From trips to see Santa in his winter wonderland to watching the Northern Lights dance across the sky, Lapland is the ultimate magical destination for children and grown-ups alike.
You might take a flight to Lapland, but when you get off the plane, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped through the back of a wardrobe into the mythical world of Narnia. Driving through the pristine landscape, past frosted trees and snowy fields, you half expect to see the White Witch appear on her sleigh, holding out a platter of Turkish Delight.
There are no witches here, deep inside the Arctic Circle in the region that straddles Finland, Norway and Sweden, but there are lots of other truly magical experiences, from visits to Santa to reindeer-drawn sleigh rides, dog sledding, ice fishing, snowmobile safaris and – if you’re lucky – seeing the elusive Aurora Borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights.
Now, we’re not going to lie, seeing the Northern Lights isn’t guaranteed, even as close to the North Pole as Lapland, but the sun’s 11-year cycle of activity has recently picked up, with the next peak due in 2024, so your chances of seeing beautiful auroras over the next year or two are not bad at all.
To further increase the likelihood of seeing these dancing lights swirling across the night sky, consider staying deep in the wilderness in a glass cabin, where you can lie snuggly in your bed, waiting for the light show to start. Or, for a unique experience, why not spend a night in a real igloo tucked up under reindeer skins, exactly as the indigenous Sami people have done for centuries? If the lights come on, they’ll be sure to let you know!
Even if you don’t catch a glimmer of the lights, you won’t return from Lapland disappointed. Seeing the Aurora Borealis might be on everyone’s bucket list, but they are simply the icing on the cake to a holiday in this winter wonderland. Other unforgettable experiences include bouncing across the icy tundra on snowmobiles or dashing round a lake on a dog sled, steering the pack from the back of the sled, encouraging them with a ‘mush, mush, mush’, or sitting in the sleigh, warm under heavy blankets.
Lassoing reindeer might be more your thing, or you could try your hand at ice-fishing, go snow-shoeing through the still forests looking for wildlife in the weird half-light during the few hours when the sun just peaks above the horizon, or take a gentle sleigh ride to a restaurant, bells tinkering in the dark to herald your arrival. And let’s not forget, this is also where you’ll find Santa, the real Santa, not in some shopping centre grotto with ‘Last Christmas’ playing on a loop, but in an authentic Lappish village, exactly where you hoped he’d live.
You might be wondering whether it’s worth travelling so far to see Father Christmas, but those who have made the trip have also made wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.
No one will ever forget the joy on their little ones’ faces as Santa calls them by their names with a satisfyingly authentic ho-ho-ho or their wide-eyed amazement that he already knows exactly what they want for Christmas!
Children of all ages will love Lapland (who wouldn’t?), but trips to see Santa work incredibly well for five- to eight-year-olds when they’re just old enough to remember the experience and still young enough to believe, but every big kid will also be enthralled.
That said, it’s worth doing your research to avoid Lapland’s tackiest ‘exit via the gift shop’ style resorts. In far north Finland, you can find a more authentic experience at Karesuando, a quaint village on the border with Sweden that offers just what you’re looking for.
If you’re short of time, day trips to see Santa can be arranged, but you won’t regret spending longer in Lapland and enjoying everything this winter playground has to offer.
…why not spend a night in a real igloo tucked up under reindeer skins, exactly as the indigenous Sami people have done for centuries?
Contact My Travel PA for a private appointment to discuss your Lapland or Northern Lights break.
Email hello@mytravelpa.co.uk or call 0121 820 8444.