The first in a series of posts dedicated to my 7 favorite places to visit in any given city/country. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Lapland, it is the northernmost region in Finland, connected via the Arctic Circle to Sweden, Norway and Russia. Traveling can be quite intense to get to some of the areas on my list. Via plane you can reach Rovaniemi or Kittila for the Levi area. From there a bus to Northern Lights Ranch, my first of 7 favorite places.
1. NORTHERN LIGHTS RANCH
Several hotels have emerged in hopes of drawing those who seek the Northern Lights. I did extensive research and although some of the options were a bit more economical and/or easier to travel to, NLR had been on my bucket list for several years prior to my trip there in December 2018. I was venturing on a solo excursion through Scandanavia and it was all truly centered around this place. There is no real way to explain the level of seclusion you feel when you arrive. There are 12 total cabins, one ice chapel (if you are so lucky to travel there around December), one lodge, and a fire pit shelter area. There is no Uber, no DoorDash or Postmates - which if I am being completely honest, was a huge reason I was thrilled to be there. Upon arriving, unless you're looking to spend the equivalent of $100 round trip, leaving to grab dinner 30 minutes away is unnecessary. The food is extraordinary. Forged from the land, the animals who roam the forests, and what was able to be grown on site, there has yet to be a place in the world with food quite as incredible. One night, I had Elk Stew which I have since requested the recipe for - I'm still drooling over it 3 years later. The breakfast was a healthy buffet style assortment and their "American Pancakes" resembled muffin toppers made of pancake batter - divine! Aside from the wonderful food, in December there are zero hours of daylight, I was lucky to have 3-4 hours of what can best be referred to as dusk. In that time, I would snowshoe through the insanely silent woods, play in the snow, or observe that day's wedding party approaching for their festivities - one bride came to her wedding in a reindeer-pulled sleigh. The evenings began at 2pm and it was difficult to stay awake so many naps ensued. One night, fireworks shown through the sky after the couple said "I Do" and the sheer brightness of their flash made the entire forest look to be a negative, you know, from old time photo class - predating Digital cameras. Although the weather was not ideal for me to actually see the northern lights, it was a magical place to be alone with my thoughts.
2. RAKAS
Rakas is a restaurant in Rovaniemi, from everything I have read and experienced, it is the best restaurant. Their crab soup is ridiculous and the overall ambiance was amazing. Highly recommend!
3. SANTA CLAUS VILLIAGE - REINDEER RIDE
Rovaniemi is the home to Santa - it's more magical than Disneyworld to some. All letters sent from around the world to the North Pole arrive to his official post office located just north of the Arctic Circle - which is in and of itself the coolest place to see. You are able to jump the line of the arctic circle - literally - you can jump across the line which runs through the property. If you're feeling like walking on the edge, you can even pay for a passport stamp from the Arctic Circle - this is not government regulated so its not recommended *I did it anyway. Santa is kind enough to share his reindeer - those who do not fly with him on Christmas - with the visitors to enjoy a sleigh ride through the enchanted forest. This is a MUST do. I recommend going just as the darkness breaks, when the snow shines just so that it looks like a winter wonderland!
4. SANTA'S PARK
Unlike Santa's Village, Santa's Park is located down a deep tunnel into the center of a cave. He splits his time between the two locations. Here sits his workshop, you can decorate cookies with the help of his elves, drink a hot chocolate in the ice bar, meet Santa, and much more! Even in my 30s I felt like a kid again, Highly recommend!!
5. SYVÄSENVAARA FELL
When I travel I plan out the sites I wish to see about 40% of the time. I choose the Must See areas as best described from fellow travelers or blogs, but I prefer to adventure outside of those places to discover things only locals may know of. When I parked at Santa's Park, I realized there was a point on the map that had a camera next to it - this means it's an attraction of some kind. I brought my drone and hiked up the mountain, through a neighborhood, walked along a path beyond the no trespassing sign - the best things tend to happen behind those signs - and entered what looked like the real life version of Elf. The trees were pristine, shaped differently than the pine tree's I see back in Michigan. There were no other traces of human life; no footprints, no snowflake out of place. After about 10 minutes of trudging through the foot-high snow, I came across a shelter with logs, a fire pit, and some benches. No one was there and it looked like beyond that point the hill went down pretty steep. I prepped my drone and got some awesome arial footage of the hillside. Adventure is out there - you've just got to search for it in unchartered places from time to time. I didn't make it all the way to the tower, and I definitely didn't go the way the map says to, but I selected this location for my list because I believe it's worth the try!
6. FORESTS - EVERYWHERE!
I highly recommend renting a car while exploring Rovaniemi. As I mentioned, I love to explore and go off the beaten path. I made some wrong turns, which ended up being right, leading me to an entire ski resort, some amazing homes, and a few forests that looked like they have never been stepped into by another human. Part of the beauty of exploring these areas is to not only challenge yourself but to get yourself thinking. A trip to Lapland provides more than enough solo time to really dig deep and spend some quality time with YOU.
7. SAARITUVAT COTTAGES
Man did I feel blessed to be able to snag one of these. I refreshed the booking for days and days until one became available for the dates I needed. 20+ mini cabins line the riverfront with access to the river and parking next to each cabin. I had a tiny cabin; it fit a small table, queen bed, small kitchen, fireplace and bathroom. It was absolutely all I needed but also felt very true to the type of trip I was on. The snowfall made it all the more whimsical. Stairs leading down to the river were adorned with white Christmas lights and once you arrived to the waters edge, you had the opportunity to enjoy the löyly, or sauna, as well as a hole cut out of the ice on the river if you feel like enjoying an authentic Finnish ice plunge. Being that I was solo I passed at the chance for the current to sweep me away, but I will one day return for the true Finnish experience.
I hope this list helps you along the way through Lapland. There is so much to see & so many places to explore, but if you're planning on going as a family, make certain you go around the Holidays. Hyvää joulua!
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