Things to do in Finnish Lapland

Finnish Lapland is the far north of Finland, a land of pine and birch forest, frozen rivers and low fells that sits largely above the Arctic Circle. Rovaniemi, its capital, is the usual base: Santa Claus Village straddles the Arctic Circle line just outside town, and husky farms, reindeer farms and wilderness camps lie a short drive away.

On the coast, the port of Kemi looks out over the Gulf of Bothnia, which freezes solid in a cold winter. From here you can sail on a working icebreaker, float in the ice in a survival suit or walk out on the sea ice. On clear, dark nights from late August to early April the aurora borealis can appear anywhere in the region.