30 Bucket List Things to Do in Rovaniemi in Winter
Rovaniemi in winter feels like the world has slipped into a fairy tale written in blue light and snow crystals. This is the official hometown of Santa Claus, yes, but it’s also a place where Arctic science, Sámi culture, silence, and adrenaline coexist in a strange balance. Below is a carefully curated winter bucket list for anyone who wants to experience Rovaniemi not just as a destination, but as a mood.
1. Chase the Northern Lights
Stand still in the cold and let the universe perform. Seeing the aurora borealis ripple across the sky is less like watching a phenomenon and more like being quietly rewritten.
Read more about Northern Lights hunting here.
2. Stay in a Glass Igloo
Fall asleep under the stars and (with luck) wake up under green fire. For different glass igloo experience, have a dinner experience in a glass igloo.
3. Visit Santa Claus Village
Lean into the Christmas magic. Cross the Arctic Circle, and send a postcard!
4. Go Dog Sledding with Huskies
Experience speed without engines. Huskies don’t run because they’re told to, they run because they love it. Find best local husky sleig rides here.
5. Try Reindeer Sleigh Riding
A slower, older rhythm. This is how winter travel felt before time learned to hurry. Find local reindeer sleigh rides here.
6. Snowmobile Through Arctic Forests
Carve through frozen landscapes that look untouched by the modern world, guided by headlights and stars. From 30 minute rides to whole day snowmobile adventures here.
7. Visit SnowHotel
Yes, it’s cold. That’s the point. SnowHotel’s theme changes every year, and every year it is spetacular! You can also stay at the SnowHotel!
8. Warm Up in a Finnish Sauna
Sauna isn’t a luxury here, it’s infrastructure for the soul. Bonus points if you jump into the snow afterward. If your accommodation do not have sauna, there is plenty of options for Finnish spa experience.
9. Ice Fishing on a Frozen Lake
Drill a hole in the ice and wait. This is patience training disguised as tradition. Find some tour providers here.
10. Visit an Wildlife Park
Meet wolves, lynx, bears, and moose in environments that resemble their natural habitats. This is not exactly IN Rovaniemi, but you can get there from Rovaniemi in an hour. If you don’t have rental car you can always take a tour.
11. Take a Winter Photography Walk
Even amateur photographers leave Rovaniemi feeling talented. Try to get out when sun is up!
12. Snowshoe Through Silent Forests
No engines. No talking. Just the sound of snow compressing under your feet.
13. Join Elf School or Meet the Elves
Step into playful folklore. Visit elf-themed experiences where imagination is treated with full seriousness, and meet elves in the places they are said to live and work year-round. Find all elf related activities here.
14. Try Ice Karting
Drive like a rally legend, spin out like a beginner, laugh either way. Top choice here.
15. Experience Polar Night (Kaamos)
Embrace the darkness. Kaamos isn’t depressing, it’s introspective. Often darkness means blue hours, pink skies, not total full darkness.
16. Eat Traditional Lappish Food
Reindeer stew, salmon soup, berries preserved by cold itself. Winter cuisine built for survival and flavor. Combine this one with number 7. and have a SnowHotel tour combined with local dinner.
17. Meet Santa Claus
Have a face-to-face moment with the world’s most famous resident. Whether you believe out of tradition, nostalgia, or pure curiosity, this is a winter ritual with global gravity. You can meet Santa in Santa Claus Village, City Center, SantaPark, Arctic Fantasy Park or choose private tour.
18. Visit Arktikum Museum
Science, culture, and Arctic identity under one dramatic glass corridor. Tickets to Arktikum from here.
19. Cross-Country Ski Like a Local
Graceful, efficient, and humbling. This is true Finnish tradition that we all love and hate. Rent a skiis on your own (there is plenty of tracks all around) or book guided tour.
20. Go out at night!
Darkness transforms familiar landscapes into something cinematic and slightly unreal. Pubs and restaurants in Rovaniemi city are open late, you can use this as an excuse.
21. Stay in a Wilderness Cabin
Bad Wi-Fi. No noise. Just firewood, snow, and the slow rotation of Earth. Outside Rovaniemi city area you can find many remote cabins. Just book early!
22. Roll Around in the Snow After Sauna
Extreme or playful, your choice. Run into the snow straight from the sauna. Naked if you dare, clothed if you must. Bonus points for making a snow angel.
23. Drink ‘Glögi’ or Hot Chocolate Outdoors
Steam rising into the cold air, hands wrapped around a cup. Small pleasures matter more up here.
24. Go Fatbiking on Snow Trails
Wide tires, narrow paths, ridiculous fun.
25. Build a Snowman
Step into the playful side of winter and make some snow friends.
26. Visit a winter Activity Park
Step into snow-built fantasy worlds like Snowman World, Lapland Winter Park, Arctic Fantasy Park, Kotatieva or SnowGlow. Slides, sculptures, lights, and childlike joy.
27. Visit a Local Handicraft Shop
Wool, wood, antler, and stories embedded in objects.
28. Try Snow Tubing or Ice Slides
Feel the thrill of sliding down snow or ice tracks. Perfect for kids and adults alike, with laughter guaranteed.
29. Visit Korundi Art Museum
Discover Lapland’s contemporary art and cultural exhibitions in Korundi. The museum offers rotating exhibits, local art, and often live music performances, giving you a real taste of Rovaniemi’s vibrant creative scene.
30. Do Absolutely Nothing for a While
Sit. Breathe. Watch snow fall. In the arctic, stillness counts as an activity.
