Over the Christmas break, we were watching George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and sat in awe during his Northern Lights adventure in Finnish Lapland. We’ve always wanted to visit Lapland, but for me it’s less about visiting the home of the real Father Christmas, and more about taking in the amazing natural beauty that Lapland is known for during Winter. So today I wanted to share with you eight reasons we want to visit Lapland this Winter for our family holiday:
Reason 1: To watch the North Lights dance in the sky above
For more, watching the Northern Lights in Lapland has to be the ultimate arctic adventure. I’ve wanted to see nature’s most amazing performance for as long as I can remember. Being near or above the Arctic Circle vastly increases your chances of seeing this natural phenomenon. In northern Lapland the lights shine about every other clear night between September and March. I couldn’t imagine anything more amazing than taking in the northern lights in the clear starry sky overhead. As you can tell, I really want to see the Northern Lights in 2020!
Reason 2: Go on a Husky sledding ride
The idea of going on a husky sledding ride in Lapland has always appealed to me, but having seen George Clarke do it, it’s now right at the top of my travel bucket list. It looks so exhilarating! Just imagine husky sledding through a magical tranquil winter landscape of snow-clad forests and frozen lakes. It has to be the perfect way of taking in the beautiful wilderness that Lapland is well known for.
Reason 3: Experience an authentic Finnish sauna
I love a good sauna, but everybody knows that nobody does a sauna like the Finnish. From a traditional smoke sauna, to one that is nestled in the wilderness, I love the idea of melting the stress away in a sauna then making a dash to take a dip in fresh water afterwards underneath the midnight sun.
The Sirmakko Reindeer Farm – which sits on the edge of a lake – is the top of my Lapland sauna experience wishlist, where you can spend an evening going to and fro between the sauna to the water’s edge and back, enjoying the surrounding peace and quiet and snow-laden surroundings.
Reason 4: Stay in a glass igloo
Again, we have George Clarke to thank for this one. Staying in a world-famous glass igloo, like the ones at Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, has to be the most enchanting, once-in-a-lifetime experience I could think of. Just imagine dozing off underneath the Northern Lights or Midnight Sun like this….
Reason 5: Visit the home of Father Christmas in Lapland
No list of reasons to visit Lapland this Winter would be complete without this one would it? The Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi is known as being Santa’s official “North Pole” residence. The ultimate way to make your children’s dreams come true this Winter. Just imagine their faces when they get to meet Santa, Mrs Claus, Rudolph, and The Elves!
Reason 6: Spend a night inside an ice hotel
When I think about spending a night inside an ice hotel, I have a bizarre combination of fear and excitement. I am guessing that the last thing people do when they go to an ice hotel is sleep. That said, to me, it still sounds like an incredible experience not to be missed. In terms of life experiences, you won’t forget the night when you slept in a room at -4°C wrapped up in a thermal sleeping bag and reindeer skins in a hurry.
Reason 7: Go snowmobiling
I went snowmobiling in Iceland many years ago and it was a ridiculous amount of fun! Did you know that the locals use snowmobiles as their primary mode of transport? Sure, it might be standard for them, but for us snowmobiling presents the perfect opportunity for a thrilling snowmobile safari – another perfect way of taking in and admiring Lapland’s breathtaking scenery.
Reason 8: Go skiing
For some reason you don’t usually hear the world Lapland and skiing together, but did you know that Levi Lapland is Finland’s leading ski resort. Just imagine skiing in beautiful woodlands covered in snow without the crowds you normally have to fight through at other major European ski resorts.
I have literally just written down in my journal that I want to visit Lapland this Winter for all of the above reasons. Here’s to making that happen!
Have you visited Lapland before? What else would you add to this list above? Do share in a comment below.
