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Whenever I’m in Lapland, it is a no-brainer that I spend some time in Rovaniemi, meeting my friends and enjoying the urban side of Lapland.
In a nutshell, Rovaniemi is a friendly, unpretentious, no-fuzz city with around 60 000 inhabitants.
In fact, Rovaniemi has Europe’s northernmost university which adds a touch of youth, science, and non-touristy internationality to this town.
I love how Rovaniemi combines town life and arctic wilderness. You can have the best of both worlds!
In this post, I’ll introduce you to my favorites in town and Rovaniemi region.
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4 Things To Do in Rovaniemi
Here are my favorite things in the city center and close by!
#1 Discover nature at Ounasvaara
Want to explore nature and see how locals move about in the incredible outdoors of Lapland? Spend a day at Ounasvaara, which is a recreational haven for Rovaniemi inhabitants.
Walk on the numerous forest paths and bring a pack of sausages which you can roast at a lean-to.
At the Ounasvaara ski resort, there are 11 slopes and you can try slalom, telemark skiing or snowboarding.
If you like cross-country skiing, Ounasvaara area offers 200 km of traditional cross-country skiing tracks!
#2 Meet Santa Claus
Rovaniemi is the official hometown of Santa Claus, and you can visit him on any day of the year. The meet is completely free but the photos aren’t.
If you are in Santa Claus Village during the winter time, you can try husky and reindeer sleigh rides without pre-booking.
#3 Dive into Arktikum
I love museums and science centers! Arktikum is a wonderful place to learn about arctic life. I can still remember my first visit at the age of seven.
#4 Hunt Nothern Lights in the City Center
If you are staying in the city center, the best place to see the northern lights is the beach of Arktikum museum. This beach park is on the banks of the Ounasjoki river.
Another magnificent place for aurora hunting is the top of Ounasvaara hill!
Best Restaurants in Rovaniemi
The laid-back, stylish atmosphere of Bar 21 works for me. The signature dish is the delicious homemade waffle. Bar 21 is also a great place to have drinks and start your evening.
Enjoy juicy burgers and local flair at Kauppayhtiö. A peculiar mix of a shop and restaurant.
Dine at Nili. What a romantic experience with a Lappish twist! Crazy good food with authentic arctic flavors. This restaurant is often full, so remember to book a table in advance.
Another dinner restaurant worth mentioning is Monte Rosa. especially if you are a meat eater. Lovely service and good-quality steaks.
Best Hotels in Rovaniemi
In the city center, I can recommend Arctic Light Hotel and Sokos Hotel Vaakuna for their excellent customer service, delicious breakfasts, and lovely rooms.
The breakfast at Arctic Light Hotel is so fabulous that we sometimes just book it as a brunch and stuff our faces with the mouth-watering dishes until we can’t really move. Luckily the comfy sofas of the lounge are not far. Remember to book in advance!
Sokos Hotel Vaakuna has a Christmas room available for booking around the year. The room’s interior is warm and true to Finnish Christmas traditions. The Lappish and traditional Finnish dishes make the breakfast extraordinary. Taste the yummy pink porridge (vispipuuro in Finnish)!
Snowman World Glass Resort is a wonderful place for families and hunters of the northern lights. The spacious, modern huts with glass roof are made for aurora gazing. Each hut has a sauna and an outdoor hot tub!
Locals rent a huge amount of flats and houses in Rovaniemi region. They sell out fast in peak season so remember to book early!
Most of the flats and houses are on display at Booking.com
On Airbnb you can find a smaller selection but the prices are a bit cheaper, especially if you are an early bird.
The Christmas room of Sokos Hotel Vaakuna. Photo credits: Sokos Hotel Vaakuna.
I start drooling when I think about the breakfast of Arctic Light Hotel.
Each hut in Snowman World Glass Resort has a sauna and outdoor hot tub! Photo credits: Snowman World.
3 Things to Do near Rovaniemi
Should you rent a car on your Rovaniemi holiday to do more? I have good news, not necessary!
You can travel to these three cool destinations by bus from Rovaniemi!
#1 Make a Day Trip to Pyhä-Luosto National Park
I live for the outdoors, so my top recommendation is Pyhä-Luosto National Park.
Pyhä-Luosto National Park, situated 1,5 hours away from Rovaniemi is the beginning of the fell Lapland (tunturi-Lappi in Finnish) which, in my opinion, has the views.
If I would do one day trip on my Rovaniemi holiday, this would be it, guys!
Read more about Pyhä-Luosto here:
Easy Walking Day Trip in Pyhä-Luosto National Park
#2 Visit Ranua Zoo
One hour away from Rovaniemi lies the nature-like Ranua zoo, which is specialized in Arctic fauna.
This zoo is super popular among Finnish families because it has the only polar bears living in Finland.
#3 Ice Swim next to Icebreaker Sampo
Would you like to float in icy Baltic Sea? Yup, seriously!
It is possible when you travel two hours away from Rovaniemi to Kemi and visit the mighty icebreaker Sampo.
Are you going to visit Rovaniemi and what else would you like to know about the town? Let me know in the comments below!
Looking for more information about Lapland? Check these other posts:
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Hello there!
I’m Varpu. One blonde,
travel-loving,
Finnish engineer driving this site.
Great post and someplace I was totally unaware of. This is something I will add to my bucket list.
Hei Laurel! Thank you so much! I’m so happy you liked this post. Rovaniemi is such a cool town to visit! <3
Hey! Me and a group of 3 others are visiting Helsinki and Rovaniemi in February 2019. I’ve loved reading all the little articles for tips and advice so thank you! I’ll be checking back over the months before we go to make sure we don’t miss out on anything
Hi Craig, I’m so happy that I can be of help!! You’ll have the best time in Rovaniemi. Let me know if you have anything!!