What to Wear in Lapland: ULTIMATE Arctic Circle Packing List!
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This post includes everything you need to know about what to wear in Lapland, Finland. From thermal layers to fluffy socks, this is the ultimate packing list for a trip to the Arctic Circle!
One thing I struggled with was finding a definitive packing for Lapland. I read early on that temperatures can drop to as low as -30°C in Rovaniemi, and I had never been in an environment as cold as this before. I simply didn’t know where to start!
So what do you need to pack for a trip to one of the coldest places on Earth? This Lapland packing list tells you everything you need to take, so you don’t need to worry about being too cold during your trip!
Other Finland posts:
- Top Tips for Visiting Finland for the First Time
- 16 Fun Things to do in Helsinki in Winter
- 18 Unmissable Things to do in Rovaniemi, Finland
What to wear in Lapland: A Summary
Knowing what to wear and what to pack for a Lapland trip is essential. If you under-pack, or don’t pack clothes that are warm enough, you may not be able to experience the activities in the way you would like.
Why? Well, Lapland during winter is extremely cold. You can expect over a metre of snow on the ground, frozen lakes and hanging icicles throughout the months of December – March.
On average, temperatures in Rovaniemi drop to around -9°C/-12°C (15F-10F) over the winter, but can drop to as low as -30°C some days! Whilst this kind of weather is the recipe for a winter wonderland, it’s also unmanageable if you don’t have the right kind of clothing.
The key to packing the right things for a Lapland trip during the winter is layers. Lots, and lots, of layers. These don’t have to be expensive, designer layers. They can be standard vest tops, basic t-shirts and long-sleeved tops. As long as you have enough of them!
On top of the layers, you’ll want outerwear. Waterproof trousers (on top of thermal leggings), a fleece, a coat, warm socks, gloves and a hat. We were not able to take our gloves or hat off whilst outside in Rovaniemi. It’s just way too cold.
Anything extra you can take to keep warm is a bonus. Handwarmers, a snood, a scarf; something additional to what you’re wearing is always helpful.
For official Finnish Lapland information, visit the Lapland tourism board website.
Where to stay if you’re visiting Finnish Lapland for the first time
If you’re travelling around Finland for the first time, these are some of the best hotels and hostels! (Do not miss a chance to stay in a bucket-list glass igloo in the snow!)
🇫🇮 Rovaniemi
- Hotel: Apukka Resort: for a once-in-a-lifetime stay in a winter wonderland. Truly one of the best resorts we have ever stayed in. ➡ BOOK AND CHECK PRICES HERE!
- Hotel: Arctic Treehouse Hotel: another bucket-list, glass igloo stay where you can watch the Northern Lights from under the duvet. ➡ BOOK AND CHECK PRICES HERE!
- Hotel: Nova Skyland Hotel: If you want to stay within Santa Claus village (perfect for Christmas time!) this is one of the most magical and incredible stays. ➡ BOOK AND CHECK PRICES HERE!
- Hostel: Hostel Cafe Koti: perfect for backpackers in Lapland! ➡ BOOK AND CHECK PRICES HERE!
🇫🇮 Helsinki
- Hotel: Hotel Mestari: a hotel in the centre of Helsinki ➡ BOOK AND CHECK PRICES HERE!
- Hostel: The Yard Hostel: a luxury hostel for backpackers in Helsinki! ➡ BOOK AND CHECK PRICES HERE!
🇫🇮 Ivalo
- Hotel: Aurora Village Ivalo: the most beautiful glass igloos in the heart of Lapland ➡ BOOK AND CHECK PRICES HERE!
- Hotel: Ivalo River Camping: a unique camping experience in Lapland! ➡ BOOK AND CHECK PRICES HERE!
Getting around Finland
You can travel around Finland in multiple ways. Depending on how much time you have, your budget and where you want to visit, the easiest ways to travel around Finland are by rental car, train or plane.
Getting to Rovaniemi from Helsinki
🚗 GETTING TO ROVANIEMI BY CAR
If you are hiring a car for your Finland trip, you can drive directly from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. This should take just under 10 hours and is 830km.
➡ Book your rental car for Finland now!
🚝 GETTING TO ROVANIEMI BY TRAIN
There is a daily overnight train that runs from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. The train takes approximately 12 hours, and you can upgrade your ticket to have your own cabin or bed.
➡ Book train tickets from Helsinki to Rovaniemi here!
✈️ GETTING TO ROVANIEMI BY PLANE
Travelling to Rovaniemi from Helsinki via plane is the quickest, easiest and most common way to travel. The average flight time is 90 minutes, and there are four flights per day.
➡ Book plane tickets from Helsinki to Rovaniemi here!
Tips for packing for Lapland in winter
1. Use packing cubes
Packing cubes will make fitting all of your bulky winter clothes into a backpack or suitcase a lot easier. Winter clothes are thick and heavy, so it can be quite a task! Buy my favourite packing cubes here.
2. Wear layers on the plane to save space in your bag
If you’re thinking ‘What to wear on the plane to Lapland?!‘, I was the same! If visiting Lapland from overseas, you’re going to have to buy baggage for the plane. To save space, wear a few layers on the plane, including your snow boots and bulky coat!
If you don’t want to wear your snow boots on the plane, take some small slip-on shoes in your hand luggage. Then you can swap shoes when you’re comfortably on the plane!
3. Take a tripod
Taking photos in the snow can be tricky, and having a tripod just makes it that bit easier! It’s freezing cold, and you need to keep your hands warm in your gloves. Fiddling around with a camera is the last thing you want to do! Take a tripod, set it up to be dug into the snow, and leave it taking shots to keep your hands warm.
How do you keep warm in Lapland?
Layers, layers and more layers. If you can’t afford Merino wool, that’s ok! Regular long-sleeved tops are fine, but just take a few extra in case you do feel the cold. Just keep layering!
What to wear in Lapland during the day
Here is a list of exactly what I wore in Lapland to keep warm on a daily basis. I also wore these clothes when visiting Helsinki, Finland’s capital city.
🔑 Remember the key point here…layers. And lots of them!
Upper body:
- A sports bra
- Base Layer 1: T-shirt or vest top
- Base Layer 2: Thermal or any long-sleeved top, as long as it’s of decent quality
- Top Layer: A thermal or thick jumper (hoody, fleece etc)
- Outer Layer: A 650+ filler coat (make sure you have one that ZIPS up, has a hood and will keep you warm to at least -30 degrees Celcius).
- A swimsuit for the Finnish saunas.
Lower body:
- Thermal leggings – or regular leggings. As long as they’re thick and can be worn as an underlayer.
- Thermal trousers
- Thick socks. However, if you have proper snow boots, your socks don’t necessarily need to be thermal.
- Snow boots are vital if you’re planning on visiting Lapland in winter. The snow can be up to 2m deep, and it would be impossible to walk through in regular shoes.
Head/face/hands:
- Fleece-lined woolly hat
- A snood to keep your face warm. I couldn’t step outside without my snood as it was just too cold.
- A thin base layer of gloves to take photos and use your phone when outside. You won’t be able to have bare hands, so be sure they’re gloves that have touch screen abilities!
- Thick mittens/top gloves as another layer for your hands. We wore two pairs of gloves at all times.
- Handwarmers, for the extra cold mornings.
- Sunglasses as the sun is reflective and can be exceptionally bright during the day. You do not need ski goggles.
As you can see, it is not vital to have everything thermal to wear in Lapland.
I spent a lot of money buying expensive clothes and I regret it. Some days I just wore long-sleeved gym tops as my base layer, and because I was wearing so many layers, I was more than warm enough.
What to wear in Lapland at nighttime
Most places at night will be warm and heated. This means you can wear your favourite jeans and a jumper whilst you’re out for dinner and drinks, but just make sure you wrap up warm to get there. And always, always wear your snow boots!
You don’t need to worry about dressing smartly in Lapland, as most people go to dinner in their snow clothes (similar to when skiing) and snow boots.
➡ Buy your snowboots here!
What shoes do you wear for Lapland?
Snow boots. Especially if you are visiting in the winter months. The snow can be up to 2m deep, and you don’t want to be tackling that in your trainers!
➡ Buy your snowboots here!
Can I hire warm clothes in Lapland?
You can hire clothes in Lapland, but it’s inconvenient and expensive. If you book any type of activity (huskies, reindeer, Northern Lights…) you will be provided with a warm overall and snow boots for free. But then you’ll have to return it at the end of the tour, so it’s only for a few hours.
If you want to hire anything else, it’s not easy to do, and it’s going to cost a lot of money. In my opinion, it’s worth buying as much of it as you can. You don’t want to be caught short in the cold.
However, if you have a package holiday booked, there is a high chance they will provide all Arctic clothing for you. This is a great money-saving hack, and something definitely worth asking before spending any money on warm clothes.
➡ View package holidays to Lapland now!
What do you wear to Rovaniemi?
Rovaniemi is a city in Lapland (it’s actually the capital of the Arctic), so you can wear all of the same items listed in this post. We stayed in Rovaniemi for seven days and wrapped up the same as when in the countryside.
Bucket list tours to do in Lapland
Looking to book a tour in Lapland? Tours are one of the best ways to see the hidden gems of the country you are visiting. If you’re travelling during peak season, I highly recommend pre-booking your tours to ensure you don’t miss out!
When travelling, we use this company to book our tours. Tours include skip-the-line tickets to the world’s most iconic attractions, walking tours by top local experts, immersive food and beverage tours, cooking and craft classes, bucket list experiences, and niche offerings you won’t find anywhere else!
Some of the best tours in Finland include:
- Ultimate Northern Lights tour: check prices!
- Reindeer sleigh ride with a hot drink and cookies: check prices!
- Incredible Husky Safari in the snow: check prices!
- Santa Claus Village with Huskies AND Reindeer! Check prices!
➡ Check out more tours for your trip here!
When to see the Northern Lights in Lapland
The best time to see the Northern Lights in Finnish Lapland is between December and March. Most Northern Light tours will provide you with overalls and snow boots to add an extra layer of warmth when heading out to the countryside.
➡ Book your Northern Lights tour today!
What to wear in Lapland: FAQs
1) What do you wear under a snowsuit in Lapland?
Treat your snowsuit as your most outer layer (i.e. your coat). Wear all other base layers underneath. This could include a vest/t-shirt, a long-sleeved thermal or regular top and a thick jumper. You do not need an actual snowsuit for Lapland (unless you want one).
2) Do you need ski goggles in Lapland?
No, you do not need ski goggles in Lapland, but this is down to personal preference. We did see some people wearing ski goggles, but the majority didn’t. We found we didn’t need them, and wore regular sunglasses on brighter days (which always looks a bit odd when you’re wrapped up for a winter’s day!)
3) Can you wear contact lenses in Lapland?
Yes. Contact lenses are fine to wear in Lapland, although you can wear ski goggles to be on the safe side.
5) Can you wear jeans in Lapland?
You can, but I wouldn’t advise wearing only jeans, as it would be too cold. If you’re wearing jeans, layer up by adding thermal leggings or trousers. Or, only wear them for short distances outside (for example to and from the car to dinner). Then wrap up warm on your top half to make up for it!
During the day, I wouldn’t advise wearing jeans. One day I accidentally left our apartment wearing only leggings, and my legs were bright red within 15 minutes. I had to return home to change! It was freezing!
6) Can you wear makeup in Lapland?
You can wear makeup in Lapland, but be prepared for weird things to happen! I wore mascara on a day when it was -27 degrees Celsius in Rovaniemi, and the condensation from my breath froze onto my mascara, leaving it in little icicles. The second I stepped inside, it melted down my face and left me looking like a panda.
However, in Helsinki where the temperatures were a bit higher, I found it easier to wear make-up. But overall, any makeup is ok to wear in Finland!
7) Do I need a SIM card to travel around Finland?
Yes, it’s worth downloading an eSIM on your phone to ensure you can use it for directions and avoid roaming charges as soon as you arrive.
ESIMs are easy to download and ready to use within a few minutes of purchasing, so there’s no longer a need to hunt down free Wifi! ➡ You can check out the prices and packages for eSIMs here!
8) Do I need a car to travel around Finland?
This is down to personal preference. We found Finland easy enough to travel around via buses, trains and even flying (for example, from Helsinki to Rovaniemi).
But, driving in Finland is safe and straightforward. Some of the main towns and cities are a distance away from each other, so to maximise your time in the country, you may want to hire a car.
🇫🇮 If you’re looking to hire a car in Finland, we rent our cars from this company. They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world! ➡ You can check out the prices for car hire in Finland now!
Package holidays to Lapland, Finland
One of the best budget ways to visit Lapland in Finland is via a package holiday. With prices starting at just £579 per person, this is an amazing way to see the country without breaking the bank!
What does a package holiday to Finland include? The package holidays will include both flights and accommodation and some even include Lapland clothing. They’re also all ATOL protected, and you can book with a simple low deposit, spreading the total cost of the holiday across a period of time.
➡ You can look at incredible package holidays to Lapland here!
Currency and budget in Lapland
It’s no secret that this part of Europe is expensive, and Lapland isn’t easy to do on a budget. But it can be done. The currency in Finland is Euros.
On average, an alcoholic drink in Lapland will cost around £5-7, and a soft drink £4. If you eat out at a restaurant or bar, you can expect to pay £20+ per person. Activities range between £30-150, depending on what you want to do.
Volunteering or house-sitting in Finland
The most budget-friendly options for staying in Finland on a budget include either volunteering or pet-sitting. Both of these options will give you free accommodation in return for your services. So, how do you find these opportunities?
🥕 Volunteering: Use Worldpackers. They’re a trusted site with volunteering opportunities all over the world. You can choose the job you do, how long for and how many hours you work per day. Check out Worldpackers opportunities here! (Plus my link gets you $10 off your membership!)
🐈 House or pet-sitting: Use Trusted Housesitters. We have used this company all over the world in exchange for free accommodation. Use the website to find a suitable house sit for you (dogs, cats, lizards, chickens), set the dates you’ll be there and how long for, and apply for a sit!
What to wear in Lapland: In a Nutshell
So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about what to wear in Lapland. When you’re planning a trip to Finland, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!
If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently travelling around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!
Keep an eye out for more Finland content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!
As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!
Happy travelling 🙂
Jennie x
🇫🇮 Where to next?
- 16 Fun Things to do in Helsinki in Winter
- 18 Unmissable Things to do in Rovaniemi, Finland
- 11 Top Tips for Visiting Finland for the First Time
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MEET THE AUTHOR!
Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.
If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).
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