Exploring Lapland Without Breaking the Bank: Tips for Budget Travelers

Lapland, a magical place to visit Santa Claus, experience midnight sun and the Northern Lights, but can you do it on a budget? Everyone will tell you how expensive Lapland is but there are few ways to cut down costs.

Time of year

The biggest thing to cut down on costs on your trip to Lapland is the time of year you go. We went in September which made accommodation much cheaper, and we ended up staying in the Santa Claus Village. We paid £414 for four nights including breakfast in one the red cottages at the village. Prices in December start at nearly £500 per night. Four nights in January including breakfast for two people comes out at £2167. The accommodation was equipped with a kitchen and a sauna in the bathroom. I was happy with the price we paid but I honestly wouldn't pay more than that. It was basic accommodation that was clean and had everything you needed but wouldn't be worth £500 per night in peak season. Santa Claus Village isn't far from Rovaniemi so you could get an apartment in the city for much less.

Flights can also fluctuate depending on time of year. In the winter season there are multiple direct flights from the UK to Rovaniemi with cheaper prices. When we went, we caught a flight to Helsinki and stayed there for a few nights before getting the train up to Rovaniemi. On the way back we flew from Rovaniemi to London with a layover in Helsinki. The day we flew back there were only four flights that day, all going to Helsinki. Also, if you go out of season like us you don't need your winter clothes so can save costs on luggage.

Food

Although we had a small kitchen in our cottage, we didn't utilise it that much. Food at Santa Claus Village is expensive. We paid nearly £50 for two chicken fried rice, a side of dumplings and two bottles of pop. The food was average, but the prices were not. There was a burger/pizza place at the village that had cheaper options, but the food was mediocre. If you have a kitchen, make sure you go to a supermarket and stock up as this will cut costs massively. The kitchen in the cottage was well equipped to make meals. Breakfast was included and it was a buffet so definitely fill up on breakfast if you can.

Santa Claus Village advertised that they sold groceries in their stores but there wasn't much choice when we visited. There were a few pasta sauces and pot noodles. There wasn't any bread or meat to make sandwiches. However, over the road there was a shell garage with an underpass from Santa Claus Village. They had more groceries, and we were able to get some sandwiches and snacks which was a lot cheaper than onsite. They also did fresh hot meals every day. People were going over for their dinner instead of eating at one of the restaurants. If you have a suitcase with you, maybe bring some snacks with you.

Activities

Actually, visiting Santa Claus Village is free, so you can walk round and visit the shops at no extra cost. We paid for letters to be sent to our nephews from Santa and they were 7 euro each. Feeding the reindeers was 10 euro each and we paid around £50 for our digital photo with Santa and a printed version. We bought a few souvenirs from the shops there, which we didn't think were overpriced compared to other tourist attractions elsewhere. The activities are what they cost so maybe decide what you want to do before going. You can also get a certificate for crossing the arctic circle but again that costs extra.

The biggest factor is obviously the time of year you go. The Santa Claus Village was still decorated for Christmas, and everything had a Christmassy feeling, there was just no snow. You could still have a husky or reindeer ride, but it was in a sleigh with wheels instead. We still had a great time even though there was no snow, and the village was much quieter. Obviously, snow does make it extra magical and there are more activities you can do.

Top tips

- Book things separately. Package holidays are expensive, and you can book your activities directly when you arrive. If things go wrong, it is also easier to deal with. The staff at Santa Claus Village were very helpful. Prices were also comparable to what I had seen on Get Your Guide and TripAdvisor.

- Stay in Rovaniemi. Accommodation is cheaper and you can stay in an apartment.

- Food shopping. Go to the supermarket and buy some food to make easy meals. Buy plenty of snacks so you don't have to purchase these onsite.