Things to do in winter
Stay with us in winter to experience the magic of Swedish Lapland. Watch the Northern Lights from the frozen lake, take a five-minute drive to the nearest ski centre or join a range of local tours and activities.
Northern Lights
There's a reason we called our house 'Lapland Lights'! It was because we were chasing the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) that we first visited the Lapland region. We never get tired of seeing them.
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Whether you will get to see them depends on the time of year, the weather and solar activity: you need clear, dark skies and for the aurora to be active. All being well, you should be able to see them right outside the house – which is where this photo was taken. You could even watch them whilst relaxing in the hot tub, or from our convenient north-facing balcony.​
When the lake is frozen you can walk onto it to get a better view – it’s a great place to take photos. If conditions are more challenging, you may need to drive in search of clear skies – but the chase is part of the fun!
Skiing and snowboarding
The closest ski centre is just five minutes’ drive away. Svanstein Ski Resort, much loved by snowboarders, has 16 slopes, a rental shop and a restaurant. [As at September 2025, Svanstein Ski is temporarily closed for refurbishment.] Also within easy reach are two other small ski centres, Ritavalkea and Aavasaksa. All three resorts are very friendly usually pretty quiet – meaning you don’t have to deal with the long queues and overcrowded slopes typical of Alpine ski resorts.
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Of course if it's a big resort you're after – no problem! With 63 slopes, Ylläs Ski is the largest in Lapland, and only 1h 30m drive away. And just past Ylläs, with 43 slopes, Levi is well worth the two-hour drive.
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You can also try cross-country skiing. In fact, if you have the gear you can literally walk out the front door and ski straight down to the nearest tracks, which are on the lake.
Husky safaris
There's nothing else quite like being hauled across a frozen lake or through a wintry forest by a team of beautiful huskies. It's a thrilling experience and if your trip to Lapland is a once-in-a-lifetime event then a Husky safari is a must.
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We work with a number of local providers, all of them excellent. Let us know exactly what you are looking for and we can put you in touch or even make the booking for you.
Reindeer experiences
Winter is the best time to get up-close and personal with reindeer, as the herd is kept together in a corral. There are several opportunities nearby for meeting reindeer and taking a sleigh-ride. As with the dog-sledding, let us know exactly what you are looking for and we will help find the right experience for you.
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Just across the Torne River in Finland (35 mins drive in summer, 15 mins in winter when you can cross the frozen river) is Pörröporo – a Reindeer-themed souvenir shop and restaurant where you can buy Reindeer skins and eat Reindeer meat.
In summer, the Reindeer roam free in the forests and have even been known to spend some time in our garden! Watch out for them crossing the roads.
Ice fishing
Simple pleasures! Wrap up extra warm, drill your hole, dangle your rod and see what you can catch. There is an abundance of fish in Swedish Lapland and you could catch anything from a tiny perch to a monster-sized pike!
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We provide an ice drill and ice-fishing rods for our guests to use at no extra cost, so you can just walk out onto the lake and try your luck.
Meet Santa
The most convenient airport for Lapland Lights is Rovaniemi (Finland), which is also Santa's official home town. So it's easy to work a Santa visit into your trip. Santa Claus Holiday Village even provides a free shuttle bus from the airport. It's free to meet him but you need to pay if you want a photo (sorry, no selfies). It's the same deal in Santa Claus Village, and both have restaurants and gift shops open to the public. Santa Park is a bit different: you pay to get in but then rides, shows and most activities are free - and you can take your own photos.
If you want something a bit more personal and authentic, we can help arrange a local private Santa experience for you – or you can even have him come visit you at Lapland Lights!
Snowmobiling, snowshoeing,
sledging and more…
We can help you arrange other local activities, including snowmobiling, ice-karting and snow-tubing.
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We provide sledges for our guests to use. There is normally a snow-heap just outside the house that offers plenty of sledging fun for children. We can direct you to some other spots in the village if you want a bit more of a hill!
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We also provide two pairs of adult snowshoes you can use to venture off into the woods or up the nearest mountain.
Visit the ice hotels
We hope you will want to stay with us during your visit to Swedish Lapland but that doesn't mean you can't experience the amazing ice hotels in the area. You can drop into them as day-visitors and see all the sculptures and rooms, drink in the ice bars, and then go home to a cosy house instead of braving the sub-zero temepratures overnight.
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The three main ice hotels in the area are all close to airports, so you can combine a trip to one of them with your journey to Lapland or back home again. The closest to Lapland Lights (and one of the biggest in the Nordic countries) is Arctic SnowHotel. This is just one hour's drive away and on your way if you are flying to or from Rovaniemi. Then there is the SnowVillage near Kittilä. And finally there's the one that started it all - the original Ice Hotel near Kiruna.
Find out more
Being right on the border, you get to experience the best that both Swedish and Finnish Lapland have to offer. You can find more information about activities and attractions by following the links below.
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Sweden:
Finland: