FINLAND: THE NORTH POLE

SEE

Visiting the North Pole was the most magical trip we've ever taken. We first flew into Helsinki and explored the city for a day, then the next morning we took a short flight to Rovaniemi. From start to finish, Lapland really knows how to do Christmas! At the airport, we were greeted with a festive baggage carousel complete with elves and Santa's sleigh and reindeer suspended from the ceiling. The whole experience was so fun and exciting for parents and children alike. 

There are a few companies that offer lodging and excursion packages, many of them including direct flights on chartered planes from the UK. As you can imagine, these vacations can be quite costly, so to save money, we booked our flights separately and stayed in a cabin at the Santa Claus Holiday Village. This is the perfect place to stay in Rovaniemi, as the cabins are centrally located and just a short walk away from shopping, restaurants, and excursions. 

Excursions can be booked in advance online or on-site at the Main Building. If you are visiting during the peak period of Christmas season, I would definitely suggest booking the hotel and excursions online. Many companies allow bookings as early as two years in advance! The excursions we chose were the reindeer safari and the husky dog sled ride, but they also offer four-wheeling, northern lights safari's, ice fishing, snowmobiling, etc. 

One of the highlights of our trip was meeting the REAL SANTA CLAUS! Like everything else on this trip, it was a completely magical experience. I even cried a few tears when Santa reached out to shake my hand and ask my name. Honestly, I get goosebumps just thinking about it 😆. The elves take great pictures and video that you then have the chance to purchase after the Santa visit. ALSO! Something I LOVE that they do is right before you meet Santa, you pass a small desk where an elf discreetly hands you a list of gifts that you can pre purchase and have Santa give to your child at the visit. We chose Christmas bells strung on an embroidered necklace with a leather tag stamped with Santa's Office seal and a pouf of reindeer fur. I'm so glad I have video of the kids faces when Santa handed them the bells. MAGICAL. 

A visit to SantaPark is also a fun, full day activity for families. It's a short cab ride away from Santa's Village and is basically a Christmas themed amusement park. There are live elf shows, elf school, crafts, cookie decorating, a large food park area, shopping, and an indoor playground. A great way to spend the day inside and out of the cold! 

SHOP

I love a good gift shop and Santa's Holiday Village did not disappoint! Amongst the standard magnets and T-shirts were many authentic, locally made products like Santa figurines made with reindeer hides. Many shops were also stocked with practical items like hats, gloves, and socks, so if you come unprepared, do not worry! It is easy to find things that you may have forgotten to pack and some gift shops double as a convenience store, offering basic amenities. 

STAY 

Santa Claus Holiday Village! I can't say enough about this place. We were met at the airport by a representative from the hotel who wheeled our bags out to the cutest bright red shuttle bus. The bus took us directly to our cabin, and then we checked into the hotel after getting settled (and bundled up in our snow bibs and boots!). Our vacation package included breakfast and dinners at the hotel restaurant. The food was just okay, nothing to write home about, but the convenience of walking to dinner only a few feet away from our cabin was completely worth the price. 

The cabins themselves are clean, cozy, and basic with special Scandinavian touches, like reindeer antler chandeliers and a bathroom sauna. The also include a small kitchenette and plenty of storage for winter gear. We fit our family of five into a classic cottage with a king bed and the fold out sofa, but it was a bit crowded (which the hotel warned us about at booking). I think the classic cottage would work great for a family of four, but for larger families, it may be worth splurging for the superior cottages or suites. 

The staff at Santa Claus Holiday Village is so helpful and makes sure that everything runs smoothly for guests. We dropped out bags at the front desk to check out and didn't see them again until we arrived at the airport several hours later. The convenience and excellent customer service at this hotel were by far one of the best we've experienced in all of our travels. 

There are also other unique lodging options in the area, like the Igloo hotels at Snowman World or on my personal bucket list, the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel where you can literally watch the Northern Lights from your bed.

SAVOR

We loved Santa's Salmon Place located in the Santa Claus Village. It's a very small hut with a wood burning stove in the center that bakes fresh salmon filets to perfection. You will not find a more unique and authentic dining experience than this one. The cheese and cloudberry appetizer is also quite yummy!