Last December, my family was lucky enough to visit Lapland in Finland. And it truly was magical. Since returning, so many people have asked for details about travelling to Lapland with kids that I thought it would be easier to write this blog post.

If you’re considering a Lapland family holiday from Australia (or elsewhere), here’s exactly what we did, what we loved, and what I would do differently.

Firstly…Where is Lapland?

When I told friends in Australia we were going to Lapland, many had never heard of it. A few even thought it was a theme park! Lapland is a very real region in Northern Europe, spanning parts of Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia. However, most visitors travel to Finnish Lapland, which is where we went.

We based ourselves in Rovaniemi, known as the official hometown of Santa Claus. It sits on the Arctic Circle in Northern Finland. Fun fact: It’s approximately 5,489km (3411 miles) from the North Pole, but Ryanair will often write ‘North Pole’ on the airport departure board and gate.

Our Lapland travel details

Who: Myself, my husband and our 7-year-old son
Where: Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland
Dates: 8–11 December 2025
Average temperature: Around –6°C during the day and –10°C at night
Daylight hours: Sunrise approx. 10:30am, sunset approx. 1:30pm (with long twilight periods before and after). In December, you only get about three hours of true daylight in Rovaniemi – but the soft pink and blue Arctic light makes everything look truly magical.

How we travelled to Lapland from Sydney

Our route was:  Sydney → Singapore → Helsinki → Rovaniemi

We used frequent flyer points for the entire journey:

• Singapore Airlines via Velocity Points

• Finnair via Qantas Points

In fact, the lack of Qantas award availability from Singapore to London is what made this Lapland detour possible. We couldn’t find direct reward seats from Singapore to London, but then I spotted flights via Helsinki, I checked the distance to Rovaniemi (just a 1.5-hour domestic flight) and realised we could add Lapland using points. For us, it was the perfect Arctic stopover.

Is Rovaniemi too touristy?

This is one of the biggest debates when planning a Lapland trip. Some people avoid Rovaniemi because they feel it’s “too touristy”, especially Santa Claus Village.

We completely disagree. Yes, Santa Claus Village is popular. But:

• It’s only a small part of Rovaniemi.

• Rovaniemi only has around 65,000 residents – it’s hardly a huge city.

• Within 10–15 minutes, you’re surrounded by forests, frozen lakes and complete wilderness.

We visited on 9 December, and while it was a little busy, it wasn’t crowded. I imagine the week before Christmas would feel very different though. For us, Rovaniemi was ideal because:

• We could fly directly there using points.
• After travelling from Sydney, we didn’t want another long transfer.
• Our hotel was just 10 minutes from the airport.

Snow in Lapland in early December – is it reliable?

Another controversial topic: snow levels. In recent years, early December snow in Rovaniemi has been variable. Some winters see heavier snowfall later in December. We were extremely lucky. Snow had already arrived before we landed, and it continued while we were there. Our 7-year-old was absolutely in heaven.

If snow is critical to your experience, it’s worth monitoring snowfall closer to your departure.

Our 3-Night Lapland Itinerary

Three nights is short, but we found it was enough to experience the highlights of Lapland.

Day 1 – Santa Park and meeting the real Santa

We landed at 8:30am and headed straight to SantaPark, an underground Christmas-themed attraction. We spent five hours there:

• Decorating gingerbread at Mrs Claus’ Bakery

• Making ornaments at the Elf Workshop

• Watching the Elf Show

• Riding the Magic Train

• Crossing the Arctic Circle underground

Top tip: Queue for Santa first. We queued for 1h45! My husband and I took turns queuing while the other entertained our son.

Before meeting Santa, I wrote a note including:

• My son’s name

• His age

• That we live in Sydney

• A recent achievement

An elf discreetly passed it to Santa. When Santa mentioned these details during their conversation, my son was completely mesmerised.

As we left, he turned to us and said “He was DEFINITELY the real Santa.”

Worth every minute of the queue.

Day 2 – Husky Safari and Santa Claus Village

Husky Sledding at Bearhill Husky

We did a 5km husky safari, including a kennel visit. Driving across a frozen lake surrounded by forest was one of the absolute highlights of our Lapland trip. Meeting and learning about the huskies afterwards made it even more special.

Exploring Santa Claus Village

At Santa Claus Village, we:

• Posted postcards from Santa’s Main Post Office

• Received a certificate to say we had crossed the Arctic Circle

• Toasted marshmallows by a fire

• Warmed up with delicious hot chocolates

• Did an 800m reindeer sleigh ride through the forest

We also ate lunch at Santa’s Pizza & Burgers. It was okay but expensive and very busy.

Day 3 – Snowmobiling and sledging at Apukka Resort

We booked the Family Snowmobiling Day at Apukka Resort. My husband drove the snowmobile while my son and I rode in a heated sleigh. Afterwards, our son tried a mini snowmobile (though rides were short due to high demand).

We stayed for lunch and sledging on the nearby hill, which turned into an unexpected highlight. Later, we stopped near Ounasvaara for more sledging and hot chocolate.

Lapland makes simple moments – like sliding down a snowy hill – feel magical.

Day 4 – Departure Day

Our flight left at 1pm, so the morning was spent packing, enjoying one last snowy play session, and heading back to the airport for the next leg of our journey to the UK (watch this space for my blog post on that).

Is Lapland worth it with kids?

Lapland is not a budget destination. It’s cold. It’s remote. It’s expensive.

But it’s genuinely magical – especially for children in that sweet age of still believing in Santa. For us, it was one of the most special family travel experiences we’ve ever had.

Would I go back? Absolutely. Hopefully we will see the Northern Lights next time.

Would I recommend it for families travelling all the way from Australia? Absolutely, but make sure you book in advance, especially if you want to visit in peak season (December).