Yellowtravelingboots, once again, will give you an ultimate guide to Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Finland. This village is known to be the official home of Santa located in the Arctic Circle. But what is so special about this place anyway?
Well, we all want to be a moment maker for our dearies but finding ways to do that is also challenging. That is why, spending magical Christmas in the official home of Santa and doing activities in a fairy-tale-like wilderness is a great way to create wonderful memories for the people we love.
This was my first official photo at the city center on the way to our dinner (which was a fast food by the way since it was a cheaper option).
But before the main course which is the: “must see and do in Santa Claus Village”, here are the key information that you need to know about Rovaniemi to prepare for your trip.
Best time to go to Rovaniemi
My vacation in Lapland was just a side-trip while I was in Europe for a business trip. Hence, the timing was okay but was not the best I would say for three reasons:
- 1st-3rd week of November has little or no snow yet which makes the weather dark and dingy. The month is considered “marraskuu” in Finnish, which translates to a “dead month”. From my own experience, there was approximately only five hours of daylight that you can enjoy from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, after that, is darkness.
- Because of #1, snow activities are very limited. In fact, tours like reindeer and husky safari don’t open until late November to early December because animals will slide on icy roads due to thin snow.
- Santa Claus’ secret forest or Joulukka is not open to the public until last week of November. This is an experience that will surely captivate children’s imagination as they journey into the magical forest with the elves towards the fairy tale path of Christmas preparations. Hence, missing this is a bummer.
My recommendation then is to visit Lapland either last week of November to March if you are after the winter experience.
If you look at this photo, you can see that the road is covered with ice and not the fluffy and cotton-like snow yet. If you are not wearing a proper boots, the road can be very slippery.
Transportation
Rovaniemi airport to city center
This guide is helpful to anyone doing a DIY trip so, if you booked through a travel agency, you can already skip reading this part.
There are two ways to get to the city: through an airport taxi shuttle service or a metered taxi.
Metered Taxi. The taxi stand is in front of the airport terminal which costs approximately € 25 from airport to the city center. If you want to book for one, these are the providers indicated on Rovaniemi’s official website.
Taxi Rovaniemi, tel: +358 16 106 410; email: info@taxirovaniemi.fi
Rovaniemi Taxi Service, tel: +358 60 030 030 / +358 29 009 1090; email: info@rovaniementaksipalvelu.fi
Airport taxi shuttle service. This is your other option which I prefer personally since it is convenient to access and a lot more cheaper. I would rather save a few euros for my transportation and spend it on activities instead.
Upon arrival in Rovaniemi, go out of the airport (yes, because I am talking about a very small airport) and ask for the shuttle service outside. The thing is, after each plane’s arrival in the airport, this bus is already waiting outside and will depart from airport to the city 1 hr and 10 mins before the next flight’s departure. On the way, it stops at hotels when necessary, therefore, please coordinate with the driver and inform him/her of your location. Fare is € 7 per person.
If you are a group of 3-4 people, it is wise to take a metered taxi or rent a car, otherwise, go for a shuttle bus. Additionally, Santa Claus village is close to the airport and you can inform shuttle bus driver to drop you off here. You can take this into consideration if you are pressed for time and would like to make the most out of your schedule.
Getting around Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi is really just a small city so don’t be afraid to be lost. Within the city, hotels, restaurants, bars, and malls are close to each other and pretty much accessible by foot. Unless you are going to places like Ranua Zoo, Santa Claus Village, or Santa Park, there is really no need to use bus or taxi.
Looking closely at the photos, Rovaniemi is a quiet and small city which you can explore leisurely by foot. All establishments are close to each other and most people here either use bike or car. You won’t have to worry about traffic as well.
Rovaniemi to Santa Claus Village
Look for bus no. 8 and check their schedule for your trip to Santa Claus Village. You may visit this site for an accurate timetable. Don’t be confused about Santa Park and Santa Claus Village – they are not the same. Santa Park comes before Santa Claus Village if you are coming from the city. The activities are pretty similar but the attractions are different. Personally, I would prioritize Santa Claus Village over Santa Park if I am pressed for time and money because there are a lot more activities and attractions there than the latter.
Transportation to Santa Claus Village
Ride local bus no. 8 going to Santa Claus Village. You can purchase your ticket from the bus driver at 7.30 EUR (two way).
Bus Timetable
You may refer to the below timetable to plan for your trip to Santa Claus Village. In our case, we got the 09:15 bus from the city center and left Santa Claus Village at 17:05 since at that time, it was already very dark.
The bus drop-off and pick-up point
At Santa Claus Village, the drop-off point in the morning is the same as your pick-up point in the afternoon.
Clothing and on staying warm
Boots. More than anything, my advice is for you to invest in a durable and comfortable boots. I am talking here as someone coming from a tropical country with no idea how cold it can get during winter. The ideal boots should be one with thick soles, waterproof, and is breathable. This link tackles the things that you should consider in buying winter/snow boots.
Socks. One of the keys to winter survival is keeping your feet warm and that includes choosing the best socks. Use wool instead of cotton socks. Wool, even if wet, does not lose its insulating properties, is relatively thicker, and dry out itself by simply being worn. In addition to this, invest in sock liner which helps prevent blisters and worn in conjunction to a thicker wool socks.
Thermals. Thermal’s main job is to fight cooling due to evaporation. This is an important first layer to your clothes during winter. Uniqlo is my go-to store for all my thermal wears because I am a big fan of Japanese technology.
Fleece, coat, scarf, gloves, beanie. Needless to say, you will need all these if you are visiting a winter land. Spend time researching for your wear and plan your clothing in advance.
Hand warmers. One of the best things I did while in Lapland was having hand warmers handy. This is an air-activated heat pack that you can slip in your gloves or pocket for long lasting comfort. It’s the best ever!
Food price in Rovaniemi
The trick really is to eat heavy during lunch when prices are relatively cheaper than dinner and have light meals during breakfast and dinner.
For €8-€15, you can already have a decent meal in Rovaniemi (low-range budget). This is close to 1,000 PHP/24 SGD/18 USD. I really suggest that you bring some food with you on your trip (e.g. chocolates, instant noodle, snack bar, water, and instant coffee) because, stuff can be very pricey in euro. But of course, if you have sufficient budget for the trip then by all means just buy in the city. Specific for my trip, my average food budget daily was €31 or ~2,000 PHP/50 SGD/38 USD. You can of course go lower or higher than this depending on your preference. If your budget is tight, fast food in Rovaniemi can be a very good option by the way. For a decent burger meal with fries and drink, you just have to pay around 8.00 EUR.
Coffee is around 2.50 – 3.00 EUR while beer cost me a whooping 16 EUR!
Food recommendation in Rovaniemi
While we are still talking about food, don’t leave Rovaniemi without trying their exotic reindeer dish. I have tried a reindeer burger and I must admit, I still prefer beef over reindeer! Reindeer meat tastes like beef but with chicken texture, that’s why, I still prefer beef over it. Rovaniemi’s official site has a good local food recommendation that you can try, please do visit it.
Here is the Reindeer burger that I tried which I paired with a hefty serving of fries. The burger and fries was at 12.65 EUR.
Accommodation
If you are a budget traveller, you have the option to book in a hostel and I highly recommend Hostel Cafe Koti because, it is in the city center, very near the bus stop and train station, has direct access to airport bus, very close to all key establishments within the city, and relatively new. However, if you book for the dorm-type space, it won’t be that comfortable since there will be nine more people coming in and out of the room at random hours. If you are okay with it, then go ahead and book.
This is how the lobby inside the hostel looks like. It’s very clean to be fair. At that time, the only challenge I had here was the heater. It was either broken or the temperature was just really low so, our room was very cold.
If you however, have enough time and resources to book for your trip, I really suggest that you get a hotel. It’s comfortable and convenient after all. It’s a bit expensive than hostel but when in Lapland, it’s best to take-in nature at the comfort of your own cozy bed in a hotel.
I covered as much information as I can related to Rovaniemi so, if you have questions, do leave me a message below.
Up next are the things that you must “see and do” in Santa Claus Village. Do subscribe to be the first to receive our updates!
