
Santa Claus Village is full of magic and versatile services
Rovaniemi is The Official Hometown of Santa Claus, and therefore it is only natural that there is also a small village full of magical Christmas atmosphere in the Arctic Circle. You can spend a memorable day visiting Santa Claus Village or stay overnight.

A leisurely stroll through the beautifully lit and decorated Santa Claus Village square while Christmas carols are playing, will surely bring a smile to your face and guarantee that the Christmas spirit will take over. Wander through the alleys to look and admire, stop at the restaurants and cafes serving local delicacies or stop by the boutiques to admire Finnish design and handicrafts. If you want to stay longer, the Arctic Circle has hotels, cabins and igloos to stay overnight. There is also a lot of activities, safaris, tours and places to visit. Of course, many people head to Santa Claus Village to meet Santa Claus and visit Santa Claus’ Main Post Office.
The Arctic Circle’s wide range of services has something for all ages and different travel budgets. Please note that not all services are open all year round and some of the activities or services only work during the snowy season or only during the Christmas season.
Here are our tips for a memorable and magical visit to Santa Claus Village:
- 5 Tips for free sights and activities
- 4 Tips for playful minds and Christmas lovers
- 3 Tips for Animal friends
- 6 Tips for Winter Activities and tours
- 4 Tips for shopping
- 7 Tips for restaurants and cafes
- 5 Tips for unique accommodation
5 Tips for free sights and activities
- The charming central square with its Christmas lights is an experience in itself. Especially in the twilight of the darkening days and evenings, the Christmas lights and decorations make the square look really beautiful. There is also a small free playground for children on the edge of the square, and you can take a funny picture in the silhouette of an elf.
- Especially for those coming from further away, it’s incredible to actually see that we are really far in the North and here you can actually step over the Arctic Circle line! The Arctic Circle line is clearly marked in the central square.
- You can meet Santa Claus in The Santa Claus Village every day of the year, absolutely free
- Santa Clau’s Main Post Office is an attraction in itself and you can visit there to marvel at, for example, the letters sent to Santa Claus. If you wish, you can send mail to your loved ones with the special stamp which is only available at the Arctic Circle.
- In Santa Claus Village you will also find the historic Roosevelt Cottage. The Roosevelt Cottage was completed on June 11, 1950, and it became the first attraction of Santa Claus Village.
4 Tips for playful minds and Christmas lovers
- If you have already met Santa Claus, you can extend the meeting of the main characters of Christmas by heading to meet the Mrs. Santa Claus at the Mrs. Santa Claus’s Christmas Cottage
- In December, a wonderland of snow opens. In Snowman World you can skate, go snow tubing, admire the ice restaurant or head to the adults’ ice disco for drinks.
- Would you like to learn the skills of the elves? Elf Academy takes you to a playful school to learn how to be an elf. In addition, children can try snowmobiling on the mini track at the Arctic Circle Snowmobile Park
- Underneath the Arctic Circle, deep beneath the ground, lies Santa’s secret cavern: SantaPark. Hop on the Magic Train and travel through enchanting worlds, earn your very own diploma at the Elf School, cross the Arctic Circle underground and enter the cool realm of the Ice Princess, feel the crispy breath of winter in the Ice Gallery, enjoy the jolly Elf Show on the main stage, send your Christmas greetings at our buzzing Post Office, decorate cookies in the cozy kitchen of Mrs. Gingerbread or meet Santa Claus.
3 Tips for Animal friends
- Elf’s Farmyard is a welcoming little farmyard with reindeer, alpacas, llamas, horse, sheep, goats, peacocks, rabbits and different birds. You can watch domestic animals in their daily activities under Arctic weather conditions and, best of all, you can pet and feed most of them. Kids love them and they love kids!
- Santa Claus Reindeer offers reindeer rides and experiences with Santa´s reindeer all year round. In winter time there is reindeer rides and safaris without reservation. During the safari you may earn reindeer driving license and Certificate of Crossing the Arctic Circle. In summer you can feed and touch Santa´s kindest and youngest reindeer, even baby one.
- In the Arctic Circle Husky Park you can see how the dogs live, from feeding to taking off the harnesses. Come and feel the traditional atmosphere and enjoy the unique surroundings. The Husky park is open every day year round
6 Tips for Winter Activities and tours
There are several companies offering activities in Santa Claus Village. Depending on the snow conditions, the companies offer hiking or snowshoeing trips, reindeer or husky safaris, snowmobile safaris, Northern Lights trips, Arctic fishing and a lot more! Get to know the offer and choose your own adventure:
4 Tips for shopping
- Valley Shop is a store for wonderful and fun Moomin products. Lapland’s widest Moomin product range can be found here. Valley Shop also offers rarer Moomin products, such as Valley Shop’s Moomin-themed special products, which are exclusively available from us.
- World’s northernmost ceramic factory Pentik dates back half a century, since then Pentik has grown into a household brand loved by Finnish homes. Pentik is a family business founded in 1971 and a versatile design house.
- Founded in Rovaniemi in 1928, Marttiini has been producing knives to meet the challenges of the demanding conditions of the North for almost a hundred years. You can always get a free blade engraving at the store.
- You can buy souveniers from Roosevelt Cottage store or Santa Claus Main Post Office Shop
7 Tips for restaurants and cafes
- From locally handpicked to happily homemade. Serving hearty, no-nonsense cakes and snacks made in house, alongside best brewed beans in the Loft Cafe.
- The Lapland Restaurant Kotahovi is a Lappish-style restaurant run by the Körkkö family. The restaurant gets its name from “kota”, the Finnish name for a Lappish hut.
- Three Elves Ravintola is serving at the Santa Claus Holiday Village main building. Three Elves Restaurant offers Lappish cuisine every day of the year. It is possible to enjoy dinner in Glass iglos as well.
- Santa´s Pizza & Burger is a traditional fast food restaurant. The menu consists of delicious pizzas and hamburgers made with their own special recipe. Great place for the whole family.
- Santamus is housed in a building that is the shape of the Isommus gold nugget – the biggest golden nugget ever found in Lapland. The mysterious Santamus hides real gold within its walls, but also other treasures: once-in-a-lifetime experiences for all senses and a breakaway from the modern busy lifestyle. The warm glow of the open fire, the babbling pond of trout will make you want to stop and enjoy the moment.
- Snowman World is the world’s only ice restaurant located exactly on the Artic Circle. The unique atmosphere is a ”must see” for everyone visiting Rovaniemi. Incredibly beautiful ice sculptures, exciting details and a menu created from local ingredients will all add to an unforgettable experience.
- Santa’s Cuisine offers food experiences with mixture of ingredients from Lapland and other world wide food styles.
5 Tips for unique accommodation
- Glass Resort Premium Glass Apartments and Premium Lodge are designed to combine Lapland tradition, modern comfort and the pure nature of the Arctic Circle.The window walls and glass ceiling provide an unrestricted view of the northern sky and natural phenomena such as the Northern Lights.
- Santa´s Igloos are intended for year-round use. The new glass-roofed, arctic view rooms offer a whole new opportunity to experience Lapland’s ever-changing nature while enjoying the comforts of a hotel room. Each igloo has own bathroom with shower. Some of the igloos have private saunas or an extra bedroom (alcove).
- Nova Skyland Hotel hotel offers a unique experience in high-quality lodgings with friendly and attentive service. Sustainably constructed cabins boast an escape from the rush of everyday life and provide a calming and private atmosphere.
- Santa Claus Holiday Village offers hotel-standard accommodation at the Arctic Circle. The cabins are all equipped with up-to-date facilities, such as private saunas, bathrooms, kitchenette and terrace.
- Santa’s Luxury Boutique Villa is a log house with modern design and exclusive comfort.
