Christmas is a particularly magical time for little ones hoping for a visit from Santa – but why make them wait for Christmas Eve when you could go directly to see Father Christmas himself?
In fact, British families have been heading to Santa’s Grotto in Lapland for decades, to hand deliver their Christmas wishlists, and enjoy an extra dose of festive cheer before the big day.
It’s an enchanting trip for the whole family, as one parent found out when he took his three young boys , right from your arrival through to the moment you get to meet Santa in his grotto.
But it’s not all about Father Christmas and his elves. In fact, there are plenty of incredible things to see and do in Lapland – no wonder it’s still a firm favourite with Brits.
So where exactly is Lapland – and how can you make the most of your time there?
We’ve put together the ultimate guide to Santa’s home (not to mention it’s much easier to visit than his North Pole residence!).
What’s included in the guide?
- Where is Lapland?
- How to meet Santa during your visit
- Where to find Lapland holiday deals
- Airlines that fly to Lapland from the UK
- Where to find cheap hotels in Lapland
- Extra travel tips – including the weather and essentials to pack
- Where is Lapland UK
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Christmas things to do
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Visit the Coca-Cola Christmas truck tour
Where is Lapland?
Lapland is in the north of Finland, on the Arctic Circle – so unsurprisingly, it boasts plenty of snow-covered landscapes.
For example there’s capital Rovaniemi with its lively bars and restaurants, not to mention Santa’s village just 8km away, or the more remote village of Levi which is a hit with skiiers and snowboarders.
How to meet Santa during your visit
No trip to Lapland is complete without a visit to see Santa; it’s part of the whole experience. Luckily in Lapland it’s not tricky to find Father Christmas – they have a dedicated Santa Claus village .
Head to Christmas House to meet him, then go exploring the activities and exhibitions around including underground caverns, the Santa Post Office and plenty more fun including Arctic Circle crossings and traditional ceremonies.
If you’re booking a holiday package, it’s worth checking whether this includes a Meet Santa experience as this could be an easy way of saving money compared to booking your flights, hotel stays and all of the activities separately.
Don’t fancy meeting Santa Claus? Then check out our guide to the best alternative activities not to be missed .
Where to find Lapland holiday deals
- TUI offers a host of holiday packages to Lapland’s most popular hotspots.
- Thomas Cook has 3-night breaks in Lapland starting from £868pp, including a Meet Santa experience, a chance to meet Rudolph and friends, as well as plenty more perks such as a husky sled taster ride and Arctic Circle crossing ceremony – and they also have thermal suits and boots on hand to keep out the cold. Click here for full details . They also offer day trips .
- Expedia already has breaks for winter 2018/2019 on offer with prices from £560pp for a seven-night stay. Click here for details .
- SantasLapland.com has a dedicated offers page including exclusive deals.
- Inghams offers 3-4 night breaks from £769pp including December 2018 breaks. Click here for full details .
- Groupon often has deals and discount codes up for grabs in the run-up to Christmas.
Airlines that fly to Lapland from the UK
If you’d prefer to book your flights and hotels separately rather than a package, there are plenty of airlines that offer flights from the UK. We take a look at the top ones below…
- Finnair
- British Airways
- TUI
- Thomas Cook Airlines
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Norwegian
Where to find cheap hotels in Lapland
If you’re on a budget, then it’s worth checking out TripAdvisor who compare over 200 sites to bring you some of the best cheap hotels in Lapland including rooms from £49 per night. Meanwhile Booking.com has rounded up the 30 best hotels in Lapland to suit any budget.
Extra travel tips – including what to pack
When you pack for Lapland, just think – layers, layer, layers. And make some of those layers thermals. In December, temperatures range from 0 to -20 degrees, but it has fallen as low as -40 in some circumstances!
Daylight is usually between 10am-3pm.
For more information you can also head to visitfinland.com/lapland .
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