Finnish Lapland

I visited Lapland in March 2017. I had just become a passionate about photography and had just bought my first camera, a Sony DSC RIV, and as first trip I decided to go in Lapland, hunting the Northern Lights . March is one of the best months to see it and in fact we were lucky enough to see it for three nights. The tour we did includes the start of the holiday in Rovaniemi and then a car trip through snowy roads and frozen lakes to Saariselkä, much further north. The travel program includes activities to do during the day, but of course it is good to have dinner early and then dedicate every night to the aurora hunting. It is important to leave early and consider spending hours in the car, because it is never possible to know when the Northern Lights will manifest. It is important to check the weather and use the magnetic activity apps. However, if you are lucky enough to see it, the Northern Lights are one of the most beautiful and fascinating spectacles you can watch.

1. Hunt the Northern Lights

The most beautiful and unmissable thing to do if you visit Lapland is to go hunting for the Northern Lights. The Aurora Borealis is a terrestrial magnetic phenomenon, you see it better as you go further north, and Lapland is one of the ideal places to admire it. The Northern Lights appear in the form of bright white-green bands that brighten the sky from east to west for thousands of kilometers. The lights seem to dance and move in the night sky.
The months of October, November and March are those that present the best conditions to see the Northern Lights. It is important to be prepared to spend a lot of time in the evening outdoors or in the car (preferably between 21 and 2am), hoping that the Northern Lights appear, and position yourself in an elevated place and outdoors, without too many trees around. We were incredibly lucky and we saw the Northern Lights for three nights, the first of which just got off the plane and while we were going to the hotel!!

2. Walk on one of the many frozen lakes

Finnish Lapland is full of lakes that become completely frozen in winter and can be traveled on foot or by snowmobiles.
We were lucky enough to have our own house right in front of one of these lakes. If the day is sunny, it is wonderful to walk on one of these lakes, admiring the expanse of ice and the sun reflecting off the icy surface.

3. Eat one of the typical delicious salmon soups

Typical Lappish dishes range from reindeer meat to salmon meatballs or various hot soups.
In general, the cuisine is based on traditionally available foods: fish, meat, milk, potatoes. As in March, the month when we visited Lapland, the temperature was around minus 10 degrees, I especially enjoyed the salmon soups, very hot and creamy, ideal for warming up after an outdoor walk.

4. Overcome the imaginary line of the Arctic polar circle

The line of the Arctic polar circle, in Finnish called Napapiiri, is the southernmost line within which the sun never sets for at least one day a year. This line is located about 8km from Rovaniemi, and specifically within the village of Santa Claus.
A white line indicates that you are inside the Arctic polar circle. The Village of Santa Claus is a place mainly for tourists, full of souvenirs and attractions, but it is worth stopping to say that you have crossed the imaginary line and have been inside the Arctic polar circle.

5. Admire the sun setting on a frozen lake

In Lapland in March the sun sets at around 4:30pm, so it is important to wake up very early in the morning to make the most of the day from the first hours of light.
But at the same time you have the opportunity to enjoy beautiful landscapes, traveling by car as we did up and down the snowy streets of Finland, and at sunset enjoy the spectacle of the sun setting reflecting its light on the snow, and making everything around a romantic pinkish color.

6. Visit the Ranua zoo, observing the typical animals of the polar areas

Ranua is a small town known for its beautiful zoo, which mainly hosts typical animals of the Finnish fauna, as well as some species coming from areas to the north, such as polar bears and musk oxen.
The visit lasts about three hours and is completely outdoors (so once you have finished the tour you have really frozen hands and feet) and you start with various species of birds like beautiful owls and majestic eagles, and ends with the polar bear and mammals like foxes and wolves.

7. Go on a reindeer or husky safari

One of the typical activities you can do in Lapland is a safari on sledges pulled by Husky or reindeer.
Actually, the most popular, chosen by most tourists, is the one on Husky sleds, because the sled goes much faster and is a lot of fun. But we have chosen the most traditional and most typical method, to get closer to what were the local customs: the reindeer sleigh. In fact, the reindeer safari was a traditional method of transport of the Lapps.
The tour begins by dressing appropriately with full thermal suits provided by the safari organizers, then you are led to the breeding of reindeer, and then begins the safari with reindeer in the woods. In the middle of the safari you stop and have the opportunity to take a hot tea by the fire, in the middle of the snow-covered forest, and to feed the reindeer.

8. Take a ride on an icebreaker in Kemi

Kemi is a small town in western Lapland and an important port.
Its port houses the Sampo, an out-of-service icebreaker, which offers the opportunity to make expensive but memorable trips out to sea. The four-hour cruise includes a meal and a swim in the ice, which can be done thanks to special mutes. The best time is when ice is thicker. that is, the month of March. The ship sails from the port of Ajos, ​​11km south of Kemi. It is necessary to book well in advance.

9. Stare at the typical small houses surrounded only by snow

In Lapland, in the months when the snow covers all the nature around, and traveling through the snowy streets and in various cities from south to north as we did, you can come across the small typical colored houses, which are surrounded only by snow around.
They often are totally lonely, without other houses around. They are small, colored and with a very sloping roof, and they are a truly fascinating sight because in our big cities it is not a phenomenon that we are used to seeing a small solitary house surrounded only by snow and woods.

10. Spend an hour relaxing in the Finnish sauna after a walk in the snow at minus 10 degrees

One of the most beautiful, relaxing and necessary things (after walking hours at minus 10 degrees the sauna is not just a wish, but a necessity) that you can do in Lapland is take an hour at the end of the day to relax in the typical Finnish sauna. Every hotel and every house has a sauna, this because it was a typical custom of the Lapps who had worked in the cold for many hours to grow or fish, use the sauna to warm up at the end of the day.
Finns alternate sauna with a bath in icy water, then return to the sauna and so on, but we were not so reckless, we were happy to spend an hour in the sauna in the evening, after returning home and having spent the whole day in the cold, as a moment of relaxation at the end of the day.

When to go?

Winter

It is the coldest period, but ideal for those who want to experience the Christmas atmosphere.

Spring

It’s the best time for skiing, dog sledding or reindeer safaris and snowmobiling.

Summer

You will find a lot of mud because the snow has melted completely, moreover in the month of July the insects can be very annoying. But if you come to Lapland to go hiking, August is the ideal time.

Autumn

In September you can admire the marvel of ruska, the autumn coloring of the leaves. But from October the landscape begins to be covered by snow.

The best time to visit Lapland really depends on what you want to do: safari with Husky or snowmobile. hiking or, like me, admire the Northern Lights. In general, however, spring is the best time to visit Lapland, because the snow begins to melt, the days get longer and the cold becomes more bearable.
I visited Lapland in March, and it was a great choice. We enjoyed several sunny days, we could make a safari, the cold weather was bearable (although obviously it is necessary to cover a lot because the temperature was about minus 10 degrees) and I saw the Northern Lights for three nights. So as ideal periods I would definitely recommend March and April.
If instead you visit Lapland for hiking, then summer and August in particular is the ideal month: abundant light and sunshine and pleasant temperatures. 

three unmissable stops

Best photos spots

I’m a photographer, so I’m always looking for the best corner in the world to make the perfect picture. Often, with great pleasure of my traveling companions, I also spend hours staring at the landscape, waiting for the perfect moment with perfect light. Therefore, when I decided to create my blog, I could not avoid to include a dedicated section to photography enthusiasts like me, always looking for the landscape that leaves you breathless. Hope you will enjoy these places where, in my opinion, you can enjoy wonderful landscapes and take the best pictures.