15 days in Rovaniemi & Helsinki Itinerary

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

Step off the beaten path and head to Pyhatunturi and Safaris. Step out of the city life by going to Ski Resort Ritavalkea and Ounasvaaran Hiihtokeskus Oy. Take a break from Rovaniemi with a short trip to Amethyst Mine Lapland in Luosto, about 1h 35 min away. The adventure continues: find something for the whole family at SantaPark, browse the collection at Rovaniemi City Library, take in the architecture and atmosphere at Rovaniemi Church, and have fun at Santa Claus Office.

To find more things to do, maps, traveler tips, and more tourist information, use the Rovaniemi trip planner .

Perth, Australia to Rovaniemi is an approximately 25-hour flight. The time zone difference moving from Australian Western Standard Time to Eastern European Time is minus 6 hours. Prepare for cooler weather when traveling from Perth in February: high temperatures in Rovaniemi hover around -6°C and lows are around -11°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 17th (Sun) to allow time to travel to Helsinki.

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.

Visiting Teijo national park and Tulliniemi Nature Path will get you outdoors. Explore hidden gems such as Bellevue Beach and Stromforsin ruukki. Get out of town with these interesting Helsinki side-trips: Kotka (Santalahti Nature Trail & Riverside Park), Arboretum Mustila (in Elimaki) and Paavolan Tammi (in Lohjan Island). Spend the 25th (Mon) exploring nature at Ekenas Archipelago National Park. There's still lots to do: contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Rock Church, identify plant and animal life at Hagen - Ramsholmen - Hogholmen, take in the architecture and atmosphere at Pyhtaa Church of Saint Henry, and soothe aching muscles at some of the top local wellness centers.

To see where to stay, reviews, ratings, and other tourist information, read Helsinki travel planner .

Traveling by flight from Rovaniemi to Helsinki takes 4 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of train and flight; or drive. Traveling from Rovaniemi in February, things will get somewhat warmer in Helsinki: highs are around 0°C and lows about -3°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 26th (Tue) to allow time to travel back home.