Destination North

Day 1: Arrival at Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi is the capital of Finnish Lapland and is located just above the Arctic Circle. It is Santa Claus' home town! Highlights of Rovaniemi include the Jätkänkynttilä bridge and its eternal flame over the River Kemijoki, the Arktikum museum, which emerges from the bank of the River Ounasjoki, the Town Hall, the library and the Lappia building, which serves as a theatre, concert hall and cultural centre. The last three buildings mentioned were all designed by the famous Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto.

Accommodation in Rovaniemi.

Day 2: Rovaniemi - Kiruna

Head west along the E75/4 towards the Swedish border and Kiruna. Kiruna is Sweden's most northern city and is sometimes considered the world's largest in terms of surface area, even though most of it is not urbanised. In the surrounding area, you'll find a wild landscape unique to Sweden, made up of high mountains, dense forests and rivers. Kiruna has a long tradition of mining. In 2004, a new vein of iron ore was discovered just below the town centre. This led to the decision to relocate the entire town over the next decade!

Accommodation in Kiruna.

Day 3: Kiruna - Sortland

Today, you'll be driving towards Norway and the Vesterålen Islands, famous for their magnificent wildlife. Sea eagles and seals are easy to spot around the archipelago and Langøya Island, where Sortland is located. In 1999, artist Bjørn Elvenes began a project to paint all the buildings in Sortland blue. Throughout the town, you can find buildings in different shades of blue, giving it its nickname "Den blå byen" - the blue town.

Accommodation in Sortland.

Day 4: Sortland

Places to visit around this magnificent archipelago include the village of Stokmarknes, south-west of Sortland, and the museum of the famous Hurtigruten coastal express. The ship was created to transport fish, mail and goods along the Norwegian coast. Today, it carries people and is considered one of the most beautiful sea journeys in the world. If you're interested in the wilderness, we recommend a boat trip. From Andenes, 100 km from Sortland, you can join a whale safari.

Accommodation in Sortland.

Day 5: Sortland - Tromsø 

Off to the largest Nordic city above the Arctic Circle, known as the ‘Paris of the North’: Tromsø. We recommend a visit to the Arctic Museum: Polaria. It features an aquarium showcasing the different animal species living in the Arctic Sea. Its spectacular architecture, which symbolises an iceberg, makes it easy to spot in the city centre. You can also visit the Lyngen Church, built in 1731 and the largest wooden building in Northern Norway, as well as the majestic Arctic Cathedral.

Accommodation in Tromsø.

Day 6: Tromsø - Alta 

You will then continue your journey to Alta, the largest town in Finnmark. This coastal town is modern, but with an ancient history, going back to before the Sami traditions. To experience this, we recommend a visit to the Alta Museum, which holds over 2,500 rock engravings and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. The museum is located around 5km south of Alta, making it an ideal stopover on your way from Tromsø.

Accommodation in Alta.

Day 7: Alta - Honningsvåg

Leaving Alta for the North Cape. You follow the midnight sun route to Kåfjord. You take an underwater tunnel to Magerøy and then to Honningsvåg. In the evening, we recommend an excursion to the North Cape plateau, where you can enjoy the panoramic view of this vast open space overlooking the Arctic Ocean, and perhaps have the opportunity to experience the midnight sun.

Accommodation in Honningsvåg area.

Day 8: Honningsvåg - Karasjok 

Drive south across the vast plains of Finnmark to Karasjok - ‘the capital of the Sámi people’. We recommend a visit to Sámpi, ‘the land of the Sámi’, a fascinating cultural park where you can learn about Sámi culture, history, traditions and mythology. There are also guided tours of the Sámi Parliament and the National Museum of Sámi Culture.

Accommodation in Karasjok area.

Day 9: Karasjok - Kautokeino

From here, you continue on to Kautokeino, where the highest density of Sámi population living in the traditional way (with their famous reindeer herding) is recorded. In Kautokeino, we recommend a visit to Juhls Silvergallery, a spectacular building housing exhibitions of silver objects made by local artists.

Accommodation in Kautokeino area.

Day 10: Kautokeino - Muonio

From Kautokeino, your route continues through the beautiful Lapland, back to Finland, in the town of Muonio.

Accommodation in Muonio area.

Day 11: Muonio - Rovaniemi

Today, you'll continue your Finnish journey back to Santa's hometown of Rovaniemi. You will depart from Rovaniemi according to your own itinerary.