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 Sinebrychoff Art Museum. Family-friendly places like Sea Fortress Suomenlinna and Hartwall Arena 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, explore the world behind art at Kansallisgalleria, and take in the spiritual surroundings of Johannes Church.

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 7-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 travel 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 Moomin Snowcastle. You'll visit kid-friendly attractions like Nature & Wildlife Tours and Rovaniemi Church. 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, get curious at Pilke Science Centre, and buy something for everyone on your list at Arctic Circle Mall.

To find more things to do, photos, where to stay, and other tourist information, read our Rovaniemi trip planner.

You can fly from Helsinki to Rovaniemi in 4.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or drive. Prepare for slightly colder weather when traveling from Helsinki in December: high temperatures in Rovaniemi hover around -6°C and lows are around -13°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 3rd (Fri) to allow time to travel back home.