13 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Visiting Rovaniemi (2025)

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Over the years, I have learned that it is sometimes easier for me to give a traveler tips for what NOT to do when visiting a destination as opposed to tips for what to do.

In this guide, I will discuss some of the top mistakes people make when visiting Rovaniemi, Finland.

Are you planning your trip to Rovaniemi last minute?

If youʻre booking your trip to Lapland last minute, I have you covered. Below are some of the top tours, hotels, and more!

🇫🇮  Top activities and tours in Rovaniemi:

  1. Northern lights photo tour with lavvu (the BEST aurora tour!)
  2. Dog-sledding in Lapland (bucket list activity at Apukka Resort)
  3. Snowhotel visit from Rovaniemi (wheelchair-accessible option starting in Dec.)

🛌  Top hotels and lodging in Rovaniemi:

  1. Arctic TreeHouse Hotel (famous place by Santa Claus Village)
  2. Hostel Koti (a budget option w/ private rooms)
  3. Apukka Resort (glass igloos in a remote location)
  4. Arctic Light Hotel (top-rated in Rovaniemi city center)

🚗  Looking to travel around Lapland independently? Click here to check Finland rental car rates!

I started listing all of the ‘mistakes’ when drafting this post only to realize that a small number pertain to the trip planning process and the rest are tips for after you arrive.

But, I figured I would throw them all together because it may help you answer some of your own questions (ie. drone flying) before your trip.

Mistakes people make when visiting Rovaniemi (winter edition)
Mistakes people make when visiting Rovaniemi (winter edition)

If there is anything I left off of this guide or any questions you have, please let me know in the comments or send me a message. Thanks!

Mistakes People Make When Planning a Trip to Rovaniemi

1. Assuming November and December will have plenty of snow.

The #1 mistake I see people make is booking a trip in November (or even December) assuming there will be a lot of snow on the ground. Please, do not do this! Or, just manage your expectations and have a Plan B if your dates are not flexible.

November is one of the worst months to visit Rovaniemi if you’re going after snow. The summer months are the worst, but you get what I mean.

Mid-November 2024 in Rovaniemi
Mid-November 2024 in Rovaniemi

In November 2023, we had an early winter and some snow on the ground. In November 2024, it was foggy and warm, and a layer of frost where the snow stood the year before. It was awful. November 2022 was more like November 2024.

While I think November is a fun month to visit due to its unpredictability, I assume most travelers aren’t looking to take that chance.

December can be a bit better, but again, no guarantee. December 2024 was somewhat snow-free. We had warm temperatures a few times throughout the month and very little snow. We didn’t get good snow until January 30, 2025 during that season.

Good snowfall - taken January 3, 2024
Good snowfall – taken January 3, 2024
January 14, 2025 - looks like April!
January 14, 2025 – looks like April!

If you are coming here for snow accumulation, opt for February or March.

2. Picking the wrong month for a trip based around seeing the northern lights.

Is ‘seeing the northern lights’ at the top of your Rovaniemi bucket list? If so, look into a second half of September (or even early October) or March trip. If you don’t care about the snow, come in autumn. If you care about having snow during your trip, come in March.

There is heightened geomagnetic activity during the shoulder seasons and March is an amazing time to come see the aurora.

Northern lights in Rovaniemi
Northern lights in Rovaniemi

As you approach the spring equinox, you have nearly double the number of high geomagnetic days in March compared to December, for example.

So, if you want to travel to Rovaniemi for the northern lights, opt for March (there will be snow on the ground), or late September into early October (don’t count on snow).

3. Thinking that Rovaniemi city center and Santa Claus Village are side-by-side.

One big misconception people have when booking a trip to Rovaniemi is that Santa Claus Village and Rovaniemi’s city center are close to each other. They are, in fact, not. They are roughly 8 kilometers (5 miles) apart and require a bus, taxi, or rental car to get in between.

Rovaniemi and Santa Claus Village distance - full map here
Rovaniemi and Santa Claus Village distance – full map here

And relying on buses here can be a bit of a pain as they stop after 6 or 7pm on weeknights (and sometimes earlier on weekends). There is 1-2 an hour and on weekends, the first bus doesn’t start until around 11am (Bus #8).

Rovaniemi city center has a lot of restaurants, a small mall, hotels, Arktikum, and other things to do while Santa Claus Village has hotels, restaurants, Santa Claus Village itself, and some activities.

Santa Claus Village
Santa Claus Village

Tours should pick up from both locations, but plan your trip and restaurants to eat at before your trip so you aren’t stuck having to grab taxis back and forth too many times. Also, be sure to figure out which area your hotel is in.

Here is a quick list of the most popular hotels and where they are:

🛌 Hotels in Rovaniemi city center: Arctic Light Hotel, Haawe, Hostel Koti, Scandic Pohjanhovi, Sokos Hotel Vaakuna, Scandic Polar, Santa’s Hotel Santa Claus, Arctic City Hotel, Golden Circle Suites, Scandic Rovaniemi City

🛌 Hotels in Santa Claus Village area: Glass Resort, Nova Skyland, Santa’s Igloos Arctic Circle, Santa Claus Holiday Village. Arctic TreeHouse Hotel, Hostel Tikka, and Hostel Ibedcity are close to SCV and are about a 15-minute walk away (it is easy).

Inside a Glass Resort cabin (in autumn)
Inside a Glass Resort cabin (in autumn)

🛌 Hotels outside of both: Apukka Resort, Aito Igloo & Spa Resort, Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos, Lapland Hotels Bear’s Lodge, Invisible Forest Lodge. Lapland Hotels Ounasvaara is also not in either location and is situated atop a hill in the Ounasvaara neighborhood of Rovaniemi. There is a restaurant (Sky Kitchen & View) on-site.

Here is a list of restaurants and where they are located:

🍽️ Restaurants in Rovaniemi city center: Gustav Kitchen & Bar, Cafe 21, Saigon Noodle Bar, Roka, Pure Pizza, Pure Burger, Monte Rosa, Restaurant Taiga, Restaurant Nili, Yuca, Thai Baan, Santa’s Kebab, most cafes (Robert’s, Coffee House, Espresso House), Hanki, Himo, Ozaki Teppanyaki (two locations in city center)

Ptarmigan wellington at Gallis Restaurant (by SCV)
Ptarmigan wellington at Gallis Restaurant (by SCV)

🍽️ Restaurants in Santa Claus Village: Gallis (at Glass Resort), Rakas (nearby at Arctic TreeHouse), Santamus, Three Elves, and Santa’s Salmon Place.

4. Not taking advantage of the lunch deals in the city.

I wrote an entire guide highlighting budget tips for here in Rovaniemi that you can check out, but one of my top recommendations for budget travelers is to take advantage of our lunch buffets! Finland loves a good lunch buffet and we have plenty in Rovaniemi. They tend to range from €13-16 and are unlimited.

You will find lunch buffets throughout the city and it can either be an array of salads and soups or a small main dish alongside an appetizer and dessert buffet.

🥘 Here are some restaurants with lunch buffet specials: Gustav Kitchen & Bar, Robert’s Coffee, Thai Baan, Saigon Noodle Bar, Feenix (inside the mall), Arktikum Museum Cafe, and Santamus.

Lunch buffet (appetizer section) at Gustav
Lunch buffet (appetizer section) at Gustav

If you’re craving Santa’s Kebab, one of my favorite places to eat in Rovaniemi, they don’t offer a lunch buffet, but they DO offer a lunch discount (it is around €3 or so cheaper). Yuca (Mexican food), also offers a lunch discount.

Nearly every place you will find that has lunch specials or buffets will also have free black coffee during that time! Please note that Gustav’s lunch buffet, one of the city’s most popular, is not available during December and a lot of January.

5. Getting a taxi from the street without an app or reservation.

An issue that is very much on the rise here in Rovaniemi and the rest of Finland is ‘wild’ taxis. These are simply just street taxis. They are not ordered through an app (like Uber or Bolt), but rather just will sit and ask you if you need a ride.

Avoid these if you can. They are often nice cars like black Mercedes, but they are notorious for driving people in circles to charge them far more than they should for their route.

🚕 GOOD TO KNOW: These ‘wild’ taxis are usually in nice cars with a taxi sign on top. But, you will see no company name on the side.

I always use Meneva, a Finnish company, as they have nice cars and safe drivers. Uber and Bolt are also fine. You can reserve a taxi ahead of your arrival time with Meneva, so I encourage you to download their app or contact them via their website.

6. Not reserving a table for dinner at the restaurant you want to eat at most.

Is there a restaurant on your Rovaniemi bucket list that you HAVE to eat at when here? If so, be sure to book a table ahead of time to ensure availability. I would book it as soon as you know your dates if their calendar is open.

Delicious Sky View Kitchen & Bar (needs reservation!)
Delicious Sky View Kitchen & Bar (needs reservation!)

It can be very tough to get into restaurants here during the high season and if you are ever lucky enough to score a last-minute table, it will most definitely be at 9pm or something absurdly late (which means you can miss out on the northern lights).

7. Packing for the photos and not the cold.

Something I have noticed in recent years is that there is a certain Influencer-esque get-up that people wear when they visit here. It usually is a tight pair of leggings, Moon Boots, and a thin, stylish top. This may or may not be paired with a fur headband.

While I admit it looks cute, it may not be all that practical. I hear Moon Boots are warm (never tried them myself), so keep those, but don’t underestimate the cold when it comes to your pants or shirts.

These items are cute enough and they'll keep you WARM.
These items are cute enough and they’ll keep you WARM.

Opt for a wool baselayer (top and bottom_ with a pair of winter pants and a sweater over it, as well as a winter parka, warm boots (I wear Fubukis but whatever works for you should be fine), and a hat to keep your head warm.

If you have a certain look you want to have in some of your photos – bring the cute stuff and do the photo shoots, but change into something warmer right after. Northern lights tours can be SO cold!

💥 PRO TIP: If you arrive here and realize you have not packed the right clothing, you can always rent something from Winter Rent in the city center or Wild Nordic at SCV.

Temperatures here have been warm this season (for us – but maybe not for you depending on where you’re based), but you may encounter ones that are -30C (-22F).

8. Booking tours and hotels at the last minute.

This goes without saying. I see many Lapland Facebook groups that say you can wait until you get here to book your tours. NO! Please do not do this.

I had a friend visit last year and she couldn’t get on a dog-sledding tour. There are only a finite number of dogs, northern lights tour guides, etc.

Snowmobiling is also an activity to book ahead!
Snowmobiling is also an activity to book ahead!

If you are looking to book something last minute, you may end up going home disappointed. Or, you may have to settle for an activity that is not as ethical as others (ie: short dog-sledding tours at SCV).

I book all of my tours in the Nordics through GetYourGuide because they offer 24-hour cancellation for most and everything is in one place so I don’t have to scour a bunch of websites to see who my tour is with.

9. Renting a car when you’ve never driven in winter conditions.

Our roads have snow blowing around, icy conditions (in spring, especially), and reindeer standing in the middle of them. In the winter, it is almost always dark and hard to see.

Please do not rent a car if you’re not comfortable driving in the snow. And by ‘comfortable’ I mean – if you have NEVER driven in the snow multiple times in your life, don’t rent one.

Driving during winter in Lapland
Driving during winter in Lapland

It can put a strain on resources here and also be dangerous for locals or those who are familiar with these conditions.

If you are familiar with driving in winter conditions, you can learn more about renting a car in Lapland here.

10. Not respecting the locals and/or realizing that people live in the city.

I live somewhat near Santa Claus Village and there are a lot of rentals and Airbnbs in my neighborhood. I also live right beside the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel.

I can’t tell you how many times I have seen tourists on my property or flying drones over my home (which is illegal due to the airport nearby). There is constant talk about tourists going into people’s yards the see the northern lights, or even take someone’s sleds.

Arctic TreeHouse Hotel is actually built in a residential area of Rovaniemi.
Arctic TreeHouse Hotel is built in a residential area of Rovaniemi

Sometimes I see comments in Facebook groups that make me question whether some travelers realize that this is a city that people live in and not an amusement park.

There is a population of around 65,000 people here and most of us love the tourists and the vibe they bring to the city – so long as they respect the locals and their property.

11. Flying a drone over Santa Claus Village.

Santa Claus Village is situated within 5km of the Rovaniemi Airport which means that drone flying is ILLEGAL. Please don’t do it.

12. Walking on the cross-country ski trails.

Talk about a niche problem – I know, I know. But, as a person who cross-country skis, I constantly have to move around footprints on the tracks and dodge tourists when I am out there.

I live by the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel and my local XC ski tracks go right beside the place. Without fail, there is always someone walking on them and ruining the tracks (which means they can ice over and become very dangerous).

Don't walk on ski tracks please.
Don’t walk on ski tracks, please.

I understand that those from other parts of the world are unfamiliar with the sport, but please look around to make sure where you’re walking is not a ski track. You can see what they look like in my photo.

If you have any questions about where these tracks are located, you can see a map of Rovaniemi’s XC ski trails here. Feel free to also send me a message if you have more questions about this!

13. Thinking we have the world’s northernmost McDonald’s.

I have seen plenty of people make nasty remarks to those who try McDonald’s in various locations around the world and while I don’t do it myself, no shame to those who do (although I wish you’d spend your money at our local spots!).

One thing people have seen on the internet from YouTube is that we have the world’s northernmost McDonald’s here in Rovaniemi. Well, we did for a short period, but we don’t anymore.

The disappointment is real.
The disappointment is real for some

When McDonald’s exited Murmansk, Russia, that gave our McDonald’s the title by default. And Rovaniemi’s McDonald’s capitalized on that like nobody’s business. However, Tromso, Norway now holds that title after their new McDonald’s opened its doors in March 2024.

Our McDonald’s is not even in the city center anymore, so there is really no reason to head out that way, to be honest. They also do not serve reindeer burgers, contrary to popular belief.

Instead, I recommend trying out Pure Burger – it is SO good and is a local joint. And, they DO serve a reindeer burger!

Do you have any questions or Rovaniemi travel tips for those visiting? Thanks!

More Rovaniemi Travel Guides

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There are so many ways to make the most of your Lapland trip - but be sure NOT to make these mistakes when visiting Rovaniemi! I'm a local and here are my tips! | Rovaniemi tips | Rovaniemi travel tips | Things to do in Rovaniemi | What to know before visiting Rovaniemi | Tips for Rovaniemi | Travel tips for Rovaniemi | Lapland travel tips | Lapland tips | Visit Lapland | Rovaniemi advice | Rovaniemi from a local | Rovaniemi FAQ

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