The trip to Finland was, to me, one of the most special trips I have ever experienced in my life. It was also the most challenging because of the freezing cold there, but I enjoyed it very much despite the cold.
I decided to write a detailed post about our whole trip there because we did it independently and not through an organized trip. It is important to me that whoever wants to fly there on his own will understand the advantages and disadvantages of it and will make the considerations according to what he thinks will be more suitable for him.
I will already say that this is not a cheap trip, both as an organized trip and as an independent trip, and the costs of the trip can also vary by thousands of shekels depending on the attractions and accommodation that you choose for your trip.
We did a combination of cheaper and more expensive things, some of which were through collaborations. I will describe the route according to what we did exactly. At the end of the post I’ve organized all the costs neatly. Of course, the prices of flights fluctuate, which also affects the price.
Tips before traveling to Finland
SIM card
This trip was on 2019 I didn’t had an ESIM supported phone. Each of us purchased a Sim card for 7 euros per week at the airport in Helsinki (with unlimited data package). Since then, I personally recommend using an ESIM, which is an electronic SIM, and recommend Airalo. I was very satisfied with their user experience (simple tutorial videos for operating the SIM card) and everything worked without any special problems. I wrote more about them in an extended post on the subject of taking a SIM card abroad and also about other options such as buying a local SIM card.
Blog followers have a 15% discount code for the Airalo company to purchase an ESIM – to redeem the discount, click on this link. The discount code is already included in the link. See it at checkout.
The biggest drawback at the moment is that some devices do not support an electronic SIM. How can you know if your device supports the electronic card? Very simple: go to this link and you can see. Link to which devices support ESIM.
Car rental in Finland
Personally I think this is the most convenient and fun way to travel. Car prices are low and the roads are easy to drive. We didn’t rent a car for this trip, because we had a fully pre-arranged package which included a transportation.
You can search for a car in the search engine Papam Papam. Personally, I really like to search through them because they save me time (instead of going to several websites) and they also have the option of filtering out non-recommended rental companies.
Attractions in Finland
You can get ideas for other cool things you can do on the various attraction sites and even order through them (sometimes at a discounted price). The first attractions site is tiqets the second is Get your guide and Viator.
Where to stay in Finland
You can search for places to stay in Finland via Booking.
Information about our trip to Finland
Our trip was in late January and early February 2019.
We had an 8-day itinerary and traveled as a couple, Roman and I.
Our route was Helsinki – Saariselka (Lapland) – Rovaniemi (Lapland) – Helsinki
Methods of transport – internal flights, taxis, trains and buses
Helsinki
How did we get to Helsinki?
On a flight from Tel Aviv with a stopover in Amsterdam with KLM
Where we stay in Helsinki?
We slept in a charming Update: this apartment is no longer available on airbnb in a relatively central location (15-minute walk to the train station and the city center). Search for other accommodations.
The cost of the apartment was cheaper than a hotel but if you prefer a hotel then I recommend using the price comparison website.
Tip to reduce the cost of accommodation: After booking a hotel via the internet (with a free cancellation option) I recommend you send the invitation you receive to Provo (link to Provo). If the room rate at the hotel you booked with goes down, they will send you an alert which’ll allow you to cancel the order and re-order at a lower price. And what’s cool is that this service is free.
How long were we in Helsinki?
A day and a half at the beginning of the trip and another half day on the way back (I’d recommend spending 2-3 days there, if possible)
What did we do in Helsinki?
We went on a free tour of the city (Tip based), to a local market, to the rock church, an orthodox cathedral, we were in a gourmet restaurant, in a charming cafe, and worked a little at the library. Here is a detailed post about all the things we did in Helsinki.
For transport: We’ve mostly used the Uber app.
Saariselka
How did we get to Saariselka?
On an internal flight from Helsinki to Ivalo airport in Northern Finland’s Lapland region.
Where did we stay in Saariselka?
The reason for our visit was an invitation to stay at the Northern Lights village, how the most unique places I’ve ever seen in my life.
How long were we there for?
Two nights (3 full days)
What did we do in Saariselka?
We received a two-night package, including a pickup at the airport (There and back), full pension, Husky dogs and deer sleds. Additionally, we visited the saunas and got to see the northern lights!!
I’ve written a full post about our experience at the Northern Lights Village.
Rovaniemi
How did we get to Rovaniemi?
By express bus (A three-and-a-half-hour drive from Saariselka). We ordered tickets through the Matkahuolto busses website.
Where did we stay in Rovaniemi?
At an Update: this apartment is no longer available on airbnb in the town center.
Search for other accommodations.
How long did we stay there?
Three nights
What did we do in Rovaniemi?
On the first day, we arrived in the afternoon and we were just in the mall and shopping at the supermarket, the next day we rode snowmobiles in the mountains, then we went to a good Indian restaurant, Curry Masala, which was close to the snowmobile office. In the evening we planned to do a night tour following the northern glow, but on that day the temperature dropped to minus 30 degrees and we decided to give up. The tour was supposed to be with the Wild about Lapland company.
On the third day we took the train to Kemi to do a cruise on an ice-breaking ship (one of the coolest, most insane attractions we’ve done). I wrote a post with all the information about the icebreaker ship.
There are many other attractions in Rovaniemi such as the Rauna zoo and the Santa Claus village, but due to lack of time, we did not manage to do them as well.
Tip for Rovaniemi: Compared to Helsinki, in Rovaniemi it is very difficult to find taxis and there is no Uber service, so if you need a taxi, make sure to book it in advance. Call the taxi company in advance and tell them where and when to pick you up.
Other Attractions in Rovaniemi
Santa Claus Village Tours and Tickets
Ranua Wildlife Park Tickets
Tours and Tickets to Experience Arktikum
Helsinki
On the last day, in the morning we took a domestic flight to Helsinki. We had a few hours to spend until our flight back to Israel in the evening, so we left our suitcases at item storage (6 euros) at the airport and took a train to the city center.
Trip costs to Finland for an independent trip
Flights
Two-way International flights with KLM from Israel to Helsinki (non-direct flights with stopovers in Amsterdam) Cost of 353 Euros (including one suitcase of 23 kg)
Domestic flights – flight to Saariselka from Helsinki 101 Euros (including one suitcase of 20 kg) with Norwegian Air
Flight from Rovaniemi to Helsinki – 80 Euros (including one suitcase of 20 kg) with Norwegian Air.
Public transportation
A bus from Saariselka to Rovaniemi – 100 Euros
A train from Rovaniemi to Kemi – 52 euros for a two-way ticket
Lodging
Update: this apartment is no longer available on airbnb in Helsinki – Two nights 122 euros
Update: this apartment is no longer available on airbnb in Rovaniemi – Three nights 170 euros
Northern Lights Village – two nights 1500 euros
Attractions
Deer and husky dog sleds – are included in the cost of the Northern Lights Village package
Snowmobiles – 200 Euros
Ice-breaker ship – 720 Euros
Total 3397 euros per couple
With food and taxis included an estimated cost of 5000 Euro~.
I hope my post helped you. If so, I would very much like you to respond here in the comments, and if you have any more questions, then you are also welcome to ask them in the comments or on the blog’s social networks: Facebook and Instagram.
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More posts I wrote on that
Recommended Things to Do in Helsinki Finland – Winter Trip
Northern Lights village in Saariselka, Finland, Lapland – A once in a lifetime experience
Snowmobiles in the mountains – winter attraction in Rovaniemi, Finland
Unforgettable experience on an Icebreaker cruise in Kemi Lapland, Finland
Perfect three-day Itinerary for Kanchanaburi – Including the floating market and the railway market
Amazing four-day itinerary for Poznan, Poland
7-day itinerary in Romania – Route full of nature and views on a low budget during August
Amazing 3-day itinerary for Costa Brava, Spain