Although the festive season is a time of joy and sharing, every year it is over almost as soon as it has arrived. Once Boxing Day is done and dusted, we experience that all too familiar feeling of dread – January is on its way.
That’s why booking a cheap holiday after the Christmas period is ideal. Extend the celebrations and visit Lapland, home of Santa Claus and the perfect place to continue the festive fun. While everyone at home is nursing their January blues, you can see the sights of this fantastic city and spend more quality time with your loved ones.
Once you’ve sorted out your flights through , you’ll be ready for the off. Here’s a rundown of what you simply must not miss during your winter break:
Northern Lights
The aurora borealis (Northern Lights) are one of the world’s greatest natural phenomena, and thousands of tourists chase them across the globe, hoping to capture them illuminating the sky. They are caused by energetic charged particles from the sun entering the earth’s atmosphere and colliding with atoms.
This stunning spectacle can predominantly be witnessed in Lapland between the months of August and April – as long as the conditions are right and the skies are clear. Organise to go on a tour or cruise with fellow travellers, or find an isolated spot for you and your loved one to marvel at the lights in peace.
Husky sled ride
You’ve seen it done on TV and maybe even dreamt about doing it yourself, but now you’ve got the chance to go husky sled riding for real. In Lapland, you can arrange to be pulled along by a group of the gorgeous creatures – and even have a go at controlling them yourself.
It’s unlikely you’ll have the opportunity to do this again any time soon, so embrace it while its at your feet. There are some trips that take you on a fully-fledged adventure consisting of overnight stays in cabins in the wild.
Winter sports
If you like your holidays to be action-packed and get your kicks out of exciting new experiences, then you won’t be disappointed with Lapland’s vast range of offerings, From downhill skiing and snowboarding to cross-country skiing and snowshoe trekking, the options are (almost) endless.
You could even try your hand at snowmobiling, and speed down miles worth of snowy trails that allow you to admire all sorts of breathtaking views. It’s also one of the quickest ways of getting around and seeing as much of the landscape as possible.
Local culture
Despite the fact Lapland is largely known for its connections to Christmas and the big man in red, it also has a strong cultural identity of its own that you can explore through the various museums and parks it is home to,
Top sights that will help you get to know the city better include Ranua Wildlife Park, luxury shopping complex Pentik-Maki, Goldprospector museum and Arktikum, the main museum and science centre. And, of course, a holiday in Lapland wouldn’t be complete without paying Santa Claus Village a visit.
