Rovaniemi Travel Guide: Gateway to Finland's Arctic Adventures
- 16 hours ago
- 3 min read
The city of Rovaniemi is the beating heart of Finnish Lapland. Globally renowned as the official home of Santa Claus, Rovaniemi welcomes millions of tourists every year who get to celebrate Christmas in an one-of-a-kind way. However, Rovaniemi has more to offer. If you want to experience the best of the Lappish way of life, here is your ultimate guide to Rovaniemi.
Santa Claus Village
The Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi is Santa’s official address. The park is a 15 minute driver away from the city centre towards the north of the city, and remains open throughout the year. You can meet Santa at his home in the Santa Claus Village, send a letter to your loved ones from the Santa Claus Post Office and even cross the exact Arctic Circle to officially enter the polar world. There are lots of unique trinkets to buy in the many souvenir shops scattered throughout Santa Claus Village. Apart from these attractions, you can also visit Santa’s Pets - a menagerie where you get to meet adorable reindeer, sheep, alpacas, rabbits and birds; the Arctic Circle Husky Park - where you will get to spend time with huskies and do a sleigh ride; and Snowman World - which has lots of icy activities for kids and adults to enjoy.
Artikum Science Centre and Museum
For a deeper understanding of the Arctic and its people, head to the Arktikum Science Museum, easily recognized by its long glass tunnel jutting toward the Ounasjoki River. This iconic institution in Rovaniemi, opened in 1992, hosts exhibitions that explore Arctic nature, climate change, and the history and culture of the Sámi, Finland's Indigenous people. Interactive displays make complex science accessible for all ages, and the museum doubles as a warm, cozy refuge on cold days. The observation deck offers sweeping views of the river and surrounding forest.
Photo credit: Pekka Koski, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Korundi House of Culture
If you are in the mood for more of Nordic art and culture, the Korundi House of Culture offers a completely different flavor of Rovaniemi. Housed in a former police garage transformed into a striking modern building, Korundi combines the Rovaniemi Art Museum with a concert hall used by the Lapland Chamber Orchestra. The art museum's collection focuses on Finnish contemporary and modern art, with rotating exhibitions that showcase both local and international talent. Both Artikum and Korundi showcase Rovaniemi’s thriving arts scene that is worth exploring.
Ranua Wildlife Park
About an hour's drive south of Rovaniemi, Ranua Zoo is the world's northernmost zoo. This zoological park is the home to Finland’s only polar bears and other native Arctic species like polar bears, wolverines, lynx, and snowy owls, alongside animals from other cold climates. You can visit Ranua throughout the year and explore its forested grounds through wooden walkways. You get an unique opportunity to see arctic animals in their naturalistic habitats rather than closed enclosure. There is also a cozy restaurant and other fun outdoor activities to check out when in Ranua.
Ounasvaara Hill
If you are someone who is an aficionado of winter sports, Rovaniemi has just the right spot for you: Ounasvaara Ski Resort. Built on the northside of the Ounasvaara Hill just a stone’s throw away from the city centre, this ski resort is the hotspot for cross-country and downhill skiing. There are also other activities, like snowshoeing and toboggan. It’s a perfect spot for families and first-timers and they offer ski lessons too. From the top of the Ounasvaara hill, you can enjoy a gorgeous view of the Kemijoki and Ounasjoki rivers which criss-cross through the city.
Rovaniemi may be a relatively small city, but it has something to offer for everyone. Where you are looking for an immersion in arts and culture or adventures on snowy slopes, you are guaranteed to create unforgettable memories in Rovaniemi.
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