Finland – Adventures in Lapland with Norma
Every room in the Arctic Snow Hotel outside Rovaniemi, Finland, includes artwork done by local artists.
Finland isn’t on my bucket list – at least not in winter. I once spent part of a summer camping above the Arctic Circle in Finland, and that was fun. But in winter, with snow? I don’t think so.
On the other hand, freelance writer Marilyn Jones has wanted to visit Finland – specifically Lapland, at the far north of the country – ever since she saw a nighttime photo of glass-domed igloos half buried in snow.
Snow falls on the Arctic Snow Hotel and Glass Igloos campus.
“There was something surreal about the illuminated structures against the stark white landscape,” she told me. “Just like that I decided to visit Lapland.”
And then she continued…
“Lapland is a vast area, so I had to be realistic about how many destinations I could visit. I knew I wanted to experience a reindeer sleigh ride and dog mushing, an icebreaker cruise, a stop at the SnowHotel, and a visit to Santa Claus Village.
In Rovaniemi, reindeer sleigh rides and snowmobile adventures are offered by Lapland Safaris.
This northern part of Finland is home to only four cities. My research led me to Kemi and Rovaniemi where, it seemed, I could fulfill my wish list including a stay in a glass igloo. My friend Norma, always up for an adventure, agreed to join me. We flew to Helsinki and then to Kemi on Finnair, the national carrier of Finland. Our adventure began almost as soon as we touched down at the tiny airfield.
Kemi, Finland
With a population of just over 20,000, the city, perched on the edge of the Gulf of Bothnia, was easy to navigate on foot. As soon as we checked into Hotel Merihovi, a charming 1940s hotel with lots of Art Deco design elements, we “layered-up” against the cold. We then trudged along in our heavy snow boots, down jackets, and heated gloves toward the frozen sea.
The Kemi Snow Castle extends a warm welcome to adventurous travelers.
Destination: Kemi Snow Castle
Touring the castle and its SnowHotel, SnowRestaurant, and SnowChapel was a study in creativity and fantasy. Local crews constructed the castle, and artisans from China, Russia and Latvia created the beautiful ice and snow sculptures (including medieval wizards) around every turn in the maze of rooms. It was more beautiful than I had imagined.
Sampo Icebreaker
Icebreakers keep shipping lanes navigable; their massive bulk plows through the ice to open up frozen waterways. Sampo, built in 1960, served Finland for nearly 30 years. It was retired when its width could no longer accommodate larger freighters. Today the ship is owned by the city of Kemi and offers the only public icebreaker cruises in the world.
To get to the ship, we rented snowmobiles from Lapponia Safaris. I had never snowmobiled before, but there I was with Norma clinging to me as we raced across the frozen water toward Sambo. Between trying to keep up with the other snowmobilers and Norma screaming in my ear to slow down, we made it to the ship where other passengers were waiting.
The Sampo is the only icebreaker in the world offering public cruises.
After a short tour, followed by a lunch of salmon soup, we spent our time watching from the bow as the ship crashed through the ice exposing the frigid water below.
At the end of the excursion, passengers had an opportunity to float in the sea while dressed in rescue suites. I passed on the option, but Norma gave it a try. Waddling along she descended the gangplank to the sea where she was helped into the water. The sight was comical. Norma, along with the other brave souls, looked like bright orange gummy bears floating in an ice cold beverage.
Do you agree these icebreaker passengers look like orange gummy bears in their rescue suits?
Rovaniemi, Finland
Ready for the next adventure, we took the train to Rovaniemi – a city of 60,000 on the Arctic Circle and the capital of Finnish Lapland. After checking into the Hotel Santa Claus, we walked to the Safartica office where we were outfitted with a warm jumpsuit and other gear for an exciting afternoon of dog mushing.
The dogs barked and yipped when we arrived at the husky farm. Our host Hannah gave us a quick lesson about controlling the sled and the dogs – and off we went on a 10-mile trail through the snow-covered forest that looked like an illustration from a kids’ book of fairytales.
Later, we joined Lapland Safaris and snowmobiled along the Kemijoki River to a reindeer farm. Here, we learned about reindeer farming, took a reindeer sleigh ride, fed young reindeer, and went sledding.
Customers belly up to the bar in the Arctic Snow Hotel for a nice cold drink.
Keeping warm in Lapland
Safari outfitters provide outerwear to assure guests stay warm, but if you’re not on a tour, check out coats and jackets at L.L. Bean or REI and make sure you have snow boots, gloves or mittens, and a face mask. For extra warmth you can use rechargeable heated shoe insoles and rechargeable heated gloves.
Meeting Santa Claus
Our last day in Lapland was spent visiting Santa Claus and touring Santa Claus Village, including Santa Claus Post Office where more than half a million letters arrive for the Jolly Ole Elf every year. After visiting with Santa who, by the way, says “everyone under the age of 100 is a child,” we took another reindeer sleigh ride, toured Snowman World and still had time for shopping.
The view from the inside of the glass igloo where we were warm and comfortable.
Our last stop was also our accommodations for the night. Finally! I made it to the Arctic Snow Hotel and Glass Igloos where, just like those first Finland photos I saw, Norma and I stayed in a glass-domed igloo.
For more information, contact Visit Kemi, Visit Rovaniemi, and Visit Finland.
Cheers,
Marilyn Jones
The Arctic Snow Hotel near Rovaniemi, Finland.
Category: Finland
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Lapland and the Arctic circle is on my bucket list. I was drawn by pictures of those glass domes in the snow too. That gummy bear float looks a bit painful but is probably a unique experience that I want to try too.