Things to do in Saariselka, Lapland, Finland – where to stay, winter activities and travel tips

Saariselka (Saariselkä) is a tiny town 250km north of the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland. It’s the perfect spot for hiking and fishing in the summer but it’s in the winter that it really comes alive as huge numbers flock to this town in Finland for the ski runs, amazing tobogganing, cross-country skiing and primarily for Father Christmas. This is all about what you can expect in Saariselka Lapland when you visit in Winter from the best Saariselka accommodation to things to do in Saariselka.

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👩‍💻 About the author – Nichola is a family travel expert and has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, Lonely Planet Magazine and Wanderlust, amongst many others. She’s spent over a decade travelling the world with her children, finding the best places for you to explore too.

*AD / This post contains affiliate links & as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. We may also have been compensated in this post either financially or with products / stays. To read more see our Disclosure Policy.

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About Saariselkä

Saariselkä is a small resort village located in northern Finnish Lapland, around 250 km north of the Arctic Circle, within the municipality of Inari. Nestled in the heart of the fells and surrounded by pristine wilderness, it forms part of the Urho Kekkonen National Park – one of Finland’s largest and most striking natural reserves. The area is renowned for its dramatic Arctic scenery, crisp clean air, and excellent opportunities for outdoor adventures year-round.

Historically, Saariselkä was an important site during Finland’s gold rush in the 19th century, and traces of gold mining heritage can still be found nearby, particularly in the Tankavaara Gold Village. The region has long been home to the indigenous Sámi people, whose culture continues to shape life and traditions here.

Today, Saariselkä is a popular destination for winter travellers seeking the magic of Lapland. With its reliable snow cover from late autumn to spring, it’s ideal for skiing, snowshoeing, husky safaris, and chasing the northern lights. In summer, the fells offer peaceful hiking trails under the midnight sun. Despite its remote location, Saariselkä is well-connected via Ivalo Airport, making it a convenient yet truly wild escape for those seeking the Arctic experience. 

Read our complete guide to Lapland with kids

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Why Saariselkä is one of the best places to visit in Lapland

Saariselkä may be small, but it is one of the most magical destinations in Finnish Lapland. Unlike some of the larger Lapland resorts, Saariselkä has managed to keep a peaceful and authentic atmosphere while still offering plenty of winter activities for visitors.

The surrounding landscape is what makes Saariselkä so special. Snow-covered forests stretch for miles, frozen rivers wind through the wilderness and gentle fells rise above the treeline. It is the kind of Arctic scenery many travellers imagine when they dream of visiting Lapland.

Because Saariselkä sits so far north, it is also one of the best places in Finland to experience the polar winter. During December and January the sun barely rises above the horizon, creating a magical blue twilight across the snowy landscape. This time of year is perfect for Northern Lights spotting, winter adventures and meeting Father Christmas.

For families visiting Lapland, Saariselkä is particularly appealing because the town is compact and easy to explore. Many of the activities, restaurants and accommodation options are within walking distance, which makes travelling with children much easier in the snowy conditions.

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Best things to do in Saariselkä Lapland in winter

Go tobogganing

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Take a nighttime reindeer ride

Of course you can take reindeer rides at all times of the day but there’s something really magical about a nighttime reindeer ride. Just listening to the soft crunch of the feet on the snow and the slide of the sledge, looking through the trees as you drift along really is a wonderful experience.

🔎 Read More: A nighttime reindeer ride in Lapland Find out more & book with Lapland Safaris here.

Meet Father Christmas

Lapland is the place to meet Father Christmas and Saariselka has a great activity centre just outside of the main town. Lots of people come here on organised trips where the flights and accommodation are all arranged but that’s not to say you can’t do it yourself.

🔎 Read More: A trip to Lapland with ‘Santa’s Lapland’

Take a walk through the town

In the middle of Saariselka there is a beautiful structure of all the different colours the Northern Lights turn.

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See the Northern Lights in Saariselkä

One of the biggest reasons people visit Saariselkä Lapland is for the chance to see the Northern Lights. Thanks to its location far above the Arctic Circle and its low levels of light pollution, Saariselkä offers excellent conditions for spotting the aurora borealis.

The Northern Lights season usually runs from late August until early April, although the best chances come during the darkest winter months. On clear nights the sky can suddenly come alive with swirling green, pink and purple lights dancing across the horizon.

Many hotels in Saariselkä offer Northern Lights alerts or even glass-roofed cabins where you can watch the sky from the warmth of your bed. There are also guided Northern Lights excursions which take visitors away from the town lights and deeper into the surrounding wilderness.

Even if you don’t catch the aurora on your trip, the Arctic night skies in Saariselkä are incredibly clear and filled with stars, making it a magical place to spend an evening outdoors.

Winter activities in Saariselkä beyond skiing

While skiing is one of the main attractions in Saariselkä, there are plenty of other winter activities to try as well. Many visitors come to Lapland specifically for the unique Arctic experiences that can’t be found anywhere else in Europe.

Snowshoeing is a fantastic way to explore the surrounding forests and fells at a slower pace. Guided snowshoe walks take visitors deep into the wilderness where the silence and snowy landscapes feel completely untouched.

Snowmobile safaris are another popular activity and allow you to travel much further into the Arctic wilderness. These guided tours often head out across frozen lakes and through snowy forests, offering incredible views of the Lapland landscape.

Cross-country skiing is also very popular in Saariselkä. Finland is famous for its cross-country ski culture and the region has hundreds of kilometres of prepared trails for beginners and experienced skiers alike.

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Where to stay in Saariselka Finland –

There are a number of accommodation options in Saariselka from self-catering lodges to the best hotels in the area.

Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort

Have the chance to stay in a glass igloo and watch the Northern Lights from your bed. This is a really special resort which is so unique and worth a splurge for at least a night.

Find out more and book here.

Holiday Club Saariselka

This is a great stay if you’re visiting with children as it’s really central in the town so nothing is too much of a walk away. They have a fantastic swimming pool which is so handy when you just want to retreat indoors from the cold for a while, and a great kids club.

Find out more and book here.

Northern Lights Village Saariselka

This is another really unique stay with cosy cabins that give you access to the night sky. Reindeer come and visit the grounds and there’s a great buffet. Find out more and book here.

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Santa’s Tunturi Hotel

This is a hotel which differs depending on which part of it you stay in. It’s comfortable with a great buffet restaurant. We stayed in one of their apartments which gave us the opportunity to cook in too.

Find out more and book here.

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Saariselka restaurants

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Laanilan Kievari

This is an absolutely wonderful restaurant, just outside of the main town and the perfect place to try local food. As soon as you arrive there’s a basket of wool socks so you can kick off your shoes and pull these on and there are rocking chairs next to the fire to warm up by.

The food is excellent, proper Finnish food, a real, authentic taste of Lapland and just fantastic. Our children had arctic char, cooked over the fire, while the adults feasted on a variety of dishes.

Some of our favourites were their smoked beetroot with blue cheese sauce which for a vegetarian is just an amazing taste – smoky and fresh all at once.

There was also an amazing ravioli filled with mushrooms foraged from the forest nearby and cooked in a vegetable broth, just wonderful flavours and textures.

For dessert we had cloudberry pancakes and crowberry pudding. This meal was one of the highlights of our trip to Saariselka. If you’re in the area don’t miss. Find out more about the restaurant here.

Muossi Grill

This is a great fast food restaurant right in the centre of Saariselka. It’s the place to come for a burger but it’s quite small so head there early if you want to bag a table. Find out more about the restaurant here.

Restaurant Huippu

This is the place to come for a warming bowl of salmon soup, and the doughnuts are worthy of a mention too. There’s enough here for vegetarians, including tofu option, and there’s a children’s menu too. It’s lovely and cosy inside. Find out more about the restaurant here.

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Saariselka – Where to shop:

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I love the supermarket in Saariselka. We picked up some really nice gifts here, they have everything from reindeer printed clothing to beautiful plates, but my favourite has to be the cloudberry jam which we have now all come to love.

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There are also a number of gift shops in Saariselka. We really loved the jewellery and gifts in Ultima which is a shop attached to Santa’s Tunturi hotel which prides itself on stocking Finnish-designed items.

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Saariselka webcam

For a real time look at Saariselka and what the weather is doing there, check out the live web cam here.

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When is the best time to visit Saariselkä?

Winter is by far the most popular time to visit Saariselkä Lapland. The snow season usually runs from late November until April, offering perfect conditions for skiing, snowshoeing and other winter adventures.

December is especially magical because it coincides with the Christmas season in Lapland. Many families visit during this time hoping to meet Father Christmas and experience the festive atmosphere of the Arctic winter.

January and February are typically the coldest months, with temperatures sometimes dropping well below -20°C, but they also bring clear skies and excellent Northern Lights viewing opportunities.

March and early April are wonderful months to visit if you prefer longer daylight hours. The snow is still deep, but the sun begins to shine more brightly, making it a fantastic time for skiing and outdoor adventures.

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Top Tips for visiting Saariselka Lapland

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• It sounds obvious but definitely dress for the weather. Saariselka gets incredibly cold and what you wear makes a massive difference. Check out our packing list for Lapland to make sure you have all the right kit.
• If you are feeling a bit snowed out and need to warm up a bit there is also a swimming pool you can pay to use at the Holiday Club hotel if you’re not staying there.
• We loved that there were sledges, free to pick up, all over the town so it was easy to walk around with children and pick up a sledge to put them in when their legs got too tired. Ours absolutely loved being pulled through the very snowy streets.

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Frequently asked questions about Saariselkä Lapland

Where is Saariselkä in Finland?
Saariselkä is located in northern Finnish Lapland within the municipality of Inari, around 250 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle and about 30 minutes from Ivalo Airport.

Is Saariselkä good for Northern Lights?
Yes, Saariselkä is considered one of the best places in Finland to see the Northern Lights thanks to its northern location and minimal light pollution.

Is Saariselkä good for families?
Saariselkä is an excellent destination for families visiting Lapland. The resort is compact, easy to navigate and offers activities such as husky safaris, reindeer rides, sledging and skiing.

How do you get to Saariselkä?
The easiest way to reach Saariselkä is to fly to Ivalo Airport, which is around 30 minutes away by car or transfer bus.

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Saariselka is a beautiful little town and it’s got everything you need for a stay here – to eat, shop and enjoy yourself. I would love to return in the Summer and see how different it looks. Read all of our features on Lapland in our guide to Lapland with kids here.

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More posts to enjoy

Read all about A trip to Saariselka with Santa’s Lapland and see A packing list for Lapland in winter.