Rovaniemi Things to Do

Discover huskies and experience a husky dog team ride. Trips of varying lengths from 600 metres to an approximately 35 km daytrip. In the summer the park has a husky circus. Open during the winter and summer seasons.

Arktikum has 3 functions: it's a research center of arctic nature and culture, it's a museum of Lapland and also a museum of arctic nature/culture. For some people the word "museum" sounds dull. Well, Arktikum isn't.

The building itself is something to see! It's a sort of a glass tube, and it's really cool!! All the exhibition areas are underground, but there's a lot of natural light in the hall.

The museum has exhibition of Lapland and arctic areas, and there are many interesting objects, interactive places, things to inspect yourself, buttons to push (nice for kids :P) and other stuff. There's a multimedia theather where they show short movies about reindeer, northern lights and many other things (depends on the season). Arktikum is a very interesting place, and all the exhibitions are in Finnish, English, French, German and if I remember right, also maybe two other languages...

Outside Arktikum there's a garden of arctic plants, which is very interesting in it's bare beauty. Inside the building there's a restaurant (expencive, though) and a souvenir shop. The museum is not a huge museum, so it takes something like between 2 and 5 hours to get familiar with it. I think that's good: you don't get bored and you have enough time to see everything you want to! Arktikum is beautiful to watch from the outside, interesting from the inside.

Though this sounds cheesy as hell, try to visit Santa Claus if you're in Rovaniemi (Finland). It's an experience that's hard to forget, never mind if you're a child or a big adult like myself!

Now just before I went on a Finnish safari, I went to check out Mr Claus in the morning. I was excited as hell and definitely expecting to meet him in a homey cottage. Well, the cottage was homey alright but contrary to popular belief, Santa Claus was pretty high tech. He had an office, a whole group of administrative staff (not just elves) and some pretty high tech HP equipment to take a digital shot of you when you're sitting with him.Despite all this, it didn't dampen my excitement meeting him just one bit. Neither did it put off a big group of German businessmen who were visibly exicited - they were humming jingle bells and thinking aloud what to say to Santa when they met him! It was a very funny sight since they were clearly in their late 30's, moustashioed, in ties and heavy trench coats..

Even some might say that this is a huge tourist trap, after visiting at North Pole's Santa Home in Alaska, I will disagree.

Santa Claus' Village at Rovaniemi Finland is very well done and designed amusment park for every tourist visiting in Lapland. The best place it might be for families.

There is so much to do, from Santa Park to Santa's Post Office. There elves and Santa itself answer the letters that children send all over form world. And believe me, it is really true. I have been worked in Post Central of Northenr Finland and we received hundreds of letter to Santa every day all aorund the year.

Santa Claus Village it's the best reason to go there. You may find Santa Claus there and all the magical world around it. The raindeers, his house, etc. Santa Park is more commercial place, cave on this case. If you have time, make a safari. There are several companies there that have organized safaris, winter or summer time.If you enjoy ski, Ounasvaara could be an option. It's almost in town, 5 minutes from the centre. You may reach Santa Claus Village by taxi ( around 10 euros) or by bus. From Santa Claus village to Santa Park you may take the same bus ( with the same tickets) or take a taxi ( around 6 Euros). In town you may visit the city musuem, the Arktikum. Check www.santapark.com + www.santaclausvillage.info + www.arcticsafaris.fi + /www.erasetti.fi +www.ounasvaara.net

Husky farm with approximately 120 friendly Siberian and Alaskan huskies. The husky farm specializes in short husly ride programs for incentive and other groups. Long husky safaris only by arrangement! You should try once in a lifetime! They are different and real fun!!!

The arktikum is a quite spectacular building on the edge of Rovaniemi. Its not super easy to get to without a car, but it isn't a long walk from town and is well worth the effort. It is also pretty expensive: 12 euros entry fee, but you will get a fascinating insight into the lives of the laplanders and the natural features of the area.

So what is it? The Arktikum is a science centre and museum. You get to explore Finnish Lapland’s history and modern day - as you wander you will get to see the way that Laplanders lived in ancient times and see some of the traditions and clothing that continue on to today - I got to see a temporary exhibition on the Romany of Finland which was amazing and including sound tracks of singing.

The Arctic exhibition gives you a real feeling for nature in the North as you walk around seeing and hearing the sounds and sights of the arctic circle and reading about the country and wildlife of the area.

There is also a cool exhibition on Sámi culture, with its costumes and languages, religious beliefs and customs.

The Arcticum Museum is an amazing structure, half underground with a glass dome to let in heat and light of the remote arctic sun. It is dedicated to exhibits relating to Lapland's geology, climate, plant and animal life and cultures.
It is located north of the town center, along the river, on Kantatie 79
I found it very interesting and informative. I was especially interested in the exhibit focusing on the Sami people of the north.