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Ultimate Christmas experience and breathtaking Northern Lights in Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi is the perfect destination for witnessing the magnificent Northern Lights while enjoying the magical Christmas atmosphere in The Official Hometown of Santa Claus. Also known as Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights are visible on around 150 nights a year in Finnish Lapland. In Rovaniemi, the spellbinding astral show can be witnessed in and around the city from late August until early April. Santa Claus, on the other hand is in Rovaniemi every day of the year.

Rovaniemi is the unique destination at the Arctic Circle

Rovaniemi is the only place in Lapland, Finland located at The Arctic Circle. Many consider the Arctic Circle to be the border of happiness and carefree moments. This is where there’s space to breathe some of the cleanest air in the world with ease and let yourself completely unwind. You can cross the Arctic Circle in Rovaniemi effortlessly simply by landing in Rovaniemi airport, or with more creative ways. Many visitors have fun crossing the Arctic Circle in Santa Claus Village – where it is clearly marked on the ground – and even acquire a certificate confirming the deed. A variety of activity tours in Rovaniemi cross the Arctic Circle at some point, meaning one can cross the line on a snowmobile, a husky sled or in a reindeer sleigh – only your imagination is the limit. There is so much to see and do in Rovaniemi! 

Enjoy Northern Lights with 8 different activities

We specially recommend you to experience the Northern Lights at the Arctic Circle with the exciting activity of your choice. You can admire the Northern Lights on your own through your Glass Igloo accommodation while chilling or by walking around. You can jump on a car to hunt the auroras or put on skies or snowshoes and wonder outside while looking at the sky. You can also add more adventures elements and attend a Northern Lights tour with a local company. Aurora hunts are available on snowmobiles, husky sleds, horse rides, and in reindeer sleighs, just to name a few. You can also book photography tours and learn to capture the beauty of the Auroras with camera.

The greatest variety of Northern Lights accommodation, activities & professional guides

No matter if you prefer watching the Northern Lights through your window at the unique arctic accommodation or if you prefer hunting them with a local guide, we have the greates amount of offering in Lapland ensuring that your experience is as you wish. For a more thorough Aurora experience, we warmly recommend joining one of the numerous Northern Lights tours in Rovaniemi. There are tours for private small groups and for open bigger groups, some for family friendly elements, others for more longer determined hunting trips. Choose the tour that suits you! Expert guides maximize your chances of seeing the Auroras by taking you to special viewing spots while explaining the science and myths behind the phenomenon.

Best kept secret on how to see the Auroras? Get notified with an app!

The Northern Lights commonly appear between 10 PM and 2 AM, but can at times be seen as soon as 8 PM. A show might last from only a couple of minutes to several hours.
To skip waiting outside in the cold for the Auroras to appear, we’ve got the perfect solution for you in the form of an instant notification service that works in the Rovaniemi area: Aurora Alert Realtime lets you know as soon as the Auroras are visible.

Aurora Legend: "Fox Fire"

According to Sámi folklore, the Auroras are caused by a fox running over the fells of Lapland, whipping up snow with its tail and sending sparks up the northern sky. The sparks form a colourful arc of fire that lights up the dark landscape. The Finnish name for the Northern Lights, “revontulet”, meaning “fox fire”, derives from this myth.

Science Says

In scientific terms, the Northern Lights are caused by electrically charged particles from the sun colliding with each other upon entering the earth’s atmosphere, which results in emissions of various colours of light. Green is by far the most common, but red, pink, violet, yellow and even blue can be seen at times.

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