Spending 7 days in Lapland in winter means more than just a quick Arctic getaway. In a week, you can chase the Northern Lights, ride through snowy forests, meet reindeer, and finish your nights with a sauna… the way it’s meant to be done in the north.
This itinerary is based on my very first Lapland trip, which still feels special even after several returns. It mixes adventure with downtime, luxury stays with budget tips (because visiting Lapland on a budget is absolutely possible), and plenty of practical advice.
So if you are dreaming of glass igloos, reindeer farms, or simply the silence of frozen landscapes, this 7-day plan will help you make the most of winter in Lapland without rushing.
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Things to Keep in Mind Before Using My Lapland Itinerary
This 7-day plan comes from one of my real trips when my husband and I traveled from Helsinki to Rovaniemi and spent almost two weeks in the region. For the sake of this guide, I’ve cut out a few “work days” and extra activities to make it fit a week. If you only have 5–6 days, you can easily skip one or two stops and it will still work.
We got to Rovaniemi by the Santa Claus overnight train from Helsinki and left the same way. That meant our first day started early and our last day ended late, which gave us extra time.
We also had a rental car. Honestly, that made a huge difference — buses in Lapland don’t run often, and relying on taxis would have been expensive. Driving let us explore without rushing and still join some tours that we wanted without worrying about pickup points. I’ve written a separate guide on car hire in Rovaniemi, worth a read if you are still deciding.
Where we stayed
On this trip, we kept it simple for most nights and then added a bit of comfort:
- Jaana’s airbnb – cheap little studio for 2 in a residential neighborhood of Rovaniemi
- Inari Wilderness Hotel – cozy 3-star hotel in Inari that gave us a proper “wind-down” break after busy days
Other Places We Considered
I also had a few other options saved while planning this trip. If you’re looking for alternatives, these might be worth a look:
- Kotilahti apartment – one of the most affordable flats in the center of Rovaniemi
- Foxfires Boutique Hotel – wilderness cabin in Levi, just like a hut from a fairytale book
- Wilderness Hotel Nelilm – deep in the wild with near-guaranteed Northern Lights
Tours & Activities We Had on This Lapland Itinerary:
- Reindeer farm visit – included feeding & short ride
- Backcountry skiing tour – guided cross-country skiing experience
Other Tours We Considered
- Snowmobile safari in Inari – two in one, snowmobiling & reindeer experience together
- Traditional Sauna & Ice Swimming – private session in a vintage 1985 sauna with a plunge into icy water
- Korouoma Canyon & Frozen Waterfalls – dramatic frozen falls in winter, but tricky to reach if you only have a small car
7 Days Lapland Itinerary – Quick Overview
- Day 1: Arrival in Rovaniemi, Day in the City, Car Rental, Evening Walk
- Day 2: Reindeer Farm, Arktikum, Santa Claus Village
- Day 3: Backcountry Skiing + Northern Lights Tour With Photo Shoot
- Day 4: Easy Day Around Rovaniemi
- Day 5: Drive to Lake Inari
- Day 6: Explore Inari + Sauna Time
- Day 7: Return to Rovaniemi & Departure
7 Days in Lapland – Step-by-Step Route
Day 1
Our Lapland adventure started the moment the train pulled into Rovaniemi. With a full day ahead, we mixed city exploring with practical things like picking up the car, and still ended the evening with a quiet forest walk.
Early arrival in Rovaniemi, train arrives at 11:15 AM.
If you can’t check into your hotel or apartment at this time, drop your luggage in the storage room right at the train station. Be sure to leave the train quickly to secure a spot – there are very few lockers but a lot of people. And then head out to the city.
If your accommodation allows early check-in, take advantage of it, settle in, and then go out to explore Rovaniemi.
Start this first day with a leisurely walk through the town center and along the riverbank to get a feel for the city.
By now, you’ll likely be hungry, so I recommend grabbing lunch at Thaibaan Ravintola, a fantastic Thai cafe located on the ground floor of the shopping center Revontuli. Their €12 lunch deal includes access to a salad bar, tea, coffee, cookies, and a main dish of your choice.
Alternatively, check out Saigon Noodle Bar. While it may seem surprising to suggest Asian eateries in the heart of Lapland, these spots are quite popular and reasonably priced. Save local dishes and traditional cuisine for later – you’ve got a full 7 days ahead to enjoy them!
After lunch, head to the airport (or return to the train station) to pick up your rental car. We planned the timing so that we rented the car starting at 4:30 PM, as returning it at the same time on the last day fit perfectly with the train schedule. To get to the airport from the train station we took a bus which cost €16 for two people.
Once we picked up the car, we stopped by a grocery store to stock up on some food, checked into our apartment, and prepared a quick dinner (a perk of having a place with a kitchen!). After 8 PM, we went for an evening stroll around our neighborhood, heading to the nearby lake.
Since we rented a flat in the Korvanniemi neighborhood, we had a chance to do some late evening walking in a nearby park where on a clear night, it’s even possible to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights (although overall, when it comes to catching aurora in Rovaniemi, there are a few things to know).
If you choose to stay in this area too (or any other not far from the lake or river), don’t miss an evening stroll there (especially if visiting in late November or early December). It’s such an incredible moment walking along snowy paths by the dark, almost black water that’s just starting to freeze in places.
💡Also: If you are traveling on a budget, there are a few places where to stay in Rovaniemi cheap. They cost less compared to most other accommodation options in/around the city.
Day 2
On the second day of this wintery Lapland itinerary, start your morning with breakfast and head out for a magical reindeer farm tour. Here, you’ll have the chance to meet these animals up close, feed them, learn interesting details about their lives, and explore the farm where they are lovingly cared for.
I chose this particular tour because it had excellent reviews and we wanted to start early (some tours go in the second part of the day).
After the farm visit, make your way to the Arktikum Museum, one of the best places to learn about Lapland’s history and Arctic culture. The buffet lunch in the museum café (€15 per person) is excellent too, so it makes sense to time your visit around midday.
We spent about 4 hours at the museum, though if you’re in a rush, you could get through it faster. But honestly, don’t rush – this museum is incredibly interesting, with so much to see and learn!
Later in the afternoon, make your way to Santa Claus Village. Arriving closer to closing time is a game-changer because most people are gone, so you can walk around almost alone, take photos without crowds, and even visit Santa himself without waiting in line!
In fact, we were the very last ones there (Santa’s office closes at 6 PM), and he had such a wonderful chat with us. When we left, the shop was practically empty except for the staff and just a couple of other people – it felt so special like we’d truly visited Santa in his own home!
After Santa’s Village, we returned to our apartment around 8 PM and dedicated the evening to Northern Lights hunting.
TIP: Do the same – chase Northern Lights every night until you spot them, and start from the very first night, especially so if visiting Lapland in November-December.
Day 3
Spend your third day immersed in nature and dedicate it to outdoor adventures. In the morning, head out for a backcountry skiing tour – a unique experience that lets you explore the wilderness of Lapland, away from the usual trails. Glide through a snowy forest and open landscape while enjoying peaceful beauty of untouched Lappish nature. It’s a great way to connect with the Arctic environment while staying active!
During the day, after the tour, take it easy and spend some time in Rovaniemi, sipping coffee with a cinnamon bun in one of the cafes or return to Santa Claus village to explore other places you didn’t see on a previous day.
But! Take it really slowly, because the next activity of this itinerary is quite intense and long.
In the evening, join a Northern Lights hunting tour. These tours are led by experienced guides who know the best spots to catch the aurora, increasing your chances of seeing this magical phenomenon.
This Aurora tour comes with a guarantee and if weather is not permitting, organizers just refund money. But the whole experience is not only about chasing the aurora but also about enjoying the Arctic night in a cozy and memorable way.
Day 4
On this day, I suggest taking it easy (you’ll probably spend half the day catching up on sleep after chasing the aurora on day 3).
Spend some time relaxing in a sauna, head to Ounasvaara Hill for views of Rovaniemi and quiet nature walks, or visit the Apukka Resort area.
At Apukka, you can stop by their nice restaurant for some juice or coffee or even a full meal and explore the beautiful grounds by the lake. Alternatively, consider a trip to Lapland Brewery to sample craft beer and hear interesting stories about its production.
Another option is to drive to the Arctic Snow Hotel (if you are not tired and visiting in the depths of winter) to visit their Ice Hotel on the excursion.
Day 5
On day five, I recommend leaving Rovaniemi behind and heading further north to Lake Inari – one of the most magical places in Lapland. The drive itself is part of the adventure: snowy forests, frozen rivers, and long empty roads that make you feel like you’re truly in the Arctic.
We chose Inari over Levi on purpose. Levi is heavily tourist-oriented, and while it’s convenient, it’s also crowded and more expensive. Inari, on the other hand, is untouched, calm, and far more authentic. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of the trip.
For this part of the itinerary, we stayed at Inari Hotel (I share more about it and who it is best suited for in my Wilderness Hotel Inari review). It had a good ratio of comfort and price, not over-the-top luxury, but still with special touches like a sauna by the lake to warm up in and a nice restaurant.
From here we even caught one of our most unforgettable Northern Lights shows right above the lake.
If you are comparing options, you could also look at Wilderness Hotel Nellim & Igloos (deeper in the wild with higher chances of aurora, but more expensive and remote) or Hotel Juutua, sister property of Wilderness Hotel, where we spent a day enjoying their riverside sauna and restaurant (photos below).
There’s even the unique Lake Inari Mobile Cabins — small glass igloos parked directly on the frozen lake, where you can watch the aurora from bed.
Day 6
There’s more to do around Lake Inari than you could possibly fit into a single day, so think of this part of the itinerary as flexible depending on your energy levels and interests.
We decided to keep it slow: snowshoeing in the forest, time in the sauna, and then an easy evening by the lake playing in the snow and catching the northern lights. Later that night, instead of driving anywhere, we simply stepped outside our hotel and were rewarded with one of the most beautiful aurora displays of the whole trip.
If you prefer to stay more active, Inari also has options like snowmobiling, husky safaris, and cultural visits to Siida Museum.
Day 7
On the final morning of your Lapland trip, take time to enjoy breakfast (at Wilderness Hotel, it was generous enough to keep us full well into the day). Then begin the drive back to Rovaniemi.
I recommend leaving at least two hours earlier than Google Maps suggests. In winter, especially from late November to January, roads are always snow-covered and storms can roll in quickly. Even on clear days you’ll be driving slower than expected, and if you want to stop for views or short breaks, that extra buffer makes the journey much less stressful.
As you get closer to Rovaniemi, you’ll probably feel like the week went by too fast… but at the same time, you’ll leave with the sense of having truly experienced Lapland.
That’s the 7-day Lapland itinerary in winter I came up with for our trip! We’re heading back in two weeks on a new route, and I’ll definitely write about that as well.
Planning to Be in the Nordics Longer?
Then here are some of my other posts to plan a trip. For more ideas, subscribe to my newsletter to get other unique itineraries and travel suggestions!
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- Best Museums in Tromso – based on my own experience visiting them all
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