9 days in Rovaniemi & Lappeenranta Itinerary

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

Start off your visit on the 8th (Sun): don't miss a visit to Santa Claus Village, then see Santa Claus Office, then get engrossed in the history at Arktikum, and finally look for all kinds of wild species at Poro Farmi. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the next day: find something for the whole family at SantaPark - the Home Cavern of Santa Claus and then take an exotic tour of a safari tour.

To see photos, ratings, more things to do, and tourist information, use the Rovaniemi journey planner .

Milan, Italy to Rovaniemi is an approximately 8.5-hour flight. You can also do a combination of train and flight; or drive. Due to the time zone difference, you'll lose 1 hour traveling from Milan to Rovaniemi. While traveling from Milan, expect cooler days and slightly colder nights in Rovaniemi, ranging from highs of 13°C to lows of 6°C. Cap off your sightseeing on the 9th (Mon) early enough to travel to Lappeenranta.

On the shores of the country's largest lake system, Lappeenrata serves as the economic and cultural center of southeast Finland.

Explore the numerous day-trip ideas around Lappeenranta: Kummakivi Boulder (in Ruokolahti), Siikalahti Wetland (in Parikkala) and Olavinlinna Castle (in Savonlinna). Spend the 11th (Wed) exploring nature at Repovesi National Park. Next up on the itinerary: admire the sheer force of Imatra Waterfall, admire the masterpieces at Lappeenrannan taidemuseo, take in the spiritual surroundings of Saint Peter and Saint Paul Cathedral, and identify plant and animal life at Riverside Park.

For other places to visit, where to stay, traveler tips, and tourist information, go to the Lappeenranta day trip planning site .

You can do a combination of flight and train from Rovaniemi to Lappeenranta in 5.5 hours. Other options are to drive; or take a train. Traveling from Rovaniemi in September, expect nights in Lappeenranta to be about the same, around 9°C, while days are somewhat warmer, around 17°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 15th (Sun) early enough to travel back home.