Visit The Top Tourist Attractions and Things to Do in Rovaniemi

November 26, 2020 Mustafa Natalwala 4940 Views

Rovaniemi is a town in the Lapland province of Finland and also the province’s capital. The town is situated only 6 km away from the arctic circle. One of the biggest Rovaniemi tourist attractions is the Santa and Christmas-themed village located on the outskirts of the town. The town is known as the official hometown of Santa Claus. The village is designed as if it was the headquarters for Santa Claus. It is undoubtedly one of the best places to visit in Rovaniemi. You can enjoy venues like Santa’s office, post office, sled, reindeer, Christmas homes and so much more. For many tourists, it is the prime reason to visit Rovaniemi. You can also enjoy a dog sled ride at the Santa Village among the top things to do in Rovaniemi, Finland.

In the town though, there are equally engaging Rovaniemi attractions. There are churches, museums, art galleries, cultural centers, and amusement parks. Though many of the historical buildings of the town were devastated in World War 2, there are still a few remaining for Rovaniemi sightseeing. The town exhibits some incredible modern and contemporary architecture. The entire town is designed in form of a reindeer’s head, with each building serving as one of the parts. The eyes and the nose of the reindeer are among the top things to see in Rovaniemi. The creative bend of the town’s culture can also be seen in its art galleries and cultural centers. There are several of these Rovaniemi attractions for you to admire works of exceptional creativity.

Beyond the town as well are several Rovaniemi top attractions to explore in nature. It is one of the most beautiful places to explore nature in Finland. There are numerous lakes, forests, nature reserves, and national parks close to the town. These places to visit near Rovaniemi offer amazing views and adventurous experiences.

Being close to the Arctic Circle, Rovaniemi is also a popular destination to see the northern lights. Many people from Europe especially make Rovaniemi trips during the winters for the northern lights and for skiing. These are perhaps the best things to do in Rovaniemi, Finland.

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Table of Contents

A Complete 3 Days Travel Itinerary to See Rovaniemi Tourist Attractions

In this section, we have organized Rovaniemi attractions in form of an itinerary. The locations are selected based on their popularity as Rovaniemi’s top attractions and their proximity to one another. This section also tells you how much time you will require for each thing to see in Rovaniemi. Some of the attractions are outside the town but are considered a part of the town’s experience. The places to visit near Rovaniemi mainly include nature, adventure, or entertainment experience zones.

Day 1

1. Lordi’s Square

This square can be said to be the heart of the town. There are a few places to visit in Rovaniemi situated at the square itself. Though you don’t need more than 30 minutes for the square itself.

2. Arktikum

This is a multi-experience venue for several top things to do in Rovaniemi, Finland. It is a museum, a science center, a cultural center, and a hangout spot. You will need 2 hours to explore this Rovaniemi attraction.

3. Santa Claus Village

The village of popular figure Santa Claus is among the best places to visit near Rovaniemi. The village has numerous attractions within itself like Santa’s Office, Santa’s Post Office, Christmas Cottage, Santa Park, Santa’s Reindeers, and so on. You need a good 4 to 5 hours of time to enjoy all the best things to do in Rovaniemi, Finland at Santa Claus Village.

I suggest you should book a guided tour of Santa Claus Village.

Day 2

1. Ranua Zoo

This zoo is home to several animals found in the country as well as a few from around the world. It is also known as the only polar bear in captivity in Finland. You will need about 3 hours to explore things to see in Rovaniemi in this Zoo.

I suggest you should book your tour of Ranua Zoo in advance.

2. Angry Birds Activity Park

This theme park is built around the popular game Angry Birds. You can enjoy another 2 hours at this Rovaniemi top attraction.

3. Rovaniemi Church

This church is one of the few landmarks of post-war architecture in the town. You don’t need more than half an hour here.

4. Korundi House of Culture

This art and cultural museum exhibit some of the finest work of art in the country. If you wish to admire contemporary art or artworks in general then you should keep Korundi House of Culture among the places to see in Rovaniemi. You will need about 2 hours to explore this place.

Day 3

1. Pilke Science Center

One of the biggest Rovaniemi attractions in this science center is exhibits on sustainable development. You will need about 2 hours here.

2. Amethyst Mine

You can explore fantasy comes life experience at the amethyst mine among things to see in Rovaniemi. You will need about 2 to 3 hours to explore all the mines.

I suggest you should take a guided tour of Amethyst Mine.

3. Ounasvaaran Hiihtokeskus Oy

After all the Rovaniemi sightseeing, you can’t leave without enjoying some time in the snow. This is the place for skiing, sledding, and all other snow activities. You can enjoy the snow activities of Rovaniemi in winter till the sun sets.

If you are staying more than 3 days in Rovaniemi, then you can check out the below list of other tourist attractions and things to do in Rovaniemi.

Things to do in Rovaniemi

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi Church
Rovaniemi Local History Museum
Forestry Museum of Lapland
Giant’s Kettle
Provincial Museum of Lapland
Taidemuseu

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Rovaniemi

Ounasvaara
Pyha Luosto National Park
Riisitunturi National Park
Bearhill Husky
Kotisaari Island
Auttikongas Nature Area
Oulanka National Park
Syote National Park
Pallas Yllastunturi National Park
Syvasenvaara Fell
Katkavaara Nature Reserve
Urho Kekkonen National Park
Koivusaari Nature Trail
Arctic Circle Hiking Area
Koivusaari Island
Vikakongas Rapids
Norvajarvi Lake
Vaattukikongas Rapids
Louevaara Mountain Peak
Pisavaara Nature Reserve
Raundanjoki River
Kirkkolampi Lake
Salmijarvi Lake
Makialampi Lake
Harjulampi Lake
Pohtimolampi Lake
Kirkonjyrhama River
Iso Kuusisaari Island

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Rovaniemi

Santa Claus Village
Santa Park – Home Cavern of Santa Claus
Arktikum Museum of Science & Technology
Ranua Zoo
Santa’s Post Office
Santa Claus Office
Santa Claus Secret Forest
Santa Claus Reindeer
Santa’s House of Snowmobiles
Metsahallitus Tiedekeskus Pilke
Culture House Korundi
Angry Birds Activity Park
Elf’s Farm Yard
Mrs. Santa Claus Christmas Cottage
Norvajarvi Aurora Experience
Fun on Ice

Shopping in Rovaniemi

Lordi’s Square
Sampokeskus Shopping Center
Santa Claus Main Post Office Shop
Rinteenkulma Shopping Center
Revontuli Shopping Center

Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventure in Rovaniemi

Skiing
Hiking
Snowboarding
Ice Skating
Sledging
Dog Sledging
Snow Mobile
Ounasvaara Ski Slope
Arctic Lifestyle Experience
Husky Travels Oy – Dog Sledge Ride
Huskypoint Oy – Husky Safari
Lapland Husky Safari
Aurora Ice Floating
Northern Lights Flight

Sightseeing in Rovaniemi

Lumberjack’s Candle Bridge
Napapiirin Porofarmi

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Rovaniemi

Arctic Boulevard
Aitta
Xiang Long
Amarillo
Rakas Restaurant
ArktiKum
Ravintola Monte Rosa
Bear’s Den
Bull Bar & Grill
Buusti Lounge
Roi Thai Ravintola
Zoomit
Rang Mahal
Christmas House

Where to Stay in Rovaniemi?

Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range, and Budget Hotels in Rovaniemi. You can check the below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Rovaniemi.

Luxurious Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Budget Hotels

Custom Tours Package in Rovaniemi

How to Reach Rovaniemi?

By Air

Rovaniemi Airport sits about 8 km away from the town. You can get direct flights to visit Rovaniemi from Helsinki, London, Manchester, Istanbul, and Murmansk. Most people choose connecting flights via Helsinki for Rovaniemi travel. From the airport, you can get a bus or a cab to reach the places to visit in Rovaniemi.

By Road

Rovaniemi train terminal is connected to several cities in Finland. Helsinki is the most popular destination with several trains running between the two cities. The train journey to and from Helsinki takes between 9 to 12 hours. The bus network for Rovaniemi travel is more widespread as you can get direct buses from smaller towns of Finland as well.

If you choose to visit Rovaniemi by car, then you better be in Finland. Otherwise, it’s a difficult task. Route E75 runs across the town and is the most popular choice for Rovaniemi trips. Some of the most incredible Rovaniemi tourist attractions are also located on this route.

By Water

There is quite a distance between Rovaniemi and the nearest water body. So there is no means to directly visit Rovaniemi via the water route.

Image Reference

Lordi’s Sqaure – frozenreindeer / Flickr
Arktikum – Francisco M. Marzoa Alonso / Wikimedia Commons
Santa Claus Village – Sqv7n / PixaBay
Ranua Zoo – flightlog / Flickr
Angry Birds Park – By VisitRovaniemi.fi
Rovaniemi Church – Simon Cozens / Flickr
Korundi House of Culture – David Fernandez / Flickr
Pilke Science Center – Tiedekeskus Pilke / Wikimedia Commons
Amethyst Mine – By VisitRovaniemi.fi
Ounasvaaran Hiihtokeskus Oy – Harri Lindfors / VisitRovaniemi.fi