Last updated on July 8, 2024
![Lapland inspiration - Luosto](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/04/Lapland.jpg)
This was the year I fell in love with winter: not the grey, drizzly days, but the brilliant whites, blues and golden light of a true winter landscape. We saw it in Iceland, but it was Lapland that felt like the winter of fairytales. The snow was soft, the air crisp, and the presence of reindeers topped it off.
I’ve written a blog post detailing our whole 5-day Lapland trip, and another about finding the Northern Lights, but as always, I also like to accompany that with a post that’s all about the photos – you could call it a storybook itinerary. Here’s one for Lapland…
![Amethyst Mine Snowmobiling tour - Jaakkola Reindeer Farm - 5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/Finland-77845.jpg)
It’s a land dressed in snow…
![5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights - Luosto](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/5-day-Finland-itinerary-Northern-Lights-7.jpg)
…with sunny skies. Bask in it…
![5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights - Pyha ski resort](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/5-day-Finland-itinerary-Northern-Lights-5.jpg)
…or play among the hills…
![5-day Finland itinerary - Skiing](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/5-day-Finland-itinerary-Northern-Lights-2.jpg)
…for a slice of snowboarding in the forest.
![Jaakkola Reindeer Farm - 5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/Finland-77831.jpg)
Lapland is the home of Santa and the reindeers that pull his sleigh.
![Lapland holiday tips - Jaakkola reindeer farm](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/04/Finland-77817.jpg)
Meet these magnificent creature, the big ones…
![Jaakkola Reindeer Farm - 5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/Finland-77824.jpg)
…and the small.
![Jaakkola Reindeer Farm - 5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/Finland-77826.jpg)
They love to feed on lichen…
![Lapland vacation tips - Jaakola reindeer farm](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/04/Lapland-photo-inspiration.jpg)
…so you’ll make plenty of friends.
![Jaakkola Reindeer Farm - 5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/Finland-77815.jpg)
Then take a ride on a reindeer sleigh.
![5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights - Reindeer farm Jaakkola](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/5-day-Finland-itinerary-Northern-Lights-8.jpg)
![Huskies at Korvala - 5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/Finland-77879.jpg)
Who can resist a reindeer selfie?!
For some more magical moments, head to a house amid the snow…
![Huskies at Korvala - 5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/Finland-77860.jpg)
…where huskies have their home.
![Lapland vacation tips - Korvala huskies](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/04/Finland-77861.jpg)
Spend some time with these beautiful creatures…
![Lapland vacation tips - Korvala huskies](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/04/Finland-77856.jpg)
![Lapland vacation tips - Korvala huskies](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/04/Finland-77863.jpg)
…who frolic in the snow…
…and bowl you over with their varied eyes.
![Huskies at Korvala - 5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/Finland-77866.jpg)
These huskies love to run…
![5-day Finland itinerary-Huskies](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/5-day-Finland-itinerary-Northern-Lights-12.jpg)
…so you can try your hand at mushing. Whizz through the forest…
![5-day Finland itinerary-Huskies](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/5-day-Finland-itinerary-Northern-Lights-13.jpg)
…and speed over frozen lakes. It’s an experience not to be missed.
![5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights - Snowmobiling](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/5-day-Finland-itinerary-Northern-Lights-10.jpg)
And then for something different, try a snowmobile, following paths throughout the forest…
![Amethyst Mine Snowmobiling tour - Jaakkola Reindeer Farm - 5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/Finland-77841.jpg)
…until you reach a special hill…
![Amethyst Mine Snowmobiling tour - Jaakkola Reindeer Farm - 5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/Finland-77846.jpg)
…with views across the land…
![amethyst mine](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/04/amethyst-mine1.jpg)
and an amethyst mine atop…
![Amethyst Mine Snowmobiling tour - Jaakkola Reindeer Farm - 5-day Finland itinerary Northern Lights](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/Finland-77853.jpg)
…where you can dig for precious stones.
![Northern Lights, Luosto](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/Finland-77803-1.jpg)
If you’re lucky you might see the lights…
![Northern Lights Lapland Finland](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/Finland-77810.jpg)
….and be bathed in deepest awe.
![5-day Finland itinerary - Arctic Snow Hotel Chapel](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/5-day-Finland-itinerary-Northern-Lights-15.jpg)
But even if you don’t see them, there’s plenty to delight. Like chapels made of ice…
![Arctic Snow Hotel, Lapland](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/Finland-77886.jpg)
…technicolour ice suites…
![Santas Hotel Aurora Glass Igloo](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/03/5-day-Finland-itinerary-Northern-Lights-11.jpg)
and glass igloos to get cosy in.
![Lapland vacation tips - Amethyst mine](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/04/Finland-77840.jpg)
Lapland, you are magic.
![31 photos to inspire your trip to Lapland – Lapland holiday ideas and advice](https://bridgesandballoons.com/Images/2017/04/31-photos-to-inspire-your-trip-to-Lapland.jpg)
Some tips for travelling in Lapland
There are a few different airports in Lapland. We chose to fly to Rovaniemi, which was about 1.5 hours from Luosto where we stayed.
We recommend Lapland Hotel Luostotunturi for a reasonably priced and very well located hotel in Luosto.
For something special, you could splash out on an igloo at Santa’s Hotel Aurora.
We recommend hiring a car so you have lots of flexibility on your travels. We use rentalcars.com to find the best deals.
Things we did while in Lapland included: snowboarding at Pyhä Ski Resort; visiting Jaakkola reindeer farm; a snowmobile safari to the amethyst mine with Lapland Safaris; a husky safari at Korvalan Kestikievari; and snowshoeing, again with Lapland Safaris.
For lots more details, including our full itinerary and how much everything cost, read my 5-day Lapland itinerary post.
These pictures are gorgeous! Especially the ones of those cute little huskies <3 I'd love to visit Lapland one day, and I'd really want to see the northern lights – they look so beautiful! x
Laura // Middle of Adventure
I just love these photo essays! This one took me right back to our own trip to Finnish Lapland a few years ago. Gorgeous!
Truly inspiring! Lapland was not really somewhere I was considering traveling to until now, lovely, thank you!
Beautiful photos. Sigh! If only I could go there now! Love the picture of you sitting with a cup nestled in your hands.
I have never been to Lapland and your sharing on lapland has helped me a lot. Through beautiful pictures of snow, reindeer, snow dogs … I really want to go to Lapland now
Those reindeer are so cute!! I wanna head up to Lapland next winter. Beautiful photos!
Woow, this looks really amazing,
This is really on my have to do list before i get into my 40’s
Keep posting,
Kind regards
Stefanie
Photography is my favorite hobby. It refreshes the mind and provides a welcome change from such dull and dreary routine of daily life. . I am particularly interested in capturing landscapes, especially during twilight.
hi
can check with you if i want to go to see Santa Claus, which part of itinerary can i view?
I’m afraid we didn’t go to Santa Claus, but you can do that in Rovaniemi, so perhaps add an extra night in Rovaniemi at the start or end of the trip? Have fun!
This is right up there among the places I’d love to visit in wintertime. Love your photos!