ROVANIEMI IN FEBRUARY: AMAZING THINGS TO DO, WEATHER, PACKING LIST & TOP TIPS!
WONDERING WHETHER TO VISIT ROVANIEMI IN FEBRUARY?
You’ve come to the right place! After our 5 day trip to Rovaniemi Finland we’ve put together this clear, easy guide detailing literally everything you could want to know before visiting Rovaniemi in February!
Like all the best tours, activities and independent things to do, chances of seeing northern lights, will there be snow, seeing Santa Claus, how cold it is, what to pack, etc. Enjoy, we hope you find it helpful!! 😊
ROVANIEMI NORTHERN LIGHTS IN FEBRUARY
I won’t keep you waiting, let’s answer that golden question first – Is February a good time to see the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi?
The answer? Absolutely! February is a great month to see the northern lights in Rovaniemi. While February starts Rovaniemi’s slow progression from Winter to Spring with daylight hours increasing day by day, February still sees prolonged dark Winter nights perfect for viewing the Aurora.
REDUCED CLOUD COVER
Obviously you can’t 110% predict the daily weather, but February tends to receive less snowfall than say January / December in Rovaniemi. Less snowfall = less cloud cover, allowing for more nights with clear skies for optimal northern lights viewing.
NEARING THE SOLAR EQUINOX
When on a northern lights tour in Rovaniemi, we were surprised when our guide told us March (and September) are actually fantastic months to see the northern lights due to the Solar Equinoxes, which basically means an increase in solar wind and brighter and stronger displays!
While February is slightly too early for the “official” Equinox period in mid-March, the later you travel in February, the better!
BOOK AT LEAST ONE GUIDED TOUR
Definitely join at least one Rovaniemi guided northern lights tour!
With expert guides armed with solar activity trackers and detailed weather forecasts, you’ll be taken to the best possible hotspots, seriously maximising your chances of experiencing the Aurora’s magic, away from the city’s light pollution.
We highly recommend this 5* Northern Lights Rovaniemi: Guaranteed Viewing & Unlimited Mileage tour!
With expert guides armed with solar activity trackers and detailed weather forecasts, you’ll be taken to the best possible locations away from the city — ideally with clear skies — to maximise your chances of experiencing the Aurora’s magic!!
Planning your Rovaniemi trip? These guides will help:
🌌 Dreaming of seeing the northern lights? Best tours in Rovaniemi ↗
💎 Want a once-in-a-lifetime stay? Glass igloos in Rovaniemi ↗
❄️ Looking for more things to do? What to do in Rovaniemi in winter ↗
📅 Considering other months? Rovaniemi in March ↗
SEEING SANTA IN ROVANIEMI IN FEBRUARY
Second burning question I imagine you have — Can you still see Santa in Rovaniemi Lapland in February? The answer is absolutely! Though Christmas just gone is over, he is already busy getting prepared for the next 😉
Joking aside, you can visit the Santa Claus Village – the “official home to Santa Claus” just outside of Rovaniemi – and meet Santa any day of the year!
No booked tours or any form of tickets needed. It’s totally free to simply turn up by taxi and wander around as you please. Just check their opening times.
It’s also completely free to meet the big man in red at the on-site “Santa Claus Office” building. They’ve staged this really well, even the walk up was themed and exciting, building anticipation while you wait in the inevitable queue.
The only slightly annoying thing is you can’t take your own photos. You’ll have to buy the photos and videos they take if you want a souvenir from your visit.
OTHER TOP THINGS TO DO
Knee deep in Winter (and snow!!) by this point, February provides so many incredible and diverse Winter-based activities in Rovaniemi— it’s hard to know where to even start!! 😅
Here’s some quick links to top-rated tours to get you started. (Or read our full what to do in Rovaniemi in Winter guide next!)
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UNIQUE EXPERIENCES
>>> Aurora Arctic Ice Floating in Rovaniemi, Small-group (night tour)
>>> Visit the infamous Arctic Snow Hotel! (day tour)
>>> Best Of Lapland: Sauna, Ice swimming, Dinner & Northern Lights (book 4.30pm slot for chance of northern lights)
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SNOW-BASED SPORTS & ACTIVITIES
>>> Snowmobiling Quick Spin – 2 h snowmobile experience in Rovaniemi (day tour)
>>> Private Electric Fat Bike Winter Tour in Rovaniemi (day tour)
>>> Ice Skating on a 500 meter long ice-skating forest trail at Kotatieva Park. Transfer from Rovaniemi included (day activity)
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ARCTIC LANDSCAPES & NATURE
>>> Korouoma Canyon Frozen Waterfalls (day tour)
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REINDEER EXPERIENCE
>>> Authentic Reindeer Farm Experience in Rovaniemi (day tour)
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OTHER NIGHT TOURS
>>> Searching Aurora with Snowmobile (night tour)
ROVANIEMI FEBRUARY WEATHER
TEMPERATURE
Being still in the thick of Winter, Rovaniemi in February is pretty cold! February temperatures typically range on average from -5°c highest to an average low of -14°c (23°f to 7°f).
It has been known to have some freak nights hitting crazy temperatures at night like -30°c (-22°f) 🥶, but don’t worry, these cold fronts aren’t often and usually last just a few days!!
SNOWFALL
As we mentioned before, snowfall in Rovaniemi does taper off considerably the further you reach late February, owing to clearer skies and less cloud cover.
Nonetheless, there’s still an abundance of snow on the ground (built up from the Winter) which isn’t going anywhere fast! This makes Rovaniemi’s magic truly sparkle, blanketing its already stunning woodland and landscape in fresh, white powdery snow.
Not to mention this snow provides excellent conditions for snow-related activities, like snowmobiling or snowshoeing for example.
DAYLIGHT HOURS
Since December’s dark nights just dodging the official Polar Night, Rovaniemi’s daylight hours have been steadily increasing.
We couldn’t believe the change in Rovaniemi’s daylight hours from the start to the end of February. Check this out!
🌅 1st February daylight hours—
9.17am sunrise, 3.44pm sunset (6 hrs 27 minutes)
🌅 28th February daylight hours—
7.34am sunrise, 5.25pm sunset (9 hrs 51 minutes)
That’s a difference of approx. 3hrs 34 mins more daylight hours! So the later you go in February, the longer your days will be!
PACKING LIST FOR ROVANIEMI IN FEBRUARY
Two words for you, my friend—
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Layers
- Under-layers are ideally breathable wool, natural materials like Merino Wool.
- Long-sleeved thermal tops
- Thick thermal jumper / sweater
- A big puffer coat. Ideally with a hood and water/snow proof.
- Thermal leggings (double up with two pairs on night tours).
🧣🧤🧦🎧
Accessories
- Bobble hat.
- BIG ear muffs.
- Thick scarf or snood.
- Thick gloves (something like this – waterproof, cold-proof and enables touchscreen)
- A lanyard to keep your phone around your neck during tours – rather than keep fumbling for it in thermal suit pockets – would actually be very handy. Something like this.
- A couple of thick thermal socks.
- Walking boots with very good grip.
- Removable shoe cramp-ons – Easily removable and gives you extra peace of mind on very icy pathways.
- Chapstick / lip balm to prevent dry lips from the cold!!
CONCLUSION: ROVANIEMI IN FEBRUARY
February is a fantastic month to experience the Winter Wonderland magic that Rovaniemi is so well known for!
You are basically guaranteed snow on the ground, and potentially a bit more snowfall while you’re there, making for stunning Arctic landscapes and perfect conditions for fun snow-related tours and activities. Snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross country ski— that kind of thing!
It’s technically still in the “dark night” Winter season, providing optimal conditions for northern lights — should you get the perfect pairing of clear skies and solar activity.
Early February especially can still have snowfall, bringing with it some cloudy days. To maximise your chances of seeing the northern lights away from the cloud and chasing pockets of clear skies, pre-book yourself onto a guided northern lights tour to be safe!
We hope you have the VERY best time visiting Rovaniemi in February. Just remember, bring plenty of layers, warm accessories (especially ear muffs in case of the freezing wind) and — if you’re concerned about the slippery paths — investing in removable snow spikes are a must!
Oh, and please say hey to Santa for us!!! 😙🎅🏼
This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!
Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com
A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.
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