2025 Santa Claus Village Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in May)
All Moments About Santa Claus Village
📍Santa Claus Village Rovaniemi/Finland
#Traveling abroad #Travel abroad #Finland
In the north of Finland, Rovaniemi is famous for the Northern Lights, but there are plenty of other spots to enjoy during the day besides the Northern Lights at night🌟
One of them that you definitely can't miss is Santa Claus Village, located about a 10-minute drive from Rovaniemi🎅🏻🤍
This is a tourist spot where you can enjoy the Christmas atmosphere all year round🤗🎄
Santa Claus Village itself is cute and full of photo spots, and there are even real reindeer❕🦌💫
I was looking forward to riding a sleigh for a fee, but at the end of March, there wasn't much snow left, and the weather was bad, so I gave up🥲❄️
But even on days like that outdoors, you can still enjoy "Mrs. Santa Claus Christmas Cottage"🧑🏻🎄
Not only is the exterior cute, but the inside is a restaurant, which is also full of Christmas mood and was super cute🪄🫧
We were talking about coming back later to have some hot chocolate! 😆🍫, but as expected, we were playing around and ran out of time😅
If you can stay for a while, I recommend having a cafe time here☕️🍪
Access to Santa Claus Village is very easy from Rovaniemi, we took a direct shuttle bus (8€ per person, takes about 10 minutes) and a local bus via the airport (4€ per person, takes about 20 minutes)🚌
Santa Claus Village in Finland | Playing in the snow, a fantasy park in the Arctic Circle, a polar fairy tale journey
#MarchGoodPlaces2025
Rovaniemi, Finland, a city located within the Arctic Circle, makes people feel like they have walked into a fairy tale as soon as they set foot on this land. There is a real Santa Claus, a white world, reindeer sleighs, and for me who has never seen snow, this place is simply a dream.
When you come to Rovaniemi, Santa Claus Village is definitely the most representative attraction. This is not just a tourist attraction, but a truly magical place where adults and children can find the purest happiness.
As soon as you enter the village, you can see the iconic Arctic Circle Line. Almost every tourist who comes here will take a "check-in photo" on the line.
Record the moment you officially step into the Arctic Circle.
Walk into Santa Claus' office and see the legendary Santa Claus with your own eyes. He takes photos with every tourist with a kind face. You can also receive an exclusive Christmas card from the "North Pole Post Office". Everything here makes people believe that fairy tales really exist.
🎄🌟 Santa Claus Village, if you haven’t been there yet, it’s definitely worth putting on your must-visit list!
Santa Claus Village
Address: 96930 Rovaniemi, Finland
🎅🚆 Complete guide to the Santa Claus Express
#0yentravel
"Finland's dream train" The Santa Claus Express is a sleeper express train that connects Helsinki to Rovaniemi (the city where Santa Claus Village is located)! It is an experiential train full of dreams and romance, traveling about 800km over the night to the entrance to the Arctic Circle✨
Impressions: The magic of Scandinavia from the moment you board the train
The private sleeping compartments are very clean, and you can also choose a room with a shower and toilet.
Tips and access information
🚉【Boarding station】Helsinki Central Station
📍【Dropping off station】Rovaniemi Station
⏱【Travel time】Approx. 12 hours (Departs around 20:00 → Arrives around 8:00 the next morning)
🎫 [Reservation] Advance reservations are required on the official Finnish Railways VR website!
🚪 [Inside the train] A wide variety of trains available, including second-class sleeper cars (double rooms), first-class private rooms (with showers), and seat cars
🧤 [Winter] Best from November to March. Perfect for the aurora season!
[Nordic dream comes true] Santa Claus Village (Rovaniemi, Finland) 🎅❄️🎄
#0yentravel
"A dream village in Rovaniemi, the gateway to the Arctic Circle, where you can meet Santa 365 days a year. A fantastical place with real reindeer, a post office, and even aurora viewing. The perfect location to get into the Christmas spirit!
▶ About 10 minutes by bus from Rovaniemi Airport / Close to the city center
▶ Winter is a must, so bring warm clothes! Be sure to check out the official postal stamps ✉️"
Santa Claus Village ~ Must-eat delicious grilled salmon
114.03.10 I took the "Arctic Express" from Helsinki to Rovaniemi at around 23:00 🚂. It was so fun! There are cute Santa Claus patterns on the train.
114.03.11 After the Arctic Express arrived in Rovaniemi at around 11 o'clock in the morning ~ we immediately went through the car rental procedures ✌️ and picked up the car! Let's start our journey to chase the aurora in the Arctic Circle snow 🌌
🚙 Then we headed to Santa Claus Village and lined up to taste the must-eat "Freshly Grilled Salmon" 🤤🤤 It was really delicious 😋
#Last time I went to Santa Claus Village with a tour group, we had a buffet but I think this is more unique 😝
😚 Thank you my friend for the strong recommendation 👍 I was able to eat such delicious freshly grilled salmon in Santa Claus Village 💯
The desserts are delicious, the reindeers are cute, and the huskies are hyperactive and keep rushing 🤣🤣 3/11 Revisited this dreamy Santa Claus Village again (last time was in summer, this time it was winter with snow) They are all beautiful ❤️

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Living the Bucket List: Arctic Magic in Finland 🇫🇮
For a long time I've been super keen to experience a Husky Ride and to see the Northern Lights. I knew the time had come up to travel North and tick off some items from my bucket list!
Why you should visit Rovaniemi, Finland:
❄️ Wonderland Winters, Fresh Summers
🤫 Beautiful City Life, don't forget to visit - it's so peaceful!
🐺 The Huskies (of course)
🌌 Great chances of seeing the Northern Lights in Winter
💶 It can be done on a budget (if you're careful)
What I wore (in January):
🧥 Thick insulated coat jacket (borrowed from a friend)
👕 Thermal sports t-shirt (from Lidl) plus woollen jumper
👖 Thermal sports trousers plus workmen's insulated trousers (from Lidl)
🥾 Ski boots (borrowed from a friend)
🧣🧤 Scarf and gloves
🎒 I was able to pack all of the above into the included basic hand luggage
‼️ Do Not wear cotton or cotton blends! They trap moisture and can leave you sweating
✈️ Arriving on the Sunday just after lunchtime on a flight that passed over wonderful forests of outback Finland (Picture 2), I headed straight over to the Santa Village (Picture 3) to wave to friends and family on the live webcam (a must!) and get a general vibe of the area.
🛌 After a couple of hours here I headed into the city to my apartment rental to get some rest as I knew I was to have a busy day the following day. On the way, I stopped at a supermarket to get supplies for a light evening meal. I'd recommend this as much as you can in Finland - restaurants can be a tad pricey.
Day 2
🌨️ Onto Day 2 - my favourite day! The Husky ride. I booked a trip that included a free bus up to the Husky Park (which I missed as I didn't read the instructions properly 🤦♂️) so a £40 taxi later and I was at the park. Lesson learned!
🐺 After the safety briefing we were straight out onto the ride in convoy with the other guests. The ride took us through the Finnish forestry (Picture 1) and across frozen lakes (Picture 4) that gave views of crisp sky and green forests blushed with white snow that were simply unforgettable. We then finished with some time with the dogs (Picture 5) followed by hot juice and biscuits, before it was back to the city.
Day 3
🚶♂️ I had a pretty chilled daytime today walking the city and passing buildings like Rovaniemi Church (Picture 6) on my way to look at the River Kemijoki which dissects Rovaniemi.
🌌 Now it was onto the Northern Lights! Starting 7:30pm, this was a 'Guaranteed Sighting' tour which meant that it had been cancelled the night before as there would have been no chance of spotting them. We were reliably informed there would be around a 30-40% chance of spotting them tonight, but this was my last chance, so off I went. No sighting = Refund or Rebooking. Our tour guide took us further north and after some advice from head office we stopped near Liakka on the Swedish border.
📷 And then, there came the Lights (Picture 7)! Absolutely breathtaking. We then headed back to the city and stopped a couple of times on the way as the Lights sprung up again. I reached the house at 2:00am.
🏔️ Day 4 and after some good sleep I climbed the hill on the outskirts of the city to Ounasvaara Observation Tower for excellent city views (Picture 8) before it was time to head back to the airport.
I will be back soon - I had the BEST time ever. Perfect for solo travellers, couples or families 🤍
#europetravel
Christmas Elder Village (Santa Claus Village) Travel Guide
Santa Claus Village, the only official Santa Claus Village in the world, is located in the suburbs of Rovaniemi, a city in northern Finland. It is a destination that every believer in the real existence of Santa Claus looks forward to. Here is a detailed travel guide to help you plan an unforgettable Christmas trip.
1. Transportation Guide
The most convenient way to get from Rovaniemi city center to Santa Claus Village is by taking bus number 8, which takes about 15 minutes and costs 3.6 euros per person. If you need to get there from the airport, you can choose the Santa Bus or the Airport Bus, with fares of 4 euros and 8 euros respectively.
2. Attractions
1. Santa Claus Office: This is a must-visit place in Santa Claus Village. You can talk to professionally trained Santa Claus and take meaningful photos with him. Please note that photos and videos require an additional fee.
2. Arctic Circle Line: Outside Santa Claus' reception hall, there are several pillars marking the Arctic Circle line. You can take photos here to commemorate crossing the Arctic Circle.
3. Santa's Post Office: The stamps and postmarks here are limited editions. You can choose to send postcards to family and friends, feeling the blessings from the Arctic Circle.
4. Culinary Experience: Don't forget to taste the local specialty of grilled salmon. Several restaurants offer this delicious dish, with Santa's Salmon Place being particularly popular.
magic of Santa's Village in Rovaniemi
#favouriteitinerary
#europetrip
Journey to the Arctic Circle's heart and experience the magic of Santa's Village in Rovaniemi, Finland. Meet Santa Claus himself, whisper your wishes, and capture the perfect photo. Cross the Arctic Circle line and receive a special certificate. Visit the Santa Claus Post Office and send festive greetings with a unique Arctic Circle stamp. Enjoy reindeer sleigh rides through snowy forests, or try dog sledding for an exhilarating adventure. Explore charming gift shops brimming with Lappish crafts and souvenirs. Indulge in traditional Finnish cuisine at cozy restaurants. Stay in a cozy cabin or a luxurious hotel, surrounded by the enchanting Lappish landscape. Create unforgettable memories in this winter wonderland, where Christmas spirit lives year-round.
Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi🎅❄️
#0yentripFebruary2025
Rovaniemi, Finland! ❄️
A holy place known as the birthplace of Santa Claus🎅⛄️
There, you can take a commemorative photo with the real Santa Claus!! You can also find cute souvenir shops and eat venison dishes that are hard to find in Japan🦌
Enjoy a valuable experience in Finland🇫🇮
It's the most fun place in my personal top 10 countries I want to visit again❣️If you're considering a trip to Europe, be sure to visit Finland!
Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi
#0yentravelFebruary2025
🕰️Opening hours: Open all year round
Access: Buses depart from Rovaniemi Station about every hour.
There is also the Airport Express bus that runs from Rovaniemi Station to Rovaniemi Airport to Santa Claus Village.
🏖️Atmosphere/Facilities: (Information up to 2024)
You can meet the real Santa Claus.
It was quite crowded and we waited in line for about an hour.
It is free to meet him, but taking photos is prohibited. The staff will take your photo for you, so it costs money to purchase it.
You can also pay 30 euros at the reception desk in advance to have Santa Claus give you a present directly.
You can purchase the photo digitally (downloaded to your smartphone) or on paper, or both.
I bought it digitally for 55 euros.
If you go to the Santa Claus office, you can have Santa Claus send you a letter to your home. (It costs money)
You can also do this on your smartphone.
There are also other attractions such as a reindeer sledding experience, restaurants, and a souvenir shop, so you can spend the whole day here, making this the most recommended spot in Rovaniemi!
🇫🇮【Finland】Certificate of reaching the Arctic Circle in Santa Claus Village🎄
🇫🇮【Finland】Arctic Circle Reaching Certificate in Santa Claus Village🎄
Get an Arctic Circle Reaching Certificate at Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi‼ ️(^^) The border of the Arctic Circle passes through Santa Claus Village, and a line indicating the border, "66°33'07'N", is drawn.
By crossing this border, you can get a "Arctic Circle Reaching Certificate" at the information center at the entrance, which indicates that you have reached the Arctic Circle (^ ^)
There are limited editions, so the prices vary, but the one in the fourth photo is 11€ (^ ^)
#0 yen trip January 2025
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