You can’t understand Finland without sauna. You can’t understand winter without cold water.

Put the two together and something very real happens — your body resets, your mind quiets, and winter suddenly feels less like something to endure and more like something to enjoy. Yes, enjoy! For us, it feels like a high.

That’s what we experienced with StayLapland. We’ve done saunas before. We’ve done winter trips before. But it was my friends’ first ice dip. And I’m pretty sure they got as hooked as us!

In the Nordics, sauna isn’t a “wellness activity”— it’s a way of life.

Ready to dive in?

We’ll say this upfront: we usually don’t do northern lights tours.

We’re perfectly happy standing alone in the dark, refreshing forecasts, watching cloud maps like it’s a second job, and waiting patiently for the sky to make up its mind. That’s our normal rhythm.

But this Rovaniemi trip with my friends came with a few complicating factors.

We didn’t have a car. Clouds were threatening every single evening. One of my friends had never seen the northern lights. And we were staying close enough to the city that light pollution was always lurking in the background. Add a short stay to the mix, and suddenly “we’ll figure it out ourselves” starts feeling less noble and more risky.

So we booked a tour. And honestly? We’re really glad we did.

Rovaniemi in winter is… a lot.

Within about five minutes of arriving, you’ll see it: tour buses unloading at industrial speed, groups moving in formation, and yes — at least one fully grown adult dressed as an elf, enthusiastically herding people toward Santa Claus Village like it’s a festive airport security line.

But if you’re the kind of person who quietly backs away from crowds, prefers snow over shopping bags, and suspects that Lapland might have more to offer than a receipt printed with reindeer on it — good news. It absolutely does.

This article is about winter activities in Rovaniemi that don’t involve Santa. Think ice hotels that melt in spring, national parks where trees look like they’ve given up on physics, saunas followed by holes cut into frozen lakes, and nights spent waiting quietly for the sky to decide whether it feels like showing off.

We’re unapologetically in favor of slow travel. Fewer places, more time. Staying somewhere long enough to notice how the light shifts, how silence settles in, how weather quietly dictates the pace. In the Arctic, less is often more: winding down in a sauna after a day outside, waiting for the northern lights, watching the snow fall, enjoying a “fika” by the fire.

But we also know reality.

Time off is limited. Flights and hotels aren’t cheap. And winter travel in Lapland adds friction whether you like it or not. So this guide is about experiencing Lapland well in one week — without rushing, without backtracking, and without pretending the Arctic is smaller or easier than it is.

If you’ve got more time, perfect. Stay longer.
If you’ve got seven days, this is how to make them count.

The 2025-2026 northern lights season has been exceptional so far, and one thing is clear: people aren’t just asking where to see the aurora anymore. They’re asking which kind of trip actually fits them.

Short stay or long trip?
Car or no car?
Tour or no tour?
Quiet or social?
First time or return visit?

This guide helps you choose the right northern lights destination based on your travel style, so your trip works in real life — not just on paper.

Travel in 2026 isn’t about ticking off famous places anymore. It’s about how you travel, when you go, and what kind of experience you want once you’re there.

After years of over-tourism, rising prices, and destinations that feel more like theme parks than places, travelers are making calmer, more intentional choices. And the data backs it up, as per Booking.com stats: quieter destinations, off-season travel, and colder regions are driving real bookings — not just inspiration clicks.

That makes us very happy at Penguin Trampoline, as we always encourage responsible travelling, and we are constantly looking for the perfect balance between travellers' and locals’ interests.

Here’s what’s actually shaping travel in 2026, and how to use these shifts to choose better destinations.

Seeing the northern lights is one of those travel dreams that feels almost mythic — until you start planning it and suddenly everything involves icy roads, late-night driving, weather stress, and rental car disclaimers written in very small print.

Here’s the reassuring truth: you absolutely can see the northern lights without a car. In many cases, it’s not just easier — it’s smarter. We’ve done it plenty of times — Luleå, Alta, Kiruna, Rovaniemi, etc. — as we usually don’t rent a car in winter.

This guide is for travelers who want the aurora without white-knuckle winter driving, missed turnoffs in the dark, or constant road-condition checks. We’ll show you how it works, where it works best, and how to choose accommodation and tours that do the heavy lifting for you.

Alta doesn’t behave like a “gateway destination.” It doesn’t funnel you toward a checklist. It doesn’t shout must-see.

And that’s precisely why it’s one of the best bases for a road trip in Arctic Norway — although we could stay forever in Alta and not get bored!

But for many people, once they’ve booked a few nights in Alta, the same question always follows:

Where can you realistically go from Alta — especially in winter?

One of our readers actually sent us this question (thank you, Priscilla!)

This guide covers the best trips from Alta, year-round, with clear explanations about winter road conditions, safety, driving times, and realistic expectations. And if you prefer not to drive, we also included a couple of bus alternatives!

Alta looks small on the map. That’s deceptive.

Yes, it’s compact. Yes, the airport is close. But once you start planning northern lights nights, winter activities, or trips beyond town, the car vs tours question becomes very real — and the answer isn’t the same for everyone.

We’ve done Alta with and without a car, in different seasons. Here’s the honest breakdown.

We love Alta because it doesn’t try to impress you. It just hands you a quiet fjord, a forest trail, a sky that changes every five minutes, and lets everything unfold naturally.
On our last trip, we realised Alta’s wild side is exactly what keeps pulling us back—fewer people, bigger spaces, and that steady feeling that you’re finally breathing again.

This guide is all about outdoor adventures that don’t overlap with the general “what to do” list—real places, real trails, and seasonal nature experiences you can’t get in the bigger, more touristy Arctic cities.

Rovaniemi is lovely.
It’s iconic.
It’s Santa’s “official” hometown.
It’s also… completely flooded from November to early January.

Families, buses, long lines, sold-out activities, €450 reindeer rides, and prices that make reindeer reconsider their life choices.

If you're dreaming of Christmas magic without the stampede, Scandinavia is full of places that feel just as magical — sometimes more.

We’ve spent winters all over the Arctic — Kiruna, Abisko, Luleå, Alta, Tromsø, Svalbard, and Finnish Lapland (outside Rovaniemi) — and there are SO many places where the Christmas vibes are strong, the Northern Lights are bright, and the prices are (slightly) less terrifying.

And if your kids are begging for Santa, we’ve included a bonus a bit further away… but definitely off the beaten path!

Here are the best Rovaniemi alternatives, and what makes each special.

Kiruna holds a special place for me (Eli). That’s where my passion for the Arctic was born, back in 2007! As soon as I got off the plane, I knew it was true love at first sight. Maybe it’s the strange mix of mining town grit and Arctic wonder, or the way the Northern Lights appear right above the grocery store. Or the unpretentious authenticity, and the friendly locals.

We’ve been here seven times — long enough to watch part of the town literally move east to escape the expanding iron mine — including the church this past summer (2025). What hasn’t moved is the atmosphere: cozy cafés to warm up while watching the snow fall, locals on snowmobiles or sleds doing their grocery run, and hotels that feel built to survive winter (yes, even made of ice).

If you're planning a winter trip to Lapland, you're probably torn between magical Rovaniemi, the "official" hometown of Santa Claus in Finland, and Kiruna, Sweden's Arctic gem. But wait — there’s more! Other Lapland destinations like Tromsø, Norway, and other less known towns, might also be calling your name. So, which icy wonderland should you choose? Let’s break it down.

When we got to Alta, locals kept asking us: “Why Alta”?

Indeed, many visitors skip Alta on their way to the North Cape, or just stop in Tromsø. And you know what? They’re missing out. Big time.

Alta might not be plastered all over Instagram, but that’s the beauty of it. And, as you know, our kind of destinations at Penguin Trampoline!

Interestingly for us, Arctic addicts, Alta is considered the northernmost city in the world with a population surpassing 10,000.

So, keep reading to find out why visit Alta, Norway!

There’s cold, and then there’s Lapland cold—the kind that makes the air taste clean and turns silence into music. Well, actually, there’s Svalbard cold, which takes it to another level, but that’s another story. You probably came to Swedish Lapland for the Northern Lights, but you’ll stay for the cabins that smell like pine, the saunas with a view of forever, and the hosts who still cut firewood by hand to prepare a delicious suova (Arctic Food here).

We’ve crossed Swedish Lapland roughly a dozen times, from Luleå’s frozen archipelago to Abisko’s star-soaked skies to find the best stays—those that feel remote yet reachable, wild yet warm.

Summer crowds have gone home (and we, penguins, rejoice). Temperatures are down (again, we rejoice). Winter hasn’t yet wrapped everything in snow. And in between, fall (or autumn, depending on where you’re reading this from) quietly transforms Europe’s wildest corners into glowing forests, aurora skies, and solitude you didn’t know you needed.

If you’ve ever wanted to trade pumpkin spice lattes for misty valleys, or swap city noise for the crunch of leaves under your boots, this is your season. Here are five wilderness escapes we’ve loved (or are about to explore) where fall feels like nature’s secret handshake.

Take a deep breathe in… and fall for nature with us!

If you’re yearning for the perfect fall escape, Finnish Lapland is your dream come true. Vast toundra and taiga landscapes stretching as far as the eye can see, vivid fall colors, cozy log cabins with crackling fireplaces, warm saunas, cold lakes, and the northern lights dancing overhead.

Whether you’re an intrepid adventurer or someone who just wants to snuggle up with a good book and hot cocoa, Finnish Lapland offers the perfect blend of wild and warm.

You’ve seen the photos: glass igloos glowing under green skies, cozy cabins deep in Lapland, snow hotels made entirely of ice. It all looks unreal — and it is, until you find yourself standing outside at midnight, in –25°C, watching the aurora swirl above your room.

We haven’t stayed in every one of these hotels (we’re working on it, promise), but we’ve researched them, seen many in person, and talked to travelers who’ve frozen in all the right places. Here’s our handpicked list of the best hotels in Europe to see the Northern Lights in 2025, from Norway to Finland to Sweden — plus a few bonus picks in Iceland worth every chill.

Norway is one of the best places on Earth to chase the Northern Lights and enjoy breathtaking landscapes — but when you zoom into the map, the Arctic north gives you two tempting main bases: Tromsø and Alta.

Both towns promise aurora magic, Arctic adventures, and that raw, snow-dusted beauty. But which is the right one for your trip in 2026? We’ve been to both — frozen toes included — and here’s the breakdown.

👉 This article is part of our Arctic Travel Hub, where we gather all our insider tips, destinations, and stories. If you’re chasing the northern lights, also check out our Northern Lights Hub.

Spoiler alert: We have a personal favorite, but both are absolutely worth a visit.

The northern lights don’t understand borders (and sometimes, neither do we). From the icy plains of Alaska to the wild Southern Ocean, auroras ripple across both hemispheres in glowing ovals of light.

If you’ve already dreamed your way through Iceland or Norway (see our Europe guide), here’s the global bucket list: the best places in the world to chase the aurora borealis — and even its southern twin, the aurora australis.