Rovaniemi
Accommodation in Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi can be explored through a wide range of experiences: encounters at the Arctic Circle, museums and art sit alongside hiking trails, viewpoints and activities for active days. When planning your trip, consider which aspects of the town interest you most. The options range from reindeer sleigh rides, available year-round, to a circular trail on Ounasvaara and a glimpse into the history of Lapland’s forests.
The Arctic Circle, reindeer experiences and handicrafts
At Santa Claus Village, you can meet Santa Claus every day and cross the Arctic Circle. Santa Claus Reindeer offers year-round reindeer experiences and reindeer sleigh rides there. At Santa Claus’ Main Post Office, greetings from the Arctic Circle are sent with a special Arctic Circle postmark. These three experiences offer different highlights: a personal encounter, reindeer rides and a postcard with a connection to the Arctic Circle.
Traditional handicrafts are another discovery to make: at the LAURI workshop, visitors can watch objects being made from reindeer antler, wood and leather. Those interested in regional food culture can discover the flavours of Lapland’s cuisine in Rovaniemi. These include wild berries, mushrooms, fish and game, prepared using both traditional and modern methods.
Museums, art and history
Arktikum combines a science centre and a museum. There, you can explore the Arctic from the perspectives of science, history and culture. The building is located on the European route E4 at the edge of the city centre. Korundi House of Culture is home to the Rovaniemi Art Museum and the Lapland Chamber Orchestra. The venue hosts art exhibitions, concerts and performances. It is housed in a mail coach depot completed in 1933 that survived the Second World War.
The Forestry Museum of Lapland and Science Centre Pilke offer further insights into work and life in Lapland. The Forestry Museum shows how people worked and lived in the forests of Lapland from the 1870s to the 1950s. Exhibitions at Science Centre Pilke focus on current forestry issues. Art lovers may also want to visit Rovaniemi Church: behind the altar is the 1951 fresco “Source of Life” by Professor Lennart Segerstråle.
Trails and outdoor activities
Ounasvaara is a year-round recreational area close to Rovaniemi city centre. The area is characterised by marked, well-maintained trails and viewpoints. The Ounasvaara Nature Trail is a 4.9-kilometre circular route suitable for hiking and Nordic walking. It leads to a shelter and a viewpoint with wide-ranging views of Saarenkylä and the Kemijoki River. If you are planning a walk, you can take the route’s length and circular layout into account when planning your day.
Ounasvaara also offers winter sports and summer activities: Ounasvaara Ski Resort has ten downhill slopes, the longest of which is 600 metres. The area also has 100 kilometres of cross-country ski trails, 50 kilometres of which are illuminated. In summer, the ski resort offers summer tobogganing and downhill biking.
The Arctic Circle Hiking Area has well-marked trails. One route is also suitable for pushchairs and leads past rapids to a shelter with a fire pit. In summer, visitors can fish in the rapids or canoe; in winter, skiing and snowshoeing are possible there. You can choose an outing to suit the season and the kind of experience you are looking for.
Wildlife watching and enjoying the views
The Koivusaari Nature Trail is suitable for photography, birdwatching and short hikes. The route includes an easily accessible boardwalk and a birdwatching tower. The shores of Koivusaari provide shelter for nesting and migrating birds; 135 bird species have been recorded on the islands in the Ounasjoki delta. Those interested in observing nature will find a different focus here than on the longer trails and winter sports routes.
Arctic Garden covers seven hectares and is located on the waterfront in front of the Arktikum Science Centre and Museum. Its vegetation includes northern plant species. For guidance on getting there, Rovaniemi Airport is about a ten-minute drive from the city centre. For more precise orientation, the subpages lead to Rovaniemi Rovaniemi and Meltaus Meltaus.
For the broader travel overview: Lapland.
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