There’s something magical in the silence of the Arctic night: green, violet, and pink lights dancing across the sky, reflected on snow-covered forests and frozen lakes. If you dream of seeing the Northern Lights — the majestic Aurora Borealis — then Finland is one of the best places to chase them. Below is your full and practical guide to planning your trip: when to go, where to go, how to get there, plus ideas for cozy places to stay.
Why Finland for the Northern Lights?
In the northern parts of Finland — especially in Finnish Lapland — you get dark, clear winter skies ideal for aurora viewing. The aurora season there runs roughly from late August to early April, when nights are long enough to offer repeated chances to catch the lights. The most promising period tends to be December through March — deep winter brings extended darkness, while February–March often offers a nice balance of clearer skies, increasing solar activity, and a bit more daylight for daytime activities. On a good night, auroras tend to appear between around 9:00 PM and 2:00 AM — though with long winter nights, you might spot them as soon as it gets dark.
Important ingredients: clear skies, minimal light pollution, and a bit of luck. Even in prime season, auroras don’t show on every night. That’s why it’s worth to stay several nights and maximize the chances.
How to Get There and Move Around?
Because the auroras are most reliably seen far north and rarely over southern Finland, your trip will often involve traveling to Lapland.
How to get there?
Typically you’ll fly to Helsinki, the capital and then take a domestic flight to one of Lapland’s airports: Ivalo or Rovaniemi. In the winter season, you may find some good direct connections between some European cities and Ivalo or Rovaniemi. The most common direct flights are from London, Berlin, Istanbul and Manchester. Book in advance because these direct flight are really limited.
Flights can be expensive though, especially during the aurora season. An alternative way to get to the Lapland is atrain or long-distance bus. The main operator for train travel in Finland is VR-the national railway company. The train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi takes between 9 and 13 hours. Usually the daytime trains are faster but the night trains offers you a possibility to travel in a sleeping cabin. Prices starts from 60 EUR and if you don’t mind seating on a train for hours, the journey is totally worth the price because you will be able to see fairy tale scenery. You will also pass cities like Tampere, Oulu or Keni and if you like the Northern climate, then why not to stop in one of these towns? There is no direct train from Helsinki to Ivalo or the cities further North beyond Rovaniemi. However, you can surely arrive to Rovaniemi by train and hop on a bus if you are planning to travel further north. You can book your entire trip directly on VR website or you can check the website of Eskelisen Lapin Linjat– the company that offers long-distance coach services through Lapland. From Rovaniemi you can catch busses to Ivalo or even over the border to Tromsø.
Getting around locally & chasing auroras
Once in Lapland, you have two choices to chase the aurora: rely on organized tours or rent a car and enjoy the flexibility. Remember that in winter roads are snowy. Many hotels, lodges or resorts also offer “aurora wake-up calls” — meaning staff will alert you if the auroras become visible. In fact, if you choose a right accommodation, you can see aurora directly from your window without a need of driving in the middle of the night.
Checking for auroras & maximizing your chances
Use aurora-forecast websites or apps, which track solar and geomagnetic activity and estimate when and where auroras may appear. Don’t forget to track local weather forecasts too: even if solar activity is high, clouds will blot out the lights. Plan to stay multiple nights — 3 to 5 is often recommended; more is even better. That increases your odds significantly. Choose accommodations away from city lights — remote cabins, lodges, even glass-roof igloos — to minimize light pollution and maximize sky visibility.
Accommodation
There is a decent range of accommodation in the Finish Lapland. Most people travel to Rovaniemi and surroundings but if you prefer to avoid crowds, dare to head further North. Already Ivalo, just 4 hours away from Rovaniemi is smaller and less touristy. If you book in advance you can get really great deals. From glass roof igloos to simple hostels – every traveler can find a suitable place. Let’s see some of the best options.
Glass lodges, cabins, igloos & remote resorts
One of the most magical ways to chase the lights is to stay in a remote lodge or cabin with big windows or even a glass-roof igloo that opens directly onto the northern sky. You literally could wake up under dancing lights. Many of these places offer aurora alerts, hot tubs and panoramic terraces. Usually the glass roof lodges are built far from light pollution, they are surrounded by snow covered forests or frozen lakes. This not only means that you really have better chances of spotting aurora directly from your room but also that you will enjoy an unspoiled nature during the day. If this sounds like what you are dreaming of, then check Haloo Iglos. It’s located about 20 minutes north of Rovaniemi, in a quiet forest setting — ideal if you want nature, peace, and a good chance to see the northern lights without city-light pollution. Each of their glass-roof “igloos” offers a private sauna and an outdoor jacuzzi, plus panoramic views of the sky — meaning you could fall asleep under the stars or auroras, then wake up refreshed in Finnish-style warmth. The price is not cheap: starts at around 1,000 EUR/night but it does include breakfast and dinner. There’s also a shuttle service to the city if you want to combine wilderness and Rovaniemi’s conveniences. Check the official website to get the best offer for your stay.
For a similar experience you can visit Appuka Resort, about 15 minutes from the city centre of Rovaniemi. Set in a peaceful natural area, it also offers glass-igloo–style suites (e.g. “Komsio” or “Kammi” glass igloos) with sky-view roofs, which allow for aurora watching directly from bed.
If you prefer to stay in Ivalo rather than Rovaniemi, check Aurora Village. It is a small, nature-centric accommodation where you will sleep in cabins and glass-roof igloo. Glass-roof sauna with a view over the valley is surely an extra add on to your experience. If you are embracing the Finish culture then you will appreciate an outdoor jacuzzi.
Boutique hotel and lodges
If you prefer a bit more comfort, style and convenience in the proximity of viewing grounds, there are smaller hotels or lodges offering sauna, cozy Finnish-style interiors, and a warm bed after a cold night of stargazing. These kinds of stays often combine traditional Finnish hospitality with comfort, making them ideal if you plan to mix aurora chasing with other winter activities like mushing, snowshoeing or reindeer excursions. I recommend you to stay in Villa Virpi – a cozy, wooden house located just 2 km from the city centre of Rovaniemi. Here you can choose among different types of accommodations: you can stay in the main house; in a private villa; or in a city-apartment style unit. Facilities are simple and comfortable and you can use a shared fully-equipped kitchen (ideal for families). The hosts are super helpful and you can feel good vibes in here.
How to Prepare?
Chasing the auroras isn’t just about luck. You need to plan, be patient, and come prepared. Here are some tips to make your journey perfect:
- Dress in layers — Arctic nights are cold. Thermal base layers, insulated mid-layers, windproof outerwear, warm boots, gloves, hats.
- Bring a camera with manual settings, a tripod, and spare batteries. Cold drains battery life fast; auroras often appear faint at first or shift quickly — you want to be ready. Bring wide-angle lenses, use long exposures (5–15 s) and high ISO to capture the lights.
- Be ready for late nights and early starts. Aurora hours tend to be around midnight, but you may need to stay alert from around 9 PM onward. It’s part of the adventure: night walks, maybe a coffee by a campfire, waiting under the stars.
- Stay flexible & mobile. Weather changes. Clouds may roll in. You may need to hop in a car or join a guided minibus tour and head to clearer skies. Many tours adapt nightly to give the best chance.
- Book a stay of several nights — ideally 4–7 nights — to maximize your odds. The aurora is unpredictable; longer stay means more chances.
Other activities
Let’s be realistic, you cannot spend one week just waiting for the aurora and enjoying a nice SPA in your hotel. There are many other activities you can experience in the Finish Lapland. Even if it’s really cold, you still can go for walk in the snow capped forest, cross country skiing, enjoy reindeer rides or learn more about local culture. Some hotels offer extra packages with customized activities. For example if you decide to stay at Aurora Resort in Ivalo, you will be able to book snow walks, ice fishing, cross country skiing or fat bike rides. Let’s see what can you do during short days in the Lapland.
Husky sledding
One of the most popular activities is definitely husky led rides through snowy forests and across frozen landscapes. If you are staying near Rovaniemi, contact Bearhill Husky to get an offer for your next adventure. They are absolutely the best when it comes to sledding adventures. Their kennel is just outside the city and this family run business is super sustainable and cares for the dogs.
Raindeer Safari
This Reindeer Safari is one of the most genuine winter experiences you can have in Lapland. There’s something magical about gliding through the white silence of Lapland on a traditional reindeer sled. If Rovaniemi is your destination, then contact Arctic GM and enroll for a ride. At this authentic, 200-year-old family-run reindeer farm, the experience feels less like a tour and more like stepping into a living piece of Arctic heritage.
Silent hikes and ice fishing
For a quieter connection with the Arctic, you can try snow hikes and ice-fishing, literally drilling a hole in a frozen lake and waiting (often with a hot drink nearby). Simple hiking in the Arctic does not require a guided tour: all trails maps are enough and you will enjoy the snowy and silent trails. When it comes to ice fishing, it’s better to ask for an advice at your hotel. Some guest houses organize ice fishing tours.
Museums, Culture & Indigenous Heritage
Lapland isn’t only for thrill-seekers — it also has rich cultural and historical layers. Near Rovaniemi, the Arktikum science centre & museum is a must: its exhibitions cover Arctic nature, northern climate, local history and the science behind phenomena like the Northern Lights. It’s a great place to deepen your understanding of what makes the Arctic unique.
Up near Ivalo you can visit Siida – Sámi Museum and Nature Centre: this museum combines natural history with the culture of the Indigenous Sámi people. It offers indoor exhibits in winter. If you decide to come back in summer, you will be able to visit the open-air museum area that shows traditional Sámi buildings, reindeer shelters, and archaeological evidence of ancient habitation in northern Lapland. If you are interested in the Sami culture and traditions, check my post about Sami in Norway here.
Lapland is about contrast: bitter cold and glowing warmth, white snow and neon sky. You might wait for hours, maybe even nights but when the lights finally come, they remind you how magical the world can be. Chasing the lights in Finland is an invitation to slow down, to step out of normal time, into a rhythm ruled by darkness and the gentle stirrings of the aurora — quiet nights by a frozen lake, breath visible in the air, vast forests around you, and the sky suddenly alive with shifting colors.
So pack warm clothes, plan enough time, choose a cozy, sky-friendly stay and let the Arctic night surprise you.
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