Santa Claus Village

Rovaniemi


The ‘official’ Santa Claus Village is built atop the Arctic Circle marker, denoted by a line painted on the pavement (Arctic Circle certificates cost €4.50). There’s a mixture of humdrum souvenir stands and classier shops, some selling Sámi handicrafts. Other attractions here include reindeer-pulled sleigh rides (on wheels in summer, traditional runners in snow; per adult/child from €18/14 for 400m) and Santa's Grotto.

You can also visit a husky park, and view ice sculpting and varying Christmassy exhibitions. There are Christmas-themed dining options; on-site accommodation includes cabins at Santa Claus Holiday Village, and the new Snowman World (http://snowmanworld.fi), with glass-sided apartments and a winter-only ice hotel complete with restaurant and bar.

Bus 8 heads here from the train station, via the city and airport (€4.25, 25 minutes, up to three hourly 6.30am to 6.30pm).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Rovaniemi attractions

1. Santa Claus Post Office

0.04 MILES

Situated within the Santa Claus Village, this post office receives over half a million letters each year from children worldwide. You can browse a…

2. Santa's Grotto

0.08 MILES

Santa sees visitors year-round in this impressive grotto, with a huge clock mechanism (it slows the earth’s rotation so that Santa can visit the whole…

3. Santapark

1.34 MILES

Built inside a cavern in the mountain, this Christmas-themed amusement park features an army of elves baking gingerbread, a magic sleigh ride, a carousel,…

4. Arktikum

4.11 MILES

With its beautifully designed glass tunnel stretching out to the Ounasjoki, this is one of Finland’s finest museums. One half deals with Lapland, with…

5. Pilke Tiedekeskus

4.15 MILES

Downstairs in the Metsähallitus (Finnish Forest and Park Service) building next to the Arktikum, this is a highly entertaining exhibition on Finnish…

6. Rovaniemen Taidemuseo

4.56 MILES

A wide collection of contemporary Finnish art rotates in the clean white exhibition space of this gallery in an old brick truck depot. Performances by the…

7. Rovaniemen Kirkko

4.66 MILES

Completed in 1950, this church replaced the one destroyed during WWII. The impressively large fresco behind the altar depicts a Christ figure emerging…

8. Konttaniemen Porotila

5.57 MILES

Meet reindeer (including adorable calves in season) and find out about their life cycle at this reindeer farm 7km northwest of Rovaniemi. Tours complete…