Very occasionally there are places that, after you visit them once, they completely captivate you and you want to keep going back. In our case this applies to Finland and in particular to Lapland and Rovaniemi.
From our first visit to Rovaniemi, we were sold on the country, the people, the culture and especially the endless nature. In everything it is a destination that makes us ultimately happy. That happy feeling makes us go back for more travel experiences, memories and adventures.
After our Summer Ambassador trip to Rovaniemi and Ylläs, two Winter trips to Rovaniemi and a Winter trip to Levi, the travel bug started to itch again for another trip to Lapland.
After previously experiencing the special phenomenon of the Midnight Sun in the summer and the fairytale winter season with the magical Northern Lights, it was now time to experience the well-known autumn season, also known as Ruska, in Finland and Lapland. Ruska in Finnish refers to the stunning autumn foliage that they get especially up north with the vast forests of the region.
We traveled to Rovaniemi in September 2024 to experience their Ruska season.
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Ruska
Ruska, also known as fall color or fall foliage, are the colors of the Arctic autumn. After a summer full of sunlight in which the sun does not set for a long time, you know that from the moment the sun sinks below the horizon again in August, autumn will quickly arrive.
As soon as autumn arrives in Lapland, you know that special weeks are coming. The unspoiled and vast nature in Lapland turns beautiful yellow, orange and deep red. Believe me when I say that Lapland is impressive when nature starts to change colors.
Autumn Equinox
What is Autumn Equinox? Autumn Equinox marks the day when we experience roughly the same amount of daytime and nighttime. There are two equinox moments a year, in Spring and in Autumn. An equinox is a moment in the planet's orbit around the sun when the axis, the line connecting the north and south pole, points neither towards nor away from the sun.
Autumn Equinox plays a major role in the magical Northern Lights. When the nights return to Lapland in the fall, this also means that the Northern Lights season is open again.
What does autumn equinox have to do with the Northern Lights then? Well, the autumn equinox is known to produce more geomagnetic storms than other times of the year. This can ultimately lead to some amazing Northern Lights displays.
Why travel to Finnish Lapland in Ruska?
There are multiple and varied reasons why autumn is a top season to visit Lapland. In fact, we think it might be the best time of year to visit Lapland. The purest air, mild temperatures, vast nature, northern lights just to name a few. We share what we believe are the main and most important reasons why you should travel to Lapland in the fall.
Less crowded
I've said it before, but the busiest season in Lapland is winter, the months of November to March. The contrast with summer and autumn could hardly be greater. From enormous crowds and large amounts of tourists to an almost extinct Lapland. To be honest, that is how we prefer it, as few tourists as possible around us and being able to fully immerse ourselves in nature.
In both the summer and autumn months you can travel through Rovaniemi and Lapland and seriously think you are the only one in the world. The fact that it is considerably quieter than in winter also means that tours you do are generally with small groups. Tours and activities can therefore be experienced very private and intimate. More value for money.
Much cheaper
Speaking of better value for money, we have a few more examples of this. Because the truth is, autumn is a very quiet period in Lapland. There are several hotels that are even closed during the summer and fall because it simply doesn't pay to be open. Hotels that are open cost only a fraction of what they cost in the winter.
As you have already seen on our website, Rovaniemi has very special and cool hotels and accommodations. Many of these hotels are considered as bucket list worthy hotels, once in a lifetime hotels. In winter these hotels are extremely pricey and sometimes simply unaffordable. But in the fall these accommodations are really affordable.
How cool is it that you can book the same unique hotel experience during this period for much less money. This does not only apply to hotels. You can also book many tours much cheaper during this period. For example, we saw sauna experiences that cost half of what they cost in winter in the fall. More value for money!
Pleasant temperatures
In the real winter months it can get quite cold in Lapland. Temperatures of -20 to -35 degrees are not uncommon. In autumn you can expect at most some night frost. During the day the temperatures can still be lovely and pleasant.
We had lovely sunshine against a clear blue sky all week and daytime temperatures of around 18 degrees. During the night it occasionally reached -3 degrees during our stay, but it didn't get any colder. We experienced -25 degrees in Lapland last winter. With temperatures like this, many activities are no longer fun to do, because it is simply too cold.
Coolcation
2023 was the warmest year ever recorded worldwide since measurements began. Very extreme temperatures were measured during the hottest summer months, especially in Southern Europe, the most popular holiday destinations. Countries such as Italy, Spain, Greece and Turkey recorded temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius. These extreme heats are too much for many people. This creates a new trend in travel, namely 'coolcation'.
People are looking for alternatives to the hot destinations in Southern Europe and end up in Scandinavian and Northern European countries, including Finland. The temperatures in Rovaniemi and Lapland in summer and autumn are extremely pleasant. In our opinion, an excellent alternative to the much too warm southern Europe.
Aurora Borealis
This is somewhat related to the previous one, because the more pleasant the temperatures, the more fun it is to hunt for the Northern Lights at night. It's wonderful to be out at night at pleasant temperatures for the Northern Lights, instead of freezing completely in the winter.
We would also like to specifically mention the Northern Lights here. Is it your dream to see the Northern Lights? Then a trip to Lapland in autumn is the best idea! We have already shared that the Autumn Equinox can have a huge effect on the Northern Lights. Partly because of this, autumn is the most active period for Northern Lights.
Even though the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenonand can never be predicted, the Finnish Meteorological Institute indicates that the Northern Lights are visible on approximately 50% of the nights in Lapland. They measure peak activity in spring and autumn during the equinoxes. Visiting Lapland in autumn can significantly increase your chances of seeing this amazing phenomenon.
That's not all. There is something special about Auroras in the fall, namely the special Double Aurora's. This occurs when the Northern Lights appear in the sky and are reflected on the lakes and ponds. It can only be seen in early autumn when the lakes are not yet frozen.
Autumn colors
In Lapland it's all about nature. Much of this nature is at its very best in autumn. Of course, nature produces the most beautiful colors. It also seems as if this is as colorful in Lapland than anywhere else. But it is also the season when you as a person can take back some of nature. Of course, with all due respect for nature. The harvesting season in Lapland starts at the end of summer. This continues until autumn. Nature invites you to go into nature with baskets and buckets and reap what nature has to offer. Mushrooms, cloudberries, lingonberries and blueberries, it's all literally there to be picked.
There is nothing more beautiful than cooking with mushrooms fresh from nature. Or stock the freezer with fresh blueberries and enjoy them all winter long. During our stay we picked and ate blueberries every day. They grow everywhere and they are absolutely delicious! So take a good look around you when you are in Lapland in autumn, there is plenty to snack on in nature.
How to travel to Finnish Lapland in autumn?
In winter, usually from the end of October, direct flights to Rovaniemi and other airports in Lapland come and go. Winter is really the high season in Lapland. For the upcoming winter season they have around 40 direct weekly flights from all over Europe to Rovaniemi. But hey, that's winter.
In autumn it's a different story! Summer and autumn look very different in terms of accessibility. For example, there are only a few flights to Rovaniemi from Helsinki. It is therefore accessible by plane, but a lot more difficult and often more expensive than in winter. Partly because you have to fly via Helsinki.
There is also another way to travel to Rovaniemi, namely by train! For our recent autumn trip to Rovaniemi we did exactly that. We travelled to Rovaniemi on the overnight train from Helsinki. It's the Santa Claus Express and we can highly recommend travelling to Rovaniemi by train. It's such a relaxed way of travelling. You fall asleep in Helsinki and wake up the morning after in Rovaniemi.
What to do in Finnish Lapland in Ruska?
There is so much to do in autumn in Lapland. Where should I start? Nature really invites you to go outside and spend the day outdoors. That's exactly what we did, for 7 days! We did many activities with Nordic Odyssey during the first half of our stay. They really let us experience autumn to the fullest with various activities. But we also went out ourselves and were able to do many activities during the Apukka Ultimate Aurora Borealis Bootcamp.
In autumn the temperatures are still pleasant and the lakes are not yet frozen. Finland can rightly be called a water country, they have 188,000 lakes. So you really can't ignore it, water activities are part of autumn! With these activities you can really enjoy yourself in and on the water!
Kayaking and canoeing
We have done this before, not only in Lapland but also in Canada and New Zealand, for example. I find kayaking and canoeing extremely relaxing activities. Enjoy being completely immersed in nature on the water. It also gives an enormous feeling of freedom. With Nordic Odyssey we went on an adventure by canoe on the Ounasjoki river. During our stay at Apukka we were able to rent two kayaks with which we went across Lake Olkkajärvi.
Imagine, there has been night frost and the day starts with a clear blue sky and a beautiful sun. During the morning the temperature slowly rises to a pleasant 18-20 degrees Celsius. The lake looks like a mirror that is only interrupted by the paddles of the kayak. And then that enormous silence, you really don't hear anything at all. Nothing beats a beautiful autumn day spend out on the water.
Fishing
I honestly never thought I would recommend this activity. But if you've never done something before, you honestly can't know what it's like.
We had never fished before in our lives and got the chance to try it in Lapland. We wanted that! I can tell you, that was a really fun experience. It is so relaxing and soothing to stand on the side of a lake or river and keep throwing the fishing rod into the water.
Unfortunately we didn't catch anything, but the experience was really great! Definitely an activity that we would like to do more often. This experience put ice fishing high on our bucket list.
If you do catch something yourself, there are Laavu's all over Finland where you can throw your self caught fish on the BBQ. Enjoy your meal!
Arctic swimming
Cold water therapy and ice baths are becoming increasingly popular and I am a big fan of these myself. I regularly take a cold shower and where I can I also take an ice bath, really wonderful! Finland is the land of saunas. Saunas combined with ice baths or cold water therapy is a golden combination.It is therefore very logical that many saunas are located near rivers or lakes, so that you can combine these experiences. The water temperature of rivers and lakes in autumn is somewhere between 1 and 10 degrees. A refreshing dip is therefore guaranteed.
Floating
Ever heard of floating? We had never heard of this as an activity until we got to do it at the icebreaker last winter. This is also a super cool activity in autumn. You get high quality rescue suits that covers your whole body and keeps you dry. If you have your own clothing under the suit you will not get cold even in the open 0 degree water. The circumstances are truly arctic!
As you can see these suits will make you look like a Teletubby. After the instructions, you enter the water yourself and float on your back. Your brain, mind and body relax completely. You only hear the rippling water against you when one of the other guests moves. But if everyone is silent, it is really quiet. Enjoy it!
Finland consists of lakes and forests. The endless forests scream for outdoor activities! There is so much to do in the forests, and most of them are free to do, win-win!
Biking
A lot of hotels and accommodations offer (complimentary) bikes. So make sure to check out if you can use bikes from the hotel you're staying at. If that's not the case we can highly recommend the equipment rental at Nordic Odyssey. You independently rent equipment such as bikes with them and go out and explore on your own.
Plenty of ways to get a bike, so get one and head into the woods. There are countless routes to discover. You don't meet any other people for hours. It's just you and nature. We rented an E-fat bike twice to go out. It's really a lot of fun to cycle through the Finnish forests.
Hiking
There's nothing better than hiking in nature. It's completely free and you don't need anyone else to do it. All you have to do is put on your hiking shoes and get out. You always discover and see the most while walking. So take a good look around you and enjoy and learn everything that Lapland nature has to offer.
Harvesting
In autumn, nature in Lapland has a lot to offer. The forests are full of edible mushrooms and various edible berries. Finland has the so-called Everyman's right. The Everyman's right is the principle that grants the universal right to everyone to use forests for collecting berries and mushrooms, recreation and other outdoor activities, as far as they do not create damages or disturbances to landowner or land.
To a certain extent you have complete freedom to pick edible mushrooms and berries in nature and take them home.
As long as you treat nature with respect. So make sure to take advantage of this! I picked blueberries every day during our trip. Every evening I had blue hands from the many blueberries I picked. There is simply nothing tastier than berries fresh from nature.
What it really comes down to is that you should simply enjoy nature and the outdoors and everything it has to offer.
Sauna
We already mentioned the sauna in combination with a refreshing arctic swim, but of course the Finnish sauna is always recommended during a stay in Finland and Lapland. For example, did you know that every Finnish household has a sauna? Or that a house is worth significantly less if it does not have a sauna?
All hotels and resorts have saunas, sometimes you even have a sauna in your room, really luxurious! So there is no escape from enjoying that sauna.
Santa Claus Village
Of course you cannot visit Lapland and Rovaniemi without paying a quick visit to its most famous resident, Santa Claus. He has established his office in Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi. As everyone's friend, he is a popular man. Especially in winter, this is noticeable in the often long queues of up to 2-3 hours. That is also really different in autumn. Queues? They simply aren't there. You're pretty much walking straight to Santa Claus. By the way, a visit to Santa Claus is completely free!
Where to stay in Rovaniemi?
It has already been mentioned in this blog, Rovaniemi is full of unique, special and bucket list worthy hotels and accommodations. There is something for everyone and there is something for every budget. In the past four trips to Rovaniemi and Lapland we have experienced quite a few hotels. So we're happy to share our favorites here! Some hotels are not open in the autumn period because it is either too quiet in Lapland or because the conditions are not suitable, such as the Arctic SnowHotel.
Haawe Boutique Apart Hotel
An old time favorite of the Traveltomtom team! Haawe Boutique Hotel is located in the heart of Rovaniemi, close to the main shops, bars and restaurants in the city center. The rooms are very spacious and super luxurious. The fridge is fully stocked upon arrival and provides everything you need for a nice breakfast in the morning. No room is the same here.
Arctic SnowHotel and Glass Igloos
The SnowHotel won't be open in autumn for obvious reasons, but the glass igloos are. They are a dreamy and bucket list worthy accommodation. It's every travelers dream to stay here and see the Northern Lights from your igloo. Well, you now know that Northern Lights chances are best in autumn, so go for it!
Apukka Resort
Located away from the city center and away from Santa Claus Village is Apukka Resort. Their amazing and beautiful lake front location makes this the perfect resort to enjoy the outdoor life in autumn. Don't forget, Apukka has the Ultimate Aurora Bootcamp every autumn. Highly recommended!
Lapland Hotels Sky Ounasvaara
To experience autumn, Lapland Hotels Sky Ounasvaara can easily be one of the best locations you can think of. It's located on the top of the Ounasvaara hill, surrounded by forest. As soon as you walk out of the hotel you are in the middle of the forest and the walking possibilities are truly endless.
Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
The ultimate bucket list accommodation could easily be the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel. Located between Santa Claus Village and the city of Rovaniemi. The treehouses are a dream location to see the Northern Lights in autumn, which we did. It was awesome. You will be pampered here and spoiled down to the last detail.
Nova Galaxy Village
The Aurora Huts on the river, I will remember this overnight stay forever! So peaceful and calm. Nova Galaxy Village is a new place to stay in Rovaniemi but will quickly conquer everyone's hearts! It is basic, but an amazing experience.
Its sister hotel Nova Skyland Hotel was closed for autumn last year, but they intend to be open next year, so definitely keep an eye out for them! With their location right next to Santa Claus Village, they're a winner.
Vaattunki Wilderness Resort
Another favorite because of its location, the Vaattunki Wilderness Resort. It's located away from the city center, a 20 minute drive. The modern panoramic huts offer a unique Finnish outdoor feel.
Arctic Light Hotel
Just down the road from Haawe Boutique Hotel is the Arctic Light Hotel. A great city center locationand according to the locals the best breakfast in town.
Santa's Hotel Santa Claus
Admit it, who wouldn't want to sleep in Santa's hotel? The great thing about this hotel is that it is really located in the center, between the restaurants and shops. Some rooms have a private sauna overlooking Rovaniemi's main square.
Last thoughts about visiting Rovaniemi in Autumn
It may be obvious, but we really enjoyed autumn in Lapland. We already loved this area immensely, but experiencing it in autumn has brought out something new. Lapland in winter simply has something magical with all the snow. But it is also becoming busier and more expensive every year.
In our experience, Lapland is a top destination all year round. Every season has something unique.
We think that autumn is the most versatile season and has the most to offer. Harvesting season for mushrooms and various berry species, double auroras, Ruska and autumn colors.
It is the same Lapland as with a layer of snow, only in the autumn you see much more of that beautiful nature. The outdoor options are also more diverse and pleasant. In short, Lapland is a top destination in autumn, so what are you waiting for? Go for it!
This blog was written by travel writer and Traveltomtom team member Ashley. She was invited to experience Rovaniemi in autumn. She wrote this blog about her adventures and experiences in Santa's Hometown.