Lapland, which welcomes tourists from all over the world with its extraordinary view of the northern lights, is almost a magical land of snow. Lapland, within the borders of Finland, presents impressive natural beauties accompanied by a visual show. Finland, a very prosperous, safe, modern, green and clean Scandinavian country that is very enjoyable for travel, is one of the rare countries worth visiting with its lush forests, cute towns, planned cities, design art and wooden civil architecture. Finland, a northern country with a fairly cool climate, has the peculiarity of being one of the most technologically advanced countries. Lapland, located in the north of Finland, the homeland of huskies and the northern lights, is offering an unprecedented visual feast.
The northern lights are the natural rays that appear in the sky as a result of the interaction of charged particles coming from the Sun with the earth’s magnetic field.
Time to Watch the Northern Lights
Aurora Borealis (The northern lights), which takes its name from the Goddess of Dawn “Aurora”, are the natural rays that appear in the sky as a result of the interaction of charged particles coming from the Sun with the earth's magnetic field. These rays, called “the northern lights” when they are viewed in areas near the north pole and “the southern lights” when they are viewed in areas near the south pole, are also known as the “polar aurora” (or polar lights), since they mainly occur at the poles and are observed from areas close to the poles. The probability of the appearance of the northern lights increases when getting closer to the northern magnetic pole. Auroras, formed near the magnetic pole, illuminate the distant northern horizon with a greenish brightness, and sometimes with a pale red.
One should follow this natural phenomenon at points close to the North Pole in good weather and when the sky looks clear. Igloo Village, which is located in the Finnish part of the Northern Lapland region and is the ideal place where you can enjoy watching the northern lights, offers a unique experience for this phenomenon. Thanks to the igloos, covered with complete glass from all sides, you can witness the unique view of the northern lights without feeling the cold at -35°C.
A Mysterious Trip to Santa's Village
Lapland, which is formed by the unification of the lands of Norway, Sweden and Finland, the three natural wonders, is one of the most visited regions annually in December, January, February and March. You can explore Lapland, which is famous for 5,000 types of reindeer, by traveling on deer sleighs. The most mystical stop of such a sleigh ride is the village of Santa Claus. The North Pole Line is in Santa Claus Village and is “painted” as a white line. When visitors cross this line, they officially set foot in the North Pole. Don’t forget to seize the moment while enjoying the snow, reindeers, sled dogs and fishing on the icy lake in Santa Claus Village, which will embrace and attract you as a family with its fairy-tale world.
A Peculiar Folk from Lapland: Samis
Lappi is a mysterious region in the north of Finland, also known as Lapland. Only 3% of the Finnish population lives in the region. The local people living in Lappi are called “Sami”. In fact, the indigenous people in all of northern Scandinavia are known as the Sami people. There are various findings showing that they lived in this region in 98 BC. The Sami people make their living from fishing and reindeer herding. Reindeer husbandry in Finland is legally classified as a line of business that only the Sami people can do. The Sami people living in Lapland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia attract attention with their unique clothes and pleasant music.
