Tips to plan Finland tour in Christmas

If you are planning to Spend this Christmas in Finland and wondering how to plan this tour, then you are at the right page. In this article, we are going to give you tips on how to plan your Finland tour in Christmas 2024. Finland is becoming a popular winter destination, especially the Finnish Lapland . The concept of the northern lights, Santa Claus village in Rovaniemi, Igloo Stay, Ice Breaker cruise, and other winter sports has attracted so many travellers from around the globe to visit Finland in recent years.

The country’s tourism authority has seen an opportunity, and they are now fully focused on grabbing it. Expanding the number of Igloo stays and initiating direct flights from bigger markets around the world are some of the efforts they have already put in. That being said, tourists should now be fully assured that Finland is welcoming tourists with Zeast.

With our decade of experience dealing with the Finnish tourism industry, we are extremely happy to share our knowledge with you guys who are still reading it.

Tips to plan your Finland tour in Christmas 2024: Spending Christmas in Finland is like entering a winter wonderland straight out of a fairy tale. The air is crisp and cold, it is usually chilled everywhere in Finland.It is going to feel like a festival of lifetimes. Helsinki city centre will be fully covered with festive  lights.The locals would be busy preparing the celebrations and much more.

But how about Finnish Lapland, especially Rovaniemi’s Santa claus village! Well, everyone wants to be there, but very few are actually able to be there during Christmas. Those who book accommodation in Rovaniemi at least 7 months in advance are able to stay during Christmas. So someone who wants to visit Finland during Christmas 2024 has to book the package around May 2024.

Well, as per the experts, deciding where in Finland you want to spend your Christmas is more crucial to planning your trip. Below are the probable options you have:

• Stay in Helsinki during Christmas: due to high availability, prices may increase by 20%.
• Rovaniemi Hotel during Christmas: availability is lower; expect a 45% price increase.
• Igloo Hotel Rovaniemi during Christmas: rare availability, prices could rise by 55%.
• Saariselka Igloo Stay during Christmas: Rare availability, anticipate a 60% price increase.
• Ivalo during Christmas: moderate availability, prices may increase by 18%.
• Levi Hotel during Christmas: With less availability, prices could rise by 17%.
• Porvoo during Christmas: high availability, expect a 22% price increase.
• Inari Hotel during Christmas: moderate availability, prices may increase by 19%.

Usually,  it becomes very difficult to get accommodation in Rovaniemi especially Igloo stays. These usually gets booked around a year before but there is a catch in this. Sometimes these bookings gets cancelled around the period of August and availabilities are given to the people who are on waiting list for Igloo stays.

Normal Hotels in Rovaniemi, become expensive month by month. Approximate around August, these hotels become very expensive compared with other dates of winter season. If in case you are not on time and are not able to get Igloo hotel availabilities during Christmas, you should then seek for a stay in hotel in Rovaniemi.

Again if in case, Hotels in Rovaniemi become too expensive then you can look for hotels in Helsinki or other cities of Lapland.

During Christmas, there are few important activities/tours that do not operate. If you are visiting Finnish Lapland and you know you might not be able to come back again, you would not want to miss some important activities. At the moment, if we check for the Polar Explorer Ice Breaker cruise, all the slots are available for Christmas week.

Few vendors who operate tours like Northern Lights Hunt, Snowmobile Safaris, Husky or Reindeer Sledge, etc. chose not to operate on days during this week.

Well, its usually an individual’s choice and circumstances; however, we recommend travellers take a one-way train journey from Helsinki to Rovaniemi or return. It will be an amazing experience to ride this long train, and trust me, you won’t regret it. During the winter, these trains are named Santa Claus trains. Usually availability is not a problem, but Christmas week is different.

Also, if you choose to fly both ways, the fare might increase with time, so it is better to book these on time as per the itinerary. There are 2 of busiest small airports in Finnish lapland during the winter:

• Ivalo
• Rovaniemi

Christmas time is extreme winters in Finland, especially in Finnish Lapland. We are talking about a temperature of -30 °C. Its certainly not a joke; the most important thing is to get yourself ready for this. Read this article to figure out what you should be wearing in Finland in winters. 

Other important thing is to make your mind, if you have never been to this cold before. Its all about how much control you have over your mind. If you have fear of cold, try to overcome that fear before you reach Finland during Christmas. You will eventually find out that this temperature is not that difficult.

Finland is expensive, and if you are planning for it, you might already know. And, on top of that, you are travelling during Christmas. Everyone around the world seeks to visit Finland during Christmas, but very few are able to make it. Expect inflated prices during this time. Be it accommodation, tours, food, or a sauna bath, everything is going to be expensive.