9 Dining Experiences in Finland Worth Booking

1.Snow Hotel Tour and Ice Restaurant Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 345 reviews · from $229Our pick

Start with a guided visit through the Arctic SnowHotel, where every room is rebuilt from snow and ice each winter. Then sit in the Ice Restaurant for parsnip soup, your choice of elk, salmon, chicken, or vegan falafel, and strawberry-chocolate dessert. Return transfers, ice-bar access, and outdoor activities are included, but drinks cost extra.

“I like that I can visit all rooms in the Arctic hotel.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Best Of Lapland: Sauna, Ice swimming, Dinner & Northern Lights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 158 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $189Top rated

Spend about 4.5 hours at a traditional lakeside Finnish sauna near Rovaniemi. Your English-speaking guide explains the sauna and ice swim, provides towels and slippers, and serves open-fire smoked salmon afterward. Evening departures from late October to mid-March also include a chance to see the Northern Lights, though nature makes no promises.

“Please please please go try this it was an amazing experience. My friend and I were so nervous for the cold plunge but it's no where as bad as you would think. The cabin was cozy and clean, the guides were all friendly and chill, and the dinner was lovely.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Sauna & Ice Swimming Tour with Dinner and Aurora

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 150 reviews · 4 hours · from $184

Travel from Rovaniemi to a remote Arctic lake for a wood-fired Finnish sauna and optional ice swim. Guides such as Mattia, Pedro, Victor, and Tania have hosted warm, well-organized evenings, followed by smoked salmon in a fire-warmed cottage. Evening trips from late October to mid-March include a chance to see the Northern Lights, but nature makes no promises.

“We have enjoyed both the hot sauna and the cold lake! Plenty of time was allowed for the activity. The meal at the end was tasty as well!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Private Sauna, Jacuzzi and Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 102 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $229

Travel from Rovaniemi to a private lakeside setting with an English-speaking host, then enjoy a wood-heated sauna, outdoor jacuzzi, lake views, and a traditional dinner in an old Lapland cottage. Andreas, Andrei, Dimitri, or another host may handle your transfer and evening. Towels, slippers, robe, hot drinks, and non-alcoholic beverages are included.

“A must do when in lapland, such a nice evening and experience. Staff is very nice and the location is stunning ☺️”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Lake Inari Northern Lights Tour w/ Reindeer & Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 80 reviews · 4 hours · from $194

Travel from Ivalo to Koppelo, then ride a reindeer-hide-covered sleigh behind a snowmobile to a private island on Lake Inari. Tina and Tapio host a fireside three-course meal in a traditional cottage and Lappish teepee. You can feed friendly reindeer and watch the sky for Northern Lights, though clear skies are never guaranteed.

“Zonder noorderlicht (wat natuurlijk nooit te garanderen is) is deze tocht wat magertjes. Het is vooral een (koude) tocht over het meer in een slee achter een sneeuwscooter gevolgd door een tussenstop in een tipi tent met vuur waarop worstje/soep/brood worden klaargemaakt en waar je de gelegenheid krijgt 2 rendieren te voeren. Daarna nog paar minuten terug met de slee naar de auto die ons terugbracht naar de beginlocatie waar we onze dikke geleende pakken konden inleveren en daarna teruggebracht werden naar ons hotel. Als totaalpakket niet slecht als aanbod, maar in de praktijk zonder noorderlicht heeft het weinig om het lijf.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Snow Sauna Experience, Jacuzzi and Dinner in Kota

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 79 reviews · from $289

Spend seven hours at Rovaniemi’s Arctic SnowHotel with an English-speaking guide, a snow sauna, Finnish sauna, outdoor jacuzzi, ice rooms and a three-course dinner in a warm Kota restaurant. Round-trip transfers are included, along with an alcohol-free sauna drink and time for kick sledding and tobogganing.

“A new experience for the books. Worth every penny and the food was amazing!”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.PRIVATE Party dinner in a Glass Igloo Under Northern Lights

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 68 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $323

You’ll be picked up anywhere in Rovaniemi and driven to a secluded glass igloo by a frozen lake. Enjoy a Finnish three-course dinner by the fire, then ride snow scooters with your private guide. Andrew, Andrei, and other hosts are praised for warm service, though the northern lights depend entirely on weather.

“We had an amazing dinner served by a lovely Russian guide. Salmon and potatoes! She was able to take some wonderful pictures of us and the northern lights! My only gripe is that the portions were pretty small. A 2 inch cube of blueberry cake with a tablespoon of ice cream for dessert kind of small. We didn't go for the snow scooters, but they did have them there. It's just running circles around the edge of a pond. Cute, but very cold even with the fancy gear they provided.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Northern lights tour to Lake Inari from Ivalo, Reindeers & Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 63 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $191

From Ivalo, you will receive thermal clothing, ride a snowmobile-pulled sleigh to a frozen Lake Inari island, feed reindeer, and eat local fish or reindeer soup in a Lappish teepee. A local guide, including guides such as Maksim or Tina’s family team, leads this small-group evening for up to 10 people.

“Magique et Magnifique ! Expérience hors du temps dans un lieu superbe sous un ciel étoilé aux multiples Aurore Boréales. Guide et organisation au top ! A faire sans réserve.”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Entrance tickets to Snowman World and Snow Restaurant Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 53 reviews · from $173Best value

Spend two hours at Snowman World in Santa Claus Village, where you can skate, slide down an icy hill, see snow sculptures, and eat a three-course Lappish dinner inside a snow restaurant. The experience includes entry, but drinks cost extra. Bring very warm clothing because the setting is genuinely cold.

“Really cool experience! It was a 3 course meal and just as described. I had the elk and everything was very tasty. There is an ice disco bar in the restaurant as well. They served shots in shot glasses made of ice. The snow sculptures on the walls were very impressive! I had access to Snowman world and went on the large labyrinth slide. Bundle up because it's cold!”

Check availability →Read our full review