Lonely Planet: Rovaniemi is Europe’s top winter destination

Rovaniemi has been named Lonely Planet’s top winter destination ahead of such perennial favourites as the Christmas markets in Germany and Austria, Abisko in Swedish Lapland, Athens, and Copenhagen.

Along with the abundant supply of snow and reindeer and the home of Santa Claus, Lonely Planet numbers museum-science centre Arktikum among the drawcards of the capital of Finnish Lapland.

“Finnish thermometers have more numbers below 0°C than above, so pack serious winter clothing,” the website advises.

Whilst the global pandemic has presented considerable challenges for the forthcoming winter season in Finnish Lapland, in the long term international interest in Northern Finland shows no signs of abating. Recent years have seen the region attract record-breaking numbers of tourists.

Arktikum is a popular museum and science centre. Image: Visit Rovaniemi