Things to do as an exchange student in Rovaniemi

When I first moved to Lapland there were a few obvious things on my bucket list. I arrived in February so a Husky sleigh ride, meeting reindeers and searching for the northern lights were on top of this list. I mean… If you’re going to Lapland during winter, it is a must, isn’t it?

I realised very quickly there is so much more to Lapland than cuddling some huskies. (I mean you still must cuddle some huskies, but besides that.) Rovaniemi, the city I’m located in now, can quickly become a bit plain if you’re used to bigger cities. I quickly thought I had seen it all until I met some more exchange students who showed me some more of Rovaniemi’s hidden gems.

Chatting away around the fireplace

First things first. The most common thing to do here in Lapland is: Gathering around a fire and eat marshmallows. I don’t know if that is what I imagined before arriving here, but it is the absolute most popular activity of all. Especially during the colder days when the only place you’ll be remotely warm is around a campfire. Warning: All my jackets smell like a fireplace or sausages at the end of your stay, there is no way to escape it!

In Rovaniemi and all over the outdoors in Finland there are multiple places where you can build a fire. There is pre stocked dry wood, a fixed place to safely built a fire, benches and sometimes even an overnight cabin and toilets. There are a few places close to the city centre where you can have a fire as well. One is in Ounasvaara and another one is close to the church with a view on the lake.

Both are regularly used by exchange students to gather and enjoy the warmth. We mostly bring marshmallows, some drinks and sometimes some sausages to enjoy whilst chatting away until the late hours.

Oh and don’t forget to look up for some northern lights while you’re at it!

Coffee time

I personally did not want to be out in the cold all the time. If you want to be a bit warmer on a moody day like me, you can grab a coffee in one of the few nice coffee places that are scattered all trough the city. One of my Favourite ones is called: The coffee House. It is a nice big bar with multiple places to sit together or alone. You find plugs there at every table, and there are a lot of hangers to hang coats on. I often go there to enjoy the trendy environment while toggling away on my computer.

Another place you can go to is Bar/Café 21 and Espresso House. The city centre is quite small, so these are all not too far from each other.

Ice swimming

A next must do when you move to the arctic circle is ice swimming. I sadly cannot say I already did it myself, but all my friends have already done it and raved about it. It is still high on my bucket list, and I guess I just must do it! Is someone volunteering to come with?

Bouldering

Another thing the outdoorsy locals and exchange students do is bouldering. There is a rather big (to my Belgian standards) Bouldering and Yoga centre here in Rovaniemi. I tried it myself and plan to continue going a few times to challenge myself and push some boundaries. Besides exploring new hobbies, it is also a good way to get a bit handy in climbing some rocks in case you need it in the outdoors.

Visit the mountains

Although there aren’t a lot of mountains to be found in Finland, Sweden and Norway are less than a 10-hour drive away. If you want to try out some challenging trails in the mountains, it calms my mind to have a bit of experience in bouldering. It is not the same, but it gave me a bit more confidence in my physique and mental space to reach that peak in Norway when travelling there.

Travel to the neighbourhood countries

I touched on the next thing already: Travelling of course! Norway and Sweden are too close to not go and pay a visit whilst you’re staying in Rovaniemi. Helsinki, the capital of Finland is a train rise away and if you rent a car, you’re quite quickly in the neighbourhood countries!

Hiking in Lapland National Parks

Finland itself can be explored without taking a train or driving half a day beyond the borders. I must warn you though. ‘Close by’ has a very different meaning here in Lapland. Driving an hour trough, the wilderness barely gets you anywhere.

I drove to Korouoma Nature Park to go and hike up to the frozen waterfalls and I recommend! Don’t underestimate the trail, length to drive there and time you need. If there’s one thing I already know is: Pack enough food!

Discovering the ‘nearby’ National Parks and go hiking in the beautiful wilderness is high on my activity list here in Finnish Lapland. I al ready visited a few but am determent to try and go to more and explore the stunning landscapes and endless rivers and lakes.

Winter activities

During winter and spring, the next most popular thing to do is ski or snowboard of course. Ounasvaara offers a range of ski slopes and a lot of cross-country ski opportunities. I didn’t limit myself to visiting only Ounasvaara, there are so much ski slopes in Finland to be discovered! Levi being one of the most popular ones under the locals! It gave me more of an Austria ski resort vibe when visiting there. The scene is way livelier and worth the trip if you love to party and ski.

Hockey

I went to my first hockey game only a few days ago, and what a pleasant surprise that was. I would recommend going to watch a hockey game at least once if you have the chance! The loud crowd and enthusiast supporters are in such a big contrast with the calmness and quietness that you’re used to in Lapland. I love it!

Party time!

Of course, I can’t forget to mention the Erasmus parties on this list. Most of the times there is a party or gathering at the student houses every week. There is also a nice club you can go to here in Rovaniemi centre. There are multiple clubs and bars, but Half Moon Club and Kansan bar are the more popular places to go. I went there several times, and it is nice to spend some time with friends

Lapland Summer activities

When summer arrives, I will report back to you on more summer-time activities. I can only think of a few now, but my experience will have to show how fun and frequent the activities are.

On my list for the warmer weather is kayaking, camping, or staying in an overnight cabin and swimming in one of the lakes under the midnight sun! Add chasing the midnight sunsets also to that list!

 

⇐By: Kaat Vandeweyer/Visit Lapland⇒

kaat@ourlapland.fi