10 Days of Winter in Finland | an itinerary
A Finland Winter Itinerary
If you can visit one country in the world that has a little bit of all of the magic you could hope for during winter, that should be Finland. From the bustle of the capital Helsinki packed with amazing, unique restaurants, cafes and saunas to the snow covered wilderness of Lapland, this easy to traverse country fulfills all of your winter dreams. This 10 day itinerary takes you from Helsinki to the Arctic Circle and is packed with chances to see those bucket list northern lights!
Day 1: Arrival
All of the flights we found got into Helsinki first thing in the morning. Take a quick 30 minute train ride from the airport directly to the city center and you are free to explore. (If you have luggage, you can store it at the train station for later). Our first stop was Cafe Regatta, about a 30 minute walk from the train station and probably the coziest and warmest cafe you can imagine. The cinnamon buns and coffee are to die for. Wander the city as you like until it is time to catch the overnight Santa Claus Express to Rovaniemi. We had coffee about 4 more times at different cafes so we could get some work done!
Remember: The sun goes down EARLY in winter. Think 3:30pm!
Day 2: Rovaniemi
Wake up to the glorious sights of snow zooming past as you make your approach to Rovaniemi. Since you will arrive early again, you can store your bags either at the train station or if they will allow, at your accommodations. We chose to explore around on foot walking over the bridge towards the Ounasvaara winter trail along the frozen river. Try Cafe & Bar 21 for beautiful plates and cocktails at any point during the day!
Day 3: Rovaniemi & ice hotel tour/dinner
Wake up early, grab a pastry and coffee and head off on a winter sport day at Ounasvaara Ski Resort. Best to get a ride as the top is a bit far but you can snowmobile, snowshoe, cross country ski, toboggan, ski and snowboard. You can rent skis and snowboards hourly which is awesome if you are just starting out, not having to pay lifts at premium prices. There is a great little cafe at the resort and a small restaurant with bar at the base of the slopes.
After your day of activities, head back to your room and get ready for your ice hotel tour and dinner. We went with the Arctic Snow Hotel and Igloos where you can book a room, just a tour or dinner and tour together. With the tour, you are provided with transportation around 4:45pm and do get to see and learn all about the hotel itself including some of the guest rooms without the major price tag.
Tip: Dinner does need to be booked in advance as there is limited seating available each night.
Day 4-6: Levi
Check out of your accommodations and get transport to either your rental car location OR bus station for transit to Levi. This is about 2.5 hours by bus or car but we prefer to have our own vehicle to get around once you arrive in Levi. The roads are well maintained during the winter but still be mindful of ice and wind! Take your time on this drive exploring any interesting roads since most accommodations will have later check in. Stop for groceries, small breakfast items or snacks. Call ahead and your hotel may be available for early check in or at least allow you to use the grounds.
Tip: Most hotels in Levi include half-board so your breakfast and large dinner are included in the price to book. This is SO convenient when you are kind of in the middle of nowhere.
Hunt the Northern Lights. Have a sauna. Roast hot dogs over a fire. Go for a ride on a snow mobile. Take a husky safari. Admire the wildlife. Soak in the incredible silence surrounding you. Ice skate on a frozen pond. Go snowshoeing.
Day 7: Ivalo
Say goodbye to beautiful Levi and drive northeast towards Ivalo, about 3 hours depending on where you stay. Book one more night at a hotel with a clear roof for one last chance at Northern Lights, we also recommend no more than 30minutes away from the airport especially for an earlier flight. It will likely be dark when you arrive; watch daring night skiers, have another sauna, warm up next to a fire and just relax before dinner and if the odds are in your favor, snuggle up and watch the light show from bed!
Day 8: Back to Helsinki
Enjoy breakfast and make the quick drive to the Ivalo airport to return your rental and take your 1.5 hour flight back to Helsinki.
Once you arrive, store your bags with your hotel and enjoy the day. When visiting larger cities, a panoramic rooftop view is a must. Pick your favorite rooftop lounge and take in the sights. Helsinki’s food scene is so much more eclectic than we had anticipated and there is literally something for everyone! Find some of our favorites below!
Day 9: Helsinki
Wake up early for a day of exploring! Choose 2 museums you would like to see and hit those first. There are so many great options in Helsinki, you won’t be disappointed to learn a bit more about Finland on your trip. Next, take a walk to the Winter Gardens to enjoy an incredible greenhouse experience. Very popular for locals to take a packed lunch and enjoy a picnic under the exotic plants. With the end of light approaching quickly, take a walk (or ride if you prefer) to the famous rock church.
Day 10: Helsinki
Visit one of the world famous saunas available in Helsinki. With so many options, you cant go wrong. Some with outdoor pools and others like Loyly where you take a dip in the frozen straight, this is something you cannot miss!
After your sauna, warm up with lunch in the most glorious cafe of all time, Kappeli. Next, take the ferry to the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress. In winter, the wind off the water is almost debilitating if you are not dressed appropriately. Take caution, and red wine to warm you up! Make sure to check the ferry times so you can plan your walk through the grounds.
Tip: There is actually a brewery here as well which was totally unexpected and a great treat for some local brew!
Have one final dinner in Helsinki to toast the end of your trip. We usually use the final night to go all out on a local tasting dinner to get as much of the local food in as possible. This is a great way to experience any city in a way we don’t always get to as budget travelers.
Day 11: Back Home
If you have an 11am or later flight, check off one more thing on your list whether that is a museum, coffee shop or botanical garden. As someone who struggles with ending a trip, squeezing just one last thing in makes all the difference!
Tip: Be sure to leave plenty of time to catch your flight. Usually we don’t do the full 2 hour thing but traffic can be quite crazy with few alternative routes available to the airport.
Getting Around in Finland
Helsinki: For the most part, we found it quite easy to get around on foot as we enjoy walking. That being said, the public transportation is amazing. Buy a metro card and it can be used for the bus, tram and even the ferry!
Lapland: The roads are very well maintained in the northern areas of Finland. Rental cars are a great option if you are comfortable driving in snow. There are ample options for bus transportation as well between larger cities. We did not encounter any Ubers or similar north of Rovaniemi. Most hotels do offer at least train station or airport pickup if arranged in advance.
Where to Stay
Here are some of our recommendations on where to stay. We usually try to choose budget locations for the most party but there are not too many in Lapland. We did our best so we could splurge on some amazing places for viewing the northern lights.
Helsinki (and transport to Rovaniemi)
Santa Clause Express: $ Amazing as 2 in 1 accommodation and transportation.
Hotel Lilla Roberts: $$$ Boutique hotel in the middle of everything in Helsinki. This is a bit more pricey but we were able to find an amazing deal through hotels.com
Hotel Helka: $$ Less than $90/night and in a very walkable area
Rovaniemi
Golden Circle Suites: $ Right in the middle of everything. Great cozy rooms with full kitchen for making meals.
Arctic City Hotel: $$ In the heart of the city, 3 restaurants in the hotel.
Arctic Snow Hotel & Igloos: $$$ It is ice and igloos, need we say more?!
Levi
Northern Lights Ranch: $$$ The most ideal snow globe room you can imagine. Perfect view of the sky for northern lights viewing. Reindeer and a frozen pond for skating on sight! Awesome restaurant on site with half board. Arranges activities for you upon request. The best part of our visit.
Ivalo
Star Arctic Hotel: $$$ Located right on a ski slope, you have great views of the action, night sky and more.
Food & Water
Food is a bit adventurous for us here. Reindeer, herring, bear and a lot of mushrooms were involved in the span of this trip. Food is generally priced about the same as you would expect for Western Europe with alcohol being about the same in pricing as well. Your standard up-charge for sales in restaurants and hotels.
Water is delightful here. Bring a reusable water bottle and fill it wherever you see a sink!
Favorite Restaurants/Bars in Helsinki (we did half board in Lapland)
Hills Dumplings: Asian fusion, best Nutella dumplings one can imagine.
Story at Old Market Hall: delightful light breakfast and amazing coffee.
Yes Yes Yes: Two words.. Halloumi. Fries.
Chapter: Nordic Fine Dining. Farm to table. Excellent tasting menu!
Kappeli: Beautiful inclosed pavilion. Great for both food and drink.
Bar Ateljee: Amazing panoramic of the city. Great craft cocktails.
Bar Grotesk: Beautiful space, amazing craft cocktails. Definitely a bit more pricey.
Where to Save
Finland is not a cheap destination to travel to when it all gets added together. Here are some places you can save a bit..
Drink tap water. Do not waste your dollars buying expensive bottled water here!
Shopping for food at gas stations, while they do offer it is more expensive than finding a grocery.
Pick your top winter high dollar activities and just do those. For us, it was a husky safari and snowboarding. There are so many great options at lower costs, limiting to your top picks rather than going all out saves hundreds of dollars! These plus snowmobiling, reindeer safaris and even northern lights tours can be over $200 each so choose wisely.
If you are drinking, order by the bottle for wine. Sometimes glass prices are almost 3x the amount they would be.
Book a place with a kitchen at least some of the time so you can save on dinner. We pack lunch every day to avoid eating out.
How Much Will it Cost for 2 People?!
Flights 2 people (including round trip from USA (Boston) and Ivalo to Helsinki $790.00
Accommodation 2 people (including overnight train and all hotels for 10 nights) $2160.00
Most expensive accommodation for us was in Levi and Ivalo. We knew we wanted to stay in the quintessential northern lights viewing rooms and those do not come cheap!
Rental Car 4 days $130.00
Activities for 2 people
2hr Snowboard rental/lift ticket for 1 $65.00
Ice Hotel Dinner (3 courses with wine) $227.00
Husky Safari $380.00
Private Sauna and Jacuzzi (random splurge) $160.00
Loyly Sauna Helsinki $40.00
Meals $30/day budget. Since we had half board for 5 nights and mornings, we were actually able to spend less most days. Making lunch and cooking at home a few nights is also a huge help!
All in, about $4400 with museum tickets and metro expenses. Finland can definitely be done for less if you can avoid some of the more pricey options. But a once in a lifetime trip, you cant always fight the urge!
