Rovaniemi Warnings and Dangers

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ROVANEMI
When travelling in this Northern part of Scandinavia in summer time make sure that you ALWAYS have and use a very strong mosquito repellant. The Mosquitos up here in the north of Finland have to be seen to be beleived..They certainly will make your visit very uncomfortable if not, even unbearable without a good repellant...I never travel without Mosquito and Insect repellant it doesn't matter where I go. You will see all the locals wear long sleeved shirts and long pants..This is advised also make sure that any exposed skin areas are ALL covered with a strong Mosquito repellant. You will have a much happier time..!!

Becareful!
When you come very first time to Rovaniemi in the summertime, becareful, you might not sleep at all!
Sun is shining 24 hours per day, so you do not know if it is a day or night. That means, in Rovaniemi you can party whole summer without sleeping.
... and in the winter time we have a lot of time to sleep... under the norhthern lights...

I would say DON'T come here near Christmas (14.12-27.12), because here are thousands of tourists coming to see Santa Claus and prizes are higher than usually ...in the middle of January is good time if you want to be here in winter (very cold and dark;) ) Russian people have noticed this and are always here celebrating their Christmas.

In the winter it can get really cold, so it's not enough to take just one extra jacket, take a real quilted jacket or something as warm... Youth in Finland wear snowboarding-jackets and woolen cloth jackets in the winter... of course there are many kinds of jackets in the fashion markets! ;)

The best way of clothing is layers. Wear warm underwear, normal daily clothes on top of them, then an extra shirt (woolen or warm cotton) and make sure you have good socks. On top of all this, put your jacket (if doing winter sports, also winter trousers). Always wear a warm hat, a scarf and gloves. Warm shoes are also important. This might sound like a lot of clothes, but Finnish youth have found a stylish way to carry all these layers of cloth! XD Just walk on the streets and you'll see!

(If i'll get a chance, I'll take pictures of me and my school friends in winter clothes when the winter comes - both in sporty and city outfits!)

If you don't wear warm clothes, you're sure to catch a flue. But if you wear them, you'll enjoy a pleasurable day outside doing sports!!

Fact: Some people say that you shouldn't
walk alone in centre in Rovaniemi.

BUT even if it is said that Rovaniemi is the most dangerous town in Finland, if you notice the size of the town (35 000 inhabitants). Hmm... that wasn't from my mouth! I don't think that anyone will attack you!! Absolutely not. And I don't even know where the word "dangerous" came from. I just wanted to say that some people think that this is a dangerous town.

We have drugs and youngsters drinking along the streets (especially on Friday evenings!), but that's 'normal' in Finland.
All the adults don't think in same way that I do!

(I'm trying to tell also the negative things I've heard about Rovaniemi and this may seem that I'm trying to make Rovaniemi to look 'not so tempting' place to visit, but I think this town is worth a visit although it is a small town)

The title seems like exaggarating, but it's NOT!! :)

Really, if you come in the summer, buy mosquito poison... YOU'LL NEED IT!! There are many options you can pick of: mosquito oil, mosquito spray, mosquito smoke (to put on the terrace..) mosquito cream... Use a mosquito net if you're backpacking on swamps or such places..

And the mosquito noise is terrible in the night...NJJJNNNJNNNNNNNNN...

I thought for a second where to put this tip, because it's some see it as a good side some not!
I've heard over and over again how tourists say they can't get sleep cause the sun will not go down. The time ranges from june to july approximately one month you'll notice the sun doesn't set. It goes up and comes back down, but is visible all the time.

I see this as one of the beautiful sides of Lapland (and Rovaniemi). The nightless nights are the peaks of our summertime.

Hey, you can get the balance right if you also spend the winter here. The sun is just a sweet memory when you stand outside in the blistering cold! But because of the clean white snow, the darkest hours don't seem as dark as one imagines.

Be careful if you opt to rent a car (which by the way is a great way to see the surrounding area) and when driving outside of the main towns. Even on main roads and the motorway there is plenty of Reindeer around, all year. The reindeer is a semidomesticated animal which means that you are liable to a fine should you hit one by accident. They are not afraid of cars or people and will therefore make use of public fares. They are almost impossible to detect, why driving at high speed on a road which in most cases is surrounded by forest, may prove lethal for the reindeer as well as for yourself.

If you are tourist and by the beach in the river , be sure you will not be alone for long, so I do not know if its is good or bad, you make your choice according to how nice are the guys ;-)

The consumption of alcoholic drinks is even higher in Rovanimei then the Finnish average, so be aware that some cooks in the hotel kitchen might burn the whole kitchen or the hotel.