WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN LAPLAND WITH 5 NIGHTS
Imagine jetting off to a winter wonderland in Northern Europe, discovering pristine scenery laden with snow. You could find yourself in this spellbinding landscape on a 6-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 6-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 cross-country 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 package with Nordic Visitor, you can add optional activities and day tours 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 in the knowledge that we plan our trips for you with the utmost care.
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:
STAY IN ONE OF LAPLAND’S ICE HOTELS OR GLASS IGLOOS
Forget sleeping in a log cabin, 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
For your 6-day trip to Lapland, take your pick from visiting Swedish or Finnish Lapland. Both destinations offer similar experiences, such as aurora hunting, snowmobiling, and riding in reindeer sleighs or dog sleds.
However, Swedish and Finnish 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 Sweden and Finland, respectively.
6-DAY ITINERARY SUGGESTION FOR SWEDISH LAPLAND:
Day 1 - Arrival in Kiruna and snowmobile safari
Touch down at Kiruna Airport, where a driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. Spend the afternoon relaxing at your accommodation, or stretch your legs and head out to explore the town.
Come evening, it’s time for your first Lapland adventure. Chase the northern lights on a guided snowmobile excursion into the surrounding countryside. Follow your guide through the snow as they lead you to the best spots to look for the aurora. Feel the thrill of the ride as you go.
Round the evening off with a rustic dinner of traditional local food eaten around a log fire in a wooden hut. Afterwards, your guide will return you to your accommodation.
Spend the night in Kiruna.
Day 2 - Snowmobile to the ICEHOTEL
This morning, hop back on a snowmobile and journey through the white landscape to visit the ICEHOTEL. This extraordinary retreat is situated in the village of Jukkasjärvi just outside Kiruna.
Famous for being the first ice hotel, it has set a trend that many others around the world have since followed. During your visit you’ll have a guided tour, learning how the hotel is carved from local river ice by artists.
You’ll also get to explore the ICEHOTEL 365, a year-round structure that stays cold in the summer thanks to solar energy. Once you’ve explored the stunning ice rooms, sculptures, church and bar, enjoy a coffee and light lunch by the fireplace at the hotel’s traditional-style hut.
The rest of the day is yours to spend as you like. You could opt for a northern lights snowshoe walk or another winter activity.
Spend the night in Kiruna or upgrade to a night at the ICEHOTEL.
Day 3 - Dog sledding and Aurora Sky Station
Today you can take part in one of Lapland’s most treasured traditions: dog sledding.
Meet an expert guide at the kennels, who will introduce you to the huskies and show you how to drive your sled. Change into a thermal suit and head out onto the trails. Glide through the forests and across snowy plains, soaking up the scenery as you go.
Fuel up after your ride with a hot drink and lunch by the campfire.
Later on, a transfer will take you to Abisko National Park, located around 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Kiruna.
Make the most of your time in Abisko National Park with a visit to the Aurora Sky Station, where the adventure begins with a chairlift ride up the mountain. Here you can take in views of the national park from the window while savouring a Nordic-inspired 4-course dinner in the restaurant.
After dining, take a guided tour through the exhibition and look for the northern lights. The Sky Station’s remote location, and lack of light pollution, make it a great spot for catching sight of the aurora.
Spend the night in Abisko.
Day 4 - Abisko National Park at leisure
Spend today as you wish, exploring one of Sweden’s oldest national parks, Abisko, and admiring the area’s stunning natural beauty. Your hotel offers a range of guided excursions to choose from. You can also have a great time by venturing out on your own with a rented pair of skis or snowshoes.
When you get back from your day’s adventures you can take advantage of the hotel sauna. Relax for the rest of the day and perhaps head out to look for the northern lights on an evening stroll.
Spend the night in Abisko.
Day 5 - Train journey to Kiruna and day at leisure
This morning, hop on the train back to Kiruna.
On arriving back at Kiruna train station your driver will transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to browse for souvenirs or perhaps treat yourself to fika (coffee and cinnamon buns) in a local café.
Spend the night in Kiruna.
Day 6 - Departure
Today you’ll take a transfer back to Kiruna Airport where you’ll fly home from your Lapland holiday.
6-DAY ITINERARY SUGGESTION FOR FINNISH LAPLAND:
Day 1 - Arrival in Rovaniemi and snowmobile safari
Upon arrival, a driver will meet you at Rovaniemi Airport for your transfer to your accommodation. Take time to rest after your journey or explore the town before heading out on your first adventure in Lapland.
Come evening, it’s time for you to chase the northern lights on a guided snowmobile safari.
Hop aboard a snowmobile and follow your expert guide along the forest trails looking for the aurora borealis. Enjoy the exciting ride through the snow as your guide shows you the best spots for seeing the northern lights.
Later on, warm up by the campfire with a hot drink and tasty snack before returning to your hotel to sleep soundly.
Spend the night in Rovaniemi.
Day 2 - Dog sledding and Finnish sauna
Today you'll learn about one of the oldest ways to travel in Lapland: dog sledding. First, meet the huskies at the kennel and have a short lesson on mushing. Soon you’ll be following your guide along trails, admiring the snow-draped scenery as you go.
Later, return to Rovaniemi and indulge in a Finnish sauna session to relax after a morning in the snow. You can spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the sights in Rovaniemi.
Spend the night in Rovaniemi.
Day 3 - Excursion to Santa Claus Village
If you love Christmas then today’s excursion to Santa Claus Village shouldn’t be missed. The village is a year-round haven for all things Christmassy.
Learn about Finland’s Christmas traditions and meet Santa Claus and his elves in their workshop. Head to the restaurant for a festive feast, then why not send a postcard from the Santa Claus Post Office? Before returning to Rovaniemi, make sure to browse the craft shops for souvenirs.
Spend the night in Rovaniemi.
Day 4 - Visit to the Arctic SnowHotel
Enjoy a leisurely morning in Rovaniemi, perhaps learning about local history, nature and culture at the Arktikum Museum. Here you can peruse the museum’s interesting exhibits about the region of Lapland.
You’re in for a treat this evening with an excursion to the Arctic SnowHotel in Lehtojärvi, just outside Rovaniemi.
Take a tour of the hotel with a guide who will share how the hotel is created anew each year from snow and ice. You will be able to check out the impressive ice carvings in the hotel’s rooms, restaurant and bars.
After your tour, sit down for a delicious 3-course meal at Restaurant Kota, inspired by traditional Sami architecture. Then, you’ll either return to your accommodation in Rovaniemi, or overnight in the Arctic SnowHotel. You can choose from sleeping in an ice room or a warm glass igloo.
Spend the night in Rovaniemi or upgrade to the Arctic SnowHotel.
Day 5 - Snowmobile to a reindeer farm
Today you’ll visit a traditional reindeer farm and learn about the culture of Lapland’s native people, the Sami.
Hop back onto a snowmobile and enjoy an exhilarating ride to the reindeer farm. Here you’ll find out about the important role that reindeer herding plays in Sami culture. Enjoy a reindeer sleigh ride through the countryside and earn a “reindeer driver licence”.
Return to Rovaniemi in the afternoon, where you’ll have time to shop for souvenirs.
Spend the night in Rovaniemi.
Day 6 - Departure
Today a driver will meet you at your hotel for your transfer back to Rovaniemi Airport. From here you’ll fly home from your Lapland holiday.
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. That said, 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 watching 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!
