If you’re looking to get closer to Santa Claus and his reindeers this festive season, then Rovaniemi, Finland, is the perfect place to be.
The capital is fast becoming a tourist hotspot for all things festive against a landscape of the beautiful wilderness.
Known as the official home of Mr Claus himself, the city comes alive during the winter months, despite freezing temperatures.
Tourists from all around the world flock to the destination, which boasts well-planned infrastructure, local places of interest and opportunities for unique experiences.
Air France has now made it that much easier for South Africans to visit the Finnish city by adding one daily flight during the Christmas and New Year period.
From the festive charm to unique cuisine and the unmissable cultural attractions, here’s five reasons why this city should be on your travel bucket list.
Meet Santa Claus
Rovaniemi is known as the official home of Santa Claus Village, which is located just 8km outside of the city. It holds Santa’s personal post office, and visitors can send postcards and Christmas greetings to loved ones all year round.
Visitors will be able to meet and greet Santa in his very own office. There are restaurants, souvenir shops, and some activity providers on-site that also ensure that your trip to the village is unforgettable.
Get up-close with a reindeer
What’s a visit to Santa Claus without getting up close with some reindeer, right?
In lapland, Rovaniemi, there are more reindeer than people, and it is very common to see reindeer walking on the side of the road when travelling outside of Rovaniemi.
The city also offers visitors an authentic reindeer farm experience where local reindeer herders share their inherited reindeer husbandry lifestyles while you feed the animals.
Experience the Northern Lights
Rovaniemi is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights. It’s advisable to book the services of a professional aurora guide, who will take you away from the city to the most promising places based on the weather to ensure an optimal chance of witnessing this phenomenon.
Enjoy a thrilling snowmobile ride
This one is for the thrill seekers out there. Since there is snow on the ground for approximately six months of the year in and around Rovaniemi, snowmobile experiences have become incredibly popular.
There are many tour operators who offer a convenient range of guided snowmobile excursions, from beginner’s rides to long-distance safaris. Beginners are encouraged to book shorter trips and the use of electronic snowmobile safaris for a silent and more environmental-friendly experience.
Enjoy the sauna culture
While Rovaniemi is one of the colder cities in the world, they make up for it with their unique experiences. Finnish saunas have become a part of the local culture and are certainly a must-do experience when visiting Lapland. Whether you prefer it steamy, traditional, wooden-smoked, lakeside or luxury, Rovaniemi offers plenty of options.
If you’re brave enough, some of the saunas just outside of the city offer a dip into an avanto, an opening in the ice of a frozen lake or river, before your sauna.
Ice swimming is said to be both refreshing and healthy, especially when paired with the hot temperatures of the sauna post-dip. Whichever way you decide to experience it, a sauna in Lapland will be an unforgettable experience.
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