Quick Read: Winter in Finland is truly an amazing travel destination and experience that one should never miss. And here, I share how I spend my 11 days up North.
| Season | Winter |
| Period | End November to Early January |
| Duration | 11 Days 10 Nights |
| Group Size | 2 pax |
| Budget per pax | Approx SGD 4000 |
| Tried and Tested | Yes |
Visiting Finland For the First Time
If you have never been to the North, you definitely should. Visits to the North are becoming more popular nowadays thanks to the availability and frequency of the flights up, and a whole lot more media talking about them.
With major airlines now passing through Helsinki Finland, travellers are more than willing to stop by and visit this beautiful city.
Finland is known as part of the Scandinavia region, or at least in the modern times now.
Situated in the Northern Europe, the Scandinavia region today is commonly refer to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland.
You may sometimes also hear others including Faroe Island or Aland Island into the region too.
Tip: Wanted to fly to Finland but always find it expensive? Well, you’re in luck! Whenever there’s a nice airfare deal, I would share it on my blog. Hey, in fact, I had just the right one for you! Check out this note that included Helsinki in it: http://bit.ly/FlyEU900
What to expect in this Northern Country
Since I have been to Finland multiple times, I hope to share as much pleasant experiences I had throughout my time there.
No, I am not paid to do that but from a genuine experience.
I really love this country… like a lot.
Certainly, there are many other nice and beautiful places as well and I definitely would not say that it is the most nicest country of all. But surely, being ranked as one of the finest country in the world counts right?
The people there are amongst the few I have interacted with that are the nicest and friendliest. Moving around the city is also easy and less complicated than their counterparts.
I for one, enjoyed taking their tram rides within the city and only took the subway if I need to traverse across larger distance in a shorter time.
Food option is plenty too since you’re in the city, and there is also the largest shopping mall in Helsinki – Topmann. For all shoppers, the shopping mall is another big plus to enjoy your time in the city.
Premium brands and branded goods are readily available here and often cheaper than in Singapore (well needless to say huh?). So guys, you know what you need to do right?
Hint: it’s best to include one of her favourite activity so you can include yours too (winks)
If you also have the time in the world, why don’t you consider taking your queen, or for the lady your king, for a short simple yet full of pleasantry stroll down its streets during the evening?
I am of great certainty you will find that much needed date or alone time with your soulmate, is already overdue.
Their evenings reward you with beautiful vibrant skies, lively and full of laughter streets, tentages like funfairs and the opportunity to walk the park that is usually quiet (unless there is an event).
The Overview Of This Trip
The itinerary covers two main locations in Finland, Helsinki and Rovaniemi.
Without being too ambitious and balancing the pace of the trip, I would think the choice of the number of locations to cover is extremely important.
Before we dive into the details, let me share with you the broad overview of the cost breakdown.
This should give you a better idea of where you’re spending on.
| Flight to Helsinki | SGD 1,100 per pax |
| Stay in Helsinki | SGD 127 |
| Flight to Rovaniemi | SGD 375 per pax |
| Stay in Rovaniemi | SGD 1,455 |
| Activities in Rovaniemi | SGD 1,050 |
| Expenses | SGD 1000 per pax |
| Transport | Approx SGD 366 |
Total cost of the trip: SGD 8,000 (rounded up)
But hang on. Why 11 days? Isn’t that a weird duration to work with?
Well… As always, we travel with a budget in mind so finding the right dates and duration is the key in shaping our itineraries.
In this case, the stars alignment reveals that we have to travel 11 days… And so it shall be.
Kidding! Actually, it’s really just because the air tickets configuration and our work arrangement just fits better with 1 lesser day as well.
Plus, our itinerary was simple enough to keep it short and sweet.
Since the itinerary is only 11 days in Finland, the duration breakdown below will help you understand the time spent on each location and why 11 days is more than enough for us.
| Travel dates | 29 Dec to 09 Jan, 11D10N |
| Helsinki | 30 Dec to 31 Dec, 2D1N |
| Rovaniemi | 31 Dec to 05 Jan, 6D5N |
| Helsinki | 05 Jan to 09 Jan, 5D4N |
Getting to Rovaniemi and the activities
There are obviously a few options, but if time is of essence – which it is for us – then flying up is the best and fastest.
Just so you know, you can also ride their train up for about 8+ hours for approximately SGD 410 per pax (checked on the date of writing this note).
It can be a little cheaper than flying sometimes, but you’re going to sacrifice a lot more on the time though.
Read Also: There are more options to get to Rovaniemi City Centre now. Want to know more? Find out here.
That being said, traveling by train is a different kind of experience, one I ought to eventually do some day too.
When I managed to do that, be sure to keep an eye out for my review!
The most frequent airline heading upwards is actually Norwegian it seems. If they are not the most frequent, at least they do offer good selection of timing and prices.
The other airline option to try is SAS and booking of these domestic flights are rather simple too, really.
What is really great and convenient is that Norwegian airline also include 1x checked in baggage of 20kg right off the bat.
So the prices shown in their booking page, is all in!
With approximately 6 days in Rovaniemj, we get to explore some of the most popular attractions in town and have one or two days to just simply explore the area.
You’re encouraged to tweak and configure to your own taste here, and I’m sure everything will still work out just fine. For example, instead of going Rovaniemi, another popular place is Yilas.
For more details on the recommendations, refer to the last section down below later.
No, yes read it later. I know you are excited and all, but stay with me please.
Anyhow, below are the details of the flight we took to go to Rovaniemi. And it’s here, most of our activities and fun kick off!
| Travel dates | 31 Dec to 05 Jan |
| Route | Helsinki to Rovaniemi to Helsinki |
| Flight Duration | 1 hour |
| Period | 5 Days |
| Airfare | SGD 375 per pax (incl. all taxes) |
| Airline | Norwegian |
Total cost at this point: SGD 2950
Experiencing Finnish’s traditional sport – Ice Fishing and Snow-mobile
The first activity in our list, and I would say it’s one of the “must-do!”, is ice fishing package! See, in these very cold countries, the top of the lake is frozen but not all the way through.
So you’re essentially walking on top of a lake!
I have gotten myself an ice fishing + snow mobile package during my trip and what’s great about packages like this is that you’re doing two activities in a day!
If you haven’t ride a snow mobile before, then you should.
Although the vehicle is heavy and may seen hard to manoeuvre at the beginning, but once you get the hang of it, it’s going to be fun! Enjoy that thrill of speed too.
Such activities are really popular in Finland so there’re certainly quite a few operators in Rovaniemi, but I’ve personally went ahead with Safartica.
And I must say. I didn’t regret it one bit!
Safartica has managed to deliver my expectation and the guides are really friendly. We chatted for a bit and he shared with us on his journey in exploring Lapland.
It’s amazing to hear stories from locals who really appreciate what their home country has to offer.
Note: For this particular activity, they do have operation days. Refer to below information and I would suggest to just double confirm with the company if it is running on that day you want.
| Tour Time | Daytime |
| Duration | 5 hours |
| Location | Somewhere in Lapland |
| Transportation | Yes |
| Cost Per Pax | Approx SGD 250 (incl. gear rentals) |
| Tour Agency | Safartica |
| Note | Operating only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays |
Total cost at this point: SGD 3450
Chasing the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi
The next activity on my list is rather obvious. You might even be asking this “why isn’t it first on your list?!”.
Well… I guess because it’s hyped too much. Don’t get me wrong, it’s really beautiful and magical. But the way it was hyped made it feel almost expected to see it when you are there.
The truth is, it is elusive. Some may even akin it to “having fate/luck to see it”.
But yes, I am talking about Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis as it’s otherwise known as. And no, there is no guarantee or sure win tours out there at all. At least not to my knowledge.
If there ever was, people would’ve flocked there and it would be the most talked/recommended tour operator in TripAdvisor. That said, if you do come across one, don’t be silly and share the joy! (Hee!)
I’ve been to the North many times and for some reason, we never got the chance to see it dancing right in front of our eyes. Tell me about luck to see it.
I went for one of this Northern Lights Photography tour with a company called “Wild Nordic”.
While we did not manage to see the lights and encountered some hiccups, it was still quite an experience at the end of the day.
The van carrying all 7-8 of us out into the wild, got caught up with deep snow. We were stranded for a good 30 minutes or so before the other party came over to haul our vehicle out.
It was also my first experience to push a large vehicle trapped in snow!
It is difficult, I am telling you. But I must say that overall, it’s really satisfying having all the teamwork to get the vehicle out of the snow.
| Tour Time | Night time |
| Duration | 5 hours |
| Location | They will bring you to the common spots |
| Transportation | Yes |
| Cost Per Pax | Approx SGD 190 (incl. gear rentals) |
| Tour Agency | Wild Nordic |
Total cost at this point: SGD 3830
They do, however, attempt to teach you photography tricks in capturing the lights and show you on camera screen how to spot for one if it is faint – if you don’t already know how.
As this occurs late at night, that gives you the daytime to do something else. We effectively combined the town exploring piece with the northern lights hunting tour within a day.
Alternatively, you can always squeeze in one more activity in the day – if you’re not tired that is. It’s going to be a long long day for you then. But fun!
Have a great time skiing at Pyha Ski Resort
Before the trip, I thought it was also time for us to try something new. Coming from Singapore, skiing is certainly not immediately accessible for us.
We had and always have been wanting to try out ski at some point in our winter travels. So this is it then.
Finland does have quite a number or ski resorts for you to pick. And the most popular one seems to be Levi.
Levi is a very large ski resort where the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is held. Many pro-skiers or ski-enthusiast would flock to Finland to participate or watch the competition.
It’s also worth noting that Levi is very suitable for all types of levels, including beginners and children. With 3 slopes meant for the experts, highest vertical drop of 325 metres and the longest slope measuring 2.1km, it’s no wonder Levi Ski Resort is so popular!
Given the time constraints and location of Levi ski resort, we thought it better to find a closer one. And that’s how we discovered Pyha Ski resort.
As amateur skier, you won’t be able to tell the difference. At least not immediately. So if you ask me, frankly speaking it doesn’t matter if you find the best ski resort.
Just go and ski, and enjoy as much as you can!
It’s a fantastic experience and we had a total blast that day. There’s a bus scheduled to go up and down the mountain, so it’s very convenient for you to decide this at the very last minute.
This should provide you a good reference and help in your planning as well. You may also wish to refer to Pyha ski resort website for further details.
Check out: https://pyha.fi/en/skiresort/skipasses
At that time we went, our bus ticket cost about 108 euro 2-ways, so that is about SGD 160 for 2 pax.
Note: These info are shared at the time of writing and being there. However, since then these bus timing and ticket costs may have also changed. Please ensure you do your due diligence in advance before booking.
Oh, and before I forget you will also need to rent the ski clothes and gears up there too. It costs about 32 euro, SGD 50, for 2 pax.
| Transport | SGD 80 per pax |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Ski lesson package | SGD 88 per pax (for 2 pax. if 1 pax, it’s SGD 118) |
| Inclusive | Ski pass and equipment for 2 hours |
| Ski Instructor? | Yes |
| Duration | 80 mins |
Total cost at this point: SGD 4120 (rounded up)
Since we are not staying up there, we had the total flexibility to go anytime we want.
But I have to warn you again – if this is your first time of course – that you will be insanely tired and would almost love to just crash at their resort.
I know we did. And we sort of regretted not booking one. We were desperate enough to ask the receptionist for empty rooms and waited/rested an hour just to try our luck.
But of course, who am I kidding. Why in the world would anyone give up a chance to ski the whole day and just crash there?
Reluctantly, we took the bus down and rest back in our Airbnb nest.
Lesson learned for us – Book a place to crash for physical activities next time!
| Tour Time | Daytime |
| Duration | Whole day (day-pass) |
| Location | Pyha Ski Resort |
| Transportation | No (have to purchase shuttle bus ticket – see above) |
| Cost Per Pax | SGD 130 (incl. equipment rentals) |
| Tour Agency | Pyha Ski Resort |
Total cost at this point: SGD 4250
Note: I’m sharing 2 sets of costs above and both includes transport. The cost is an either or option. Of course, you may decide to ski the remaining of the day and in that case, the cost will differ greatly from the above. Point is, to understand the above, just pick one of the cost and move forward.
Visiting where Santa Claus supposedly is
With only 2 days left, I felt the pace would even out with one final activity. Remember I mentioned about a place that is unique to Finland? Yeah, now is the time to slot this in.
We are taking a day trip out to the Santa Claus village to explore, wander and indulge in the Christmas seasonal celebration.
There is a bus out from Rovaniemi to Santa Claus village within 10 minutes walk from the city centre.
The bus runs on a schedule as well, so be mindful about the first and last bus.
Cost wise, it is really nothing to worry about – the usual bus fare to expect, approx SGD 11 to 13 return ticket per pax. I am putting this into the expense category instead.
So what is really fascinating about the Santa Claus village, besides it being all Santa Claus-y? Well, for a start it is right at the edge of the Arctic Circle.
You will find pillars within the vicinity and that basically indicates the ring of Arctic Circle.
What’s Arctic Circle you say? It is the Northern-most tip circle of Earth.
Being one of the few countries that is in it, you get to purchase a certificate copy of you crossing this mark. For some of us, this is one of the bucket list. And might I add that this is one of the easiest one to crossed out in your list.
In the village, there are also ton of activities you can do, such as dog sledging, snow mobiling and reindeer riding. There is also a small campfire there which I suspect at night people would crowd around and have fun.
Once you enter the Santa Claus house, there is quite a fair bit of shopping and souvenirs for you to look at.
I think what is truly unique is how the place is always full of lively, happiness and joyous occasion that on its own, is already a cause to jump up and celebrate. Cheers on to the new year, would ya?
Grab some food if you would like, a hot cup of coffee is always appreciated in a cold weather like this.
I highly recommend to take a day to visit this place, if not half a day. Winter days are short anyway, so by the time you really finish up it is almost close to the end of the day.
| One-way ticket cost per pax | SGD 5 |
| Day ticket cost per pax | SGD 13 |
Total cost at this point: SGD 4150 (rounded up)
Simple but experiential enough for you to cover the basics and beauty of winter in Finland. That is not to say that it is all of it for sure, as there are way more than these places to check out, have fun and create memories.
Check out on my section below where I recommend a couple other activities to consider (or swap out the above if you wish).
Our Accommodation in Rovaniemi
Picking a place to stay that is easily accessible but also close proximity to city centre or transport, has always been a key factor for most of us.
Hotels are available in Rovaniemi and there are a few good picks worth considering. However, we wanted to try out a different experience in sharing apartments with fellow travelers.
We eventually settled with a rather large apartment with 3 bedrooms, and us booking one of them.
The experience was really unique and interesting as we interacted with different groups of people.
What is even more interesting was that the Airbnb host actually knows Santa Claus in person! He was Santa Claus’s doctor for a long time and had assisted to treat many others as well.
It was quite an interesting conversation with him as he shared stories and the down side of living in winter.
| Apartment | Santa’s Hideaway II |
| Location | Pekankatu 3a 2, Rovaniemi 96200 |
| Duration | 5D4N |
| Host | Lei Han |
| Cost | SGD 1454 |
| Provider | Airbnb |
Total cost at this point: SGD 5600 (rounded down)
Staying in this location actually covers all 3 of our activities spot.
It is only a couple of minutes walk to Safartica’s office for our Ice fishing tour and Wild Nordic’s office for aurora hunting tour, and a short walk to the location to take the bus to Santa Claus village.
The only one that was quite a distance away, was the bus to Pyha ski resort. For that, we did walk a pretty long distance before we finally found the location. And we almost missed the bus!
Rovaniemi’s stay is relatively simple, since the itinerary is straightforward too. The way the activities were picked, was to remain within the walking vicinity (or within the 3 km diameter) so that everything is easy.
Certainly, you do not have to follow this method but if you are new to the place or worry about having things gone wrong, at least this itinerary is done and tested.
Our Stay in Helsinki and what we do
I have always been fascinated by Helsinki. I will not go back Singapore missing out on this city. For once, I actually wanted to explore a city.
So I eventually decided to split equally between Helsinki and Rovaniemi. Because I know, it only calls for a reason to come back again next time (winks).
You can check yourself into a hotel for maybe just a little more. And all the things you have to do on your own in Airbnb, well you don’t need to in a hotel.
And since you’re in a city, perhaps hotels are the best way to enjoy your stay there.
Tip: It’s true that living in the outskirts in Europe, sometimes it’s just more convenient to prepare meals on your own or obtain groceries from nearby marts. You would find lesser dining options as compared to the marts. However, in a city, it’s quite the opposite. Obvious tip but food for thought in your planning!
That said, I have not tried them yet.
It is only from a cost-effectiveness perspective that I am giving this suggestion. Because we went for Airbnb, of a really really small apartment – essentially it is a shoe-box home – for about SGD 80 a night.
Sure, that is very cheap. But I have to emphasise this – it is REALLY small.
If you are crashing in for just a night, sure it is no problem at all. In fact, I would say do it my way and book this one too. But for 4 nights? Even I wasn’t entirely sure. I had my own reservations after the 2nd day.
But to be fair, the apartment is beautiful and very clean. It also has everything you need for 2.
A double bed that can be transformed to provide space, a kitchen decent to cook for 2, microwave, oven and a toilet. What more do you need?
| Apartment | Cute & Quiet City Center Studio for 1-2 |
| Location | Lapinlahdenkatu 11, 00101 Helsinki, Finland |
| Duration | 5D4N |
| Cost | SGD 368 |
| Provider | Airbnb |
Total cost at this point: SGD 5970 (rounded up)
So my point is, it is a give and take here. You give up a tad bit on comfort, to take a major discount off what you would have paid in a hotel or a relatively sized home. And vice versa.
In the end, it is really about your preferences but also the cost. We did what we had to, to keep within a certain budget but also to try out new experiences.
Otherwise how would I be able to give you feedbacks and suggestions here? 😆
What I truly like about Airbnb and why I am a great supporter of it is not only for that cost effectiveness they gave to us travelers.
But that local interaction you get is unique, genuine and it is an extraordinary experience one can get when visiting another country.
It also makes you feel at home. And home, is what it all matters to us. It is the place we feel comfy, rest and recharge, and safe.
Tip: Airbnbs can be really comfy if you wish to keep everything else simple. It’s a home after all. So many things will need your own hands and attention. But small apartments can really be a big problem if you’re staying for more than 2 nights – It can get a little more uncomfortable than expected.
Budgeting for our expenses
And finally, the last part is to include our budget for expenses. In most situation, I like to throw in a bit of buffer here and there.
But in this case, I believe it is more than sufficient as we did not cross the mark of SGD 6000 thus far.
That leaves us the ability to park aside SGD 1000 per pax and still have a tiny bit of window. Here is how the final cost looks like.
| Budget | SGD 1000 per pax |
| In Euro | €663 per pax |
| Buffer | approx SGD 528 |
Total cost at this point: SGD 7970
And yes, if it all matters, some of the transport or what not, are/can be factored into your expenses instead too.
You might say that SGD 1000 is really not a lot in euros. I agree.
But considering the fact that your activity, accommodation and transports are all factored in, the expenses is really for you to spend on meals and souvenirs.
In our case, it was more than sufficient. But it may not be enough for you. Consider adjusting this to fit your needs then.
In all regards, you should not find it difficult to keep within a certain budget.
Well, unless you are a shopper… or itchy fingers.
That, I will not be able to advise you further. But if you are onto a small adventure in a new country, then this might just work out perfectly for you without giving up too much comfort and all.
Other Alternatives and Recommendations
This is the part where some of you are waiting for. Personally, I am happy you stick to the end right up even here.
Some of the activities or locations above can be swapped, obviously, to your liking.
However, I do caution that the planning of your itinerary may change slightly because of that. For example, a brilliant place to consider instead of Rovaniemi is Yilas.
In Yilas alone, there are also plenty of activities for you. For example, some unique experiences such as cable cabin sauna, etc, would certainly help build that wonderful memories in your trip.
If Yilas sounds like a wonderful place for you to check out and yet you do not want to sacrifice Rovaniemi too, consider shortening at both locations then.
I do have to warn you – the pace is going to be faster for you. Per location you may only get up to 3 days each, including transporting around.
If that sounds like something you would try, below is somewhat a plan I thought you could use as the base for setting up your itinerary.
| 30 Dec to 31 Dec | 2D1N in Helsinki |
| 31 Dec to 03 Jan | 4D3N in Rovaniemi |
| – Santa Claus village | |
| – Ice fishing and snow mobile | |
| 03 Jan to 06 Jan | 4D3N in Yilas |
| – Levi ski resort | |
| – Cable cabin sauna | |
| 06 Jan to 07 Jan | 2D1N in Rovaniemi |
| 07 Jan to 09 Jan | 3D2N in Helsinki |
Alternatively, Ivalo is yet another popular location in recent years. It is located further up North and it is peacefully quieter there too.
Many traveled upwards to the North in the hopes of getting higher chances to see Aurora. You may wish to give it a try?
Final verdict
Ever since I landed in Helsinki during my transition to Iceland, I had quickly grown fond of Finland and fell completely in love with this country.
Since then, it has always been our plan to visit again, but properly, and that didn’t happen until 2 years ago. Best yet, we are planning another visit soon!
This 10 days trip to Finland had been nothing short of an incredible winter experience for us.
People there are generally friendly and approachable, so have some fun interacting with people!
Finland is also a culture rich country where you find yourself learning much about their history and how the modern culture is like.
In my own sense, the country has just about all the things I want to do and a little bit of everything – shopping, outdoors, sports, adventures, culture and history, and more.
if you have already been to Finland or it is not your type but would like to see more, let me know where is your next interested destination. Perhaps I do happen to have something worked out already?
Either way, these notes exist to share ideas and inspire adventures. It is not anyone’s yardstick and should only serve as a reference point for your planning.
I hope this note really does help in your planning, and I sincerely wish you all the best in your trip and have a pleasant journey ahead!
If you faced any problems planning, let me know what are some of the common problems down below in the comments and maybe I can help?
Cheers, signing off for now.
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