Your picks
0

Pure Ingredients From Nature To Your Plate

Lappish cuisine is simple and rugged, just like the landscapes it stems from. Fresh seasonal ingredients play a key role in preparation, and bringing out their original flavours is held in high regard. In Rovaniemi, Lappish food tastes equally delicious in a fine dining setting as well as by a campfire in the wilderness.

The Restaurants And Markets of Rovaniemi Offer A World of Flavours

Rovaniemi has a budding restaurant scene that offers everything from fine to casual dining. For culinary excursions into the local world of flavours, the seasonal Lappi á la carte and RovaniemiMenu available in various restaurants around town are good starting points.
For tasty, locally produced souvenirs, seasonal food markets and shops in Rovaniemi’s shopping centres are the places to go.

Reindeer – The Cattle of Lapland

Reindeer husbandry is a form of livelihood that dates back centuries in Lapland, and the animal is an essential part of Lappish cuisine. Sautéed reindeer served with mashed potatoes and fresh lingonberries or lingonberry jam is the most classic dish, but no parts of reindeer go unused: the meat is served as fillets, cold cuts, jerky, mince and sausages, just to name a few examples.
Each spring, Rovaniemi hosts the Reindeer Chef of the Year (“Vuoden Porokokki”) competition that draws renowned chefs from around Finland to a cook-off for the esteemed title.

Game – Keeping the Natural Balance

The forests of Lapland are teeming with wildlife, and the natural areas around Rovaniemi are no different. Game birds such as capercaillie, willow grouse and black grouse are hunters’ favourites and make for mouth-watering dishes. Waterfowls, of which mallard is the most typical, are equally popular during the hunting season. The kings of the forest are elk and bear: both are eaten, the former considerably more often than the latter.
Hunting in Finland is regulated and based on respecting nature, and Finnish hunters recognize their responsibility by adhering to the rules.

Fish – Fresh from Rivers And Lakes

Lapland is famous for its pure waters and the amount of fish in them, making it a popular destination among fishermen. Rovaniemi is situated at the confluence of two rivers, the Ounasjoki and the Kemijoki, and consequently has long fishing traditions. Fishing trips are available for visitors in the summer, as are ice fishing trips in the winter.
Salmon, trout, pike-perch, whitefish, arctic char, grayling and vendace are some of the fish commonly found on plates in the north. The iconic fish dish of Lapland is salmon soup, available in several restaurants in Rovaniemi.

Berries – Superfoods of Forests And Bogs

From late July until September, quite a few cars are parked on the sides of roads around Rovaniemi and Lapland; that’s locals gone berry picking in the forests and on the bogs. The cloudberry is the crown jewel of Lapland’s berries, but bilberry (northern blueberry), lingonberry and cranberry are all healthy and desired catches.
Besides eating them fresh with main courses and as desserts, berries are commonly used for juices, jams and sauces, and these days, even to make liqueur. Berries and berry products are available in many shops in Rovaniemi.

On the Side – Root Vegetables

The most common side dish in Lapland is definitely the potato prepared in a number of ways. Surprisingly to some, Lapland has its own potato variety, the oval-shaped almond potato. Other typical root vegetables used in side dishes are carrots and turnips. The herb angelica found in Lapland is used as flavour for pies and ice cream.

Local Specialities in Rovaniemi

A definite must eat on any trip to Rovaniemi is the dessert known as “bread cheese” (“leipäjuusto”), a type of soft cheese fried after initial preparation. Served with fresh cloudberries or cloudberry jam, it is a hearty dessert with a distinct, sweet taste. Some call it squeaky cheese due to the sound it makes when chewed.
Another local staple is soft barley flatbread called “rieska”, usually enjoyed with butter. Several types of sweet pastries are also characteristic to Lapland, one of the most recognizable being the “kampanisu” that directly translates to “comb scone” due to its comb-like shape.

love
Santa Claus
Santa Claus There’s no place like Rovaniemi, the Official Hometown of Santa Claus, for a genuine Christmas experience.
Sustainable Rovaniemi
Sustainable Rovaniemi We are a region up in the Arctic, we need our seasons, snowy winters and warm summers to provide a safe environment to our Arctic species. Welcome to our sustainable way of life!
Northern Lights
Northern Lights Experience the magic of the Aurora Borealis in Rovaniemi.
Polar Night
Polar Night Experience the Polar Night, celebration of mysterious lights on glittering snowdrifts.
Arctic Capital
Arctic Capital Rovaniemi combines the northern nature with urban surroundings, self-confident localness and open-minded internationality. Rovaniemi is also the Official Hometown of Santa Claus®.
Northern Lights Secrets
Northern Lights Secrets Experience the magic of the Aurora Borealis in Rovaniemi.
Christmas Time 2023
Christmas Time 2023 Experience the magic of Christmas in Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland
Midnight Sun
Midnight Sun The Midnight Sun – also known as the nightless night or polar day – can be seen in Rovaniemi from early June until early July, and nights are white throughout the summer.
Autumn Colors
Autumn Colors Let Rovaniemi surprise you with easy access to plenty of routes and scenery spots to marvel the fiery landscapes of Autumn Color.
Four Seasons
Four Seasons All four seasons are clearly present in the annual cycle of Rovaniemi. However, many locals would say the year consists of up to eight seasons, each with their own distinct characteristics.
Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland situated right on the Arctic Circle, which makes the town a gateway to the Arctic.
Snow And Ice
Snow And Ice For many, Lapland is synonymous with snow. In Rovaniemi, there’s white stuff on the ground for approximately six months of the year.
Local Food
Local Food Lapland’s food culture is directly linked to its pristine nature, and Rovaniemi is a great place to explore the fresh produce of northern forests and waters.
Architecture
Architecture Rovaniemi is proud to have several major features designed by Alvar Aalto, one of Finland’s foremost architects. Other visionaries have also embellished the city with landmark structures.
Authenticity
Authenticity Rovaniemi is an urban outpost amidst wild nature, where age-old traditions meet modern life.
@visitrovaniemi
/VisitRovaniemi.fi
Youtube icon
@visitrovaniemi

Get the best of Rovaniemi in your inbox!

Sign up here to receive email from Rovaniemi for travel information, tips and offers. Please, complete your details below and click ”subscribe”.

* indicates required
Your preferred time of travel to Rovaniemi?