For many travellers to Finland, visiting Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi sits right at the top of the bucket list. It’s one of Lapland’s biggest sights, a place where you can meet Santa Claus himself and literally step across the Arctic Circle. But how is it, really?
If you’re after rugged wilderness, this isn’t it. It’s more like a big open-air shopping mall – polished, packaged and thoroughly commercial. There are souvenir stalls, elf-run cafés and glowing log huts selling everything from fridge magnets to woolly socks. Even meeting Santa himself (yes, there’s a real one – or actually two, but more on that later) comes with a professional photo package at the end.
Still, once you drop the cynicism and throw yourself into the spirit of it with an open mind, it’s hard not to have fun. Joy, it turns out, can be surprisingly contagious. I’ve spent hours here with friends from Asia who were utterly enchanted – and one visit wasn’t enough; we came back the next day.
Tips to visit Santa Claus in Rovaniemi
Where can you meet Santa?
Santa Claus Village sits about 8 kilometres north of Rovaniemi city centre, right on the Arctic Circle, very close to the airport. So yes, you can literally land, meet Santa, and cross the Arctic Circle all before lunch.
Getting there is simple: hop on local bus number 8, grab a taxi, or rent a car and follow the signs. In winter, many tour operators also run guided trips from the city centre, often bundled with reindeer rides or husky safaris.
How much does it cost?
It’s free to enter. No gates, no ticket booths, just an open cluster of shops and attractions spread around a snowy courtyard.
Is there only one Santa?
There are actually two Santas – at least. (There might even be more hiding somewhere, but these are the ones we’ve managed to find.)
The main Santa lives in the big log house, Santa’s Office, decked out with all sorts of quirky little details to admire while you wait in line for your visit. There’s even an exhibit explaining how he manages to deliver presents around the world in just one night – a fine bit of Lapland science.
This is the classic Santa experience: warm lighting, soft carols, and elves who take their crowd control duties very seriously. Santa is incredibly popular, especially in winter, so it’s smart to book your meeting slot as soon as you arrive in the village.
The other Santa can be found at the back of a smaller souvenir shop. It’s the less glamorous option, but it’ll do in a pinch if the main queue looks like it might last until Easter.
In both cases, meeting Santa is free, but if you want a photo of the big moment (and who doesn’t?), you’ll need to pay dearly for the official picture package. Well, even Santa has to make a living these days.
Crossing the Arctic Circle
Besides Santa himself, the other big attraction in the village is crossing the Arctic Circle – and visitors make the most of it. The line is clearly marked on the ground with lights and posts, so it’s easy to spot even under a blanket of snow.
People take the experience with cheerful enthusiasm: they jump, stride, and even cartwheel their way over the line and back again, capturing triumphant selfies to prove they’ve done it.
But what exactly is the Arctic Circle? It’s an imaginary line of latitude that marks the point where, at least once a year, the sun doesn’t set at all on the summer solstice and doesn’t rise at all on the winter solstice. In other words, it’s the border beyond which you’ll find the Midnight Sun in summer and the Polar Night in winter.
Santa Claus’s post office
Don’t miss the Santa Claus Post Office, it’s where the Christmas spirit feels most authentic. Every year, more than half a million letters arrive here for Santa from nearly 200 countries around the world. Some of them are on display: funny, touching, and at times heartbreakingly sincere messages from children – and quite a few adults – sending their wishes and greetings to Father Christmas.
You can, of course, send your own Christmas card from here too, complete with the official Arctic Circle postmark.
Best place to eat in Santa’s Village
There are several places to eat in Santa’s Village, from cafés serving hot chocolate and cinnamon buns to proper sit-down restaurants. The most atmospheric, though, is Santa’s Salmon Place, the rustic log restaurant famous for its flamed salmon, a Finnish favourite where a fillet of fresh salmon is slow-cooked on a wooden plank next to an open fire. The result is smoky, tender and perfectly suited to the Lapland chill.
What to buy in Santa Claus’ village?
The village shops sell just about everything, from tourist trinkets to iconic Finnish design brands. Our personal favourite is the Marttiini store, as this legendary knife-maker, founded in 1928, originally hails from Rovaniemi. Each knife is a small work of art: polished steel blades, handles of curly birch or reindeer antler, and finely stitched leather sheaths. They’re practical, handsome, and about as authentically Finnish as it gets.
It’s well worth a visit even if you’re not the outdoorsy type: Marttiini’s range also includes sleek, high-quality kitchen knives.
Where to stay in Santa Claus Village?
The village isn’t just for day-trippers; you can also stay overnight right in Santa Claus Village. Glass Resort offers stunning glass-walled and glass-roofed cabins where you can admire the Northern Lights straight from your bed.
For something a little more traditional, Nova Skyland Hotel combines classic comfort with elegant Nordic design – warm, stylish, and perfectly in tune with the Lapland landscape.
Is Santa Claus Village worth visiting in Summer?
Santa Claus Village is a great destination in summer too, maybe even better than in winter, when the crowds are thicker. In the warmer months you can meet Santa with far less queueing, and the whole place has a more relaxed, laid-back feel.