Finland is arguably best described as a magical winter wonderland full of snow. If you want to experience snow and cold temperatures, see northern lights or enjoy other activities which the northern country has to offer, you should definitely visit the following cities. See the Northern Lights in Lapland There is a chance that you can see the Aurora Borealis - or northern lights - in Lapland, in the northenmost part of Finland. In the very north the winter days are very short – in fact, at the very very north the sun does not rise at all for a while during the winter. It is called the polar night. Instead of the sun you can enjoy the soft blueness and pinkyness of the sky and the undisturbed snow-covered landscape and the soft feeling of cozyness and if you are lucky, northern lights. During the summer the sun does not go down at all in the northern Lapland for a while. Rovaniemi Santa Claus Village at the Arctic Circle The city of Rovaniemi offers you a variety of experiences. At the Santa Claus Village at the Arctic Circle you can meet the Santa Claus. You can also post your cards and letters stamped with a special Santa’s Post Office stamp, all ready to be sent to your friends and family for the next Christmas. There are also a variety of restaurants and attractions at the place, for example unique gift shops and a Husky Park. Sledding Husky sledding is a popular activity at north. There are a variety of Husky Sledding companies situated around Rovaniemi and all over Lapland. In case you enjoy a calmer experience, you can book a slower reindeer sledding experience. The reindeer are semi-wild northern caribou species which live in Lapland. They have been traditionally herded by the Sami people, previously nomadic indigenous people of Lapland. Enjoy the Sky from a Glass Igloo You can also enjoy the stunning sky and scenery from a heated, warm glass igloo. Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos offers private glass igloos for renting. The dome of the igloo is made of heated glass, therefore helping the igloo stay very warm and melting the snow away. The hotel is situated a bit out of town, but transportation to the hotel can be arranged by contacting the hotel. For the people who want to have a unique experience of the cold the hotel also offers a guided tour at the Arctic SnowHotel. The hotel and the restaurant are made completely of ice and one can enjoy a good meal by sitting on benches made of ice. The restaurant menu offers such specialities as elk and salmon. Levi Levi in Lapland is one of the best places for downhill skiing and cross country skiing in Finland. You can travel from Rovaniemi to Levi by Onnibus. There is a large variety of downhill skiing slopes and 70 kilometers of maintained cross country skiing tracks at Levi. There are also 66 kilometers of maintained snowmobile tracks and 20 km of winter walking and cycling routes. At Levi Ski School you can have a great time and at the same time learn the basics about skiing or hone your existing skiing skill to perfection. You can attend tailored group lessons or private lessons. Levi is a great place for families, too! Levi offers safe slopes for children, other activities and a day care center. Helsinki If you want to experience more light and less snow, but yet enjoy the northern experience, Helsinki is one of the best places to visit in Finland. The small yet vibrant capital of the country offers a variety of museums, happenings and activities to do. Sauna – the True Experience of Finland How about enjoying a real Finnish experience and go to the sauna? Löyly offers different kinds of saunas, private and public ones. And if you are brave enough, you can also dip in to the sea from the pier of the Löyly in between sauna sessions even during the winter. The experience is said to be rather exhilarating. You can enjoy a meal in the Löyly restaurant before or after your sauna time. Temppeliaukio Church Walls and floors made of rock surround you as you step in to the Temppeliaukio Church. The Church is excavated straight into rock and the sky is only visible through a glass dome. The unique athmosphere and excellent acoustics make it a popular place for concerts. Helsinki Central Library Oodi Oodi offers the visitor a quiet place to sit and relax at. While relaxing you can enjoy the striking modern architecture of the building. The three storey building also houses different modern workshops: 3-D printers, laser cutters, a heat press, sewing machines, a gaming room, a photography and a video studio, a karaoke studio and spaces for groups to meet. There is even a movie theater in the building and a couple of cafeterias. Tampere Finlayson area Finlayson area consists of a national landscape right at the heart of Tampere. The historical cotton factory buildings dating back to the 1820’s create a unique athmosphere where one can enjoy entertainment and experiences. You can visit an Espionage Museum or the Finnish Labour Museum and drink draft beers right next to the museums at Plevna. Or how about playing laser tag or solving a puzzle at a room escape? If you happen to come to Tampere at summer, you can also join rooftop walking tours. The Moomin Museum In the world’s one and only Moomin Museum at Tampere you can familiarize yourself with Moomins, happy hippopotamus-like story characters created by Tove Jansson. The experimental museum is especially well suited for families and children, but yet gives also new information for many adult fans of the Moomin art. At the museum one can view for example the original ink illustrations of the first twelve Moomin books. Kuopio Visit the Puijo Tower and the Puijo Peak Nature Activity Park At Kuopio one can enjoy breathtaking views of forests and lakes from the Puijo Tower, situated only a couple of kilometers from the city centre. The area surrounding the Puijo Tower also offers a large variety of activities. Have you ever visited a ski jumping tower? Well, now is your chance! Guided tours to the tower are organised year-around. If you are not a fan of experiencing the actual heigts at the ski jumping tower, you can always try virtual ski jumping. The park also offers snow tubing with snow tubes and downhill mats. Tickets for the Puijo Tower, ski jumping tower and snow tubing experiences can be bought from the Puijo Tower souvenir shop. Maybe you enjoy a slower and a calmer experience on the ground? Then the nature trails surrounding the Puijo Tower are for you. The trails in the protected forest are free for everybody to roam. Just remember to visit the trails during daylight, as the sun sets for example in December already at 2.30 p.m.
