During most days of autumn, Finland offers clear sky and good weather. As such, this was one of the best periods to view the northern lights. To give ourselves a good chance of spotting the northern lights, my friend and I decided to head up towards northern Finland, where the Lapland region is located. We took an overnight VR train towards Rovaniemi, the official hometown of Santa Claus! As students, we were able to receive a 30% discount on the train tickets.
At Rovaniemi, one place to visit for nature viewing is hiking the various trails available at the Artic Circle Hiking Area located north of the town of Rovaniemi. While it is near the town, travelling to the hiking area was slightly inconvenient as you had to book a ticket for the bus and the last bus returning from that area was early in the afternoon! Nevertheless, the view was magnificent and the warm sunrise only made it better. Definitely worth the visit!
During our trip at Rovaniemi, we hunted the northern lights for both nights. On both nights, we were lucky enough to catch the northern lights dancing in the clear night sky. During the first night, a guide set up a campfire near a river and we enjoyed comfort food such as sausages and mulled wine as we waited for the northern lights to appear.
On the second night, the northern lights put up a spectacular display, dancing in the night sky for more than an hour straight! It was truly a unique and wonderful experience! Do check out the Lapland region if you are near it.
