10 Things To Do In Santa Claus Village Lapland For Under €5

A trip to Lapland makes for magical memories but can leave your wallet feeling rather empty!  But do not despair!  It’s not all eye-wateringly expensive activities and experiences.  We found 10 things you can do for €5 or less in Rovaniemi’s Santa Claus Village in Lapland Finland!

1. See Father Christmas

You better believe it! It’s FREE to visit Father Christmas at his Lapland home. 

Santa Claus Village, just outside Rovaniemi, Lapland is the official year-round residence of the man himself.  And he welcomes visitors every single day of the year. Get this: it costs NOTHING to visit! 

It’s first come first served at Santa Claus Office so you’ll probably have to wait in line.  And visits are brief.  But everyone is guaranteed a hello and quick update with Father Christmas without spending a single penny (or cent!). 

If you’re wondering how that can possibly be a commercial venture, here’s the catch.  You must pay for photos.  And you pay handsomely.  To the tune of €50.  No personal cameras allowed.  So, decide before you go. Will you invest in the memory and proudly display your photo with Santa for years to come?  Or, will you savour the moment and let the image take pride of place in your mind’s eye instead?  (Given how different Santa can look depending on where you visit him, no physical photo might be a sensible way to go…)

2. Meet Mrs Claus

If you’re in the mood for a little matriarchy, or the line for a visit with Santa is particularly long, you may be interested to know that Mrs Santa Claus also welcomes guests to her home at Christmas Cottage, less than 5 minutes’ walk from Santa Claus Office.

Unlike Santa, Mrs Santa Claus is only in residence from November to March (check schedule for which days of the week).  There is currently a €5 charge to visit, plus additional cost for photos, but you’ll likely enjoy a shorter wait time and slightly longer chat with Mrs Santa Claus.  And the photos are a bit cheaper.

Christmas Cottage is also home to Mrs Claus’ Café where we enjoyed a tasty (warming!) hot chocolate with marshmallows (additional cost!).

3. Go For A Walk In The Snow

Take a walk along one of the nearby snow-covered tracks through the forest.  Enjoy the silence, disturbed just by the sound of your breath and squeaking of boots in the snow.  You may be lucky enough to spot some Arctic wildlife as you stroll.  It’s a wonderful way to embrace Lapland’s tremendous natural beauty, is great for photos, and it doesn’t cost a thing! 

4. Go Sledding

You’ll find plastic sledges dotted around Santa Claus Village, which can be borrowed free of charge to use and return.  There are plenty of small hills and snow mounds around the village to use as sledding tracks, including some rather steep options for the kids!  Our family favourite was coming down the inclined path alongside the snowmobile track towards Santa’s Pizza and Burger car park – just be sure to set a watchguard in place to avoid any collisions!

5. Wave Hello To Family & Friends

Become the star of your very own Christmas broadcast using the Santa Claus Village year-round live webcam.   It’s your chance to create a live festive greeting, spreading cheer from the Arctic Circle to your loved ones’ homes.  My son challenged me to do some embarrassing Mum-dancing on camera.  The things we do for love…!

So, get your friends and family on the phone, or hop on a TikTok / Instagram Live.  Whether you’re sharing a goofy dance like me, or a heartfelt wave, it’s sure to capture the imagination and raise a smile.  Plus, it’s absolutely free! 

6. See Santa’s Reindeer

Santa Claus Village is home to a herd of working reindeer.  You’ll have to pay if you want to take a reindeer sleigh ride (with prices starting at €25pp for a 5-7min ride).  However, the reindeer are based in the middle of the village, in front of Mrs Santa Claus’s Christmas Cottage.  So, you can easily say hello and get some great photos of the reindeer completely free of charge. 

7. Post A Card For Christmas

At Santa Claus’ Main Post Office you can buy and send a postcard marked with a special Santa Claus Village postmark from the Arctic Circle.  Choose between regular delivery or the special Christmas delivery, where cards are kept and delivered later, perfectly in time for Christmas.

The post office is open every day and free to visit.  Currently it costs €2.50 to send a postcard internationally from Finland, and postcards are available for around €2 each.

8. Play In The Snow

It seldom gets old!  For those of us not always guaranteed a white Christmas, the fun of playing in the snow can provide hours of free entertainment.  Whether it’s snowball fights, making snow angels, building snowmen, or simply making footprints, there’s a near endless supply of winter wonder to be found. 

9. Stand On The Arctic Circle

Santa Claus Village lies precisely on the Arctic Circle.  The 66° 34′ N latitude line runs along the edge of the village’s main square and is marked by a series of labelled lamps.  What better way to bring classroom geography to life than to capture a photo standing right on the Arctic Circle line.  How will you cross over – hop, skip, or jump?!  Take time to discuss the winter’s midday night and summer’s midnight day that defines the area above the Arctic Circle. 

10. Enjoy Hands-On Science Fun

With Lapland winter temperatures dropping as low as -40C, there’s plenty of opportunity for first-hand exploration of the extreme cold.  Extend the snow play with the help of a few balloons, some food colouring, and a bottle of bubble mix.

Experiment blowing bubbles in the sub-zero temperature where the bubble will freeze before it hits the ground.  Fill balloons with water and a few drops of food colouring before leaving to freeze to create colourful ice balls.  Plenty of fun and hands-on science learning with simple, low-cost props.

No need to let the costs spiral out of control with these fun (nearly-) free Rovaniemi Santa Claus Village activity ideas.  Intersperse them between bookable excursions for a magical adventure to Santa’s year-round home.  Need more inspiration on how to manage the cost?  Check out these top tips for Lapland on a budget.  And for help with what to take, be sure to download our free Lapland Packing List.

We are not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned.  All opinions are our own.  We were kindly offered extended visits with Santa Claus at Santa Claus Office and Mrs Santa Claus at Christmas Cottage as well as complimentary photos to assist with sharing these experiences with you.