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Eight reasons to visit Lapland at Christmas

Want a magical Christmas? A trip to Lapland has all bases covered…
Lapland’s landscapes are the stuff of festive fairytales. We can’t think of anything that screams Christmas more than frosted forests, frozen lakes and furry reindeers. You’ve got a couple of different options when you book your Lapland break with us – you can head out on a Search for Santa daytrip or stay longer on a 3 or 4-night break in top snowy spots like Rovaniemi, Arctic Lakeland and more. We fly from 10 UK airports, including Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and London Gatwick, from the end of November to the end of December, so you’ve got plenty of choice to suit your schedule.

Ready to start planning your trip? We’ve rounded up eight reasons why a holiday to Lapland is the key to the best Christmas ever.

Once you’ve had a read, check out our Lapland deals.

Santa’s free for a visit

Snowy scenes? Yep. Elves? Sure. Rudolph? Him, too. Lapland has all the ingredients for a Christmas wishlist. But the icing on the – Christmas – cake has to be a meet-and-greet with the big man himself. All our Lapland holidays include a visit to see Santa – we’ve managed to pencil in some time in his busy diary, just before he heads back to the North Pole to start prepping for next year. On our Search for Santa daytrip, you’ll meet up with him in his log cabin deep in the woods. Christmas. Of. Dreams.

Huskies are the main mode of transport

Decades ago, the indigenous Sami people used huskies to haul their goods across the snowy landscapes. Now, these hyper hounds will take you on a fast-paced safari through the tundra. You can take the reins – with the help of your Elf guide – and race across the snow at speeds of up to 15 kilometres an hour. You’ll get a quick taster session of husky-sled rides on our 3 and 4-night Lapland trips. If you fancy a longer session, you can book a husky-sleigh experience for when you’ve got some free time.

Rudolph’s around

When it comes to Lapland goals, we’re guessing meeting reindeer are up there with Santa. There wouldn’t be any presents without Rudolph and his friends, right? What a hero! On most of our 3 or 4-night trips, you’ll head out for a Reindeer ride taster session through the icy wilderness – don’t worry, Rudolph, Blitzen and Comet keep their hooves firmly on the ground until the big day. Just remember your touchscreen gloves so that you can snap a selfie with your new furry friends after your ride. Psst! If you’d like to spend more time getting to know the whole gang, you can book a trip in your free time.

You can visit a village made of ice

You’ve probably heard of an ice bar, but Kittila’s SnowVillage takes things to new levels. Cue an ice restaurant and an exhibition room filled with arctic art. The village is built from scratch each year with around 20 million kilos of snow and more than 300,000 kilos of natural ice. It’s the base for the day if you’ve booked a Search for Santa daytrip, and within around an hours’ drive of Levi, Yllas and Pallas if you fancy a visit during your spare time during a 3 or 4-night break. 

There’s a chance to catch the Northern Lights

As if meeting Santa wasn’t enough, you can also tick off one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World while you’re in Lapland. The Northern Lights (or Aurora Borealis, to use their fancy name) usually appear here from December to March, with the best shows taking place from the darkest corner of the country. A stay in Saariselka sorts you for a great chance to see the spectacle. You can’t get much further north than this tiny village – it’s about 250 kilometres above the Arctic Circle.

Make sure you turn your eyes to the skies between 9pm and 11pm, and you could be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the red, yellow and green skies.
The Northern Lights, Lapland.

You can go on a snowmobile adventure after dark

Lapland activities don’t stop at sunset – you can head out on an adventure after dark, too. Hop on a snowmobile at night and cruise through pitch-black forests, with only your snowmobile lights to guide you. Depending on where you’re staying, you might have a chance to spot the Northern Lights, too. Just so you know, you’ll need a UK driving license to drive a snowmobile, and there may be a minimum age requirement, too.

You can get involved with singalongs and Christmas competitions  

Some of our Lapland hotels come with a SnowClub, which give you loads of activities and entertainment for when you’re back at base. The line-up includes snowman-building, tobogganing and Christmas crafts, plus live shows, festive parties and a Christmas-themed silent disco.

We’ve got lots of hotels with a SnowClub, including the Crazy Reindeer hotel in Levi and the Snowy Wilderness Lodge in Pallas. You can find out about other hotels that come with a SnowClub on each hotel’s info page. 
Family sat together drinking hot drinks in the snow.

You can hit the slopes

Lapland is the gift that keeps on giving. Head to Arctic Lakeland and you can pair your festive fun with ski rides down a whopping 14 slopes, with runs fit for beginners and professionals. Fancy switching it up? There are toboggan slides and snowshoeing routes, too – how cool.
View over snowy Lapland with view of ski lift.
Feeling festive? 

Find out more about Lapland holidays.

Plus, read about what to pack for Lapland, the best Christmas holiday destinations and the best Christmas markets.

Get holiday ready and find out more about travel money in Finland.

Pssst. Head to the Discover homepage for our latest articles.

Author: Karl Taylor and Laura Wilkinson

Last updated: 08.10.2025

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