8 days in Finland Itinerary

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

Start off your visit on the 15th (Sun): make a trip to Santa Claus Village, see Santa Claus Office, and then take a memorable tour with Feelapland.

For maps, photos, traveler tips, and other tourist information, refer to the Rovaniemi holiday maker site.

Bilbao, Spain to Rovaniemi is an approximately 11.5- hour flight. You can also do a combination of flight and train; or drive. You'll lose 1 hour traveling from Bilbao to Rovaniemi due to the time zone difference. Plan for cooler temperatures traveling from Bilbao in December, with highs in Rovaniemi at -6°C and lows at -13°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 15th (Sun) to allow enough time to drive to Levi.

Finland's largest and most popular ski resort, the fell of Levi provides excellent slopes and lively nightlife in an enchanting setting.

On the 16th (Mon), grab your bike and head to Levi Ski Resort. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the next day: explore the wealth of natural beauty at Pallas-Yllastunturi National Park.

To find more things to do, photos, other places to visit, and other tourist information, go to the Levi trip maker site.

You can drive from Rovaniemi to Levi in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus. In December, daytime highs in Levi are -6°C, while nighttime lows are -15°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 17th (Tue) so you can travel to Saariselka.

Outdoor pursuits--ranging from cross-country skiing and snowmobiling to reindeer safaris and chasing Northern Lights--draw the largest number of tourists to Saariselka.

On the 18th (Wed), hit the slopes at Saariselka Ski & Sport Resort.

To find where to stay, traveler tips, reviews, and more tourist information, you can read our Saariselka trip planner.

Do a combination of flight and bus from Levi to Saariselka in 3 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a bus. December in Saariselka sees daily highs of -7°C and lows of -17°C at night. Finish your sightseeing early on the 18th (Wed) so you can 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.

Step out of the city life by going to Nuuksio National Park and King's Road. You'll explore the less-touristy side of things at Room Escape Games and Seurasaari Island and Open-Air Museum. There's lots more to do: step into the grandiose world of Sea Fortress Suomenlinna, take in the spiritual surroundings of Uspenskin Cathedral (Uspenskin Katedraali), take in the architecture and atmosphere at Helsinki Cathedral, and admire the landmark architecture of Temppeliaukio Church.

For where to stay, reviews, other places to visit, and more tourist information, read Helsinki travel route planning app.

Traveling by combination of bus and flight from Saariselka to Helsinki takes 4.5 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of car and flight; or drive. When traveling from Saariselka in December, plan for a bit warmer days in Helsinki, with highs around 3°C, while nights are much hotter with lows around -3°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 21st (Sat) to allow time to travel back home.