In 2023, on my very first trip to Finland, I bought a reindeer hide.
At the time, it felt symbolic — a quiet act of manifestation. Back home in New York City, it has become part of our everyday life, used as a seat cushion, softened by time and touch. But after traveling north of the Arctic Circle and coming face-to-face with the animals themselves, it now carries a deeper meaning. Objects hold memory. Travel gives them soul.
When my friend Steve learned that I was going to Lapland, he laughed and said, “She’s been to so many places, she’s starting to invent them.”
Fair. Lapland does sound imaginary — like something pulled from a children’s book or shaken loose from a snow globe. But it is very real, unmistakably Arctic, and deeply capable of humbling even the most well-traveled.
From Newark to the Arctic Circle
On New Year’s Eve 2025, Michael and I flew from Newark to Helsinki — a fitting way to usher in the new year. We spent three nights there first, allowing ourselves to acclimate and orient, easing gently into Finland before heading farther north. We stayed at Lapland Hotels Bulevardi, the very place where I had purchased that reindeer hide years earlier — a quiet full-circle moment I hadn’t anticipated.
From Helsinki, we flew to Rovaniemi — north of the capital, technically Lapland, and undeniably Arctic.
This is where everything shifts.
The landscape changes.
The light behaves differently.
Time itself feels slower, stretched thin by darkness and snow.
Safaris, Arctic-Style
For four nights, Lapland became both our playground and our classroom.
Here, the word safari takes on an entirely different meaning. It doesn’t involve jeeps or sundowners. Instead, it unfolds through husky sleds slicing through frozen forests, reindeer gliding silently across snow, snowmobiles carving tracks into white expanses, and long, hopeful nights spent chasing the Northern Lights.
In between experiences, I spent half a day scouting five hotels in the area — a reminder that Lapland quietly offers one of the most diverse accommodation scenes in the Arctic, ranging from design-forward lodges to deeply immersive wilderness retreats.
A Reindeer Sleigh at Sunrise
Our reindeer sleigh ride lasted just over an hour, gliding silently through an Arctic pine forest blanketed in snow. The only sounds were the runners beneath us and the steady, rhythmic breathing of the reindeer.
Toward the end of the ride, the horizon began to soften — pale pink bleeding into lavender.
It took a moment to register that this wasn’t sunset. It was sunrise.
In January, the sun rises around 10:45 a.m. and sets again just after 2:00 p.m., giving Lapland roughly three hours of daylight. That morning, sunrise met us on a reindeer sleigh; sunset arrived as we made our way back to the hotel.
It was humbling. Surreal. Completely unforgettable.
The ride ended at Santa Claus Village — a fully commercial endeavor where Christmas stretches from December through March. And honestly? It works. Children were everywhere, wide-eyed and buzzing with excitement. I mailed postcards from Santa’s official post office, and Michael and I even lined up to meet “Santa” himself, paying an absurd amount for digital photos.
Why not? When are we ever doing this again?
Get in on the spirit, I say.
Alpenglow in the Arctic
We hadn’t yet seen the Northern Lights, but one afternoon delivered something just as magical: alpenglow.
At one point, I caught myself asking aloud, “Why are the trees orange?”
The forest glowed amber. Snow reflected warm light. The sky appeared to be on fire — a sunset so saturated it felt theatrical.
For a fleeting moment, the Arctic wasn’t blue or white. It was blazing.
Alpenglow refers to the warm pink-orange or reddish light that appears on snow, ice, mountains, or clouds just before sunset or just after sunrise, when the sun sits just below the horizon. In the Arctic — particularly in winter — the low solar angle intensifies this effect, bathing snow-covered landscapes in that surreal glow.
The Husky Safari: Arctic Joy, Unfiltered
A husky safari in Finnish Lapland had been high on our list, especially after experiencing one in Canada the year before — and this one delivered in every possible way.
We covered ten kilometers in just under an hour, with about thirty guests total. Each sled held two humans and five Alaskan huskies. I opted out of being the musher (someone had to film), so Michael took the reins — and handled it like a natural. I posted a Video of the ride on Instagram.
We started the morning at –21°C, bundled head-to-toe, surrounded by a noir-toned forest palette of blacks, silvers, frost, and shadow. The dogs were electric — focused, joyful, eager to run. Michael spoke to them as though they understood English, and honestly, I think they did.
The reward at the end was perfect: a crackling fire, hot cider, ginger cookies, and time spent petting the dogs before heading back.
An Arctic experience distilled to its purest joy.
Chasing the Northern Lights
One evening, we traveled 53 kilometers north of Rovaniemi to Poro Pekan Pirtti, a reindeer farm where we finally saw the Northern Lights.
That night, the temperature dropped to –36°C. Even the bonfire the reindeer farmers built beside the frozen lake did little to warm us.
Seeing the Northern Lights requires a delicate alignment: solar activity, clear skies, and darkness — ideally without moonlight. Add the right latitude and a healthy dose of patience.
Lapland provides the conditions. Nature decides when the show begins.
Heat Up, Cool Down, Relax, Repeat
If there is one philosophy that defines wellness in Finland, it’s this: heat up, cool down, relax, repeat.
The Finnish sauna isn’t indulgence; it’s ritual. It’s balance. It’s reset. And nowhere does it feel more essential than here, where the cold is not just weather but a constant presence. Our hotel room had its own sauna, and we indulged nightly, emerging warm, grounded, and ready to face the Arctic again.
Where We Stayed — and What I Scouted
We stayed at Lapland Sky Ounasvaara, perched above Rovaniemi with sweeping views of the surrounding wilderness.
During our stay, I also visited Arctic TreeHouse Lodge, Arctic TreeHouse Lights, Arctic Panorama Hotel, Invisible Forest Lodge, and Skyra — the newest five-star Small Luxury Hotels of the World property in the region.
There truly is a Lapland hotel for every traveler: families, couples, design lovers, adventure seekers, and those craving deep, snowy silence. If Lapland is calling, I’d love to help you answer it.
Why Lapland Stays With You
Lapland isn’t about ticking boxes — though yes, you’ll find Northern Lights, husky safaris, reindeer sleighs, snowmobiles, and Santa Claus.
It’s about light and darkness.
Stillness and motion.
Cold that makes warmth feel earned.
And sometimes, it’s about realizing that a reindeer hide you bought years ago wasn’t décor at all — it was a promise waiting to be fulfilled.