7 days in Helsinki, Koli National Park & Rovaniemi Itinerary
7 days in Helsinki, Koli National Park & Rovaniemi Itinerary
Created using Inspirock Finland vacation planner
Start: Helsinki
1
Helsinki
— 4 nights
Fly to Joensuu Airport, Drive to Lieksa
2
Lieksa
— 1 night
Drive
3
Rovaniemi
— 1 night
Fly
End: Stockholm
Wed, Dec 9 - Tue, Dec 15
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See full calendar
Helsinki
— 4 nights

Daughter of the Baltic
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.Get in touch with nature at Nuuksio National Park and Nature & Wildlife Tours. Popular historic sites such as Sea Fortress Suomenlinna and Temppeliaukio Church are in your itinerary. Step out of Helsinki with an excursion to Sipoonkorven Kansallispuisto in Vantaa--about 30 minutes away. There's still lots to do: take in the architecture and atmosphere at Helsinki Cathedral, take in the spiritual surroundings of Uspenskin Cathedral (Uspenskin Katedraali), get engrossed in the history at Seurasaari Island and Open-Air Museum, and appreciate the extensive heritage of The Esplanadi Park.
For more things to do, other places to visit, ratings, and tourist information, you can read our Helsinki trip planner.
If you are flying in from Australia, the closest major aiports are Helsinki Vantaa Airport, Turku Airport and Tampere-Pirkkala Airport. Expect a daytime high around 3°C in December, and nighttime lows around -3°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 13th (Sun) so you can travel to Lieksa.
Things to do in Helsinki
Side Trips
Find places to stay Dec 9 — 13:
Highlights from your trip
Lieksa
— 1 night

Lieksa is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the North Karelia region. Start off your visit on the 14th (Mon): identify plant and animal life at Eräeero T:mi Eero Kortelainen, examine the collection at Pielisen Museum, and then make a trip to Paateri.
Use Inspirock's suggestions to plan your Lieksa trip and find the best activities and attractions for your vacation.
The Route module can help you plan travel from Helsinki to Lieksa. Traveling from Helsinki in December, expect Lieksa to be little chillier, temps between -1°C and -6°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 14th (Mon) to allow time to travel to Rovaniemi.
Use Inspirock's suggestions to plan your Lieksa trip and find the best activities and attractions for your vacation.
The Route module can help you plan travel from Helsinki to Lieksa. Traveling from Helsinki in December, expect Lieksa to be little chillier, temps between -1°C and -6°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 14th (Mon) to allow time to travel to Rovaniemi.
Things to do in Lieksa
Find places to stay Dec 13 — 14:
Highlights from your trip
Rovaniemi
— 1 night

Official Hometown of Santa Claus
An urban center set amongst the great Arctic wilderness, Rovaniemi serves as the capital of Lapland province.Kick off your visit on the 15th (Tue): see Santa Claus Office and then get engrossed in the history at Arktikum.
For maps, traveler tips, photos, and other tourist information, use the Rovaniemi travel planner.
You can drive from Lieksa to Rovaniemi in 7 hours. Another option is to do a combination of car and flight. Traveling from Lieksa in December, expect Rovaniemi to be slightly colder, temps between -6°C and -13°C. Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 15th (Tue) to allow time for travel back home.
Things to do in Rovaniemi
Find places to stay Dec 14 — 15:
Highlights from your trip
Koli National Park travel guide
Although many Koli National Park tours revolve around the majestic natural landscape, there are still plenty of things to see and do for those pursuing culture and heritage. Koli lies on the western shore of Lake Pielinen. Its slopes are home to the country's longest valley dotted with waterfalls and caves. Long regarded as a sacrificial site and sacred abode of powerful spirits, the area was uninhabited until the mid-18th century. Slash-and-burn agricultural heritage and traditional Finnish breeds of cow and sheep are still highly valued in Koli. The area's hills, lakes, and narrow islands invite nature enthusiasts to enjoy outdoor activities year round.