The best places to go in Finnish Lapland

The best places to go in Finnish Lapland

Where to go in Finnish Lapland – places, regions and hidden gems

Finnish Lapland is one of the most extraordinary long-haul destinations in the world – and it is far bigger and far more varied, than most travellers ever realise. Stretching from the Arctic Circle in the south all the way to Nuorgam at the tip of Europe, the Lapland region of northern Finland covers an area roughly the size of Portugal. The Finnish Lapland destinations within that space range from well-known ski resorts and Christmas tourism hubs to remote lake villages that barely appear on a map.

A large number of visitors to Finnish Lapland arrive into Rovaniemi, spend a few nights near Santa Claus Village and fly home without venturing further. That is a perfectly fine trip – but it is not the whole picture. A couple of hours north or east and you are in a completely different Finnish Lapland – one of frozen wilderness lakes, bear-watching hides tucked into birch forest, intimate boutique accommodation you will not find on mainstream booking platforms and a silence so total you can hear the snow fall.

This guide covers where to go in Finnish Lapland for every kind of traveller – whether you are planning your first winter trip to see the Northern Lights in Finland, returning for the extraordinary Ruska autumn foliage season, or specifically looking for off-the-beaten-track Finnish Lapland experiences that go beyond the tourist trail. Each section includes destination overviews, honest accommodation reviews and practical planning resources written from first-hand experience of Finnish Lapland in winter and autumn.

Use the regional breakdown below to start planning your Finnish Lapland itinerary, or browse by destination to find the places that match what you are looking for.

Where to go in Finnish Lapland - places, regions and hidden gems.

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Finnish Lapland regions at a glance

Finnish Lapland is broadly divided into several distinct travel regions, each with its own character, landscapes and strengths for different types of travel:

  • Rovaniemi and the Arctic Circle corridor – the most accessible entry point into Finnish Lapland and home to Santa Claus Village. Well set up for first-time winter visitors, with a growing range of accommodation options from budget hotels to glass igloos and easy access to husky safaris, reindeer farms and Northern Lights experiences.
  • Ruka and Kuusamo – technically just south of the official Lapland region border, but firmly part of the northern Finland wilderness experience. This area is known for world-class fell landscapes, the famous Karhunkierros Bear’s Ring Trail, bear watching at dedicated wilderness hides and some of the most beautifully designed boutique forest accommodation in Finland. One of the best places in Finnish Lapland for autumn ruska.
  • Posio and the eastern lake district – one of the best-kept secrets in all of Finnish Lapland destinations. Fewer international tourists, extraordinary autumn colours and a handful of small, carefully designed wilderness stays that are invisible to mainstream travellers. Excellent value compared to the better-known Finnish Lapland resorts.
  • Kemijärvi – the largest municipality in Finnish Lapland by land area, yet almost entirely overlooked by international visitors. If you are specifically seeking off-the-beaten-track Finnish Lapland travel, Kemijärvi delivers – frozen lakes, deep forest and the kind of authentic local atmosphere that disappears the moment a destination becomes famous.
  • Levi and the Ylläs-Levi fell region – Lapland’s most famous ski resort area and one of the most popular Finnish Lapland winter destinations for Northern Lights holidays. Also home to some of the most photogenic igloo and aurora cabin accommodation in Finland, ideal for travellers who want comfort alongside their wilderness experience.
  • Ranua – a small town on the road north from Rovaniemi, best known as the home of Ranua Wildlife Park, where you can see polar bears and arctic foxes in a naturalistic setting. A natural stop on any Finnish Lapland road trip itinerary, with its own glass igloo accommodation options.
  • Pyhä-Luosto – two fells, one national park and a stretch of Finnish Lapland that most international visitors drive straight past (or through). Pyhä-Luosto National Park sits between Rovaniemi and Saariselkä and is one of the best places in Finnish Lapland for ruska autumn foliage, fell walking and a genuine sense of wilderness without the resort crowds. The area feels like a well-kept local secret – and for now, it still largely is.
  • Saariselkä and Inari – deep in the north of Finnish Lapland, this fell plateau is a favourite for serious wilderness seekers. Inari sits on the shore of vast Lake Inari and is home to the Sámi Cultural Centre Sajos, making this one of the most culturally significant Finnish Lapland destinations as well as one of the most dramatic for winter travel.
  • Utsjoki – the northernmost municipality in Finland and in the entire European Union. The Teno River forms the border with Norway and both the midnight sun and polar night are experienced here in their most extreme forms. Utsjoki is the choice for travellers who want to go as far north as it is possible to go – a genuine end-of-the-road Finnish Lapland experience that very few long-haul travellers ever reach.

The destination guides, accommodation reviews and practical planning resources below are organised by region. Everything has been researched and written from first-hand experience of travelling Finnish Lapland in winter and autumn – no guesswork, no copy-pasted itineraries and no recommendations for places I have not visited or thoroughly vetted.

Plan your Finnish Lapland trip – packages, accommodation and activities

Visiting Rovaniemi – Finnish Lapland’s gateway city

Ruka and Kuusamo – bears, fell trails and forest luxury

Posio – Finnish Lapland’s best-kept secret

Kemijärvi – Where to go in Finnish Lapland off the tourist trail

Levi – Northern Lights, ski slopes and glass igloo stays in Finnish Lapland

Ranua – Arctic wildlife, polar bears and glass igloo accommodation in Finnish Lapland

Pyhä-Luosto – Finnish Lapland’s fell country and National Park

Saariselkä & Inari – Finnish Lapland’s fell wilderness and Northern Lights country

Utsjoki – Finnish Lapland’s ultimate off-the-beaten-track destination

Finnish Lapland in every season – Winter, Autumn, Summer and Spring

Finnish Lapland is not just a winter destination. While the snow-covered landscapes, dog sledding, reindeer safaris and Northern Lights that define most people’s idea of Lapland are very much a winter experience, the region transforms dramatically with each season – and some of its most extraordinary qualities only reveal themselves outside of peak Christmas and winter travel periods.

Winter in Finnish Lapland (November to March) is the season most long-haul travellers plan around and for good reason. Snow blankets the forests from late November (in some parts), temperatures drop well below zero and the dark skies create ideal conditions for Northern Lights viewing. This is the season for glass igloos, aurora safaris, husky sledding and the full magical Finnish Lapland winter experience across destinations from Rovaniemi and Levi to Utsjoki in the far north.

Autumn in Finnish Lapland (September to October) is the season that tends to convert people from one-time visitors into lifelong devotees (I can attest to this). Known in Finnish as Ruska, the autumn colour season turns the fells and forests into a blaze of red, orange and gold – and because snow has not yet arrived, it is easier to move around, accommodation is quieter and the Northern Lights are already appearing in the darkening skies. From my experience, destinations like Pyhä-Luosto, Posio, Ruka, Kemijärvi and Levi are particularly spectacular during Ruska.

Summer in Finnish Lapland (June to August) brings the midnight sun – endless daylight, wildflowers, kayaking on glassy lakes and a completely different atmosphere, known to be a season that most international visitors never see. Finnish Lapland in summer is a growing draw for long-haul travellers seeking something genuinely unlike anything else in the world.

Spring in Finnish Lapland (April to May) is the quietest season, sitting between the ski season and the summer rush. Snow lingers on the higher fells while the days lengthen rapidly – known to be the transition season that suits travellers looking for solitude and lower prices.

Finnish Lapland Travel Diaries – first-hand experiences and trip reports

Extend your trip – more to explore in Finland