200 RovaniemiWebsite
Lapland Restaurant TaigaCity centreValtakatu 33, 96200 RovaniemiWebsite
Ravintola Roka Street BistroCity centreAinonkatu 3, 96200 RovaniemiWebsite
GUSTAV Kitchen & BarCity centreKoskikatu 12, 96200 RovaniemiWebsite
Arctic RestaurantCity centreValtakatu 18, 96200 RovaniemiWebsite
Osaka TeppanyakiRinteenkulma, city centreKoskikatu 25, 96200 RovaniemiWebsite
Rakas Restaurant & BarOut towards Santa Claus VillageTarvantie 3, 96930 RovaniemiWebsite
Three Elves RestaurantAt Santa Claus Holiday VillageTähtikuja 2, 96930 RovaniemiWebsite
Restaurant AittaAt Apukka ResortTutkijantie 28, 96900 RovaniemiWebsitePlaces to visit
What to see when you are not on a sled
You turn up to these. No guide, no season that sells out, and most of them are free or a small ticket.
Santa Claus VillageFamilyThe Arctic Circle line, the post office and the man himself, fifteen minutes from the centre. Free to walk in, and meeting Santa is free too; the photograph and the video are the paid part. Busy from ten to two, quiet either side.
ArktikumMuseumArctic science on one side, the history of Lapland on the other, in a glass tube that points at the river. Two hours well spent on a grey day.OunasvaaraNatureThe hill across the river. Ski slopes and trails in winter, walking and views in summer, and the closest dark sky to the centre for the aurora. Ten minutes by car.
Korundi house of cultureArtNorthern Finnish art in a converted bus depot, and the concert hall of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra.
Lumberjack’s Candle BridgeViewThe town bridge, lit at night, with the rapids underneath. Five minutes from the centre and the easiest photograph in Rovaniemi.
Arctic SnowHotel day tourDay tripA hotel rebuilt from snow and ice every winter, with an ice bar, an ice chapel and glass igloos, half an hour from the centre. Open from mid-December to the end of March, on a day ticket or a guided tour.Book a tour
Ranua Wildlife ParkDay tripPolar bears, wolverines, lynx and moose in enclosures in the forest, eighty kilometres south. A full half day with children.Before you come
The things nobody tells you
The first three are worth sorting out before you fly. The rest you only need to know.
Travel insuranceBook before you flyValid worldwide, for citizens of any country, at any age from 0 to 100.Check your cover
Phone and dataBook before you flyEU and EEA phones roam free here. From further away, or on a plan without EU roaming, an eSIM usually costs less.Get an eSIM
Renting warm clothesJaakonkatu 3, 96200 RovaniemiComplete sets: insulated outerwear, winter boots, mittens and the accessories, picked for real Lapland conditions. Central pick-up, so you do not have to pack a parka you will wear four times.
See the sets
What the cold meansAround minus 10 is the average in January and February, with cold spells near minus 20. From the middle of January to the middle of February some winters have a few days near minus 30. Wool next to the skin, then a warm layer, then a windproof one, and the cold is beaten. With the proper clothes, enjoy the beauty of the winter.
MoneyYou do not need to bring cash. Cards are accepted everywhere, including the taxi, the restaurants and the market stalls.
EmergencyCall 112 from any phone. You can speak English. Lapland Central Hospital (in Finnish, Lapin keskussairaala) is only 3.5 km away, south-east of the centre, across the river.
TippingTipping is welcome but not required. It is always encouraging to give something extra when the service was good, the taxi included.
Reindeer on the roadEvery reindeer here is domesticated and belongs to someone. In many cases they will not move for a car. If you meet them on the road, sound the horn to move them off, or drive slowly past. If you hit one, call 112 for help.
Questions
What people ask about Rovaniemi
01
How many days do I need in Rovaniemi?
Three nights should be the minimum. If you would like to see the aurora, it is always better to stay as many nights as you can. Seeing it takes several attempts. If you are lucky you will see it on your first night. The aurora depends completely on the weather and the cloud.
02
Can I see the northern lights from the town?
Yes, on a strong night you can, but not from a street where the street lights spoil it. Go somewhere dark, like the bank of the river or up on Ounasvaara.
03
Is Santa Claus Village worth it?
Yes, and it is free to walk around. Both adults and children love the place. The beautiful lighting makes the whole place magical.
04
Do I need a car?
Our honest recommendation is not to drive in winter if you do not have long experience of driving on snowy and icy roads.
05
When is the snow guaranteed?
Nothing is guaranteed, but from the end of November to early April is safe in most years. November can be thin, and late April still has deep snow in the forest.
06
How cold does it actually get?
Around minus ten on an average midwinter day, minus twenty in cold spells, and a few days near minus thirty in some winters. You can rent winter clothes, and with the proper layers you will not feel cold.
07
Is it dark all day in December?
No. Rovaniemi is just south of the Arctic Circle, so there is no true polar night: around the solstice the sun rises at about eleven and sets at about half past one, and the low light and the blue twilight last for hours. It is not black at noon.
08
What does a taxi from the airport cost?
Ten kilometres to the centre, and our own fare checker on this page prices it before you land. You will not wait for a taxi either. The taxi waits for you.
09
Where is the Arctic Circle in Rovaniemi?
The official Arctic Circle line runs directly through Santa Claus Village, which is 15 minutes from Rovaniemi city centre. You can actually cross the line and get a certificate with your name on it for doing it. To get the certificate, ask for one at Rovaniemi Safari Center; the certificate costs 5–6 euros.
10
Is Santa Claus Village close to the airport?
Yes, Santa Claus Village is near Rovaniemi Airport (RVN). It is only about 4 kilometres away, and it takes 7–8 minutes by taxi. Many visitors choose to stop at the village soon after landing in Rovaniemi or right before their departure flight.
11
What is the best month to visit Rovaniemi?
It depends on what you want to experience. If you would like to experience a northern lights tour, then September to October and February to mid-April are good. If you would like to experience Christmas, then December is the most magical time. If you would like to experience the midnight sun, then June to July is the best time. If you would like to experience all the winter activities, then the end of November to the end of March is the best time.
Guest scores come from the booking sites the places are listed on. Aurora and weather come from NOAA and MET Norway and refresh on their own. The airport taxi is our own car at the meter tariff. The rest is written from living and driving here.