Beyond Santa Claus and snowy postcard scenes, summer in Rovaniemi reveals forest rituals, lakeside saunas, 24-hour daylight and a surprisingly lively cultural identity.
By Sara Darling
Midnight sun, a traditional sauna ritual, hand-picked berries and tree hugging: my long weekend in Lapland turned out to be far stranger and far cooler than the Christmas version, and not a reindeer in sight.
My knowledge of Lapland previously consisted of sleigh bells, snowmobile safaris and children in matching pyjamas, so summer in its Christmas capital, Rovaniemi, came as a welcome plot twist.
I arrived expecting at least a little festive residue and the airport did not disappoint. There was a sprinkling of fantasy and just enough branding to remind me exactly where I was. But I wasn’t there for a meet and greet with Santa. I was there to explore Finnish wellness above the Arctic Circle.
My flight to Helsinki with Finnair was seamless and, by the time I boarded the final flight north after fuelling up in its very comfortable business lounge, I was primed for 24 hours of daylight.
What nobody tells you, at least not in the UK, is that Rovaniemi has a second personality that sits in glorious contrast to all the festive mythology. Beyond its familiar Christmas tourism lies a place of lake swims, forest workshops, open-water plunges, long golden evenings and a wellness culture deeply embedded in everyday life.
I had wanted to visit Finland for years and it had very little to do with the man in red. What I was really after was the landscape that had intrigued me since watching Hallmark romcoms: endless forests, impossibly clean air and cinematic lakes that look as though someone has turned the saturation down and the sharpness up.
Midnight light and lakeside cabins
Skýra Retreat did not disappoint. Sitting on Lake Norvajärvi and hidden among trees, its main building is a restored 1950s village schoolhouse. The former school now houses suites and communal spaces that feel polished without losing the simplicity of the original structure, while a scattering of log cabins stretches out into the woods.
I stayed in one of those cabins, which came with its own private sauna, a yoga loft tucked beneath the roof and floor-to-ceiling lounge windows overlooking the trees, plus obligatory and very useful blackout blinds.
The interiors were warm and understated, dotted with luxurious touches including organic beauty products, extra-fluffy robes and delicious treats in the minibar. What really made the place work, though, was the sense of privacy.
I had not fully appreciated before arriving just how strange summer light in Lapland can be. In June, Rovaniemi sits in a state of near-constant daylight, with the midnight sun never fully surrendering to darkness. The sky hangs in a prolonged golden afterglow long after your body thinks it should be asleep.
On the first evening, after a sound bath in the spa designed to ease us into retreat mode, I walked back to my cabin convinced it was early evening, only to discover it was edging towards midnight. The birds were still active, the lake was still reflecting light and I had absolutely no desire to go indoors. I found myself scribbling in my journal at midnight, which would have been unheard of in the UK.
Tree buddies and forest remedies
Our small group followed an organised programme of wellness activities, beginning with a leisurely breakfast, gentle movement, breathwork and yoga. One session involved choosing a “tree buddy” and doing balance work which, on paper, might sound slightly out there. In practice, standing in a Lapland forest in near silence was surprisingly grounding.
Another workshop focused on local herbs and plants. Led by Skýra’s resident sauna masters, or saunottaja, I learnt about the traditional uses of plants growing in the surrounding woodland, from herbs used in folk remedies to flowers that later reappeared in a foot bath back at the spa.
We were given wellies and baskets to collect our haul. It was an ideal way to get back to nature without requiring a grand spiritual revelation.
Sauna as a way of life
Sauna isn’t treated as an indulgence in Finland. It is woven into everyday life. Before this trip, I knew it was an important part of the culture, but I hadn’t appreciated quite how central it is to wellbeing, socialising and slowing down. At Skýra, every log cabin came with its own private two-person sauna overlooking the forest, making it feel as natural to end the day with steam as it would be to put the kettle on at home.
One evening, I took part in a folklore sauna ceremony in the lakeside spa, where we were guided through Finnish rituals, stories and traditions passed down through generations. It felt less like a wellness treatment and more like an introduction to one of the country’s oldest customs, as we were gently brushed with leafy branches before taking turns to dip into the ice bath.
It was during this ceremony that I learnt my favourite Finnish word: löyly. There isn’t really an English equivalent. It describes the wave of steam and heat released when water is poured over hot stones, but it also captures the atmosphere that follows.
Once you know the word, you begin anticipating that gentle hiss, the rush of warmth and the almost meditative silence afterwards. The ritual does not end when you leave the sauna. The cycle of intense heat followed by an invigorating cold plunge is part of the experience and, in these surroundings, it was easy to understand why Finns describe the contrast as essential rather than extreme.
Santa, monsters and summer streets
Of course, no trip to Rovaniemi is going to escape Santa completely and I was curious to see how the city handles being so globally tied to one character. Santa Claus Village sits around ten minutes outside the centre and remains open all year, complete with souvenir shops, Arctic Circle photo opportunities, Santa’s official post office and a steady supply of Christmas iconography, regardless of the season.
Visiting in June was one of the strangest parts of the weekend. Without snow, sleigh bells or the usual winter crowds, the whole place had a faintly surreal quality, like a festive film set left standing after the actors had gone home and we were being given a behind-the-scenes glimpse.
Rovaniemi’s other cultural personality comes with considerably louder guitars. In the city centre, Lordi Square celebrates the hometown heroes who stormed Eurovision in monster costumes with “Hard Rock Hallelujah”, while nearby bars and live music venues reveal a rock scene that sits in sharp contrast to the reindeer, elves and festive shop windows.
It is this collision of identities that gives Rovaniemi its character. One minute, you’re crossing the Arctic Circle or browsing Christmas decorations in June. The next, you’re visiting contemporary art at Korundi House of Culture, learning about Finland’s Air Guitar World Championships or chatting to locals about live music venues.
It is a reminder that this is a real city with its own culture, not simply a backdrop for Santa Claus.
Lapland without the snow
Summer reveals a completely different Lapland to the one most people picture. Snowmobiles and husky sleds are replaced by hiking trails, paddleboards and long evenings spent on the water.
Our waiter told us that fishing is his favourite way to unwind after work and that his six-year-old son is already following in his footsteps, a reminder that life here revolves around the outdoors from an early age.
Reindeer farms remain open throughout the warmer months too. Seeing these familiar animals grazing beneath an endless blue sky, rather than standing in snowy postcard scenes, somehow made them feel even more magical.
By the end of the weekend, Rovaniemi’s Christmas identity had not disappeared. It had simply become one small part of a much stranger and more interesting picture, filled with midnight light, forest silence, heavy metal and the hiss of löyly rising from hot stones.
Factbox
Stay: Skýra Retreat sits on the shores of Lake Norvajärvi, around 20 minutes from Rovaniemi Airport, with rooms in the restored schoolhouse and standalone log suites with private saunas.
Getting there: Finnair flies from London Heathrow to Helsinki, with onward connections to Rovaniemi. Lounge access in Helsinki makes the stopover feel considerably more civilised.
Do not miss: A sauna ceremony at Skýra, a summer visit to Santa Claus Village for its gloriously surreal year-round Christmas atmosphere and an evening in Rovaniemi city centre to see Lordi Square and explore its rock scene.
Quick answers
What is Lapland like in summer?
Lapland in summer is shaped by near-constant daylight, forests, lakes, sauna culture and outdoor activities. Around Rovaniemi, visitors can experience the midnight sun, forest wellness, paddleboarding and year-round cultural attractions.
Is Rovaniemi worth visiting in summer?
Rovaniemi offers a different experience outside winter, with long daylight hours, lakeside retreats, sauna rituals, contemporary art, live music and Santa Claus Village without its usual snowy setting.
Can you visit Santa Claus Village in summer?
Yes. Santa Claus Village remains open throughout the year, with Santa’s official post office, Arctic Circle photo opportunities, souvenir shops and Christmas displays.
Where can you stay near Rovaniemi for a wellness break?
Skýra Retreat sits on Lake Norvajärvi, around 20 minutes from Rovaniemi Airport. It offers rooms in a restored schoolhouse and standalone log suites with private saunas.
What is löyly?
Löyly is the Finnish word used to describe the steam and heat released when water is poured over hot sauna stones, as well as the atmosphere created inside the sauna.
What can you do in Lapland without snow?
Summer activities include hiking, paddleboarding, fishing, lake swimming, forest workshops, sauna rituals, cold plunges and visits to reindeer farms.
