Finnish Lapland (Finnish: Lappi) is the Arctic far north of Finland, strictly defined as the province of the same name but in practice starting near the Arctic Circle.
Temperatures can plunge as low as -50°C in the winter and the sun is not seen for days on end during the polar night (kaamos). By contrast, summer brings out the Midnight Sun and temperatures can occasionally rise to 30°C, although summer temperatures in the 10-20°C are mostly the norm. July is the warmest month.
Understand
Lapland is the Wild North of Finland and the last refuge of Finland's Sámi people, who subsist on reindeer herding and (increasingly these days) selling trinkets to curious visitors.
There is not too much history to see, because at the end of the Second World War, retreating German troops implemented a scorched earth policy to punish their Finnish allies for agreeing to peace with the Soviet Union, razing everything in their path. By the time they were done, 100,000 people had fled, 675 bridges blown up, all major roads mined and the capital Rovariemi had only 13 houses left standing.
But then, people don't come to Lapland for the architecture, they come here for the nature. While there are no craggy mountains or fjords here, the endless pine forests and the treeless rounded fells (tunturi) poking out between them can also be breathtakingly beautiful.
When to go
Christmas with Santa Claus in Lapland sounds appealing, but it's also the coldest (-40°C at worst) and darkest time of the year, since the sun quite literally does not rise at all. (This is, however, a very good time to see the aurora.) By the end of February both the weather and the light improve, with temperatures on the better side of -10°C and nearly 12 hours of light a day, although the sun is low and it still feels like perpetual dusk! But the Finns only start to pack in at Easter, when things really start to heat up and it's possible to ski in bright sunshine wearing only a T-shirt. It takes quite some time for the accumulated snow (as much as 2 meters) to melt off, and skiing may be possible as late as May.
In late spring and early summer, the landscape turns muddy as the snow melts, bringing on the curse of the Lappish mosquito (hyttynen), and if you think this sounds like a trivial nuisance you have never had to face up to the hordes that inhabit Lapland — don't venture out without industrial-strength insect repellent. Mosquitoes are far less present in the centers of the cities but it's virtually impossible to avoid the bite. Even though the mosquitoes' bites are itchy and their noise is irritating, they are completely harmless and contain no diseases.
On the upside, the famous midnight sun is visible almost everywhere in Lapland. At Rovaniemi the sun doesn't set at all between the beginning of June and the beginning of July, with this period growing longer as one travels farther north. Some foreigners have difficulty sleeping during these nightless periods, though a simple sleep mask should go a long way.
By late July the mosquitoes start to die out and they're usually gone by late August. Hiking in the middle of ruska, the colourful time of autumn, is a worthwhile experience.
Cities
Kemi — bleak paper industry town best known for the world's only Arctic icebreaker cruises for tourists and the world's largest snowcastle
Rovaniemi — province capital and the only city of any size, home to Santa Claus
Tornio — small town at the Swedish border. The Swedish half is Haparanda
Kemijärvi
Other destinations
Inari — the center of Sámi culture
Saariselkä — a popular winter sports resort
Levi — very popular winter sports resort, especially among young people
Sleep
According to the Everyman's Right (jokamiehenoikeus) one can set up a camp anywhere in the forest, no matter who owns the land. However, making a fire is allowed only in extreme occasions or by special permission of landowner. There are lots of good quality hotels and hostels around Lapland.
Talk
The local language is Finnish, but as in everywhere in Finland, you'll survive very well with English. Swedish is spoken occasionally and in the vicinity of the Norwegian border Norwegian may also be understood. Sámi languages are spoken sparsely in norhernmost areas (Sodankylä, Inari, Utsjoki and Enontekiö).
Safety
Know your limits. The winter environment is perfectly capable of killing the unwary tourist who gets lost in the fells. The rescue service works well – each year several tourists are rescued and only rarely any serious injury is sustained – but taking your chances is not recommended.
If you plan to travel alone or, for example in your own car, remember that distances are great and getting help for any unexpected situation may take time. Plan accordingly; take extra warm clothes in your car and tell the hotel staff where you are heading and when you expect to come back.
One more thing worth mentioning is the hunting season: Natives are usually very keen of hunting, and the start of the season draws most hunters into the wilderness. Potential dangers can be countered by wearing a red cap or some other easily identified garment, and staying away from areas where hunting is allowed during the season.
Otherwise, there are few serious dangers to your well-being. Tap water and even water of lakes and creeks is potable (in most places, bottled water contains more harmful compounds than tap water) and foods are almost without exception safe to eat. Crime rates are low and people are helpful and nice in general but noisy foreigners on Friday night in a local pub/discotheque might be sitting ducks for harassment (in extreme cases; violent attacks) by drunken male villagers. This is mostly problem of skiing centers. Probability to get robbed or getting any other harm is still extremely low.
Destinations
The province of Lapland is divided into four cities and 16 municipalities. The Province of Lapland has only one region, and it's called the region of Lapland. They are in practice one and the same.
Cities
Kemi — bleak paper industry town best known for the world's only Arctic icebreaker cruises for tourists and the world's largest snowcastle
Rovaniemi — province capital and the only city of any size, home to Santa Claus
Tornio — small town at the Swedish border. The Swedish half is Haparanda
Finnish Lapland (Finnish: Lappi) is the Arctic far north of Finland, strictly defined as the province of the same name but in practice starting near the Arctic Circle.
Temperatures can plunge as low as -50°C in the winter and the sun is not seen for days on end during the polar night (kaamos). By contrast, summer brings out the Midnight Sun and temperatures can occasionally rise to 30°C, although summer temperatures in the 10-20°C are mostly the norm. July is the warmest month.
Understand
Lapland is the Wild North of Finland and the last refuge of Finland's Sámi people, who subsist on reindeer herding and (increasingly these days) selling trinkets to curious visitors.
There is not too much history to see, because at the end of the Second World War, retreating German troops implemented a scorched earth policy to punish their Finnish allies for agreeing to peace with the Soviet Union, razing everything in their path. By the time they were done, 100,000 people had fled, 675 bridges blown up, all major roads mined and the capital Rovariemi had only 13 houses left standing.
But then, people don't come to Lapland for the architecture, they come here for the nature. While there are no craggy mountains or fjords here, the endless pine forests and the treeless rounded fells (tunturi) poking out between them can also be breathtakingly beautiful.
When to go
Christmas with Santa Claus in Lapland sounds appealing, but it's also the coldest (-40°C at worst) and darkest time of the year, since the sun quite literally does not rise at all. (This is, however, a very good time to see the aurora.) By the end of February both the weather and the light improve, with temperatures on the better side of -10°C and nearly 12 hours of light a day, although the sun is low and it still feels like perpetual dusk! But the Finns only start to pack in at Easter, when things really start to heat up and it's possible to ski in bright sunshine wearing only a T-shirt. It takes quite some time for the accumulated snow (as much as 2 meters) to melt off, and skiing may be possible as late as May.
In late spring and early summer, the landscape turns muddy as the snow melts, bringing on the curse of the Lappish mosquito (hyttynen), and if you think this sounds like a trivial nuisance you have never had to face up to the hordes that inhabit Lapland — don't venture out without industrial-strength insect repellent. Mosquitoes are far less present in the centers of the cities but it's virtually impossible to avoid the bite. Even though the mosquitoes' bites are itchy and their noise is irritating, they are completely harmless and contain no diseases.
On the upside, the famous midnight sun is visible almost everywhere in Lapland. At Rovaniemi the sun doesn't set at all between the beginning of June and the beginning of July, with this period growing longer as one travels farther north. Some foreigners have difficulty sleeping during these nightless periods, though a simple sleep mask should go a long way.
By late July the mosquitoes start to die out and they're usually gone by late August. Hiking in the middle of ruska, the colourful time of autumn, is a worthwhile experience.
Cities
Kemi — bleak paper industry town best known for the world's only Arctic icebreaker cruises for tourists and the world's largest snowcastle
Rovaniemi — province capital and the only city of any size, home to Santa Claus
Tornio — small town at the Swedish border. The Swedish half is Haparanda
Kemijärvi
Other destinations
Inari — the center of Sámi culture
Saariselkä — a popular winter sports resort
Levi — very popular winter sports resort, especially among young people
Sleep
According to the Everyman's Right (jokamiehenoikeus) one can set up a camp anywhere in the forest, no matter who owns the land. However, making a fire is allowed only in extreme occasions or by special permission of landowner. There are lots of good quality hotels and hostels around Lapland.
Talk
The local language is Finnish, but as in everywhere in Finland, you'll survive very well with English. Swedish is spoken occasionally and in the vicinity of the Norwegian border Norwegian may also be understood. Sámi languages are spoken sparsely in norhernmost areas (Sodankylä, Inari, Utsjoki and Enontekiö).
Safety
Know your limits. The winter environment is perfectly capable of killing the unwary tourist who gets lost in the fells. The rescue service works well – each year several tourists are rescued and only rarely any serious injury is sustained – but taking your chances is not recommended.
If you plan to travel alone or, for example in your own car, remember that distances are great and getting help for any unexpected situation may take time. Plan accordingly; take extra warm clothes in your car and tell the hotel staff where you are heading and when you expect to come back. One more thing worth mentioning is the hunting season: Natives are usually very keen of hunting, and the start of the season draws most hunters into the wilderness. Potential dangers can be countered by wearing a red cap or some other easily identified garment, and staying away from areas where hunting is allowed during the season.
Otherwise, there are few serious dangers to your well-being. Tap water and even water of lakes and creeks is potable (in most places, bottled water contains more harmful compounds than tap water) and foods are almost without exception safe to eat. Crime rates are low and people are helpful and nice in general but noisy foreigners on Friday night in a local pub/discotheque might be sitting ducks for harassment (in extreme cases; violent attacks) by drunken male villagers. This is mostly problem of skiing centers. Probability to get robbed or getting any other harm is still extremely low.
Destinations
The province of Lapland is divided into four cities and 16 municipalities. The Province of Lapland has only one region, and it's called the region of Lapland. They are in practice one and the same.
Cities
Kemi — bleak paper industry town best known for the world's only Arctic icebreaker cruises for tourists and the world's largest snowcastle
Rovaniemi — province capital and the only city of any size, home to Santa Claus
Tornio — small town at the Swedish border. The Swedish half is Haparanda
Kemijärvi
Municipalities
Simo, Keminmaa, Ylitornio, Pello, Kolari, Muonio, Enontekiö, Kittilä, Ranua, Posio, Salla, Pelkosenniemi, Savukoski, Sodankylä, Inari and Utsjoki
Other destinations
Inari — the center of Sámi culture
Saariselkä — a popular winter sports resort
Levi — very popular winter sports resort, especially among young people
Get out
Contact & location
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JaryH3Jani Patokallio, Jim Redmond, Alex Yule, Samuli K and Todd VerBeek, Ypsilon, Christian B, Cacahuate, Mikko-Petteri, Jschneider and Nils
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