WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN LAPLAND WITH 3 NIGHTS
Imagine jetting off to a winter wonderland in Northern Europe, discovering pristine scenery laden with snow. You could find yourself in this enchanting landscape on a 4-day Lapland holiday.
Lapland is situated in the far north of Sweden and Finland, within the Arctic Circle. It is a region characterised by beautiful forests, lakes and rivers. Here the dark night skies of winter light up with the shimmering colours of the aurora borealis.
Spend your 4-day tour enjoying activities in the snow, soaking up the native Sami culture, and cosying up by the fireplace.
TOP THINGS TO DO IN LAPLAND
Lapland offers opportunities for adventures and indulgent experiences in equal measure. This means that you can be as active or relaxed as you wish on your winter trip!
Here are the top things to do in Lapland:
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Go mushing through the snow on a husky sled
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Marvel at the otherworldly northern lights
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Explore the countryside by snowmobile
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Have a private meeting with Santa Claus
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Sleep in an ice room or a glass igloo
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Try skiing, ice fishing or snowshoeing
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Experience local Sami customs and cuisine
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Celebrate Christmas or New Year’s Eve
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See Arctic animals in their native habitat
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Warm up in a traditional Finnish sauna
When you book a Lapland tour with Nordic Visitor, you can add optional activities and day trips to your itinerary. We recommend that you reserve any extras in advance to guarantee availability.
Speak to your personal travel consultant at Nordic Visitor about the excursions you’d like to incorporate into your Lapland itinerary. They will organise everything on your behalf, while you relax and look forward to your winter escape.
TOP PLACES TO VISIT IN LAPLAND
Where you go in Lapland will largely depend on the activities and sights you want to enjoy. You can read Nordic Visitor’s Lapland travel guide to learn more about each area, which will help you decide where to visit.
Here are the best places to go in Finnish Lapland:
These are the top places to visit in Swedish Lapland:
VISIT ONE OF LAPLAND’S ICE HOTELS OR GLASS IGLOOS
One of the “coolest” things you can do in Lapland is stay in an ice hotel. Marvel at the ice sculptures, imaginative themed rooms, and restaurants and bars crafted from frozen water. Since many of the hotels melt in the spring, artists start from scratch and rebuild them each winter.
Spending the night in an ice suite is on many travellers’ bucket lists. You are kept cosy thanks to thermal sleeping bags and reindeer hides, with the chance to step into a hot sauna in the morning.
If you’d rather sleep in a warm room, you can take a guided tour of these ice hotels instead.
A great alternative is staying in a glass igloo in Lapland. Snuggle up in your heated dome, looking through the clear glass up to the night sky. You might even be treated to a northern lights show from your bed!
Here are the best ice hotels and glass igloos to visit in Lapland:
VISIT FINNISH OR SWEDISH LAPLAND
Take your pick from visiting Finnish or Swedish Lapland. 4-day trips in both destinations offer similar experiences, such as aurora hunting, and going on husky and reindeer-drawn sled rides.
However, Finnish and Swedish Lapland each have particular highlights that you should know about before you decide where to go. Take a look at these itinerary recommendations for a taste of what to expect in Finland and Sweden, respectively.
4-DAY ITINERARY SUGGESTION FOR FINNISH LAPLAND:
Day 1 - Arrival in Rovaniemi and snowmobile safari
After touching down in Rovaniemi Airport a driver will meet you for your transfer to your centrally located accommodation. Unwind after your journey or explore the town a little before your first adventure in Lapland.
Snowmobile safaris are one of the most thrilling ways to chase the northern lights! This evening, you can ride a snowmobile through the snowy countryside around Rovaniemi. Follow your guide as they lead you to their favourite places for spotting the aurora.
Before returning to your hotel, warm yourself by the fire and enjoy a hot drink and snack with your guide.
Spend the night in Rovaniemi.
Day 2 - Dog sledding and Finnish sauna
Wake this morning for a transfer to a local kennel and dog sledding excursion. Here you will meet the huskies and learn all about this traditional mode of transport in Lapland: mushing.
After a lesson in driving your sled, you and your team of excited huskies are ready to follow your guide along the snowy trails.
Return from the surrounding forests and plains to refuel with a warming beverage around a campfire, a cosy setting for sharing stories with your fellow mushers.
Bring the day to a close by returning to the twinkling lights of Rovaniemi and indulging in Finnish sauna culture.
Spend the night in Rovaniemi.
Day 3 - Reindeer farm and Santa Claus Village
Today hop back onto a snowmobile to ride out to a traditional reindeer farm. Here you can enjoy a sleigh ride and learn about the culture of the Sami, Lapland’s native people.
This afternoon, head to Santa Claus Village and prepare to meet the “man in red”. Search for Santa’s elves in his workshop and soak up the festive atmosphere in this Christmas wonderland. Then why not send a postcard from the Santa Claus Post Office, or browse for souvenirs at the craft shops?
Spend the night in Rovaniemi or upgrade to a warm glass igloo at the Arctic SnowHotel.
Day 4 - Departure
Today you’ll be transferred to Rovaniemi Airport by your driver, where you’ll fly home from your Lapland holiday.
4-DAY ITINERARY SUGGESTION FOR SWEDISH LAPLAND:
Day 1 - Arrival in Kiruna and snowmobile safari
After arriving in Kiruna Airport, a driver will meet you for your transfer to your hotel. Head to a local cafe for fika (coffee and pastries) while strolling around the town, or simply relax in your hotel after travelling.
Come evening, it’s time to wrap up in your cosiest layers for a thrilling snowmobile safari. Your guide will lead you through the snow-blanketed countryside to the best places for spotting the northern lights.
Later, warm up by the fireplace in a rustic log cabin while savouring tasty local food. After dinner, your guide will return you to your hotel for a peaceful night’s sleep.
Spend the night in Kiruna.
Day 2 - Dog sledding day trip
Today, if you are an animal lover, get excited about visiting a traditional kennel and learning to drive a dog sled. After having a brief lesson and being introduced to your team of huskies, it’s time to follow your guide and head out into the countryside.
Ride across plains and through forests, soaking up the beautiful scenery as you go. Then, refuel with coffee and a light lunch by the campfire before spending the rest of the day at leisure.
You could spend the evening exploring the town and sampling traditional cuisine. Alternatively, add a snowshoeing excursion to your itinerary and you could spot the northern lights while hiking through glistening forests.
Spend the night in Kiruna.
Day 3 - The ICEHOTEL and visit to a Sami reindeer farm
Near Kiruna, in the village of Jukkasjärvi, you can visit the world’s first hotel made from snow and ice. Sweden’s ICEHOTEL has inspired many other similar hotels around the world. This morning you’ll hop on a snowmobile, to visit this unique ice hotel retreat.
The complex includes the ICEHOTEL itself, crafted anew each year from snow and ice, along with the ICEBAR and year-round ICEHOTEL 365. Enjoy a guided tour and marvel at the artistic skill that goes into carving the individual ice rooms, suites and church.
This afternoon a transfer will bring you to a Sami reindeer farm. Learn about the integral role that reindeer have in the lives of Lapland’s native Sami people. At the farm you will meet the reindeer and try your hand at driving a sled.
Later, experience more of Sami culture while snacking in a lavvu, a traditional tent.
Spend the night in Kiruna or speak to your travel consultant about a pre-booked upgrade to the ICEHOTEL.
Day 4 - Departure
Today your driver will pick you up and transfer you back to Kiruna Airport for your onward journey.
BEST TIME TO VISIT LAPLAND
The best time to visit Lapland is between December and March, when you can enjoy the magical white scenery, northern lights, and excursions in the snow.
Certain activities are available in Lapland year round. For example, in summer you can meet Father Christmas, or even visit certain ice hotels that use solar power to keep some of their rooms frozen. However, we recommend travelling in winter for the quintessential Lapland experience.
Thanks to snowfall from mid-October to mid-May, you’ll be surrounded by snow-blanketed scenery between December and March. What’s more, in winter you have the best chances of seeing the northern lights. The long, dark nights provide the ideal backdrop for spotting the aurora borealis.
In summer, on the other hand, there are long daylight hours in Lapland – a phenomenon called the “midnight sun”. With light skies all night long, it is too bright to see the northern lights.
Find out how to increase your chances of spotting the aurora borealis with these guides:
Best time and place to see the northern lights in Sweden
Best time and place to see the northern lights in Finland
What are the northern lights? Aurora borealis explained
CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR IN LAPLAND
Perhaps you want to time your Lapland trip for December to celebrate Christmas or New Year’s Eve in this winter wonderland?
Spend Christmas in Lapland and you could attend a festive gala dinner for Christmas Eve, accompanied by Santa’s elves. Join in the fun and help to decorate the Christmas tree before you tuck into the big feast.
You could then have the ultimate Christmas Day in Santa’s homeland. Whizz through the snow in a reindeer sleigh, meet Santa in his workshop, and taste delicious Christmas food. Think freshly baked gingerbread biscuits and a warm glass of glögg (mulled wine).
Or visit Lapland at New Year for a celebration to remember. You could attend a New Year’s Eve party in a wooden hut in the middle of a Finnish forest, trying local customs and cuisine. And, of course, you’d get to watch a spectacular fireworks display at the stroke of midnight.
Don’t forget, you can get into the festive spirit at any time of year when you visit Santa Claus Village in Finnish Lapland!
