Sightseeing in Lapland - what to see. Complete travel guide

Lapland attracts vacationers with its clean and serene nature. Walking through the beautiful forests, fishing and winter reindeer safaris make it a paradise for fans of active recreation. Travelers visit Lapland year-round, as there are always opportunities for fascinating pastime.

Beach goers will be interested in the western and southern parts of Lapland, where many rivers flow. Relaxing vacation on the beach can be successfully combined with fishing; fishers are attracted by these places. Those who prefer hiking would find northern Lapland more interesting; it features beautiful forests and numerous tourist routes. Winter holidays deserve special attention. First snow in Lapland falls in mid-October; this is when a huge selection of the most unusual entertainment options appears. Husky safaris, skiing and snowboarding, walking around snow-covered forests and snowmobiling – those are just a few of entertainment options offered by local resorts. Local ski resorts feature upscale tracks of different difficulty; each of them is bound to the ski school.

As soon as snow starts to melt, fans of hunting and fishing, equestrian rides and hiking, biking and rafting come to Lapland. Vacationers also enjoy high-end leisure at local resorts. There are also golf courses, tennis courts and riding schools. With regard to cultural activities, it’s worth to note Sodankylä and Tankavaara, where interesting museums and historical monuments are situated. The most unusual venue is considered the Gold Museum, where every visitor can feel like a real gold digger. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Every year a large number of festivals and sporting events are held in Lapland. Kemi, Tornio, Rovaneimi and Kemiyavri are the most notable towns of the region. Fans of exciting excursions and nightlife would enjoy the time there, and gourmets will be delighted by restaurants of local cuisine.

Lapland is an ideal place for family recreation, as the village of Santa Claus is located exactly in this region of Finland. It is an attraction of global significance. Every day, Santa’s Residence is visited by many tourists from all over the world. In the village, there are a lot of entertainments for children of different age, such as playgrounds and a themed museum. It is more interesting to visit the village on the New Year's Eve. At this time of the year, visitors can enjoy more entertainments.

In winter, Lapland is also visited by fans of unusual entertainments. The region is perfectly suitable for watching the Northern Lights. A few years ago, this type of entertainments was considered as a trial only for the strongest people, as tourists had to spend several hours outside. Today, there are several special hotels on forest land. There are icehouses with a transparent roof. Now, you can watch the Northern Lights in complete comfort.

Nature admirers have an access to the other entertainment. They can admire reindeer in their natural habitat. Tours to local nature reserves are regularly organized, so animals have long got used to people and are not afraid of them at all. You even can feed a deer under the guidance of the tour guide. In winter, one of the most popular entertainments among the guests of the region is riding in a deer sled.

In December, one of the most famous ice hotels in the world annually opens in Rovaniemi. It has long gained the status of a global attraction too. This hotel is completely made of ice. Its guests are offered to spend several days in ice rooms and to visit an ice pub. An ice chapel is also built on the territory of the hotel every year. It is very popular with newlyweds.

The region does not lack traditional entertainments. In all the cities and towns, there are excellent stores and shopping centers offering their guests the products of the local production. Such gifts, as sweaters, hats, socks, and gloves of natural wool are especially popular with tourists. Local stores also sell very interesting handmade items of antlers and wood. Jewelry with Sami symbols is popular with rich tourists. Gourmets can taste here meat specialties, for example, dried venison. In Lapland, you can also taste exquisite mint liqueur called Mintu.