Christmas
The official hometown of Santa Claus is the ultimate Christmas destination for your production. The capital of Lapland offers a number of holiday-themed locations from snowy outdoor settings to indoor Christmas venues, large and small. And as the brand image of the city is focused on Christmas, naturally the downtown streets feature Christmas trees, holiday lights and lots of holiday cheer throughout the entire winter season.
Santa Claus Village is the Christmas hub of the city, and a great location for all things holly and jolly. It is a popular tourist spot where you can meet Santa Claus, visit his official post office, go on a reindeer or husky ride, and do some Christmas shopping. The Village is also the setting of events such as the opening ceremony of the Christmas season and the start of Santa’s annual journey around the world. Another location to consider is SantaPark Arctic World. The company offers two Christmas attractions in Rovaniemi: SantaPark, an indoor Christmas theme park, and Santa Claus Secret Forest, which offers year-round Christmas experiences in a secluded forest setting.
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Accommodation
Thanks to its blooming tourism industry, Rovaniemi features many hotels and a range of other accommodation options. Many of the accommodation service providers are located in the city center and the popular Santa Claus Village, but there are also many other options scattered across the 7600 km² city.
The overall accommodation capacity of Rovaniemi is 6500 beds.
Restaurants & Catering
As with accommodation, there is a wide range of restaurant options to choose from in Rovaniemi. Local catering services can be inquired from a number of places.
Other Services
Some additional local services that may be useful when filming at the Christmas locations of Rovaniemi include:
- Reindeer farms
- Husky experiences
- Snowmobile experiences
- Ice and snow construction services
- Guide services
- Transportation services
Lapland is the most connected wilderness in the Arctic. Thanks to its five airports, vast and well-maintained road network and efficient public transportation, getting around is effortless throughout the year.
By Plane
The Rovaniemi International Airport offers daily connections to Helsinki and other European cities around the year. In addition, there are connections to some Asian cities during the winter season. The airport is located only a few kilometers from SantaPark and Santa Claus Village, and it is only a ten-minute car ride away from the city center.
By Train
Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland, so railway traffic from the rest of Finland is frequent. A popular means of traveling is the daily night train from Helsinki, which offers cabins to sleep in. For timetables and tickets for trains, visit VR.
By Bus
There are many routes to Rovaniemi from the rest of Finland. For timetables and tickets for buses, visit Matkahuolto.
By Car
As all of Lapland, Rovaniemi is easy to reach by car. There are multiple car rental options available in the area.
Crew & Filming Equipment
There are a number of production service companies that operate across Lapland. We’re happy to tell you more, so please get in touch.
Permits
Permits for filming in the streets and other public areas of Rovaniemi are granted by the city. However, there is a chance you might not need to worry about permits at all. You have the right to film in public, as long as you don’t significantly disrupt business or traffic. You can freely film the streets, roads, and buildings, but you will need permission if you want to shoot, for example, inside private businesses, restaurants and the like. But if you’re unsure of your rights and responsibilities, it’s always best to ask.
Many of the wilderness areas in Rovaniemi are managed by Metsähallitus (Parks & Wildlife Finland), where permits are required for off-road traffic and any temporary structures. Metsähallitus handles filming and permit applications on a case by case basis. For more information, please see their instructions for permits for film production in state-owned areas in Finland.
Film Lapland does not issue permits, but we’re more than happy to help you determine whether you need one and with the permit process, so please don’t hesitate to contact us.
