15 days in Helsinki & Rovaniemi Itinerary

Finland's largest and most populated metropolis, the maritime town of Helsinki boasts varied architecture, a lively cafe culture, and plethora of picturesque natural delights.

You'll discover tucked-away gems like Heureka and Hartwall Arena. Family-friendly places like Sea Fortress Suomenlinna and Johannes Church will thrill your kids. You'll find plenty of places to visit near Helsinki: Kotka (Sapokka Water Garden & Maritime Centre Vellamo) and Porvoo (Porvoo Old Town & Runeberg Park). Pack the 24th (Tue) with family-friendly diversions at Linnanmaki Amusement Park. Next up on the itinerary: admire the striking features of Temppeliaukio Church, wander the streets of Katajanokka, get engrossed in the history at The National Museum of Finland, and admire the masterpieces at Sinebrychoff Art Museum.

To see more things to do, ratings, photos, and more tourist information, refer to the Helsinki trip planner.

Glasgow, UK to Helsinki is an approximately 6-hour flight. You can also do a combination of car and train; or do a combination of train, bus, and ferry. The time zone changes from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to Eastern European Standard Time (EET), which is usually a 2 hour difference. Expect a bit cooler temperatures when traveling from Glasgow in December; daily highs in Helsinki reach 3°C and lows reach -3°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 27th (Fri) to allow enough time to fly to Rovaniemi.

An urban center set amongst the great Arctic wilderness, Rovaniemi serves as the capital of Lapland province.

You'll explore the less-touristy side of things at SantaPark - the Home Cavern of Santa Claus and Science Centre Pilke. You'll visit kid-friendly attractions like Nature & Wildlife Tours and Snowman World Igloo Hotel. Step out of Rovaniemi with an excursion to Ski Resort Ritavalkea in Pello--about 1h 30 min away. There's lots more to do: make a trip to Santa Claus Village, catch all the local highlights with Feelapland, hit the slopes at Ounasvaaran Hiihtokeskus Oy, and see Santa Claus Office.

For photos, where to stay, traveler tips, and more tourist information, use the Rovaniemi trip app.

Getting from Helsinki to Rovaniemi by flight takes about 3 hours. Other options: take a train; or drive. Expect little chillier temperatures when traveling from Helsinki in December; daily highs in Rovaniemi reach -6°C and lows reach -13°C. Cap off your sightseeing on the 3rd (Fri) early enough to catch the flight back home.