Discover Santa Claus Village in Finland: The Ultimate Christmassy Destination

Who says Santa Claus isn't real? Nestled in the outskirts of Rovaniemi in Lapland, Finland, you will find the most Christmassy place on earth - Santa Claus Village! The official hometown of Santa Claus is everything you imagined Santa's HQ would be - with a post office run entirely by cheerful elves, a Christmas cottage where you can meet Mrs Claus and listen to her stories, and even a reindeer resort which offers reindeer rides and reindeer safaris.

Here's a sneak peek into the most Christmassy place in the world - and why you should add this destination to your travel bucket list.

Santa Claus Village is located in Lapland in Finland. It is about a 10-minute drive from Rovaniemi's City Centre (~8km), or you can take the Apukka Shuttle Bus that runs between City Center, Santa's Village and Apukka.

The village is open all year round, with plenty to do even when it's not the festive season.

There are so many things to see and do at the Santa Claus Village - and the best part? You can experience the magic of the festive season all year round, from husky sledding, to reindeer rides, meeting Santa, and more!

Meet Father Christmas IRL here at Santa Claus Village (where else would he be, right?)! You can find Santa Claus every day of the year here in Santa's Chamber, or at his red Christmas House.

Welcome to Santa Claus' Main Post Office, where you can send greetings to your friends and loved ones from Santa Claus Village! P/S: The shipments are stamped with Santa Claus's Main Post Office's special stamp.

This full-service post office lets you send postcards and parcels from the village to friends, loved ones, or even yourself - anywhere in the world!

Meet Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen...and the rest of Santa's reindeer at the Santa Claus Reindeer Resort! You can even enjoy a traditional sleigh ride here!

Sit back and enjoy your sleigh ride, all while admiring winter white-drenched landscapes and powdery snow-covered forests. The forest is teeming with wildlife too - try and see if you can spot a hare or a squirrel!

Stop by Mrs Claus' Christmas Cottage to say hello, and listen to one of her many stories about Lapland. You can also grab a warm beverage, and snack on some tasty Finnish pastries and gingerbread at the Mrs. Claus Cafe.

Pay a visit to the Elf Academy, where elves gather to learn how to be Santa's best helpers!

The Arctic Circle runs through Santa Claus Village via a demarcated line. Cross over the Arctic Circle and you can even get a certificate confirming your feat!

If stepping into Santa Claus Village isn't magical enough, here's another magical phenomenon you can enjoy here in Rovaniemi - the stunning aurora borealis! There are plenty of Northern Lights tours that will take you to spots with little to no light pollution so that you have a higher chance of catching these beauties.

Wishing you were in Santa Claus Village now? Make yourself a cup of hot chocolate and click here to watch the Santa Claus Village & Arctic Circle line live video webcam directly from Rovaniemi, Finland. 

It’s not quite the same as being there, but it’ll make do while we all save up for our ultimate Christmas adventure to Finland!