Do I need children to visit Lapland?

Since moving to Äkäslompolo in Finnish Lapland, we are regularly asked questions by people thinking of visiting Lapland,  often about the weather, the temperatures to expect, clothes to wear, things to do, where to stay, where to eat etc.

Recently though, a new question has started popping up quite regularly.

 

“Do I need to have children to visit Lapland”

So, is Lapland a good holiday destination for people without children,  young adults, couples or older families with grown-up children?

To Finnish people, this seems like an odd question, particularly as so many of them have been regularly visiting Lapland all their lives.

From the British perspective though, it’s a natural question resulting from the advertising of Lapland as “Santa World”, and package companies encouraging people to come for short-trips, sometimes even day-trips, to fit in all the snow activities and, of course, to meet Santa himself, who, everyone knows, lives in Finnish Lapland.

This also explains why many of the Lapland villages are full of British customers in December, but much less so during the main skiing season from February to end of April.

Of course, by that time, the daylight hours are much longer and it's easier to go out for long skiing trips, seeing much more of the amazing Lapland scenery.

Lapland is a fantastic place to take children, and visiting Santa, or even have him visit you in your cabin, is an amazing experience. 

Christmas is deep in the magical "kaamos" time, when the sun doesn't rise and the low light is reflected by the snow, adding to the almost surreal scenery.

Kaamos is a special time here, but it is only one side of Lapland, and it’s generally not what the many returning visitors from Finland and Central Europe come for.

Outside the Christmas season, the typical Lapland visitors are couples and older families coming to take advantage of the excellent opportunities for outdoor activities and to enjoy the peace and stunning nature of Lapland.

For Finns especially, winter would not be complete without at least a week of cross-country skiing, and many families, and couples of all ages, will rent a cabin for a week with the primary intention of racking up as many cross-country miles skiing kilometres as they can, on the 350km or so of prepared trails around Ylläs. 

The other winter activities are all available for as long as there is snow, usually to the end of April at least.

So adventuring on snowmobiles, whizzing through the forest trails on sledges pulled by enthusiastic huskies and downhill skiing are all part of the fun, along with the more tranquil activities of snowshoeing and searching for the Aurora Borealis.

When you’ve used up all your energy, there are some lovely bars and restaurants to relax in.

Most cabins have private saunas, great for relaxing tired muscles, and the cable-car sauna is also available if you feel particularly adventurous.

Finally, there is no better way to end the day than relaxing in front of a real log fire with a nice drink. 

So, Lapland is definitely not just for families, and while a Santa visit is special for children of any age, the magic of Lapland is equally enjoyable for adults with or without children. 

Of course, if you feel the need to have children around for some of your time in Lapland, you could always ask a local if they would appreciate a cheap babysitter :)