Everything! This snowy region of northern Finland and Sweden is bursting with festive cheer. Here you’ll find Father Christmas’ home – Santa Claus Village. Not to mention dazzling ice hotels and cute huskies, along with reindeer that are ready to whisk you off on thrilling sleigh rides.

All of this makes Lapland the place to come for the Christmas you might have dreamed about as a child. You can have plenty of grown-up experiences in Lapland as well. Think relaxing in snow saunas, staying in glass igloos and exploring on snowmobiles. Plus, you can browse the many market stalls at the festive fairs. In both Lapland and the rest of Europe, Christmas is a big celebration.

Check out this list of the top 12 European Christmas markets for more inspiration.

You’ll find Lapland Christmas Village – or Santa Claus Village, to give its official name – in Rovaniemi. Head to this town just outside the Arctic Circle and you’ll be treated to an unforgettable Christmas break in Finnish Lapland.

The best place to visit in Lapland depends on what you’d like to do during your trip. To help you decide, here are some of Lapland’s most enchanting winter destinations and what they’re known for.

There’s lots to do in the Finnish town of Rovaniemi, but Santa Claus Village is the star attraction here. It’s the best place to go if you want to meet Santa’s elves and tour their toy workshop.

Make Kiruna your base and you could enjoy spa experiences and husky rides surrounded by Sweden’s snow-covered forests. Plus, you’ll find the original ICEHOTEL is just a 20-minute drive away from the town.

If you’re looking for a peaceful place to recharge this winter, head to Abisko National Park in Swedish Lapland. With virtually no light pollution around, the park’s Aurora Sky Station makes for an excellent spot to chase the aurora.

No matter what you’re looking for, come to Lapland at Christmas – or anytime from December to March – and you’ll find something that appeals to you. Get inspired by these top winter getaways in Lapland.

This wintry destination is the ultimate playground for snowy activities and festive cheer. So whether you want to embrace your inner child or indulge your grown-up side, you’ll find there’s plenty to do in Lapland at Christmastime.

Strolling around the region’s charming towns while they’re decked out in fairy lights, and exploring the snow-dusted countryside, are just the beginning.

Discover Lapland at Christmas and soon you could find yourself:

• • Having a private meeting with Santa Claus
• • Enjoying a delicious festive meal packed with local flavours
• • Gliding through snowy forests on a reindeer-drawn sleigh
• • Hunting for mesmerising displays of the northern lights
• • Learning about Sámi culture when you visit a reindeer farm
• • Gazing up at the stars from your glass-domed igloo
• • Seeing intricately carved ice sculptures on a snow hotel tour
• • Whizzing across the landscape on an exhilarating snowmobile ride
• • Driving a sled pulled by a team of adorable huskies

With its pristine landscapes and special experiences, you’ll find that Lapland is also the perfect place to come for a honeymoon or romantic getaway.

One of the best things about Lapland is the variety of extraordinary places to stay. Alongside a selection of regular hotels, you’ll find the region is home to glass igloos and log cabins, as well as ice and snow hotels.

Head for Finnish Lapland at Christmas and you could sleep in a glass-domed igloo for your entire trip, or combine this with a hotel stay. Whatever you choose, sleeping under the stars and looking out for the northern lights promises to be a memorable experience.

Or, venture to Kiruna in Sweden’s far north and you could sleep in a cosy cabin at the family-run Camp Ripan. Here you’ll find the tranquil Aurora Spa. Not to mention Ripan Kitchen, the hotel’s restaurant, which serves up mouthwatering dishes made with local ingredients.

Bear in mind that none of these Christmas trips include nights sleeping in an ice room. So if this is on your travel wish list, make sure to check out these Lapland and ice and hotel packages.

Discover more about Lapland accommodation in these articles:

• Glass igloos in Finland: Your guide
• Ice hotels: The complete Nordic guide
• ICEHOTEL in Sweden: Your complete guide
• The best ice hotels in Finland

Absolutely! Santa’s home is in Lapland, so you can visit him here even after Christmas.

In fact, with these Santa holidays in Lapland, you can meet the “Man in Red” anytime between December and March. This is ideal if you want to experience the joys of the festive season whenever it suits you. And surely the only thing better than one Christmas is getting to celebrate it twice?

On tours where you’ll be spending Christmas itself in Lapland, you’ll find there’s one fixed departure date on 23 December.

Meanwhile, if you want to enjoy the festive atmosphere in Lapland but won’t be travelling over Christmas, you’ll have more dates to choose from. For instance, some Christmas trips are available throughout December, while others are possible from December through March.

You can see what dates are available for the tour you’re interested in by checking its calendar online. You might also like to explore these New Year’s Eve and winter tour packages in Lapland.

Regional experts have curated these Christmas-themed packages, so you’ll get to experience the best of Lapland at this time of year. But you can also personalise your trip by adding extra activities to your itinerary. And on some tours, it’s possible to extend your stay in Lapland with additional nights.

What’s more, it’s easy to tailor your trip when you book online. Explore your tour’s optional extras and add the ones you want to create your dream itinerary. Choose from experiences such as snowmobiling, watching the aurora from a reindeer sleigh, and relaxing in a snow jacuzzi.

To find out more about customising your trip, or if you have something specific in mind, just ask your dedicated travel consultant.

We recommend checking to see what flights are available before booking your getaway. But it’s best to hold off on purchasing them until your travel consultant has confirmed your tour package.

Once you’ve received an email with your confirmed itinerary and booking overview, you can book your flights to Finnish or Swedish Lapland.

As you’d expect, Lapland’s subarctic climate means that it does get chilly here during the winter months. For instance, in Rovaniemi, the average temperature between December and March ranges from -7°C to -12°C (19°F to 30°F). So make sure you’ve got cosy layers for wrapping up warm during your trip.

This Lapland packing list will give you an idea of what to bring for your Arctic adventure:

• • Winter boots with good grip
• • Down or synthetic insulated jacket
• • Waterproof jacket and trousers
• • Fleeces or woollen jumpers
• • Thermal base layers
• • Warm gloves, hat, and a scarf
• • Thin thermal gloves (ideal as a base layer under snowmobile gloves)
• • Heat pads for hands and feet
• • Warm socks
• • Sunglasses
• • Rucksack or day bag
• • Reusable water bottle

Find out more about Lapland’s weather and climate in this handy travel guide.

We’ve already mentioned that packing layers and being prepared for snow is essential in Lapland. But what you wear here will also depend on the activities you’ve got planned for your stay.

For instance, you might want to bring a festive outfit if your tour package includes a Christmas meal. And for any day trips or excursions, a rucksack with room for spare layers, along with snacks and a reusable water bottle, will come in handy.

Plus, if you’re taking part in wintry outdoor activities, it’s worth remembering that you might need extra insulated clothing. In this case, your guide will bring cosy outer clothes for adults and children over 4. For some Lapland excursions, this means that 4 is the minimum age. But for day tours available to infants (aged 0-3), make sure to bring suitable thermal clothing.