Lapland ~ Magic Land of Arctic North

The Lapland Province extends from the northernmost shores of the Baltic in the south through forests that become gradually thinner as the terrain begins to rise in the north. The region remains home to a small population of indigenous Lapps or Same, and you can visit an excellent museum of their culture at Inari. The provincial capital and biggest city, Rovaniemi, sits on the Arctic Circle that dissects the area, and this is also where you'll find the One True Home of Finland's most popular resident: Santa Claus. The Santa Claus Village includes a post office which handles children's letters to the Old Gentleman dispatched from all over the world, as well as the opportunity to meet Santa himself and have your photo taken with him in his grotto. There's a SantaPark theme park nearby too.

But Lapland is much more than Santa Claus and reindeer - although these creatures are an important and conspicuous part of Lapp culture, and you may encounter more reindeer than people on your travels through this thinly populated part of the world. The opportunities for outdoor activities are truly endless: the fells and mountains of the far north are superb, inspiring walking territory, and also increasingly popular with mountain bikers. The river system that marks the border with Sweden, from Kilpisjärvi in the north to Tornio in the south, is perfect for canoeing and, in places, white water rafting, and the lakes and rivers everywhere are fruitful fishing waters. Prospecting for gold is another option. In winter, the sports resorts of Levi, Saariselkä, Ruka and Olos - to name a few - come to life, opening their Alpine ski slopes and cross-country ski trails. Snowmobile, reindeer and dog-sled safaris take you into the valley forests and over the fells, and you can even spend the night in an igloo.

Most accommodation is of a more conventional variety, however, and there is no shortage of warm and well-appointed hotels, atmospheric log cabins and chalets and superb restaurants where you can sample local delicacies of reindeer, fresh fish and exotic cloudberries. And when you do venture out into the cold - with temperatures as low as -30 Celsius - the next day, most tour operators will be able to provide you with extra clothing that's appropriate for whatever activity you choose.