Vacation Overview
Tour Details
Scandinavian Northern LightsSnow, Santa Claus and the fascinating culture of the Sámi people await on this Arctic adventure in pursuit of the Northern Lights that dance across the dark winter skies of Finland and Sweden.
Dining Summary- 8 Breakfast (B)
- 5 Dinner (D)
Must-see Highlights- Explore Helsinki, Gammelstad and Stockholm
- Visit Saariselkä, Rovaniemi, Gammelstad Church Town, Kiruna and Stockholm City Hall
- View the Northern Lights (weather permitting)
- See the Sibelius Monument, the Olympic Stadium, the Opera House and Finlandia Hall in Helsinki, Riddarholmen Church and the Royal Palace in Stockholm
Iconic Experience- Helsinki: Join your Local Specialist to see the sights of Helsinki, a city known for its seafront setting, clean-lined architecture and Nordic character. As you explore the Finnish capital, stop for a drink and take in the atmosphere of this harbor city.
- Rovaniemi: Visit Rovaniemi, the hometown of Santa Claus, and meet its famous resident.
- Gammelstad: Visit the immaculately-preseved historic trading settlement of Gammelstad. Gain insight into the customs and development of this region as you view the wooden cottages and central stone church.
- Stockholm (Solna): With your Local Specialist, visit the Stockholm City Hall and enjoy a panoramic tour of the city with your fellow traveling companions.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®- Inari: Explore the museum’s collections showcasing the spirit and history of Sámi culture over the centuries, as well as the evolution of the Sámi languages, Northern Lapland’s unique natural environment and how this community has survived and indeed thrived in the Arctic's extremes. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Be My Guest- Rovaniemi: Sit down to lunch with your hosts at a family-run reindeer farm and learn about life in the Arctic. Afterward, visit the farm, meet the reindeer and hear how Sámi traditions are carried through daily work in this northern landscape.
Daily Itinerary
Trafalgar Tours: Scandinavian Northern Lights
Day 1 - Welcome to Helsinki
Helsinki kick-starts your hunt for the mystical Northern Lights. On arrival, you'll be transferred to your hotel. There's time to freshen up before joining your?Local Specialist for a city sightseeing tour and Welcome Reception.
Accommodations: Clarion
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 - Journey to Saariselkä
Today, take to the skies as you fly north from Helsinki, crossing the Arctic Circle to the wilderness of Finnish Lapland. From Ivalo, a short drive brings you to Saariselkä, your snowy base for the next two nights. Later, uncover the traditions and heritage of Europe’s only Indigenous people during your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at the Siida Sámi Museum, set by the edge of Lake Inari. Through thoughtful exhibitions, you’ll learn how Sámi culture, languages and customs have evolved, and how communities continue to live in connection with this remote northern landscape. As night falls, don’t miss the chance to participate in another Optional Experience—a magical Northern Lights hunt.
Accommodations: Santa's Tunturi
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 - Discover the Arctic
Enjoy a relaxing day in the picturesque Arctic village of Saariselkä. For those looking for adventure, consider joining an Optional Experience to go snowshoeing along the scenic Aurora Path, and later opt in to feel the thrill of a snowmobiling excursion across the frozen Ivalo River.
Accommodations: Santa's Tunturi
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 - Off to Santa Claus Village and Rovaniemi
Journey from Saariselkä to a reindeer farm for your Be My Guest experience, where your hosts welcome you with lunch and stories of Sámi traditions and Arctic life. Meet the reindeer, learn how the farm runs through long winters and short summer seasons, and share fika together. If conditions allow, glide across the snow on a traditional reindeer sleigh ride. Continue to Rovaniemi, the official hometown of Santa Claus, where you’ll cross the Arctic Circle and stop at Santa’s post office to send festive greetings stamped from Lapland.
Accommodations: Santa's Hotel Santa Claus
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 - Venture to Luleå in Swedish Lapland
Bid farewell to Finland, bound for Sweden. Your first stop is the historic church village of Gammelstad, a UNESCO World Heritage site, renowned for its 424 wooden houses surrounding an early 15th-century stone church. Explore the village with a Local Specialist who will bring its fascinating history to life. Afterward, continue on to Luleå, the largest city in Swedish Lapland.
Accommodations: Scandic Luleå
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 - Onwards to Kiruna
Travel from Luleå to Kiruna, deep into Sweden’s Arctic north, where wide forests, lakes and mining landscapes shape the journey. This afternoon, explore Kiruna at your own pace, perhaps visiting the striking wooden church, browsing local shops or taking in the town’s Arctic setting. Or join an Optional Experience with a Local Specialist to learn how Kiruna is being reshaped and relocated, then pause for a traditional fika.
Accommodations: Scandic Kiruna
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7 - Kiruna Your Way
Today is yours to explore Kiruna, a fascinating town undergoing one of the most ambitious urban relocations in modern history. In a remarkable feat of engineering, much of the town — including its historic buildings — is being methodically moved 3 kilometers east to accommodate the growth of the world’s largest underground iron ore mine. You might choose to explore at your own pace, or perhaps join one of our enriching Optional Experiences. Take a husky safari through the snow, or if conditions don’t allow, visit a working sled dog kennel to learn about life with these remarkable animals. Explore the Icehotel, built entirely from natural ice and snow. End the day with an evening Optional Experience to Aurora Camp, where a two-course dinner is served beside the frozen river as you watch for the northern lights.
Accommodations: Scandic Kiruna
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 - Enjoy Stunning Stockholm
This morning leave the Arctic behind to fly to Stockholm. Enjoy an orientation tour led by a Local Specialist, exploring the city known as 'beauty on the water.' Walk the cobbled streets of the Old Town, and visit the impressive Stockholm City Hall. Tonight, your journey in search of the Northern Lights concludes with a memorable dinner.
Accommodations: Clarion
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9 - Farewell Stockholm
As our journey in the snowy Arctic lands of reindeer and Father Christmas comes to an end, the memories of ancient Sámi culture and Nordic traditions in our hearts, we bid a fond farewell to newfound friends.
Meals: Breakfast