Rovaniemi or Levi for Santa and reindeer

Rovaniemi or Levi: which is better for a Santa and reindeer trip?

Rovaniemi. Santa Claus Village, the Arctic Circle and the widest choice of reindeer rides are all within a short drive of the airport.

Levi shines for downhill skiing and resort life. For meeting Santa, choosing between reindeer rides by length and doing it all in a long weekend, Rovaniemi is simpler. This site covers rides from Rovaniemi only, so treat the Levi column as the big picture.

How far is Levi from Rovaniemi?

About 170 km. Levi says buses run between the two, and Levi's own airport, Kittilä, is 15 km south of the resort.

Levi sits about 170 km north of the Arctic Circle, which runs through Santa Claus Village. Levi's arrival page lists frequent bus connections from Rovaniemi. Coming by train, Kolari station is about 80 km from Levi, and a bus meets each arriving train.

Kittilä Airport is about a 10-minute drive from Levi. Finnair flies there daily from Helsinki, and direct winter flights from Europe start in November.

Where can you meet Santa: Rovaniemi or Levi?

In Rovaniemi. Santa Claus Village, the Santa Claus Office and Santa Claus Main Post Office are on the Arctic Circle just outside town.

Santa meets visitors every day of the year at the Santa Claus Office or the Christmas House, and Visit Rovaniemi notes that meeting him at the office is free. The village also has the Arctic Circle line to cross and the post office with its own postmark.

From Levi, Santa Claus Village means the long trip south. From Rovaniemi, it is bus 8 or a full-day tour that includes it.

A reindeer ride, huskies, salmon soup and free time at Santa Claus Village in one day from the centre of Rovaniemi.

★ 4.6 · 6 hours · from $210

Explore the reindeer, huskies and Santa Claus Village day → Tour details

Are there reindeer rides in Levi?

Yes. Levi says its reindeer are kept in paddocks in winter, where visitors can take rides, and roam free on the fells in summer.

Reindeer live all over Finnish Lapland, so you meet them in both places. Levi even awards a reindeer to the winner of its World Cup women's slalom, though the prize reindeer stay at a nearby farm.

From Rovaniemi the choice is wide. Rides range from 400 m at the photographer farm visit to 2.5 km on the heritage family safari, with photo tours, a night safari and a walk in between.

Which is better for skiing, Rovaniemi or Levi?

Levi. It has 43 slopes on a 531 m fell and hosts a World Cup slalom, usually in mid-November. Rovaniemi has Ounasvaara for beginners and cross-country.

Levi's season starts early with stored snow and snow cannons; the front slopes open in October and stay open until May, the resort says. Ounasvaara in Rovaniemi has a small ski centre that Visit Rovaniemi recommends for beginners and about 100 km of cross-country trails, about 50 km of them lit.

If skiing is the main event, base yourself in Levi. If it is a side activity, Ounasvaara is a few minutes from the centre of Rovaniemi.

Which is better for the northern lights?

Both are inside the aurora season, and Levi is further north. In practice, clear skies and time matter more than the base.

Visit Rovaniemi gives the season as late August to early April; Levi says end of August to April, and adds that the lights are more frequent in autumn than in winter. Both need a dark, clear sky away from lights.

In Rovaniemi, the aurora reindeer safari takes you into a dark forest at night with a fire stop. Pair it with two or three evenings and your odds are good in either place.

Is it easier to fly to Rovaniemi or Levi?

Both are easy in winter. Rovaniemi has year-round Finnair flights and a night train from Helsinki; Kittilä has daily Finnair flights and direct winter flights from Europe.

Santa Claus Village says Finnair flies daily between Helsinki and Rovaniemi all year, with Norwegian several times a week and more direct flights in winter. The Santa Claus Express night train runs from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. Visit Rovaniemi also lists winter flights into Kittilä from London, Manchester and Liverpool with easyJet and from Frankfurt with Lufthansa.

Rovaniemi Airport is a short taxi ride from Santa Claus Village, about 4 km. That closeness is a big part of Rovaniemi's appeal for short trips.

Can you combine Rovaniemi and Levi in one trip?

Yes. Spend the first days in Rovaniemi for Santa and reindeer, then take the bus about 170 km north to Levi for the slopes.

The order works well. Rovaniemi's highlights fit into 2 or 3 days: a full day with Santa, a forest ride and an aurora evening. Then Levi gives you the fell, the skiing and a slower rhythm. Flying home from Kittilä saves you the trip back south.

Book the Rovaniemi rides with free cancellation up to 24 hours before, so you can shuffle days around the weather.

The ride to book before you head north: about 40 minutes through the forest, thermal suits lent, a fire and reindeer to feed.

★ 4.7 · 3 hours · from $200

Explore the 2 km reindeer sleigh ride through the forest → Tour details

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