Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The gateway to the spectacular Valley of the Temples, Agrigento is one of the most popular places to visit in Sicily.
Whether you only have a few days or you’re planning a longer road trip around Sicily, you should absolutely spend at least a day in Agrigento and appreciate its small town charms.
I visited Agrigento on one of my road trips through Sicily, and it was among my favorite places on the island.
Wandering through the Valley of the Temples is an experience unlike any other, but the historical center of Agrigento is also worth exploring in its own right!
In this short guide, you’ll find the best landmarks and activities in Agrigento, along with a few tips to make the most of your trip (no matter how short!)
Tips for Visiting Agrigento
Before diving into the attractions, I want to give you a few quick tips to help you plan your trip. Firstly, you’ll have to plan your trip according to the season you visit Agrigento.
You won’t be surprised to hear that summer is the most popular time to travel to Sicily, but if that’s the only time you can visit, you can make life easier by preparing for crowds and increased prices.
Booking your accommodation in advance, buying attraction tickets online, and choosing weekdays over weekends can all help you have a more pleasant experience. If you can, choose the shoulder seasons to make the most of your time in Sicily!
Early spring and late fall are the perfect mix of good weather and smaller crowds. However, winter is also a good time, since the temperatures rarely go below 14°C (57°F).
While you can visit Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples in one day if you move quickly and plan carefully, I really recommend spending at least a night in the city.
This will give you the chance to get to know it better without rushing through your visit to the archaeological park.
One last tip: Agrigento is the perfect stop on a Sicily road trip itinerary, so if you’re traveling with a rental car, you’ll be in luck!
Best Things to Do in Agrigento
Agrigento is among the most popular cities in Sicily, but to be honest, most people just visit for the Valley of the Temples. While this is a must-see, Agrigento has so much more to offer than just this!
Here are the best things to do in this charming hilltop Sicilian city, one of the best places in Sicily for history and culture!
Explore the Valley of the Temples
Of course, we still have to mention the Valley of the Temples Archaeological Park (in Italian, Valle dei Templi), since is by far the most popular tourist attraction in Agrigento and among the most visited in Sicily.
Being so popular, be prepared for crowds at these ancient ruins. However, it’s absolutely worth the visit, so go ahead and schedule the time to explore this wonderful archaeological site.
Just south of Agrigento’s historic center, the Valley of the Temples is an archaeological area featuring incredibly well-preserved ancient Greek temples and other ruins.
In 1997, the site was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its status as one of the most outstanding examples of Greek architecture in what used to be the Magna Grecia region.
Prepare to spend several hours exploring this area and wandering through the magnificent temples and other ancient remains. Fun fact: this is Europe’s largest archaeological park!
Visiting the park takes at least 2 hours, and that’s assuming you move at a fast pace and don’t stop much. I recommend setting aside 3-4 hours for an independent visit to really take in all the sights.
The most impressive structure is the Temple of Concordia, a Doric temple dating to the 4th century BCE. Other notable buildings are the Temple of Hera, the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Castor, the Temple of Heracles, and the Temple of the Dioscuri.
You can explore the park by yourself, following the marked route to see all of its Greek ruins and Doric temples. The park is open daily from early in the morning until pretty late in the evening, so you can easily fit this into your schedule.
An adult entry ticket is 13€, and can be purchased online directly from the archaeological site here. Note that if you happen to visit on the first Sunday of the month between 8:30 AM and 7:00 PM, entrance is free!
Another option is to join a guided tour of the Valley of the Temples, such as on this2-hour guided tour: the perfect choice if you don’t have much time and want to make the most of your time in the park.
Plus, this way, you can learn more about the magnificent ancient Greek architecture from your guide. The activity even includes the chance to save time by skipping the line — definitely worth special consideration in summer!
One last option worth exploring is theValley of the Temples sunset tour. You’ll start exploring the park with your guide just as the sun goes down so you can enjoy a magical view of the temples in the soft sunset light.
While you’re exploring the Valley of the Temples, you ought to also stop by the Kolymbethra Garden.
This peaceful garden within the archaeological park captures Sicily’s flavors, scents, and colors in a delightful green corner.
These gardens date back over two millennia when the Greek city of Akragas (now known as Agrigento) designed a series of irrigation channels leading to a nearby reservoir called Colimbetra (hence the name).
In the garden, you can walk through olive groves, almond trees, and citrus trees and enjoy their delightful fragrances.
Just a heads up as you’re planning, access to the garden requires an extra fee on top of the access to the Valley of the Temples. However, the fee is just a reasonable 3€, so it’s a small price to pay.
Visit the Archaeological Museum Pietro Griffo
Photo Credit: Von Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If you want to learn more about the Valley of the Temples, supplement your itinerary with a visit to the archaeological museum of Agrigento, Pietro Griffo.
The museum complements your visit to the archaeological park for a small extra fee if you buy the combined ticket. It costs more when bought separately, so if you’re interested, it’s better to get the combined ticket.
Pietro Griffo is home to a vast collection of archaeological artifacts that were unearthed from the Valley of the Temples, including vases, sculptures, coins, inscriptions, and decorative elements from ancient sanctuaries.
Explore the old town of Agrigento
While you might want to dedicate most of your time to exploring the Valley of the Temples, save some time for the old town of Agrigento.
Agrigento’s medieval center dates to the 11th century and features charming alleys, squares, and stairways, all of which are not to be missed!
Stroll along the main street, explore hidden alleyways, and check out the beautiful Baroque churches. Cattedrale di San Gerlando, Chiesa di Santo Spirito, and Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Greci are three absolute must-see churches in Agrigento.
One spot you can’t miss is Scalinata degli Artisti or the Artists’ Stairway. Check out the painted steps on this picturesque stairway and admire the beautiful street art in the area!
And of course, be sure to head to Belvedere Domenico Modugno for a stunning panoramic view of the valley surrounding Agrigento.
Enjoy tasty local food
To complete your stay in Agrigento, try some delicious local food. The historical center offers countless options for every taste.
If you’re craving tasty, heartwarming food, head to Naif and try local dishes like caponata, cavatelli alla norma, and linguine with almond pesto.
If you’re looking for a quick bite and you’re a fan of seafood, you have to try the sandwiches or fried fish at Cusà Fish.
Lastly, for a special night out, enjoy the fine dining at Sal8. The specialties are fish-based, but they also serve meat and vegetarian options so you’re sure to find something to enjoy!
Have a beach day in Porto Empedocle
Agrigento isn’t itself a coastal town, but it’s just a short distance inland, making it easy to pop over to the beach town of Porto Empodocle (halfway to the Scala dei Turchi, the next spot on this list).
Grab a patch of beach in the free section of Spiaggia di Marinella, or for more amenities, you can also rent a chair and umbrellas at the Lido Marinella.
Take a day trip to Scala dei Turchi
If you’re going to spend a more than one day in Agrigento, you ought to take at least half a day to explore the impressive Scala dei Turchi (Turks’ Stairs)
These white cliffs sinking in the turquoise waters is one of the most scenic spots on the southern coast of Sicily.
You can reach the parking area in under 20 minutes by car from Agrigento or by bus during the summer months.
Note that access to the cliffs themselves is forbidden, but you can admire the stunning landscape from a nearby beach or from above at Belvedere Scala dei Turchi.
Take a boat tour of the Scala dei Turchi
Another way to explore this scenic spot is by joining thisStair of the Turks Boat Tour and admire the white cliff from another vantage point — down below it!
During this 4-hour tour, you can admire the beautiful cliffs from the boat, swim in the clear waters just off the coast, and enjoy other spectacular views along the gorgeous Sicilian seascape.
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Picture yourself walking through beautiful green footpaths in summer, or peering up at snowy mountaintops in the winter: welcome to Verbier, Switzerland!
Verbier is a quaint village in Southwestern Switzerland in the Valais region. It is located among the stunning Alps of Val de Bagnes, which border France and Italy.
Verbier is world famous for its fantastic winter season, where locals and visitors seek some of Switzerland (and all of Europe!)’s best skiing and snow sports.
However, a winter wonderland is not the only thing you can expect from Verbier!
Summer wildflowers in the Verbier region
Its summers also bring great joy, with many fun activities and undeniable beauty, since being in the Swiss Alps in the summer is like no other!
Here are some of the many things to do in Verbier: in winter, summer, and every season in between!
Best Things to Do in Verbier Year-Round
Rent a stunning Swiss chalet.
Swiss chalets are beautiful no matter the season, but especially in the snow!
There is nothing better than waking up in a Swiss chalet!
These beautiful wooden cottages, often found in the Alps, have long been a famous staple of Switzerland vacations!
Verbier is home to some of the most luxurious chalets you’ll find in the country.
In fact, the entire village is full of them: big and small, far from the town center or right in the middle of it all.
Other towns in the region like Nendaz also offer great chalet rentals, like this one pictured below, which I stayed in one summer.
The chalet I stayed at in Nendaz, near Verbier
They are the perfect getaway to relax and enjoy the slow life of nature and the quiet breath of the Alps.
Renting a chalet in Verbier is a fantastic experience no matter the time of year!
Whether you want to wake up to the freshly fallen snow while sipping a warm hot chocolate or rise to the sun peaking through the window, there is a unique charm to each season.
Try some local raclette.
Switzerland: where cheese and potatoes is a valid, complete meal
Have you ever heard of raclette? If not, you are missing out!
Raclette is a traditional Swiss dish consisting of alpine cheese that is melted, scraped, and eaten with potatoes and meat.
It is very common to eat raclette before or after skiing, which is why it is a key meal in Verbier… but you can eat it any time of year!
Eating some raclette at a summer festival!
Verbier is known to have some of the best raclette around!
There are many fantastic restaurants in Verbier known for their renowned raclette, such as Le Caveau, Restaurant Les Chamois, Le Petit Combin, and Restaurant La Marmotte, to name a few!
So whether you have never tried this Swiss wonder before or it is your favorite dish, Verbier’s selection of raclette will not disappoint!
Go paragliding through the Alps.
Paragliding in the Swiss Alps, a dream no matter the season!
With Verbier’s spectacular views, it’s no surprise that it is a top-rated paragliding destination!
So many people come on a ski holiday but don’t anticipate paragliding, which should change… paragliding is not just a summer activity!
Paragliding through Verbier in the summer will bring you through endless green meadows and flower-filled mountain tops, as you sail by the green footpaths and bikers while enjoying the mountain air.
During the winter, you can watch people flying down the slopes from up above, and due to the great weather conditions, you can paraglide nearly all winter long!
There are many paragliding companies all over Verbier and its surrounding towns.
The most well-known company is Verbier-Summits, a paragliding school perfect for first-time adventurers, as their team takes pride in making sure all new paragliders feel confident, safe, and well-informed before taking on their first flight.
Taste some Swiss chocolate at La Glacerie du Chocolat.
Bites of deliciousness at a Swiss chocolate shop
We all know that Switzerland produces some of the best chocolate in the world!
People love Swiss chocolate because of its smooth texture and rich milk chocolate flavor. So naturally, if you are in Verbier, you must try some of its local favorites.
La Glacerie du Chocolat is a fantastic little chocolate shop in the heart of Verbier village.
The shop is a cozy, authentic chalet-style building with beautiful wooden architecture. They also serve delicious coffee, pastries, and other desserts!
Coming to La Glacerie du Chocolat is fantastic any time of year; however, they display charming decorations and sell unique chocolates around Christmas!
Relax and unwind at the spa.
A lovely spa day in Switzerland is a must!
You can take your holiday to the next level when you experience the spas of Verbier!
After a long day of skiing, hiking, or biking, relaxing at a spa is the perfect way to unwind.
Luckily, Verbier and its nearby villages have some incredible spa options, open in both the winter and summer months!
Beautiful Alps and pool views
After spending the day in the thick of the winter, the best feeling is a nice long hot sauna or a steam room to warm up.
In summer, you may wake up with sore muscles from all the trekking you’ve been doing, which is why going to the spa for a restful hot stone message is the perfect trick, or taking a fresh dip in the swimming pool.
Stroll around La Tzoumaz village.
The village of La Tzoumaz from above
La Tzoumaz, one of the six villages of 4 Vallées, is a fantastic place to stroll around on a day trip or for an afternoon cafe visit.
The quaint village is only 30 minutes from Verbier by cable car, so it’s quite easy to visit.
There is much to discover in La Tzoumaz, such as bike parks, scenic hikes, ski lifts, incredible cafes, restaurants, and spas!
If you are not interested in hitting the more challenging slopes on the Verbier side, La Tzoumaz offers many easier routes and beginner runs.
Things to Do in Verbier in Summer
Bike (or e-bike!) through the Alps.
Allison on an e-bike ride in 4 Vallées
Feel the wind rush past you and take in all the natural beauty while riding through the Alps on two wheels.
Verbier’s spectacular biking routes through the Alps attract people from all over the world, eager to explore some of the best bike routes in Switzerland!
Both seasoned mountain bikers and beginners can find the right path to fit their needs, and every bike trail in Switzerland is extremely well-marked, making it clear where you are heading.
Well-marked paths for cycling!
The bike trails run through luscious green hills and guide you through breathtaking natural wonders, making it hard to stop your cycling.
And since Verbier has over 140 bike routes, finding the right one for you will not be too hard!
Verbier offers a wide range of bike opportunities such as road biking, mountain biking, cross country biking, electric biking, and more!
One of the stops on an e-bike tour of 4 Vallées
If you are a beginner, don’t worry — electric bikes allow beginners to reach some of Verbier’s highest peaks, and there are many e-bike rental shops all around… Switzerland loves their e-bikes!
You can also try cycling at Verbier Bikepark which has a variety of maintained routes to tackle, including longer routes like the Tour du Mont Fort.
A day pass to the Verbier Bikepark costs 49 CHF in the summer, but will give you access to all its trails!
Cycle around Mauvoisin Dam.
Lovely Lac de Mauvouisin and its waterfalls
Cycling around the great Lac de Mauvouisin is tough to beat! This unique bike route wraps around Switzerland’s second biggest reservoir, on a giant dam built straight through it.
Riding over this dam feels like you are part of the Alps, as every which way you look, you are surrounded by tremendous mountains and waterfalls across the way.
Cycling is not the only option to discover this tremendous natural reserve! Take a nice long walk around the lake, or explore some nearby hiking trails that veer off into the mountains.
Explore the beautiful Lac de Louvie.
Summer views of Lac de Louvie
Verbier has many spectacular lakes nearby, and Lac de Louvie is a beautiful crystal clear lake is one of them!
It’s just a 30-minute drive from the center of Verbier and worth every second of the commute to get there!
The lake’s rich blue water perfectly contrasts with the surrounding rocky ridges and greenery.
It is nestled in wildlife, with gorgeous mountains, flowers, and many nearby hikes to other small lakes and sights.
Allison in the Swiss mountains
The Sentier des Chamois Trail is a great option to access Lac de Louvie from Verbier.
To start your hike, you can take a cable car to either at La Chaux or Les Ruinettes, and then continue hiking towards Finnay.
If you want more information on the trail and how to get there,read this guide here.
Hiking to Lac de Louvie will grant you the experience of being close to nature, and you will be able to experience the Alps up close and personal — and at a different pace than biking!
The hike is also great exercise, and you can even swim in the lake as a reward for all that hard work… However, it’s more like a cold plunge than a lake you’d properly want to swim in!
Hike Lac des Vaux.
The endpoint of your hike!
Hiking to Lac des Vaux is perfect for you if you are looking for a long and picturesque day hike. The hike runs through the edges of the Alps and wraps around multiple bright blue lakes before arriving at Lac des Vaux.
Lac des Vaux’s scenic atmosphere is worth every step to get there. In addition, it’s very remote, making it a perfect spot for a picnic!
Accessing the hike is extremely simple from the Verbier village via gondola.
Gondola views!
You can first take a gondola from Verbier to Savoleyres then a second gondola to the beginning of the hike.
Tip: this hiking trail starts at the restaurant Croix de Coeur.
It is a good idea to ask the locals working in Savoleyres or Verbier for a hiking map, just in case you lose cell service along the way!
Fill your bottle with fresh glacial spring water.
Freshest water in the world!
It’s not every day that you can drink water straight from a glacial spring, but the Alps are filled with the freshest water you could imagine!
The many waterfalls and rivers contain so many great natural minerals and are as pure as you can imagine.
As you hike, bike, or stroll, stay hydrated by filling up your bottles straight from the many natural springs and falls throughout the Alps.
Try one of the via ferrata routes.
Climber on a via ferrata route
If you’re not afraid of heights and are looking for an adrenaline rush, another popular thing to do in Verbier in summer is tackling one of the area’s via ferrata routes!
Via ferrata (literally “iron way”) are climbing routes that have bolted ladders, rungs, bridges, and ladders to help you traverse routes that normally would only be possible for rock climbers.
You can rent the needed gear (helmet, harness, and lanyards to clip into the routes) in Verbier and tackle either the Blue (easier) Edelweiss Route or the Red (harder)Androsace Route.
I’ve never tried this as when I went to the 4 Vallées region in the summer, I wasn’t a climber yet, but now it’s on my must-do list for when I return for a Swiss summer!
Things to Do in Verbier in Winter
Hit the slopes in Verbier’s Les 4 Vallées.
Beautiful ski slopes of Verbier!
Skiing through the Swiss Alps is the most incredible, freeing feeling, as you let the wind rush through your hair as you descend down the mountain peaks, enjoying amazing views the whole way.
Verbier’s skiing and snowboarding is perfect for families, skiers, snowboarders, and really anyone interested in exploring snow sports!
You can also find many restaurants along the mountain as you hit the slopes, such as Chalet Carlsberg, serving tasty hearty dishes like Swiss fondue.
Delicious Swiss fondue: even better in winter!
Another favorite mountain restaurant is Les Gentianes, located at the Col des Gentianes ski area.
If you are wondering why so many people flock to Verbier to ski, the fantastic pistes will naturally provide the answer!
Verbier is part of the Les 4 Vallées ski resort area, which includes not only the town of Verbier but the surrounding villages and municipalities of Veysonnaz, La Tzoumaz, Bruson, Thyon, and Nendaz as well.
They are all connected using the Mont Fort cable cars, creating a ski area that is filled with 410 kilometers of long runs and over 80 lifts. The layout is perfect for all levels of skiers, from beginners to professionals!
Never skied before? Verbier is a great place to learn, with several great ski schools that offer half-day and full-day lessons so you can get to hitting the slopes!
Enter the hidden speakeasy in Le Crock No Name.
Delicious Swiss snacks
Le Crock No Name is an après-ski must! Nestled in the heart of Verbier’s village, you will find a cozy little bar, Le Crock No Name.
The live music and great atmosphere draw everyone in from the mountains. It is a perfect place for a drink and some traditional Swiss bites.
There is a lovely outdoor patio, so you can take in the Alps as you sip your wine (try a local Swiss wine if you can — it’s delicious and rarely exported!).
Delicious Swiss white wine!
Le Crock No Name is unique and special because of its hidden gem, Le Table 22.
Le Table 22 is a little speakeasy hidden inside the bar. It is the first and only speakeasy in all of Verbier! Behind a little hidden door, you will find a small authentic Swiss restaurant.
Here you will be greeted by the best chefs who offer an array of excellent wine and tasty Swiss cuisine.
Whiz down the exciting Toboggan Run.
Toboggan run – a must in Switzerland!
Verbier is home to an incredible toboggan run that is simply one of the best things to do in Verbier in winter.
Never believe that tobogganing is reserved for kids only; in Verbier, the Tzuomaz toboggan run is an adventure and blast for everyone!
The Toboggan Run’s atmosphere is delightful, taking you through the snow-capped trees and forests. If you have had a long tiring day of skiing, but want to savor every moment in the Alps, take on this activity as an end-of-the-day top-off!
Tobogganing is a great activity with family and friends for a good laugh, and it’s also a great winter sport activity for people who don’t ski or snowboard, but still want to have some fun in the snow!
Go dog sledding with a team of huskies.
Dog sledding in Switzerland
If it’s always been on your bucket list to go dog sledding, you can do just that in Verbier with TakiTrek.
You don’t need to go all the way to Norway or Finland to do it — it’s available right in Verbier.
You can opt for a panoramic tour which brings you 5 kilometers through the beautiful mountain scenery with a team of 10 dogs.
This panoramic tour costs 160 CHF per person, and note that you will not have the opportunity to drive the sled yourself.
A more exciting endeavor is becoming a musher yourself and doing a self-drive dog sled tour!
This is a half-day tour that allows you to meet and greet the huskies, harness them up for dog sledding, and try steering your own dog sled! This costs 350 CHF per person.
Try snowshoeing in Verbier’s mountains.
Snowshoeing is a great winter activity for non-skiers
If you are looking for things to do in Verbier in winter besides skiing and snowboarding, snowshoeing may be right up your alley!
It allows you to experience the stunning winter wonderland at your own pace, if you’re not comfortable with the adrenaline rush of downhill skiing.
Verbier Medran:This charming apartment is a great choice when looking where to stay in Verbier, as it’s located right in the heart of town and close to the ski elevators and has its own apartment for self-catering (and saving money).
Hotel Bristol Verbier: This central option is set in a traditional-looking Swiss hotel, yet inside, it’s undeniably modern and comfortable. The rooms are spacious and cozy and close to the ski elevators for winter travelers!
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
There are lots of options for dog sledding in Rovaniemi, some better than others.
My team of huskies on the tour I took in January 2024
I’m here to share my honest feedback as someone who loves dog sledding and has done it four times (in Abisko, Rovaniemi, Tromso, and Alta).
While I enjoyed my dog sledding tour, there were a few things that surprised me compared to other husky sled rides I have done elsewhere, so I’m writing this guide to let you know what to expect on your tour.
Don’t have time for a long read? Here are my quick picks for those looking to book something fast.
I went dog sledding with the top-rated husky tour in Rovaniemi, the Apukka Husky Adventure.
They offer the tour three times daily, one at 10 AM, one at noon, and one at 2 PM.
It’s two hours long, excluding transit to and from Apukka (about half an hour from the city center or 10 minutes from Santa Claus Village), so it’s easy to fit into almost any Lapland itinerary.
This tour is aimed at total beginners so you don’t need any previous dog sledding or husky experience. Just be a dog lover and a good listener!
The dog teams work great together while running… while paused for a photo, not so much!
I took the noon tour and we met at 11:45 AM at Santa Claus Village, where I boarded the included shuttle bus to Apukka Resort just outside the city center.
Apukka Resort is one of those epic glass igloo resort you’ve probably seen before, where you can spend the night in a glass igloo and (hopefully!) see the Northern lights from your cabin.
(In reality, it’s a little hard to do so, but on an especially clear night, it is theoretically possible)
The luxury glass igloos at Apukka Resort
It can be really expensive to stay at Apukka Resort in the peak season — I often see the glass igloos listed around $800 USD per night — so it’s fun to do one of the outdoor activities at Apukka to be able to see the property without having to shell out the full cost of an overnight accommodation.
Once we arrived at Apukka Resort off the shuttle, we had time to borrow gear from their rental area (it was cold while I was visiting, so I borrowed a thermal oversuit, boots, and gloves).
We then were directed to a lavvu (Sámi-style tent area) where we waited for the rest of our small group to meet up and then go with the guide to the husky farm area, which was across the street from the main Apukka Resort, located in a lovely Arctic forest area near a frozen lake.
Here, we met our two mushers and the group split in two smaller groups after a short debrief on how the sledge works, hand signals, how to brake, and protocols in order to keep the huskies (and yourself!) safe.
We paired up into groups of two (I was traveling solo and I got paired with an another person who didn’t have a partner — so don’t be worried if you arrive alone!), met our dog team, and got ready for the ride of our lives!
We were told we would do a 7 to 10-kilometer circuit, and we must have done the shorter one, as we did about 30 minutes of actual dog sledding, which was about 15 minutes per person (you switch between being the driver and the passenger halfway through).
It was incredibly beautiful and the dog sledding was lots of fun, though I was surprised that the dog sledding portion of the tour only ended up lasting about 30 minutes.
After finishing our dog sledding, we ended up back at the kennel, where we got to meet the huskies, pose for photos with them, and cuddle them.
Afterwards, we got to meet a lovely Samoyed who belongs to the hotel and also a few-month-old husky puppy who we all got to take turns meeting and cuddling.
Meeting a future sled dog!
There was also some hot drinks available in the lavvu where we could warm up after the tour, but we ended up not having time to enjoy the drinks because we spent too much time with the husky puppy afterward.
While overall, I would say that I had a great time with my tour, there are a few things I would clarify before you book so that you have the right expectations.
There were two things I was a little surprised by with this tour, given its price:
1) The tour does not include hotel pick-up and drop-off, but only a transfer at two pick-up points: one in the city center or another at Santa Claus Village (where the pickup point was a little tricky to find, but I’ve photographed it for you below for ease of finding!).
I was staying at an Airbnb that was a little far from either, but for most people staying in these two main parts of Rovaniemi, this won’t be a huge inconvenience.
This is the meeting point on the highway near Santa Claus Village
2) The tour was marketed as 2 hours, and I expected to dog sled for about one hour and then tour the facility, cuddle the huskies, etc. for the other hour. In reality, we had about half an hour of active dog sledding and the rest of the time was either waiting, being instructed, hanging out with huskies and puppies afterwards, etc.
On all my other tours, we got to do mushing and dog sledding for one hour, half an hour per partner on the team. This felt a little short to me, but it’s partly because I’m comparing it to other experiences.
Despite those two drawbacks, I’d still say this is one of the better husky tour options in Rovaniemi.
Rovaniemi is definitely more geared towards family-friendly tours (which tend to be shorter to accommodate kids’ shorter attention spans) as opposed to adventure tours and older independent travelers.
When I looked into other tours to see if there were any longer tours more akin to what I did in Tromso, Abisko, Alta, etc. — there weren’t any sled tours that were both self-driving and longer than the same 6 or 7 to 10 kilometers that the Apukka one was advertised as, except for one full-day, 40-km adventure tour (I’ll share that below)!
Plenty of time for photos and husky cuddles after!
I can imagine that all other tours are similarly only about 30 to 40 minutes of actual dog sledding (for reference, the hourlong tour I did in Alta covered 15 kilometers).
It seems like despite a few reservations I have about the tour I took, this is still currently the best option in Rovaniemi — so just be aware that the ‘two hour’ tour is actually really only 30 minutes of active dog sledding!
That said, I’ll go into a few other options — from family-friendly tours to Northern lights evening tours to combo tours — in case this doesn’t sound like your cup of tea.
Located at Santa’s Village, this brief husky sleigh ride is a great option for those on a budget who don’t have time (or money) for a longer excursion.
This tour gives you a 30-minute time slot for a husky experience so it’s a quick one, but that may be good depending on your time and is 2.5 kilometers, which in my experience should take about 10 minutes.
This tour also doesn’t give you the chance to drive your own sled, but you’ll be driven by a musher and a team of huskies while sitting in a comfortable sleigh of your own.
It’s a good experience for the whole family as all can participate regardless of age (infants must sit on their parent’s laps).
That said, I wouldn’t recommend it for adult travelers without kids who want the full ‘dog sled’ experience, unless budget is a huge constraint, since it’s so fast.
For those who want to be out in a dog sled and enjoy the nature, this is a great tour for you, and it also includes coffee in addition to a sled ride.
The nice thing about this tour is that it is longer in length (15 kilometers, which should take about an hour) than other tours.
However, this tour does not allow you to drive your own dog sled, which is a big con for me personally.
But it might be great for those traveling with a family who want the ease and safety of a musher-led tour as opposed to the more active adventure of manning your own dogsled.
For a day trip totally devoted to huskies, this is the best option possible, though of course since it is a much longer experience it is more expensive.
However, given that you get to spend at least 4 times the amount of time actually dog sledding than any other self-drive tour, it’s definitely worth the price and offers a good value.
This tour is only offered a few times per month it appears, so book it in advance if this is the tour you want to select.
If you want the chance to spot the Northern lights while you’re traversing through a winter wonderland with your team of huskies, this aurora hunting husky tour is a good option.
It’s also a good choice if your days are filled with activities but you want something to do during the long nights of the Arctic winter!
Keep in mind that these tours only offer a chance to see the Northern lights. While your huskies will run for about 7-10 km, if it’s cloudy in the immediate area, this won’t give you a very far radius to find a break in the clouds to see the aurora.
If you want a more sure bet of seeing the Northern lights (though no natural phenomenon comes with a guarantee) you should opt for a dedicated Northern lights tour in Rovaniemi.
This is also run by Apukka Resort, the tour I went with, but just a nighttime offering that also includes Lappish BBQ in a warm hut halfway through the tour to warm up and try to spot the aurora borealis!
Can’t choose between a reindeer sleigh ride and a husky safari? As the meme goes… why not both?
This tour brings you to several Finnish favorites — a reindeer farm and a husky farm — for sleigh rides and 1:1 time with these lovely Lapland creatures.
This 2.5-hour tour is perfect for families with young kids who want a quick experience that doesn’t skimp on any of the favorites yet doesn’t take too long for little ones with short attention spans.
The tour includes a 500-meter reindeer sleigh ride as well as a 2-km husky ride so you’ll get the experience to sled with both (each sled ride should take about 10-15 minutes).
I’m a huge animal lover and the ethics of any animal activity is really important to me.
I’ve gone dog sledding four times and I’ve always made sure to keep an open mind and be ready to re-evaluate my opinion if any new information is available to me.
Having done two dog sledding activities recently, this one in Rovaniemi in January 2024 and another in Alta in February 2024, I feel confident saying that I personally find dog sledding in Lapland perfectly ethical.
Husky dogs aren’t like your typical house pet — these are working dogs who have been domesticated for thousands of years to be able to not only endure but enjoy winter conditions.
Dog sledding tours use Siberian or Alaskan huskies (the tour I did in Rovaniemi used Siberian huskies) and these does are comfortable at temperatures as low as -40 Celsius.
They love the cold so much that often you’ll see them sleeping outside at -20 Celsius, even when they have a warm bed filled with straw as an option to sleep in!
You can visibly see the excitement of the dogs before and after a sled ride, and you can see the knowledge the mushers have about all the dogs.
For example, on my dog sled tour at Apukka, they knew that one dog preferred to only be on the harness when it was time to run, and didn’t like to be left on the harness with the other dogs waiting for the group to start running.
They made sure to accommodate him and took him off the ‘line’ of dogs whenever we weren’t actively running or preparing to run.
Any good dog sledding company should demonstrate their awareness of the different dogs’ personalities and preferences, and Apukka definitely did this which I was glad to see.
I also asked them about their dog running schedule and how they rotate out and keep track of the dogs and I was really happy with their answers, so I know they really love and care for their sled dogs there!
Huskies at Apukka get a nice 1.5-hour break between runs — nap time!
What’s the difference between dog sledding and a husky safari?
Nothing! Going dog sledding is the same thing as a husky safari — they just make it sound more exotic and fancy when they call it a ‘safari’.
Whether you book something marketed as dog sledding, husky tour, or a husky safari tour, it’s all the same thing.
The only thing that’s different are ‘husky farm visits’ which often just include meeting the dogs and don’t include the chance to go on a sled ride.
Be sure to read the inclusions to make sure you’re getting exactly what you want on your husky experience.
Eagerly awaiting their run!
What is self-drive dog sledding?
Self-drive is just how it sounds — you’re the musher and you help out the team of huskies and make sure you’re staying in position, not overlapping with other husky teams, etc.
Mostly, you’re in charge of watching the team ahead of you and following their hand signals.
Typically, when you do one of these tours, you are in a team of two and you take turns halfway through, switching between driving the sled and being the passenger.
Taking my turn as the passenger in the dog sled — crazy hair inevitable!
Is dog sledding physically demanding?
In my opinion, not at all! The huskies are strong and pull the sled very well without any assistance from you (except braking when necessary — they’re powerful dogs!).
On the dog sledding tour I did, we stayed on a flat track so that we didn’t need to go up or down any hills.
When you go uphill, you may need to get off your sled and run to help the huskies; however, this wasn’t necessary on the tour I took with Apukka, as the track was flat the entire time.
Really, for most people, dog sledding is no more demanding than standing for the duration of the tour (and tolerating the cold!).
But that said, you can also sit in the sled as long as the other partner is willing to drive for the duration of the tour.
Our team of 6 huskies on our dog sledding tour in Rovaniemi
What should I wear and bring on a Rovaniemi husky safari?
First, check to see if your tour includes outdoor cold weather gear. With the exception of the 30-minute husky experience, I believe all these tours do include complimentary gear rental.
That said, you’ll still want to be comfortable on your tour. Comfortable, warm thermal layers (preferably wool) underneath a jacket and waterproof pants will make you the most comfortable.
Also, tours don’t necessarily include hats or scarves (though usually will include gloves) so you’ll likely want to bring these as well.
And of course, you’ll want to bring a camera — though keep in mind you can only take pictures when you’re a passenger and not when you’re driving the sled, as supervising the huskies is a full-time job!
Wearing my Apukka coverall, braving the cold!
How old do you have to be to go dog sledding?
Every tour’s age requirements vary depending on the length of the tour and whether or not you’ll be driving the sled or just be a passenger.
For short tours like the 30-minute dog sled tour, even infants can go on the dog sleigh, as you will be led by an experienced musher!
But for longer tours like the full-day tour, participants need to be at least 15 years old.
Can you see the Northern lights while dog sledding?
If you take one of the aurora watching dog sled tours it’s definitely a possibility, albeit a small one.
Keep in mind that the Northern lights are only visible when 1) there is enough darkness 2) there is no cloud cover and 3) there is sufficient solar wind conditions.
Taking a dog sledding tour at night takes care of issue number 1, but not issues 2 or 3.
If there’s cloud cover or poor solar conditions, you might not see the Northern lights.
Also, keep in mind that the Northern lights are lot more faint than photos make them out to be, as the intensity of color is only captured through long exposure.
The more I travel through the Nordic region, the more I realize that not everyone knows this, so I always try to remind people of this so they can set their expectations accordingly!
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Embarking on a road trip along the U.S. East Coast? Get ready for adventure packed with lovely landscapes, tons of history, and some of the country’s best food.
From the historical sites and nature of Virginia to the rugged coastal lobster shacks of Maine and the tropical vibes of the Florida Keys, this stretch of the United States is one of its most diverse.
To create the best possible guide to US East Coast road trips, I reached out to a group of travel bloggers, each with their own unique slant on a particular patch of the vast East Coast.
They were tasked with quite a challenge: curate the perfect one-week East Coast road trip itinerary chock-full of expert insights.
The responses span the entire coastline, including small towns, national parks, white sand beaches, and virtually every kind of landscape you can think of.
Here are 11 carefully crafted road trip ideas for an East Coast getaway, each perfectly plotted to fill up a week that’s jam-packed with sites to explore.
Coastal Virginia, Maryland, and DC
Contributed by Megan of Virginia Travel Tips
Day 1: Start in Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is Maryland’s capital city, but the metropolis feels more like a small town than a capital city.
Start your morning off by exploring Historic Annapolis, where you can visit the William Paca House & Garden.
William Paca was one of the Founding Fathers and ex-Governor of Maryland and his 18th-century Georgian mansion is one of the top landmarks in Annapolis!
Other places worth checking out are the US Naval Academy Museum, the Maryland State House (capitol building), and the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse.
Seafood lovers will be ecstatic because Annapolis boasts some of the freshest fish and shellfish on the East Coast.
Head over to Eastport to Boatyard Bar & Grill for some crab steamed with Old Bay spice.
Day 2 to 3: Continue to Maryland and Virginia’s Eastern Shore
After a day exploring Annapolis, hit the road and make your way to the Eastern Shore of Maryland (and further on to Virginia).
Make a stop for lunch in Cambridge and then spend the afternoon checking out this small town, from the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center to the Choptank River Lighthouse (and beyond).
There are a handful of oyster bars and crab shacks in town, but beware—some close during the winter season.
If you’re looking for accommodation, there are plenty of options in Salisbury, or you can continue south toward Chincoteague, Virginia, where you will spend a large portion of the next day.
Chincoteague is a coastal community famous for its pony swim and beautiful Assateague Island National Seashore (shared by Virginia and Maryland).
There are so many things to do in Chincoteague, from relaxing on the beaches of Assateague Island to climbing the Assateague Lighthouse.
Plus, the gorgeous Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge offers 15 miles of immersive trails.
If you have extra time in the day, drive south to Cape Charles, where you’ll find a calm coastal community on the Chesapeake Bay. It is also a great place to stay overnight!
Day 4: Continue to Virginia Beach (or Norfolk)
In the morning, you will make your way over the 17-mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and to Virginia Beach.
Beach-goers can take the day to relax, but if you’re not keen on sunbathing, Virginia’s most populous city has plenty more to offer.
Check out the ViBe Creative District, where you will find independent businesses and the workshops of local artisans (and a lot of street art).
If there is extra time in the day, drive to Norfolk and explore a different part of Hampton Roads.
Norfolk is famous for Nauticus and the USS Wisconsin BB-64.
Freemason Abbey Restaurant is in a repurposed church from 1873 and is a great stop for dinner.
Day 5: Continue to Jamestown and Williamsburg
Jamestown is the site of the first English settlement in the US and is located just an hour away from the Hampton Roads area.
It is one of the best things to do in Williamsburg, but you don’t need much time there (2 hours maximum) unless you are traveling with children, as there are several interactive displays and reenactments.
After Jamestown, make your way to Colonial Williamsburg, a place that is said to be the world’s largest living history museum.
Colonial Williamsburg will inevitably surprise you with its size, so do try to get there early enough so that you have the time to see everything!
The Governor’s Palace, King’s Arms Tavern, and Bassett Hall are some iconic places you can visit with your Colonial Williamsburg ticket.
Day 6 to 7: Finish in Washington DC
Complete your trip in the nation’s capital!
Washington DC has countless sites to visit, like the Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the National Mall.
Decide on which Smithsonian museums you want to visit and add them to your itinerary for Day 6!
The Natural History and American History Museums are great for kids, while adults will enjoy the Air and Space and African American History Museums.
Note that the African American History Museum requires advance reservations.
On your second day in DC, hit up some more museums or make your way to historic Georgetown.
You can walk along the C&O Canal and have lunch at one of the many eateries in the neighborhood.
Spend the afternoon checking out the United States Botanic Garden before wrapping up your week-long road trip.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Contributed by Cosette of KarsTravels
Day 1: Shenandoah National Park
Start at the Front Royal Entrance Station of Shenandoah National Park.
You’ll be taking the Skyline Drive, which brings you all the way through the park.
Stop at all the overlooks to enjoy the views on the Shenandoah Valley from all different angles.
There are numerous hikes that you can do in the park, short loops to long day hikes.
Exit the park at the Rockfish Gap Entrance Station to continue on with this road trip.
Days 2 to 5: Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway
Start at the North end of the Blue Ridge Parkway; it’s close to where you exited Shenandoah National Park.
You have 4 days to drive the 469 miles of the parkway, so enjoy every moment!
There are numerous overlooks with endless views on the Blue Ridge mountains, like the gorgeous Grandview Overlook below.
Stop at an overlook to watch the sunset, which is mesmerizing. You won’t be the only one watching, so arrive early to secure a good spot.
Along the parkway beautiful hikes start, both short ones of half an hour to longer.
The parkway drive is perfect for waterfall chasers, there are several along the road.
The Blue Ridge Parkway covers 2 states: Virginia and North Carolina.
Besides the overlooks and hikes there are a lot of attractions at or close to the drive, such as the Blowing Rock, Grandfather Mountain, Natural Bridge State Park and Mount Mitchell State Park.
After 4 days of driving and exploring and feeling like you’re in another world, you’ll exit the Blue Ridge Parkway at the South end.
Day 6: Visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
At the South end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, you’ll be close to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The Smoky Mountains is the park with the most visitors each year, so don’t expect a secluded park!
Drive to Clingmans Dome; it’s the highest point in the park. There’s 800 miles of hiking trails, so your day is filled no matter which you choose.
Day 7: Drive back home one of two ways.
You have two options here.
One, you can drive back to Waynesboro (near Shenandoah National Park, about 364 miles on the 81).
Alternately, visit Gatlinburg on the way back, which is totally different from what you’ve done the other days of the week, which is chock full of attractions, such as Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
Coastal Carolinas Road Trip
Contributed by Ada of Beyond the Yellow Brick Road: A Travel Blog
Looking for the perfect summer US east coast road trip?
Day 1: Arrive Norfolk, VA and drive to Charleston, SC
Pick up your rental car and hit the road for a 6.5 hour drive down to Charleston.
If you’re looking to stretch your legs along the way, swing by one of the Civil War battlefields you pass, such as Averasboro.
If you want an extra day of exploring for this trip, book a one-way car rental and fly into Charleston and out of Norfolk.
Day 2: Explore Charleston, SC
Plan to spend this entire day in Charleston’s historic downtown.
Explore the Historic Charleston City Market, tour the Old Slave Mart Museum, and take a horse carriage tour past popular landmarks such as Rainbow Row and the Pineapple Fountain.
In the afternoon, take the ferry to Fort Sumter, then close out the night with a ghost tour.
Day 3: Continue to Wilmington, NC via Myrtle Beach
As you depart Charleston, continue up the coast to Myrtle Beach.
After a brief walk on the Myrtle Beach boardwalk and promenade, end your day in Wilmington, NC.
Wilmington is known for its lively bar scene, so plan a pub crawl for the evening.
Day 4 to 6: Continue to the Outer Banks
If you want to linger in Wilmington, consider touring the USS Carolina battleship or Bellamy Mansion.
Otherwise, hit the open road and head up to Outer Banks islands.
On the way, check out the town of New Bern, which is known for its Swiss architecture. It’s also birthplace of Pepsi!
On Day 5, spend your day driving through the southern Outer Banks Islands. Visit Bodie, Cape Hatteras, and Ocracoke lighthouses.
Do a little beachcombing and tour the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras — it’s fascinating.
Then, take the ferry to Ocracoke Island to see the Ocracoke Banker ponies.
On Day 6, head through the more congested northern Outer Bank Islands.
Visit Currituck Lighthouse and book a tour to see the wild horses in Corolla.
Don’t forget to pick up some famous Duck Donuts!
Day 7: Finish in Norfolk, VA
Depart the Outer Bank islands and head to Norfolk.
Upon arriving in Norfolk, spend some time exploring the naval city.
Take a boat tour of the naval base and walk along the Elizabeth River Trail.
Finish your road trip with a visit to some of the city’s museums such as the Chrysler Museum of Art or Nauticus.
Wilmington, NC to Kiawah Island, SC (via Charleston)
Contributed by Taylor Deer of Brown Eyed Flower Child
One of the best East Coast road trips to enjoy in a week is from Wilmington, North Carolina, to Charleston, South Carolina, followed by Kiawah Island in South Carolina.
Below is the best road trip itinerary to follow — have a great trip!
Day 1: Arrive in Wilmington
Believe it or not, Wilmington has a lot of incredible things to do, from relaxing at the beach to participating in haunted tours.
When you first arrive in Wilmington, I suggest heading straight to Wrightsville Beach to enjoy a relaxing day by the ocean.
Oceanic Restaurant is a great place to eat in Wrightsville Beach, which overlooks the aqua-blue sea.
Afterward, enjoy the Masonboro Island Nature Cruise with Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours.
It takes you around the Intracoastal Waterway between Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington!
In the evening, make sure you don’t miss the sunset on the Wilmington Riverwalk.
One of the best places to enjoy a drink with sunset views is at Sauce’d. An excellent spot to savor a delicious dinner in downtown Wilmington is Seabird Restaurant.
A great hotel in Wilmington, North Carolina is Aloft Wilmington at Coastline Center, located on the Riverwalk.
Day 2: Adventure around Wilmington
On your second day in Wilmington, start the day off by kayaking in Carolina Beach State Park with Paddle NC.
Afterward, head back to Wrightsville Beach for a relaxing beach day!
Ceviche’s is a great place to have lunch near Wrightsville Beach, which specializes in Panamanian dishes.
Later on, enjoy a great Italian dinner at either Tarantelli’s Ristorante Italiano or Floriana.
Later in the evening, enjoy a thrilling ghost tour around historic downtown Wilmington!
Day 3: Drive to Charleston
Before hitting the road, make sure to explore Airlie Gardens.
It has a whopping 67 acres of formal gardens, oak trees, historical sculptures, and more!
When you’re finished exploring the gardens, head south to Charleston.
The drive from Wilmington to Charleston is around three and a half hours. Along the way, you can stop at Myrtle Beach.
Once you arrive in Charleston, discover the historic downtown area.
The best spots to stroll through are Rainbow Row, The Battery, and along King Street.
A great place to enjoy lunch or dinner is at Husk Restaurant.
The best hotel to stay in Charleston, South Carolina is The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel, located in the heart of downtown.
Day 4: Enjoy everything Charleston offers
On your second day in Charleston, grab breakfast at Poogan’s Porch or High Cotton, which offers a jazz brunch!
Head to one of Charleston’s local beaches in the afternoon to relax in the sun.
Folly Beach, Isle of Palms, and Sullivan’s Island are the closest beaches to downtown.
Later in the day, savor a delicious seafood dinner at The Darling Oyster Bar on King Street.
Later on, get spooked out on another ghost tour throughout the city of Charleston.
Day 5: Drive to Kiawah Island
After enjoying a lovely couple of days in the charming city of Charleston, head 45 minutes to Kiawah Island.
It’s a renowned golf resort that boasts 10 miles of beautiful beaches, marshlands, luxury resorts, and renowned restaurants.
When you arrive, walk through the charming Freshfields Village, which offers excellent restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, beach stores, and more.
A great lunch place is either Café Eugenia or Cantina 76.
From there, rent bikes and explore the beautiful area filled with stunning oak trees with Spanish moss.
One of the best spots to relax and cool off is the Marsh House.
The best place to stay and have dinner on Kiawah Island is Jasmine Porch at The Sanctuary.
Day 6: Relax on Kiawah Island
When you wake up during a vacation on Kiawah Island, one of the top places to fuel up is Java Java in Freshfields Village.
From there, you can enjoy a fun and unique candle-making class at Palmetto Scent Studio.
For lunch and a refreshing drink, check out the The Co-op, and from there, head to Kiawah Island Beach Club.
You can enjoy food and drink service on the beach or by the pool at this beautiful spot.
Hege’s Restaurant or FortyEight Wine Bar & Kitchen are two wonderful spots to have dinner in Freshfields Village.
Day 7: Drive or fly home
Now that you’ve finished this epic East Coast road trip, you can either return your rental car at a nearby airport and fly home (though that will incur a one-way rental fee) or you can drive back to Wilmington where you started.
It’s only about 4 hours from Kiawah Island to Wilmington (without traffic) so unless you are supposed pressed for time it is probably better for the budget to drive home.
Virginia and the Outer Banks, NC
Contributed by Kara of TryingToUnwind.com
Day 1: Start in Abingdon, VA
Let’s get Day 1 started with some time outdoors.
The Virginia Creeper Trail is one of the nation’s top rated rail trails. So rent a bicycle in Abington — it includes a van shuttle for you and your bike to Whitetop Station at the top.
If the thought of rental gear makes you cringe, you can also bring your own bike and book a shuttle at one of the main local bike shops on Main Street in Abingdon.
Temperatures are 10-15 degrees cooler at the higher elevation so bring a jacket.
The ride is mostly downhill so you probably won’t be working up a sweat between Whitetop and Abingdon.
Remember the trip is about the journey, not the destination!
Don’t miss the numerous beautiful Creekside stops or one of the family-owned trailside cafes — top tip, if it’s open, grab lunch at the Hellbender Café.
After a wander around the cute shops in downtown Abingdon, drive to Winston Salem, NC.
Day 2-3: Continue to Winston Salem, NC
The city of Winston Salem is best known for the living history experience known as Old Salem Museum and Gardens.
It is an entire historic Moravian village, complete with actors performing work using historical tools and methods.
Take a half-day detour to nearby quaint Mount Airy, the inspiration for the 1950s classic, The Andy Griffith TV Show.
Get a pork chop sandwich and a Cheerwine soda at Snappy Lunch.
Wander around and grab a few pictures of the adorable downtown area full of Mayberry memorabilia.
Nearby Pilot Mountain State Park offers great hiking options as well!
Another thing you can do is explore a Yadkin Valley vineyard or two while you are in the area.
A few of the most popular NC vineyards are Rafaldini, Childress, and Shelton.
End your second day by driving to your next destination, Chapel Hill.
If your timing works out, have a meal at the famed Lexington BBQ en route.
Day 4: Continue to Chapel Hill
This stop is about city time, so choose your own adventure.
The NC Triangle area consists of the cities of Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and Durham.
Accommodations between Chapel Hill and Durham are a great base for exploring the area!
A few highlights of the area are the NC Art Museum in Raleigh, Franklin Street for people watching and shopping in Chapel Hill, and Duke Gardens in Durham for spending time in nature year-round.
Day 5-7: Finish in the Outer Banks
Start day 5 by leaving Chapel Hill and heading east to the coast.
We’ve saved the best for last: some beautiful NC beaches!
The destination is Nags Heads, the beginning of the barrier islands known as the North Carolina Outer Banks.
The Outer Banks are known for gorgeous wide sandy beaches that are home to several herds of wild horses!
If you want more than just some relaxing beach time, don’t worry there are several options in the OBX.
A few of the most popular Outer Banks highlights are: Wright Brothers National Memorial, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, hang-gliding at Jockey’s Ridge, or booking a wild horse tour by 4×4 on the beach!
Miami to Key West
Contributed by Victoria of Florida Trippers
One of the best one-week East Coast road trips in the USA is the trip from Miami to Key West.
Covering 165 miles, this epic road trip starts in Miami and ends in Key West, and you’ll drive back the same way you came.
Day 1: Explore Miami
Explore downtown Miami where you can walk through Bayfront Park since it sits on Biscayne Bay.
Afterward, get some cool keepsakes at Bayside Marketplace before heading to Wynwood to see some of the area’s famous murals.
Continue to Little Havana and see why this area is so beloved by taking a stroll along Calle Ocho.
End the day at South Beach so that you can catch the sunset at South Pointe Park.
Day 2: Head to Everglades National Park
Spend the morning seeing alligators from the Anhinga Trail.
You can also go walking the Mahogany Hammock boardwalk trail, searching for manatees near Flamingo.
Then, in the afternoon, check out Shark Valley before going an an exhilarating airboat ride through the park.
Day 3: Biscayne National Park
Get in the water and explore Biscayne National Park!
You can do this by joining a tour that will take you to do fun things like visiting Boca Chita Key and paddle boarding through Jones Lagoon.
Just remember that you can only visit this incredible park as part of a tour and not on your own.
Day 4: Continue your drive towards Key West.
Begin the day at Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen and order a giant slice of key lime pie.
Then, check out the birds at Laura Quinn Wild Bird Sanctuary before feeding the tarpons at Robbie’s.
You can then enjoy the drive along 7-mile bridge before heading to Bahia Honda State Park where you can explore Loggerhead Beach.
Stroll along the Old Bahia Honda Bridge and end your day learning about a local endangered species at the National Key Deer Refuge Nature Center.
Day 5: Key West
Experience all that Key West has to offer!
Get out onto the water and see dolphins with a local boat tour.
Then, head back ashore and visit the Hemingway House and the Truman House.
Finally, unwind at Latitudes where the sunset views are epic.
Day 6: Take a day trip to Dry Tortugas
Embark on an epic day trip from Key West to Dry Tortugas National Park.
Hop aboard the Yankee Freedom Ferry from Key West and enjoy a 2.5 hour ride to the park that includes breakfast and lunch.
Once on the islands, you can explore historic Fort Jefferson or do a nice walk around Bush Key before going snorkeling.
Day 7: More Key West and drive home
Go on a kayak tour through the area’s many mangroves before visiting the Key West Light House and Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park in the afternoon.
You’ll then spend the evening watching the sunset at Mallory Square before grabbing drinks at Sloppy Joe’s on Duval Street if you’re staying the night.
If you’re planning to head home tonight, forego the drinks and start on your road trip back to Miami!
Acadia National Park to the Canadian border, Maine
Contributed by Karen of Outdoor Adventure Sampler
The best way to experience the beauty of the remote Maine coast is an East Coast road trip from Acadia to the Canadian border.
Best of all? This road trip lacks crowds, plus has gorgeous scenery and outdoor adventures seldom experienced by most visitors to Maine.
Day 1 to 2: Winter Harbor and Beyond
The trip starts in the vibrant town of Winter Harbor on the Schoodic Peninsula.
Enjoy the many galleries and entertainment events as well as the fabulous ocean views — and don’t forget to sample lobster just pulled from the ocean.
On day two, explore the Schoodic Peninsula, the quiet side of Acadia National Park.
There are hiking and biking trails with panoramic views of Frenchman Bay. Watch the surf crash on huge granite rocks on Schoodic Point.
Day 3 to 4: Milbridge and Beyond
Day 3 and 4 is based in Milbridge, an authentic Downeast town on the coast.
A visit to the Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge is a highlight for nature lovers.
Catherine Hill Winery nearby has daily wine tastings while relaxing in their beautiful flower covered grounds. Don’t miss their blueberry wine!
Day 5: Jonesport and Cherryfield
Drive to Jonesport on day five. On the way, stop at Cherryfield, called the wild blueberry capital of the world!
Grab a slice of the wild blueberry pie at the blue dome of Wild Blueberry Land. You’ll be glad you did.
Jonesport is a working fishing village that has hiking, biking and paddling adventures nearby.
Any type of adventurer will love Roque Bluffs State Park as its white sand beach is a rarity on the usually rocky Maine coast!
Day 6 and 7: Visit Lubec and drive back
Finish the road trip with two days in Lubec on the Canadian border.
The West Quoddy Head Lighthouse has breathtaking views, including the chance to see whales spouting and feeding!
For something truly incredible, you can marvel at the 20-foot tides in the Bay of Fundy.
The McCurdy Smokehouse Museum tells the story of herring fishing in the area. There’s a brewery and fantastic ocean-side seafood restaurants to try.
After you’ve explored the area, it’s time to drive back to the Acadia area!
Florida’s Gulf Coast
Contributed by Candice of Exploring The Gulf
Road trips are a great way to see the USA, and Florida’s Gulf Coast offers a stellar route.
Follow our one-week itinerary to see the best of what the Sunshine State can offer!
Day 1-2: Start in Destin
Start your first day in Destin wandering the Harborwalk Village.
It’s one of the most happening areas of the town, with bustling shops and delicious places to eat. It’s also a hub for water sports rentals and tours!
Jump on a boat and spend the afternoon soaking up the rays on Crab Island, or opt for a low-key dolphin tour instead.
Then, wrap up your evening with a dinner to remember at the Airstream Food Truck Park!
On day two, begin the day aboard a fishing charter.
Then, spend the afternoon at the Air Force Armament Museum.
A dinner at The Back Porch Seafood & Oyster House is the perfect way to end the day.
Day 3-4: Continue on to Clearwater
Spend your first day in town at Clearwater Beach.
Enjoy the soft white sand and the mesmerizing emerald-green waters!
Pier 60, also located on the beach, is a great place to fish or let kids play on the beach playground.
At sunset, there are crafts and entertainment for all to enjoy.
Begin your second day in Clearwater at Honeymoon Island State Park. Enjoy the beach, explore hiking trails, and admire the area’s wildlife.
On your first day in Fort Myers, visit the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve to enjoy the fascinating wetland ecosystem and catch sight of various reptiles and birds.
Then, swing by the Edison and Ford Winter Estates for a history lesson on the two inventors’ time spent in the city.
Spend your last day in Fort Myers with a visit to Manatee Park — it’s a fun spot to view the wildlife and kayak.
And for a change of pace from the outdoor adventures, take in a play at the Florida Repertory Theatre to wrap up your Florida road trip.
Afterwards, begin your drive home: about 8 hours direct, so you may want to break it up with an overnight somewhere along the way.
From Destin to Fort Myers, enjoy your East Coast road trip down Florida’s Gulf Coast!
Myrtle Beach, SC to Miami, FL
Contributed by Victoria of Guide Your Travel
This one-week East Coast road trip itinerary is all about beaches, beaches, beaches!
Here’s the best things to do on this road trip from Myrtle Beach to Miami.
Day 1 and 2: Start in Myrtle Beach
Your road trip adventure begins in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Spend the morning lounging on the beautiful sandy shores, soaking up the sun, and taking in the picturesque ocean views!
In the afternoon, head to the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk for a stroll, souvenir shopping, and a delightful seafood dinner at a local waterfront restaurant.
As the sun sets, you can enjoy the vibrant nightlife in Myrtle Beach, known for its lively bars and live music.
For your second day, explore Myrtle Beach’s attractions.
Start your day with a visit to Ripley’s Aquarium, where you can marvel at fascinating marine life.
Later, take a thrilling ride on the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel for breathtaking panoramic views of the coast.
In the evening, dine at one of the city’s renowned seafood spots or try a classic Southern BBQ joint.
Day 3 and 4: Continue to Savannah, Georgia
Depart from Myrtle Beach and go to Savannah, Georgia.
Once in Savannah, explore the historic district characterized by its cobblestone streets and antebellum architecture.
Take a guided walking tour, immersing yourself in the city’s rich history and charming squares.
For dinner, savor some traditional Southern cuisine at a local eatery.
For your fourth day, spend your morning at Forsyth Park, a lush green space perfect for picnics and relaxation.
Visit the stunning Mercer-Williams House and Bonaventure Cemetery to glimpse Savannah’s historic past.
Enjoy a scenic riverboat cruise on the Savannah River in the evening before dining.
We recommend eating at The Grey restaurant, which is located in a magnificent historic building and offers excellent modern Southern cuisine.
However, remember to book in advance — this place is really popular (and it’s for a reason!)
Day 4 to 7: Finish in Miami via St. Augustine and Orlando
Continue your journey south to St. Augustine, Florida, for a brief stop in one of America’s most historic cities.
Explore the historic Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States.
Walk along St. George Street and enjoy shopping and dining in this charming historic district.
On the next day, depart St. Augustine and make your way to Orlando.
Spend a day exploring the enchanting world of theme parks like Walt Disney World or Universal Studios.
Day 7: Arrive in vibrant Miami.
Spend your first day in Miami exploring the Art Deco Historic District in South Beach, then relaxing on the white sandy beach in Miami Beach.
We recommend dinner at Joe’s Stone Crab for fresh seafood in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere in the evening.
On your second day, visit the iconic Wynwood Walls, Little Havana, and enjoy the nightlife at the famous clubs and bars, savoring the lively atmosphere that Miami is known for.
Fall Foliage in New England
Contributed by Sam of New England Wanderlust
New England is considered one of the absolute best regions in the entire world for fall foliage, and for good reason!
The entire area is completely ablaze with color during the month of October.
Throw in idyllic scenery, covered bridges, incredible farm stands, cozy inns, and amazing hiking, it truly makes for an epic road trip that should be on everyone’s bucket list.
Day 1: Start in Boston
Kickstart your morning with a stop at Tatte Bakery for one of their amazing apple turnovers, and their very cool ambience.
Once you’re fueled up, enjoy a walk through the Public Gardens and the historic Beacon Hill neighborhood.
In the afternoon, book a food tour to appreciate the city’s awesome culinary scene.
End your day with a sunset walk around the Charles Esplanade, and grab a table at either Neptune Oyster or Union Oyster House.
Days 2-3: Drive to the White Mountains with a stop in Salem
Get up bright and early to start your day in the iconic city of Salem!
Visit Witch House, the House of Seven Gables, and grab lunch at Lobster Shanty for an incredible lobster roll.
After lunch, begin your drive to the White Mountains in New Hampshire, and if time allows, make a reservation to ride The Cog up Mount Washington, the highest peak in the northeast.
If you only have time for a quick stop after arrival, head to Cathedral Ledge for an easy-to-access overlook of the mountains at peak foliage.
The next day, drive the the Kancamagus Highway to Franconia Notch State Park.
This drive is one of the best things to do in New England in the fall, and there are lots of great overlooks to stop at to admire the fall color.
Once at Franconia, visit Flume Gorge, hike the Artist Bluff Trail, and ride the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway.
Days 4-5: Drive to Vermont
Begin your drive to charming Vermont, and focus all your time on exploring the cute towns of Stowe and Woodstock.
While in Stowe, plan to ride the Stowe Gondola, walk around the quaint Main Street, and drive through Smugglers Notch for incredible foliage.
In Woodstock, definitely plan to visit Sugarbush Farms, visit the village’s shops, and explore Billings Farm.
Day 6: Explore the Berkshires
Drive to the lovely Williamstown, and make your way south along Route 7 in the Berkshires region for stunning fall color.
On your itinerary, be sure to squeeze in a drive up the Mount Greylock auto road to the summit!
Also plan a visit to Hilltop Orchards for amazing cider donuts and a walk through charming Stockbridge.
Finally, end your day just after dark at the very cool Naumkeag Pumpkin Show.
Day 7: Drive back to Boston
On your way back to Boston, stop in Sturbridge to visit Old Sturbridge Village.
Here, you can grab a pint (just one if you’re the one driving!) of some of the best craft beer in New England at Tree House Brewing!
Historic South Route
Contributed by Samantha Oppenheimer of Find Love and Travel
A not-to-be-missed East Coast road trip is one that will bring you through the historic south, which includes Charleston, Savannah, Georgia, and St. Augustine.
These charming southern cities are full of history and fun attractions to enjoy while road-tripping through.
Days 1 to 2: Charleston, South Carolina
Start your first two days in the Holy City of Charleston, South Carolina.
You can expect to find those quintessential southern porched homes, cobblestone streets, and beautiful alleys throughout the city.
On your first day, you should get acquainted with this walkable city.
Make your way through the French Quarter, stroll by the Pineapple Water Fountain, walk the Battery, and don’t forget to indulge in some great Southern food!
On the second day of yourCharleston itinerary, consider learning Charleston’s darker history as a nexus of the slave trade, like the Old Slave Mart Museum.
Alternately, make your way to Folly Beach if it’s a nice day and enjoy your day in the water.
Days 3 to 4: Savannah, Georgia
Your next two days will be spent exploring the “Hostess City of the South,” Savannah.
Known for its beautiful planned squares, historic mansions, and oak trees dripping in Spanish Moss, you have plenty to explore, so pack your walking shoes.
The city is relatively walkable, but hopping on the trolley is a great way to learn the city’s history while being able to get from one attraction to another, especially if it’s hot out.
Some top attractions you won’t want to miss include Forsyth Park, the Bonaventure Cemetery, walking through the Savannah Historic District, and River Street.
You can easily spend two days walking around the historic squares!
But if you’d like another beach day, Savannah also has a lovely beach nearby on Tybee Island.
Here you can enjoy a white sandy beach and see the lighthouse.
Days 5 to 7: St. Augustine, Florida
Dubbed the oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine is one of the most historic cities to explore in the US.
On your first day, take your time exploring the Historic District.
One of the best ways to do this is by taking the hop-on-hop-off trolley tour that brings you to all the major attractions, including the Fountain of Youth.
On your second day, you can explore more of the Historic City or once again enjoy your day at the beach.
St. Augustine has a beautiful coastline from the St. Augustine Fishing Pier and beach to Micklers Landing Beach.
Once you’ve finished, make the 4.5 hour drive back to Charleston where you started this road trip.
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Taking a day trip to the rugged, icy landscape of the breathtaking Korouoma Canyon is one of the best ways to spend a winter day in Rovaniemi.
This deep canyon goes up to 130 meters (427 feet) at its deepest point, stretching 30 kilometers long with beautiful views all along its length.
For day trippers from Rovaniemi in winter, the main place of interest is Koronjää Trail, a 5-kilometer trail which is the natural reserve’s only option for trails in the winter.
Walking along the Koronjää Trail
This trail brings you to a panoramic viewpoint where you can see the frozen waterfalls from above!
After that, you’ll be following the trail to the bottom of the canyon, passing frozen-over icy rivers and wooden bridges along the way, then crossing back across the river to the fire area before heading back to your starting point.
In the summer, there’s also Piippukallion Pihaus Trail (5 kilometers in length) and the Korouoma Hiking Trail (20 km), but these options are strictly seasonal.
In a hurry? This post goes over all you need to know about visiting Korouoma Canyon in depth, but if you just want the quick information, here’s what you really need to know!
How to Get There from Rovaniemi: By rental car (1.5 hour drive) or by guided tour— there is no public transportation to Korouoma Canyon.
Hike Difficulty and Length: 5 km (3.1 miles) and easy-moderate difficulty, with some elevation gain (around 130m/420 feet). There are some icy patches often on the sloped portions of the hike.
Time for Hike: 1.5 hours each way to and from Rovaniemi and 2-3 hours for the hike itself, leaving ample time to enjoy the views.
The Frozen Waterfalls of Korouoma Canyon
Close up of the Brown River ice fall in Korouoma Canyon, outside of Rovaniemi
While the peaceful Korouoma Nature Reserve can be visited year-round, it’s an especially popular destination in winter when its waterfalls ice over and create frozen waterfalls stuck in time.
As many as 20 icefalls form each year, some as tall as 70 meters (230 feet)!
Along Koronjää Trail, there are three main waterfalls that tumble over the high cliffs of the canyon, freezing over in winter and becoming icefalls.
The three main icefalls you’ll encounter on your hike are named Charlie Brown, Mammoth, and Brown River.
Charlie Brown (Jaska Jokunen in Finnish) is so-named for its dark brown color, which comes from the mineral deposits that get caught up in the water source as it runs across the iron-rich landscape.
The placard of ‘Charlie Brown’ aka Jaska Jokunen icefall
The next, Mammoth Fall (Mammuttiputous) is a beautiful blue hue, as the water source for the icefall comes from a spring nearby and doesn’t have the same opportunity to pick up iron into the water before it freezes.
The final waterfall we encountered on the trail was Brown River (Ruskea Virta). Like Charlie Brown, the water source for the icefall contains lots of iron, giving it a reddish-brown hue that is reflected in its name.
Right next to the Brown River icefall, you’ll find an open fire area where you can enjoy hot drinks, sausages, and anything else you can throw on a grill, surrounded by breathtaking scenery!
My Experience Visiting Korouoma Canyon from Rovaniemi
People at the bottom of the canyon, as seen from above
I visited Korouoma Canyon in January 2024 as a day trip from Rovaniemi and it was one of my favorite experiences of my time in Finnish Lapland!
I had seen frozen waterfalls once before, when visiting Abisko National Park in Swedish Lapland, and I was excited to have the opportunity to see them again!
As Korouoma Canyon is quite far from Rovaniemi and there isn’t any public transportation directly to the reserve, I opted to take a tour led by a professional guide.
I absolutely loved the tour I took (this is the exact one here): it was such a lovely experience to walk through the beautiful Arctic nature, taking in the unforgettable views of the icefalls, and enjoying a warm snack around the fire at the lean-to.
Nothing better than wood-fired barbecue after a hike!
On my morning tour, we left Rovaniemi city center around 9:30 AM after everyone got set up with the necessary winter clothing at the office.
If you are worried about not having the appropriate clothing for the tour, you can borrow a thermal overall suit as well as snow boots with good traction from the office, free of charge.
Occasionally, if there is deep snow, you might be offered snowshoes, but this wasn’t necessary for when we traveled to Korouoma Canyon.
In fact, it was really icy when I visited, so I was glad to have snow spikes fitted on my boots, as there were downhill sections of the hike that were quite slippery.
So slippery, in fact, that often the group (and myself as well) elected to slide down the path on our butts down the icy path! It was actually rather fun.
Sliding down the icy path (on purpose)!
We arrived at Korouoma Nature Reserve (sometimes incorrectly referred to as Korouoma National Park) a little after 11, since we stopped 45 minutes into the drive for a coffee/pastry break and to use the restroom if needed.
The 5-kilometer hike took about 3 hours since we stopped several times at the icefalls to take pictures and admire the stunning snowy scenery of Korouoma Canyon… and enjoy a chocolate pick-me-up as we admired the frozen landscape.
Along the way, you might spot some different Arctic animal species, like wild hare, martin, river otter, reindeer, or a variety of birdlife.
We didn’t see any animals during our hike — after all, Arctic Finland is a huge area, and this is a rather high foot traffic area — but we did see footprints from a river otter and a reindeer, who had come to snack on lichen on a fallen tree.
Footprints from an animal in the nature reserve
After the hike and taking photos of all the different icefalls, we headed to the campfire spots, where we sat at an open wilderness hut and had sausages with Lappish bread and mustard and roasted marshmallows for dessert.
After our campfire snack, we had a steep uphill hike back up to the top of the canyon and the parking lot, so it was nice to have a rest right before it.
It wasn’t a particularly difficult hike, but it is definitely a heart-pumper, so you’ll want to be in decent shape for it!
If you want to book the same tour that I did, I definitely recommend it! You can book here:
Be aware that it can often be bitterly cold in Korouoma Canyon, and even colder (up to 5° C difference!) at the bottom of the canyon, where all the cold air congregates.
For example, on the day we did our Korouoma Canyon tour, it was about -1° C when we started the hike and it was about -6° C once we reached the lowest point of the canyon!
Be aware that the hike involves some uphill and downhill sections, since you are descending into the heart of a canyon and then ascending above it.
The deepest point of the canyon is 130 meters or about 430 feet deep; therefore, you’ll be doing about that much elevation gain/loss throughout the hike.
I didn’t find it particularly strenuous, and I’m in moderate shape… I don’t hike often, but I’m capable of doing it when I do.
The prettiest outhouse I ever saw, in Korouoma Canyon
However those with heart conditions, pregnant travelers, etc. might find it to be a bit strenuous. Keep your own personal health and capabilities in mind when deciding whether or not to visit Korouoma Canyon from Rovaniemi.
Also, be aware that it can get really icy, especially on steep portions of the trail. At times, our group elected to sit down and slide rather than walk and risk falling.
You’ll absolutely want to wear waterproof pants for the tour, so that this can be an option for you — you definitely don’t want to get wet during the hike!
Be sure to dress warmly: you’ll need mittens or gloves (as certain portions of the hike require you to hold onto an icy rope as you descend), thermal base layers (merino wool is ideal), waterproof pants, a hat that covers your ears, a parka or a thermal overall suit, snow boots, and wool socks.
A scarf, snow spikes for your boots, and hand or foot warming packets are optional but not necessary; it depends on your tolerance for cold weather.
Getting to Korouoma Canyon from Rovaniemi
Beautiful snow-covered trees in Korouoma in January
It’s definitely possible to visit Korouoma Canyon without a guided tour, but you would need to rent a car in Rovaniemi.
You can rent cars at the Rovaniemi airport, but you’ll want to book online in advance as there is limited supply, especially during the winter.
Travel Tip: I always use Discover Cars when renting a car — their interface is easy to use, their full coverage insurance is the best deal you can find, and they search over 500 rental companies (including small local ones) to find the best price for your rental, not limiting you to only the big international names.
If you’re going to drive in Rovaniemi, you need to be fully confident in your ability to handle hazardous winter road conditions.
Be honest with yourself about your driving abilities.There’s almost always snow and ice on the roads in the winter: this is the Arctic circle, after all.
View from the panoramic viewpoint in Korouoma
Plus, there aren’t accessible shoulders on the highway towards Korouoma as all the snowfall has been pushed to the sides of the road by the snow plows.
If you don’t feel comfortable renting a car and driving, the best option (and the one I did) is taking a guided tour with a small group.
The tour I took included transportation to and from Korouoma Canyon, which is located a 1.5-hour drive outside of Rovaniemi.
If you’re staying at one of the hotels outside the Rovaniemi City Center, such as in the Santa Claus Village or the Ounasvaara vicinity, pick-up and drop-off is included in the standard price.
For places outside the immediate Rovaniemi area, such as Apukka Resort, Arctic Snow Hotel, and Vaattunki Wilderness Resort, there is an additional transfer fee added.
For those in the city center, the tour company asks that you meet them at their office as their starting point, as the tour company no longer offers city center pickups in an effort to be more sustainable and use less fuel.
Ice Climbing in Korouoma Canyon
Watching ice climbers work their magic!
While many people visit Korouoma Canyon for its beautiful nature and unforgettable views, it’s also the ideal place in Finnish Lapland to try your hand at ice climbing!
Ice climbing should only be done by those with the skills and knowledge to do so safely, led by an outdoor guide who understands the area’s landscape and how to explore it safely.
You’ll be led by an expert climbing instructor, who will provide all necessary gear and equipment (besides the appropriate warm clothes, which you are responsible for) and the opportunity to climb the ice walls two times!
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Finnish Lapland is a region of untamed beauty, one that’s a bucket list wish for many people.
The magic of life above the Arctic Circle is hard to express, especially its pristine landscapes and dazzling Northern lights displays.
Getting here is a trek, but it’s worth the effort, and many travelers don’t want to end their trip to Finnish Lapland without some mementos from their time in Finland.
That leaves many travelers to Arctic Finland wondering: what even are some good Lapland souvenirs?
Whether you’re shopping for yourself to keep the memory of the Arctic alive or you’re bringing a slice of Lappish tradition back home to loved ones who couldn’t join you, this guide to Lapland souvenirs and gifts will be a good starting point.
Christmas souvenirs from Santa Claus Village
This guide goes beyond fridge magnets and postcards: it draws inspiration for meaningful gifts from Finland that go beyond the conventional.
This Lapland souvenir guide is focused on highlighting items that embody the sustainability, craftsmanship, and traditions of Lapland, including products that are eco-conscious, Nordic inspired, and influenced by the Sámi culture of the northernmost reaches of Europe.
You can find these gifts in downtown Rovaniemi, in many boutiques and shops in ski resort towns like Ruka and Levi, and even the Rovaniemi airport is a surprisingly great place to souvenir shop!
Sámi handicrafts
Duodji is the word for Sámi artisan crafts made in traditional ways by the indigenous Sámi people.
The crafts are regulated in Finland, so that only items marked SámiDuodji (fully handmade by Sámi artists) or Sámi Made (designed by a Sámi artist, but not necessarily traditionally made) are authentic.
Unfortunately a lot of cheap manufacturers have ripped off Sámi intellectual property designs and stripped them of their meaning, as some Sámi clothing has very special significance specific to a family, area of origin, etc.
If you want to buy Sámi designs and ensure you are appreciating the culture rather than appropriating it, look for items marked either Sámi Made or Sámi Duodji.
Sámi designs include embroidered ribbon work, reindeer-hide shoes, and more.
To get an idea of what Sámi crafts look like, you can check them out here, but buying these online will be a lot more expensive than buying them from a Sámi artist in Finland.
Reindeer-based snacks
One of the most quintessential ingredients in Finnish cuisine is reindeer… yes, really.
While you can’t exactly bring back a perfectly-cooked reindeer steak, you can likely bring home a little Lappish reindeer in a more, uh, travel-friendly format.
At the smallest of grocery stores and even at the airport, you can buy reindeer-based meat products, like reindeer pâté and reindeer jerky.
Depending on what country you are going to, these travel well and don’t need to be refrigerated for transit!
However, if you are traveling overseas on your way back from your Lapland adventure, you may not be able to bring meat products back through customs.
Keep this in mind if your country is particularly strict about these things!
Reindeer pelt rugs
The Sámi people, who both historically and in present-day make a living off of reindeer husbandry, don’t waste any part of the animal.
Their reindeer pelts are proof of this important ethos, which is about taking no more than you need from the land.
Reindeer have been domesticated by the Sámi people in Northern Finland (and Sweden and Norway and the Kola Peninsula too) for thousands of years.
Despite the rugged conditions of life in the Arctic, reindeer are easy to raise sustainably, living nomadically and naturally outdoors while being herded by their Sámi guardians.
While it may seem like an unusual choice of meat, reindeer is one of the most commonly eaten meats in Finland and particularly in Lapland because it’s incredibly sustainable.
Since reindeer is eaten so often, it’s not surprising that reindeer pelts are a natural byproduct of that — and you can buy a gorgeous reindeer pelt at all sorts of shops and also the airport!
For a reference on price, as of February 2024, a small area rug made from a single reindeer pelt typically costs between 150 and 200 euro.
Christmas ornaments
Since Rovaniemi is home to Santa Claus Village, it’s not surprising that a lot of Lapland souvenirs are focused on the Christmas season.
If you’re visiting after the Christmas holidays (as I did, since my last visit was in January and February), don’t worry — it’s always Christmas in Santa Claus Village.
All throughout SCV, downtown Rovaniemi, and other Finnish Lapland towns, you’ll find adorable Lappish-themed ornaments.
These are great to put on your tree this year and for many years to come, always evoking the memory of Lapland in winter!
Camping cups
One of the most popular souvenirs in Nordics are metal cups that are perfect for camping and backpacking.
These cups are extremely durable, making them easy to toss in a bag or clip on the outside of a backpack.
As a bonus, they’re not just functional, they’re often quite cute: Nordic design is top-notch!
Finnish wooden cups (Kuksa)
For a more Finland-specific souvenir, there is a unique kind of cup that is made from birch burl, called kuksa when they’re turned into cups.
Essentially, a burl (a large mass) on a birch tree is cut off, which doesn’t harm the tree at all.
This knot grows in a circular fashion, with lots of pulpy fibers.
Rather than carving the cup with a knife and disrupt the natural layers, fibers, and structure of the knot, the cup is hand-“carved”.
This takes a lot of work and can only be done by hand, so expect these cups to cost upwards of 50 euro per cup, and sometimes closer to 100 euro.
There are cheaper versions that sell for around 20 euro per cup which look similar but don’t have the same design process or durability.
These are a good compromise if you want the aesthetic, but just be aware that they are made of wood composite and aren’t traditional Finnish souvenirs but rather a product of the modern era.
If your budget allows and this is the kind of item you want to buy, I recommend buying an authentic kuksa from a birch burl to support this ongoing tradition.
Handicrafts are always an endangered custom in our modern time, which focuses on quantity and “value” over durability and tradition.
When possible, support an authentic craft!
Wool garments
Wool is the only way to get through a Finnish winter… trust me!
Honestly, I resisted wool for the longest time as I found it quite itchy, especially since I am neurodivergent, and sensory sensitivity is a large part of my disabilities.
But what I never learned was how to properly layer wool: the softest and finest knit possible on the bottom layer, and then you have a nice barrier for more thick-knit wools.
Technically, they’re a Norwegian brand, but the love for Kari Traa is pan-Nordic: you’ll find them in plenty of stores in Lapland like Intersport, often on sale in January and onwards!
But wool base layers aren’t the most exciting gift from Lapland, I’ll admit… even if they may be absurdly practical.
For a more traditional Lapland gift, you can get really cute, thick wool garments like socks, scarves, mittens (so much warmer than gloves!), and even thick wooly sweaters if the budget allows.
Finnish teas
The Finns love drinking coffee and tea… and let’s be real.
How else are you going to get through an Arctic winter, which can have as little as literally zero hours of daylight per day in some parts of Northern Finland?
While Finland loves its coffee, it imports virtually all of it, and while there are roasteries (with some especially lovely ones in Lahti), that’s not really a typically Finnish gift.
Instead, I’d suggest bringing home some of the unique Finnish teas, which focus on ingredients loved in Finland, like cloudberry, sea buckthorn, spruce, cranberry, and blueberry!
Antler candle holders
Another Northern Nordic design element that is quite popular is utilizing antlers in decor.
One affordable and portable example perfect for a souvenir from Lapland are things like these cute antler candle holders that are a perfect centerpiece for a table.
Using reindeer antlers in decor is part of the Sámi and Finnish dedication to respecting the life of the animal by finding a use for every part of it.
That said, some of these antlers are recovered from reindeer who have just shed their antlers on the ground, so it’s not necessarily an animal byproduct in the same way that reindeer pelts are.
Moomin souvenirs
The popular children’s cartoon, Moomin, is a major point of Finnish national pride.
In fact, there’s even an entire Moomin Museum in Tampere dedicated to this beloved animated figure!
You can buy all sorts of cute Moomin figurines, magnets, and other souvenirs — a perfect Lapland souvenir for kiddos, and one that is quintessentially Finnish.
Reindeer leather products
Another reindeer item?
Well, it may seem like overkill but this shows just how essential reindeer are to Finnish life, and how little waste happens with traditional artistry of the region.
While some reindeer skins are turned to pelts, others are turned into leather, dyed, and turned into wallets and other leather goods.
Nordic skincare
The Nordic region has great skincare brands, some of which you’re probably already familiar with from back home, like Ole Henriksen.
Look for unique brands that you can only find in Finland, like Lumene, which incorporate traditional, sustainable Finnish and Nordic skincare products that aren’t often found in other brands.
Some products in this vein would be their Nordic-C Arctic Berry Oil, a vegan serum made with cloudberries, cranberries, and lingonberries: packed with antioxidants and vitamin C!
Since Arctic conditions can be really hard on your skin (it’s especially dry here), Nordic skincare brands really deliver!
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
If you’re planning a trip to Sicily, you’re probably planning to visit its epic coastline, stunning beaches, charming beach towns, and countless historical spots.
But there’s one thing you simply can’t miss: visiting the iconic Mt. Etna, the tallest active volcano in all of Europe.
The towering, simmering Mt. Etna is located near the city of Catania and the charming commune of Taormina, making it a convenient spot to visit.
And when you realize that the Etna region is home to some of Italy’s best wines, that’s all the more reason to check one of these Etna wine tours on your trip.
Whether you’re staying in Catania or Taormina, you’ll be close to all the best spots in Sicily, surrounded by beautiful beaches all along the coast.
While there’s a lot of history in the area, let’s be honest: just the views of Mount Etna alone would be worth the trip!
But of course, Sicilian food is incredibly delicious, and made even more so by the local Mount Etna wine.
From rich and deep Nero d’Avola to the region’s signature Etna Rosso wine, made from a blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio, the winemaking scene in the Etna wine region is fantastic.
And while Sicily’s better known for its red wines, don’t sleep on its white wines, primarily the Etna Biancos which are made from the local indigenous Carricante and Catarrato grape varieties.
The mineral-rich volcanic terroir of the Etna slopes has allowed for some pretty unique wines to emerge here, distinct from what you’d find in Tuscan Chianti region or Veneto’s Prosecco area.
Italy’s wines are as diverse as its landscapes and people, after all, and Sicily is an important part of that equation.
So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags, spend the day taking a Mt Etna wine tour, and give your palette the treatment it deserves!
We’ll go into the top 11 Etna wine tours below and details of what’s included in each, but if you don’t have time for that, here’s the quick run-down of my favorite picks!
Mt. Etna wine has a distinct terroir from its volcanic soils, which are mineral-rich as a result of past volcanic eruptions, as the soil has mingled with lava and ash.
Another distinctive factor that separates Mt. Etna wine from the rest is its relatively high altitude of cultivation, as it’s typically grown from 600-1,000 meters up — that’s 2,000 to 3,000 feet!
High altitudes = cooler weather and longer ripening times, creating more complexity and structure in the wines.
Plus, many Etna wineries preserve the indigenous grape varieties unique to the island, like Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, and Nero d’Avola.
You likely won’t taste these grapes outside of Sicily!
Etna wines come in several varieties: Etna Rosso (red wines), Etna Bianco (from Carricante and Catarratto white wine grapes), Etna Rosatao (a rosé made from Nerello Mascalese grapes), and Etna Passito (a lush dessert wine).
⌛ Tour Length: 7 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.8/5 stars (20+ reviews) | 🍷 Book Now
Unique Features: -Full day trip with pick up and drop off from Catania -Sampling 7 different Mt Etna wines, local honey, and olive oil -Enjoying a large three-course meal at the second winery visit
You’ll get the ball rolling at your first stop, Zafferana Etnea, a commune of Catania known for its honey and olive oil.
And yes, you will be sampling the local products, don’t you worry!
Once you hit your first winery with your small group, you’ll learn about the harvesting and production process of Mt Etna wines.
This way, you have some context for the delicious local wines before your first taste test.
The fun (and drinks) continue over at the second winery, but that’s not all – there’s also a tasty, local Sicilian lunch to go along with the 3 different Etna DOC wines you’ll be tasting paired with your meal!
The antipasto, primo, and secondo should keep you nice and full for the final leg of the tour, where local experts will give you a guided walk through the Mt Etna vineyards.
The Mt Etna tour concludes in the early evening, giving you plenty of time to explore Catania before tucking in for the night!
⌛ Tour Length: 8 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.3/5 stars (10+ reviews) | 🍷 Book Now
Unique Features: -Hiking the lava caves, craters & volcanic region of Mt. Etna -Wine tasting and light lunch after exploring Etna -Positive English language guides with in-depth knowledge of the Etna region
This Etna wine tour will take about 8 hours of your day, but there’s a good reason for that: this tour combines a trip to both the Mt Etna volcano and the Etna wineries around it!
First, your guide will show you around the general Mount Etna area before taking you to see a lava tube (created by running lava flow from previous eruptions that cooled over time) and its surrounding craters.
Needless to say, you want to make sure you’re appropriately dressed since there’s a lot of exploring and light trekking on this tour.
Hiking shoes, some layers (as it can get cold on Mt. Etna!), and some light snacks are a must!
After immersing yourself in the fascinating geology and volcanic landscape of Mt Etna, it’s time to enjoy the spoils of all that volcanic activity – a series of delicious wines!
If all that learning and tasting leaves you feeling a bit peckish, next up is a delicious light lunch before wrapping things up.
You’ll then be transported back to your hotel in Catania at the end of the tour.
⌛ Tour Length: 6 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.8/5 stars (120+ reviews) | 🍷 Book Now
Unique Features: –An unforgettable drive through some of Sicily’s most charming coastal villages -Sampling wine and snacks at wineries and an open-air amphitheater -Enjoying some farm-to-table goods, such as pasta, produce, and limoncello
After picking you up, your guides will take you on a scenic drive through various villages in coastal Sicily – these beach towns are so charming.
Plus, the flora and architecture here along the coast really are unique, so you’ll probably be taking pictures throughout the entire drive!
Your first stop after the scenic drive is a visit to a family-run Mt Etna winery, where you can try some fine Etna rosé to start the wine tasting part of the tour!
After checking out the wine cellars, you’ll hit the ruins of a historic open amphitheater and indulge in some snacks and even more Etna wine samples!
You’d better save some room, though, since you’ll also be going to a farmhouse and trying out a typical Sicilian lunch that makes use of the pasta, produce, and typical products of the region.
After all, Sicily is famous for more than just its wine production!
The last step is trying out some limoncello before heading back to Taormina.
⌛ Tour Length: 7 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.8/5 stars (50+ reviews) | 🍷 Book Now
Unique Features: -A memorable drive to Rifugio Sapienza with photo stops -A scenic uphill hike or cable car ride, followed by a lava tube visit -Sampling a wide variety of wines, still and sparkling, along with local snacks
This Etna wine tour might be the best way to experience just how scenic the Etna National Park really is.
The first order of business is to drive up to Rifugio Sapienza up on the slopes of Mt Etna, all while making stops at scenic vistas along the way – don’t worry, your camera will eat just as well as you will on this trip!
Your guide will explain the geology and history during each stop, so this is a great tour if you’re interested in the region’s history – both of the land and of the people.
Next up, you can either take a two-kilometer hike across various scenic hiking paths or take a cable car up the mountain for some scenic photo ops at the top of the mountain.
Whichever one you opt for, everyone unites at the next point: a lava cave – not something you get to see every day, and not something you likely associate with a wine tour!
After all that fun and excitement, it’s time to get to the wines… because this is just as much a wine tasting Etna experience as it is a hiking tour!
You’ll get to toast with some sparkling Sicilian wine, try four local kinds of still wine (with grapes grown on the slopes of Mount Etna), and have a bunch of Sicilian snacks to go along with them!
⌛ Tour Length: 1.5 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.8/5 stars (20+ reviews) | 🍷 Book Now
Unique Features: -Quick Etna winery tour perfect for quick Sicily trips -Perfect for people who prefer more independent travel to guided tours -Trying Etna wines with local Sicilian food pairings
In case you’re looking for something short yet scenic, this 1.5-hour Etna wine tour has your name written all over it!
However, this is only a good tour option if you have rented a car in Sicily, since you’ll need to drive yourself to the tour’s meeting point – transportation is not included.
You’ll get into the action right away with some white wine tasting, followed by an underground winery tour led by an expert sommelier.
You get to learn which local products go well with which types of wine – pretty useful information for any aspiring wine aficionado!
After that, there’s even more wine to be had. Up to seven glasses for you to sample, to be specific, depending on which tour you opt for!
Applying what you learned at the start of the tour, you get to mix and match these wines with black Nebrodi pork, ricotta cannoli, and some other mouth-watering Sicilian delicacies!
⌛ Tour Length: 6.5 – 7 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.9/5 stars (40+ reviews) | 🍷 Book Now
Unique Features: -Visiting 3 different wineries – more than most Etna wine tours on this list -Getting to try a total of 12 wines, enjoying as much as you’d like -Private tour with pickup in either Catania, Taormina, or Messina
This private tour covers three wineries, some of the most prestigious in the Etna area.
Between the three of them, you can sample a total of 12 wines – and they won’t hesitate to top you off on any of your favorites, either.
The first winery sets the tone with some delicious Etna white wine, as well as a guided tour of the winery premises and a rundown of the production process, including how the volcanic soil impacts the wine region.
The breathtaking views from the terrace don’t hurt, either!
Each of the following Etna wineries offers an even greater variety of drinks and food, so you’ll definitely be going home with your stomach full (and head a-buzzing).
Best of all, since this tour is private, you’ll have individualized attention and can ask as much as you want about the winemaking process!
⌛ Tour Length: 7 hours | 🌟 Rating: New! | 🍷 Book Now
Unique Features: -The chance to get a 3,000-meter-altitude view from the Etna summit -Option for shorter hike instead, plus all enjoy a guided tour of a lava flow cave -Sampling five wines with appetizers at one of Etna’s best wineries
This Etna group tour is perfect for wine geeks and geology nerds alone: this Etna wine tour not only educates you on the wine, but also the volcano’s history along the way.
Plus, the drive climbing up to the Sapienza Refuge is an adventure in itself: the landscape is awe-inspiring, to say the least.
There have been more recent lava flows in the area that have affected the volcanic terrain, and your guide will tell you all about it – and what that means for Etna wine in general!
After some exploring, your options include a shorter hike or alonger trek under the guidance of a local mountain guide – your choice (either is a good option, especially since you haven’t started the wine tasting yet!)
Fair warning, you’re missing out on quite a view if you don’t go with the latter!
I highly recommend that if it’s at all possible: you’ll reach the summit of the volcano, around 3,000 meters above sea level!
Either way, at Rifugio Sapienza (at 1,920 meters of altitude), you’ll be visiting a lava flow cave to conclude the sightseeing portion of the tour.
Finally, it’s time for the wine, but it sure is worth the wait – the appetizer platter that goes along with it is what really seals the deal.
You’ll try five delicious local Etna wines, made all the better by a sample of fritters, local cheese, Italian cold cuts, olive oil, and farm-made pâté.
⌛ Tour Length: 6 – 7 hours | 🌟 Rating: 4.7/5 stars (10+ reviews) | 🍷 Book Now
Unique Features: -A chance to go as high as 3,300 meters up Mount Etna to the summit -Exploring Silvestri Crateri and looking at lava-made souvenirs -Indulging in a hearty meal and several different kinds of wine
There’s a lot to see on the drive from Catania, but the best part is when you reach Zafferana Etnea and start tasting some local honey, jams, and liquors made from local produce.
Even further up the road is Rifugio Sapienza, one of the most scenic parts of all of the Etna region, near the Silvestri Crateri.
No reason to stop there though – for an even better view, you can take a cable car to go even higher to the summit for an additional €65 fee.
The tour is private, so as long as you and yours all agree, you really ought to make the trip up to the summit.
Either way, your trekking will be rewarded on the way down with a memorable winery visit at the end of the Etna tour.
Besides the obligatory local red and white wines, you’ll be served everything from veggies and olive oils to meat and cheese from the surrounding region.
⌛ Tour Length: 9 hours | 🌟 Rating: 5/5 stars (300+ reviews) | 🍷 Book Now
Unique Features: -Hiking in Mt. Etna, Monti Sartorius, and Alcantara River Park -Enjoying a large meal along with generous wine samples -Visiting the stunning, scenic Alcantara Gorge
This 9-hour Etna wine tour is worth every penny, as it covers virtually everything you could hope to experience along Sicily’s eastern coast.
Starting off from Taormina, you’ll set out on an amazing hike on Mt Etna, taking in the lava caves and moon-like volcanic landscapes that Mount Etna is known for.
Afterwards, you’ll check out two more scenic hiking areas, Monti Sartorius and Alcantara River Park.
You’ll definitely want to wear some trekking shoes for this combined hiking and Etna wine tour.
After all that hiking, you’ll have worked up quite the appetite. Luckily, there’s a three-course meal waiting for you, along with some of Sicily’s best wines.
Still, the best part is probably getting to see the Alcantara Gorge – pictures don’t do this place justice, so you’ll just have to see for yourself.
All that eating and trekking will knock the wind out of you, so rest easy on the way back in the air conditioned minivan.
You can relax, because your tour operator will drop you back off at your accommodation once you’re done.
⌛ Tour Length: 6 hours | 🌟 Rating: 5/5 stars (210+ reviews) | 🍷 Book Now
Unique Features: -Tasting up to 12 different Etna wines -Thorough tour of each of three distinct Etna wineries -Enjoying a variety of local food and Sicilian snacks throughout the day
One thorough winery tour may be enough for casual wine drinkers, but it won’t quite do it for the serious wine drinker who is looking to dive deep on their Etna wine tasting excursion.
Luckily, this private 6-hour wine tour covers a whopping three wineries near Mt Etna!
The drive there has some unique stops that other Mount Etna wine tours skip, which makes it a pretty unique Etna experience.
I mean, how many people can say they’ve seen a church made of volcanic rock… while on a wine tour, nonetheless?
Once you hit your first Etna winery, you’ll get to enjoy a guided tour of the estate and a variety of wine samples to get you started on the right foot.
Hard to resist a large plate of deliciousness and five different wines with a scenic balcony view!
There’s more where that came from, though, as the second winery will have you tasting another four wines!
Ending things on a high note, the final winery offers three particularly high-caliber Mt Etna wines and even more snacks.
No one could blame you if you couldn’t eat or drink anymore at that point, though!
⌛ Tour Length: 7 – 9 hours | 🌟 Rating: 5/5 stars (35+ reviews) | 🍷 Book Now
Unique Features: -Getting to explore the Silvestri Craters at 2,000 meters high -Tasting produce at a local farm alongside a wine tasting -Lunch at a scenic winery, complete with a wine tasting flight
If you’re a couple or small group looking to get pampered for a day, it doesn’t get better than this Etna wine tour!
Wherever you are in the general Catania region, your friendly guides will go above and beyond to pick you up.
If you’re not feeling confident about driving up the mountain yourself (or if you’ve opted not to rent a car in Italy), this tour is the perfect way to see the Silvestri Craters firsthand.
By the way, the 2,000-meter-high view is probably one of the most spectacular sights you’ll see in all of Sicily!
To get you salivating before the big wine tasting finale, your guides will take you to a farm to sample some local specialties first.
After all, Etna is first and foremost an agricultural region!
Once you’re at the winery, you also get to enjoy a full Sicilian lunch alongside some wine samples before heading back home from your Mount Etna wine tasting tour.
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
With rolling hills and vineyards as your everyday backdrop, renting a Tuscany villa with a private pool is one of the best ways to experience the bucolic landscapes of Italy’s most beautiful countryside.
And with fully-equipped kitchens, al fresco dining areas, and beautiful gardens, a home’s comforts meets nature’s beauty in these villas.
Of course, the crown jewel of many of these Tuscan villas are their private pools, a little secluded sanctuary to float clear blue skies or lounge at the water’s edge with a glass of Chianti in hand.
Renting a villa in Tuscany with a private pool is not just about luxury, though it can be if you want it to be — there are plenty of luxe jewels in this list, but also some budget sleeper hits that will surprise you with how affordable they are.
It’s also about embracing the experience of traveling with a group of loved ones, whether that’s the family you’re born into or the family you’ve chosen.
In between relaxing at your Tuscan pool villa, you can explore medieval towns, taste your way through the humbly decadent Tuscan cuisine, or merely indulge in the sweet art of doing nothing at all!
My Top 3 Picks For Tuscany Villas with Private Pools
These pool villas in Tuscany are pretty much impossible to reach with public transportation, and they are often in the countryside, not within walking distance of any amenities.
If you don’t want to feel isolated, you’ll definitely want to rent a car in Tuscany to make the most of your stay.
I recommend renting a car as soon as you fly into Florence (assuming you are starting your trip there), since you’ll get the best rates at the Florence airport.
I use Discover Cars to search for the best car rental prices in Italy, since they compare 500+ agencies (including smaller local ones, not just the big names) to find the best deal on your rental.
Best Villas in Tuscany with Private Pools for Large Groups
Overall Best For Big Groups: Villa Il Turchetto – Book Here
This massive Tuscany villa with private pool is the perfect choice for large groups — it can fit as many as 16 guests in its 8 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms (no bathroom hold-ups here!).
Even with a full house, you won’t be cramped at all. Villa Il Turchetto is a whopping 5,000 square feet, larger than life on the inside with high ceilings and exposed wood beams.
The bedrooms are a variety of sizes, from smaller rooms perfect for kiddos to larger master-style suites, but truly no one will feel shafted by the rooms — they’re all very comfortable.
Some of the bathrooms even have bathtubs, for those of us who love a good soak at the end of a day on vacation.
… and speaking of good soaks, the location in Saturnia means that you’re right next to one of Tuscany’s hidden gems, the thermal springs right in town.
When you’re this close, it’s a breeze to be there bright and early to be some of the first ones to enjoy the springs, which can get rather busy after the morning hours.
Back to this villa: with a living room with a fireplace, comfy armchairs, and a wall of built-in bookcases just begging you to curl up with a good novel, you absolutely will find yourself wishing you can move in.
The outdoor spaces here are massive too: plenty of comfortable cushioned chairs shaded by a thatched-style awning, giving you shade with hints of sun as you enjoy a Tuscan afternoon on the porch.
And of course, it wouldn’t be a trip to Tuscany without many a dinner al fresco.
Luckily, with a massive, well-equipped kitchen (I think I counted a whopping 8 burners to use on the massive, hood-range stove) and enough outdoor seating to fit the whole crew, you’re ready to host unforgettable dinners in the cool Tuscan night breeze.
As for the pool, you won’t make any sacrifices here: it’s huge, so every single one of 16 guests could be in the pool without feeling crowded.
It’s large enough to swim laps in, but it’s also just a wonderful place to relax in, admiring the Tuscan countryside all around you and the lovely rolling hills you can see out of every corner of your eye.
Best For Spa Lovers: Podere La Piscina – Acqua Termale e Relax – Book Here
This gorgeous villa is more like a typical Tuscan pool villa meets a full-on spa — complete with a sauna and a thermal pool and hot tub with natural spring water, it really does check all the ‘spa’ boxes!
Yes, Podere La Piscina literally has its own hot spring on the property — how’s that for a unique pool villa in Tuscany?
The spring has a constant temperature of 38°C or 100°F, so it’s perfect for visiting outside of the summer season if you want a heated pool.
If you’re looking for a colder pool for swimming laps and cooling off on hot Tuscan days, this may not be the right villa for you in the summer months!
Some of the bathrooms also feel very spa-like, including one where two people can take baths side by side using the thermal water!
Located in the countryside of Val d’Orcia in the charming village of San Casciano dei Bagni, this is one of the most scenic areas of Tuscany to stay in.
Think of that beautiful winding road lined with trees that you likely think of the image of Tuscany, and that’s the Val d’Orcia!
The town it’s near, San Casciano dei Bagni, is part of the association of most beautiful villages in Italy.
Best of all, it’s only a kilometer away, so you can reach it on foot or with a car — so this is a great mix of a private-feeling villa yet still not feeling cut off from the delight of Tuscan small towns.
This five-bedroom Tuscany villa with a private pool is very traditional, made of stone in the old-fashioned way (as a natural form of air conditioning) — but of course, it has regular A/C as well, because this villa will not let you miss any of your creature comforts.
Sleeping up to 10 guests, the bedrooms are great for a mix of families or a group of friends — 4 of the rooms have large double beds, but there’s one bedroom with two twin size beds.
There are many common spaces to enjoy with your group, like the large living room with three huge plush couches to gather around, all surrounding a fireplace.
This room is set in a high-ceilinged room complete with an exposed wooden ceiling with its original beams and a skylight — and a piano, in case any of you are musical!
All that plus a huge, well-equipped kitchen for making delicious meals with local ingredients and plenty of room to gather around the table, and you’ll see why this is the perfect Tuscany villa with private pool — nay, private hot springs — for larger groups!
Largest Pool Villa: Locanda in Tuscany – Book Here
This may be the largest Tuscany villa with a private pool on the list: the large house can sleep up to 24 guests in its 9 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, and a whopping 7,500 square foot floor plan!
Included in your stay is a daily breakfast at the nearby restaurant, which you can also visit for lunch or dinner if you don’t feel up to cooking for yourself.
That said, they do have a fully-equipped massive kitchen as well as outdoor BBQ facilities, so you can opt for self-catering or going out to as many meals as you like.
The outsized villa, of course, has an outsized private pool to match: stretching nearly as long as the house itself, it’s the perfect place to swim laps or take a dip during the hot afternoons in Tuscany.
There are also lots of loungers, as well as a shaded area for enjoying the afternoons outside without worrying about getting to much sun.
The pool area also has an epic sunset view, and the rolling hills of the Val d’Orcia of Tuscany is one of the entire region’s most scenic areas.
Let’s talk about the inside, now: the villa is freshly renovated, with an updated farmhouse-inspired aesthetic in all its bedrooms.
Some of the bedrooms even have their own fireplace or clawfoot bathtub in the room!
Nearly every square inch of this Tuscany villa with a pool is absolutely begging to be photographed, from its huge pool with floating chairs and rolling hill views to its fringed hammocks to its lovely minimalist décor to, of course, its lavender field!
Note, of course, lavender fields are not a year-round phenomenon — expect it to be at its peak from mid-June through mid-July — so you’ll want to book those dates in particular if the lavender field is a major selling point.
Located in the countryside of Marsiliana, this 5-bedroom, 6-bathroom villa is over 2,000 square feet and has plenty of room to accommodate up to 11 guests.
Rooms all have a very boutique hotel feel, with lovely high ceilings, a muted earth tone color palette livened up by thoughtful bursts of color, and bathrooms with rain showers!
The kitchen is massive and open, perfect for entertaining a large group while you cook, as well as outdoor BBQ facilities.
Plus, this villa has its own pizza oven — how amazing is that?
And of course, since you’re looking for a Tuscany villa with a pool, I’d be remiss to mention just how large this pool is: perfect for laps or simple afternoon swims, the entire group could be in the pool at one time and it wouldn’t feel cramped!
There are also plenty of comfortable chairs and hammocks around the poolside to curl up with a book in between swims.
The lovely Casa Terzerie has all the structure of the typical regal villas of Como, with more old-fashioned features like four-poster beds, high ceilings with exposed wooden beams, and typical Tuscan tiling.
It’s great for a medium-sized group, sleeping up to 10 guests in its 5 bedrooms, each with double beds.
It’s nearly 3,500 square feet, so there’s plenty of space to not crowd each other.
The swimming pool is huge and gorgeous, lined up perfectly with the setting sun for gorgeous sunset swims.
And while the house feels very secluded, it’s perfectly situated as there’s a delicious restaurant within walking distance, 400 meters away.
That said, you’d never have to go out for meals if you don’t want to, as there’s a huge and well-equipped kitchen as well as a gorgeous al fresco dining area perfect for big meals with friends.
Best for Dinner Parties: Villa Podere Del Grasso – Book Here
Located in Castel del Piano, this Tuscany villa with a pool is a secluded little getaway perfect for groups up to 12 — perfect for families or trips with a large group of friends.
This villa in Tuscany in absolutely massive: we’re talking six bedrooms, plus two sofa beds in the living room, so it’s easy to accommodate a large group of people.
With an enormous private pool to swim laps in or cool off in under the hot Tuscan sun, or a fireplace to gather around inside during the cooler months, this is a wonderful all-seasons villa in Tuscany for large groups.
The villa interior is gorgeous, with high ceilings complete with exposed wooden beams, completing the rustic Tuscan vibe.
A spacious kitchen with a center island to gather around is another huge perk of this villa, as it’s easy to self-cater if you want to host dinners cooking with local, seasonal ingredients — it’d be a shame to waste Italian summer produce!
A housekeeper is available in case you need any tidying while you’re staying in the villa (note that there’s an additional charge)
With a porch featuring hammock seats overlooking the hills, this Tuscany pool villa is the perfect place to take in the sunset and relax with a glass of local Chianti.
Travel insurance coverage helps you recoup your losses in case of emergency, accident, illness, or theft.
I rely on SafetyWing to cover me in case my travel plans change due to forces out of my control, or if something bad happens to me while I’m on the road. It offers great rates starting around $12/week with clear, easy-to-read coverage.
Best Outdoor Sunset Space: Villa Colletto – Book Here
If your favorite time of the day is sunset, this is the perfect Tuscany villa with a pool for you: Villa Colletto has one of the nicest sunset-facing terraces I’ve ever seen!
Complete with several comfortable wicker sofas and chairs with plush pillows, arranged in a circle around a table to place drinks and antipasti on, this is the perfect place to watch the sun sink into the small, rugged mountains of the Tuscan countryside.
And after the sun sets, there’s still plenty of outdoor beauty to enjoy, like the massive dining table that’ll fit the entire group with views over the surroundings villages, only tiny pinpricks of light in the dark.
The house has 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms and comfortably sleeps 8 guests, though honestly, I do expect it could fit more if you asked.
The interior is absolutely gorgeous too, keeping in mind the historical feel of traditional Italian villas with some incredible design features, from ornate ceilings to chandeliers to exposed beams.
One of my favorites is a bathroom with murals painted on the wall of a Tuscan landscape, complete with an exposed wooden beam ceiling, a wrought-iron standalone bathtub, and sconce lighting.
It’s like taking a bath in another century!
The bedrooms too feel like they came out of a 19th century Lake Como villa, with exposed beam ceilings, delicate molding features, vintage furnishings, and many with en-suite bathrooms that continue the charm.
And of course, you looked up Tuscany pool villas so let’s talk about the pool: it’s simply huge, large enough to swim laps in or have a pool party in!
There’s also lots of loungers around the pool to take breaks for sunbathing or book-worming.
And the pool also is a great sunset spot to boot — you get epic views of the setting sun and its palette of brilliant sunset colors here, too.
There are both indoor and outdoor kitchens, and you can even hire a private chef who can cook Italian classics for you.
Perhaps even better for lovers of Tuscan wine, they have their own wine cellar and can arrange for private wine tastings!
The prices for the chef and wine tasting are rather reasonable too, starting at 35-45€ per person for meals and 25-35€ per person for wine tasting.
Who knew private luxury in your own Tuscan pool villa could be that inexpensive?
Once a fortress and a few scattered farmhouses, Chiarentana is now a gorgeous, modern place to stay with a variety of options, but we’ll focus on the villa here, since it has its own private pool.
Oh, and did I mention it’s also an olive oil farm? It doesn’t get any more Tuscan than that, does it?
The rooms are typical Italian understated villa beauty: simple but elegant furnishings that mix and match vintage with modern, so all your creature comforts are met while still having that traditional villa feel.
The kitchen is huge and spacious, high-ceilinged with lots of natural light and counter space, plus an in-kitchen dining table for entertaining and having family or group meals.
There’s also a huge living room with a fireplace and lots of seating, perfect for a night of chats, games, and drinks to match.
With four bedrooms (3 queen, one with two twin) and a living room with a sofa bed, as well as two bathrooms, there’s plenty of space at this Tuscan villa so you won’t feel crowded, even if you’re at max capacity.
It’s also rather close to the Florence airport, making transfers a breeze, as it’s located about halfway between Florence and Arrezzo, another charming Tuscan city.
The interior oozes Italian countryside charm, with rustic exposed stonework in the dining room, an outdoor area perfect for al fresco dinners with endless Chianti pours, and the typical rust-red and mustard-yellow hues of the Tuscan countryside in the shared areas.
On cool nights, there’s also a fireplace to enjoy and gather around in the lovely living room — but if it’s warm, don’t worry, this Tuscan villa is complete with A/C as well!
But of course, the real draw is the private pool: beautiful day or night, this infinity pool looks over the rolling hills of Tuscany.
And all lit up at night in beautiful turquoise and gold, there couldn’t be a better place to drink wine and chat with friends and family late into the early morning hours.
Plus, there’s a Jacuzzi as well to use!
And if you thought it didn’t get any better, the lovely couple who runs the villa, Gaetano and Francesca, will cook for you — even making you delicious home-cooked pizzas in their pizza oven!
This is the perfect villa to stay in if you don’t want to feel totally secluded out in the countryside far from all the restaurants and attractions of Tuscany, but you still want the privacy and spaciousness that a pool villa gives you.
With 6 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms, this Tuscany pool villa comfortably fits up to 12 guests, making it great for groups of friends and families.
One of its best features is its infinity pool, which looks straight over the rolling landscape of the Tuscan countryside for some of the best views you can imagine.
Next to the pool, there are loungers with large umbrellas perfect for sunbathing with views of Tuscany spread out before you.
There’s also a large outdoor al fresco dining area, so you can eat lunch and dinner with the same sweeping views!
Inside, the kitchen is a modern marvel — you’ll find yourself wanting to cook in this one, with its gorgeous marble countertops and endless counter space, fully equipped to make mouthwatering meals.
There’s a wonderful little breakfast nook, multiple fireplaces, and tons of spacious seating areas to enjoy indoors.
The bedrooms are also very spacious and modern, with high ceilings with wooden beams and en-suite bathrooms with soaking tubs or walk-in showers — the ultimate in relaxation!
A 10-minute drive from the charming Tuscan town of Vinci, it’s conveniently located but still feels very private and secluded.
You can enjoy the large, spacious garden and its BBQ facilities as well as its above-ground pool, accessed via stairs that can be gated off.
This makes it an especially safe choice for families with young kids who may be worried about the safety of a Tuscany pool villa.
For an above ground pool, it’s rather large, and while you wouldn’t necessarily be able to swim laps in it, it’s definitely not a kiddie pool!
Kids will also love the treehouse-style play structure complete with a slide!
In terms of the interior, think old-fashioned Italian comforts: iron-wrought furniture, oil paintings and prints of famous Italian artists, and the typical Tuscan color palette of pale yellow, brick, and rust-red.
It’s not the most design-forward Tuscany pool villa, and fans of modernist design will definitely find it a little dated, but if you want old-fashioned charm, this is it!
Modern Beauty with Spa Features: Villa Le Terme – Book Here
This pool villa in Tuscany doesn’t quite feel like the others, as it has a really modern architecture compared to the others, which are more traditional in their design.
While it may not ooze with historic charm the way many of these Tuscany villas with private pools do, Villa Le Terme still is an excellent choice and may be better for those with more modernist design sensibilities.
It’s also great for large groups, with 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, and the ability to fit up to 13 people. One bedroom is on the ground floor and is wheelchair accessible.
This villa boasts not one but two pools: one outdoors with a gorgeous view, and one indoors, covered with a roof but surrounded by glass windows so you won’t feel like you’re missing a bit of the view!
Plus, there’s also an indoor dry sauna as well as a Turkish bath steam room to complete the “home spa” feel, as well as two tiled hammam-style relaxation loungers in the indoor pool area.
The outdoor pergola is very modern, with geometric, clean-lined outdoor furniture for lounging and relaxing beside the huge swimming pool.
Inside, the kitchen is compact but very functional, with plenty of counter space and all sorts of modern appliances that wouldn’t look out of place in a brand-new luxury apartment.
That same modern aesthetic continues throughout — from the loft-style feel of the living room-meets-dining area to spacious, minimalist bedrooms, this definitely feels like a 21st-century villa.
If you’re looking for the romantic, historic villa in Tuscany — this isn’t it. But if you want a large space and a private pool with a modern feel, this is a great choice!
Located outside the popular Tuscan destination of Cortona, this Tuscany pool villa is huge — over 3,000 square feet — with 6 bedrooms that can welcome up to 11 guests.
The two-story Villa Mezzavia has a massive private pool on site, with lots of sun loungers aside it for sunbathing in between swims.
The huge pool is well-shaded by trees for much of the day, so it’s perfect for swimming on hot days without worrying about the scorching sun!
The interior is spacious and traditional, with your typical Tuscan tile floor and brick-lined archways that given an open floor plan feel while still having separate ‘rooms’ in the main living area.
The kitchen is well-appointed though a little small, but you can definitely make do for cooking some nice meals in here to be enjoyed either in the dining room in the main house or al fresco.
The bedrooms continue the traditional Tuscan aesthetic, incorporating the same tile and brickwork in the rooms, whose edges are softened with vintage furnishings that make you feel like you’re staying in another century.
And some bedrooms even have a soaking tub in the room, whereas others have an en-suite bathroom with a step-in shower.
Small Town Bliss: Villa La Casa del Re – Book Here
Just outside the small town of Le Piazze, you can easily run into town for the things you need — a coffee, a bottle of wine, some food, all 10 minutes away on foot.
Yet still, Villa La Casa de Re is set away back far enough that you can feel the seclusion of having your very own Tuscany villa with a private pool.
Taking up 3 floors, this 6-bedroom villa can sleep up to 11 guests comfortably, though smaller groups can enjoy it as well.
Though given how many people it can fit, it can be a rather cheap price per person if you have a full house!
The interior is lovely, warm, and welcoming, with bright white walls that invite in the natural light and wooden exposed beams that give the whole room a lovely rustic feel.
The kitchen is spacious, perfect for making a meal with a group of friends, as well as having an outdoor BBQ area for delicious summertime meals.
The pool is not huge, but it’s large enough to enjoy with a smaller group, and there are plenty of sun beds and umbrellas for you to enjoy some sunbathing.
The bedrooms have the same high-ceilinged, minimalistic yet warm stylings as the rest of the house, simply furnished with beautiful wooden furnishings and uncluttered so they have a peaceful feel.
That said, the bathrooms feel a little dated, as the tile is bit old-school and the showers aren’t particularly nice or modern.
Best Villas in Tuscany with Private Pools for Smaller Groups
Best for Budget Travel: Le Rime di Campagna – Book Now
Just on the outskirts of the charming Tuscan city of Arrezzo, less than 3 miles from the city center, you’ll find this lovely Tuscan villa for quite an affordable price!
This budget-friendly villa in Tuscany with a private pool has everything you’d want — air conditioning, a well-stocked kitchen and BBQ facilities, a patio with views of the rolling hills, and an outdoor fireplace — all at a reasonable price that’s perfect for a smaller group.
With two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and the ability to fit up to four guests, this is a great choice for two couples traveling together or a family of 4 who wants a bit of privacy during their stay.
The design is subtle and homey, not over-the-top fancy, but that’s part of its charm — it makes your Tuscany pool villa feel a little more like a home away from home, at least for a time.
The pool is not incredibly large, but since it’s a private pool for just your group of four or fewer to use, that’s not such a bad thing…
Especially when there’s an outdoor dining area and a hammock area to enjoy just next to the pool!
If you want the Tuscany villa with a private pool experience without the huge price tag, this is the spot for you, so long as your group size is small enough to make it work!
Stone House Budget Beauty: Villa La Pergola – Book Here
In a typical stone home you’ll find all over the Tuscan countryside, surrounded by flowering trees and vines, the beautiful Villa La Pergola is a good option for smaller groups of 6 or less.
With 3 bedrooms — two double beds and one sofa bed — and 2 bathrooms, this is a spacious villa in Tuscany with a private pool despite the lower number of bedrooms compared to most, with a nearly 3,000 square foot floor plan.
The interior is quintessentially Tuscan: exposed stone walls that show off the masonry, juxtaposed against plenty of wood details and mustard yellow and rust red accents.
The bedrooms are that perfect blend of minimalistic yet not Spartan, with plenty of room to spread out in yet with enough personality and detail to feel individualized and homey, like you’re staying in the house of a family friend.
Admittedly, the circular swimming pool isn’t the largest, but it’s perfectly suitable for a dip to cool off on a hot Italian afternoon.
There’s also a great pergola — who would have guessed it from the name of the villa? — with a large dining table for meals under the Tuscan sun (or stars).
But best of all is the price, which can be downright affordable; sometimes the villa is available for under $250 per night, which is just over $40 per person per night if you have a full house!
Typical of villas in the region, Villa Ada Belriguardo is made of stone with a terra cotta roof, emblematic of the Tuscany region.
The pool is located a terrace or two below the villa and it is simply massive, overlooking a valley of Tuscany’s hilly region.
There is plenty of room for the whole group to enjoy the pool, or to swim some laps if you’re looking for exercise.
The pool is also beautifully lit up at night, perfect for night swims under the uncountable stars of the Tuscan sky.
This villa is on the smaller side in terms of how many guests it can fit: with only 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, it’s better suited for smaller groups of 6 or fewer.
That also makes it a fairly affordable place to stay on a budget, especially if you have a full house, though it isn’t the cheapest villa on the list.
The interior of the villa is beautiful in an old-fashioned way: think Tuscan tile floors, iron-wrought bed frames, and vintage wooden furnishings.
The bathrooms are a little small and dated, but the rest of the house feels spacious, recently renovated, and inviting, especially the kitchen and living areas.
Plus, there’s also a game room complete with a pool table!
In short, as long as you don’t need the most modern of design choices, this is the perfect choice for a smaller group looking for a Tuscany villa with a private pool.
Close to Florence: CountryHouse con Piscina – Book Here
Just on the outskirts of Florence near the outer suburb of Rifredi, you can have your own Tuscan villa with private pool while just being a short ride into town — less than 4 kilometers to its main sights, in fact.
In fact, it’s so close to the center of Florence that you can just walk to the tram, which is 5 minutes walk away, and that’ll sweep you right into town!
With a private indoor pool surrounded by beautiful brick and stone, complete with hydromassage jets, this is a lovely place to relax after a busy day sightseeing in Florence — and it’s lit up beautifully at night, giving it an almost hammam-style feel.
The indoor pool is a bit small, but it’s definitely suitable for relaxing in after a full day of sightseeing around the city.
Plus, the villa also has an outdoor fireplace, a BBQ area, and some garden areas to walk around, so you really will feel like you’re outside of the urban center, despite being so close to it!
Of course, being so close to Florence, you do make a sacrifice: namely, space, as the country house is a little on the small side.
The rooms can be a little narrow, as everything fits in a 600 square foot floor plan, but nevertheless this charming tiny house fits up to five guests comfortably in its 2 bedrooms (and a living room sofa bed).
But for the price and location, it’s a great offer — just don’t expect a massive villa or an outdoor pool, because that’s not what this villa is about!
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Many people plan a trip to Rovaniemi in winter with one main thing on their mind… spotting Finnish Lapland’s fickle but phenomenal Northern lights!
This guide will go over when and how you can see the Northern lights in Rovaniemi.
This includes tips for spotting them independently as well as my own personal experience seeing the Northern lights on a tour.
With the aurora on Northern lights tour in January 2024
This post also goes over all the ideal conditions for seeing the Northern lights so you have a baseline understanding of what to expect.
Plus, I’ll give you some recommendations for Northern lights hotels outside the Rovaniemi city center, and explain how to use aurora apps to have the best chance of spotting the Northern lights.
This post goes over all my tips for spotting the Northern lights while you’re visiting Rovaniemi, but if you’re in a hurry, I recommend booking this tour — I did the Northern lights tour with them and it was the only time I saw the Northern lights in Rovaniemi in nearly two weeks!
When Can You See the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi?
Northern lights display in January 2024
Note: I’m going to geek out a bit on science of the Arctic Circle for a bit — but if you just want a quick and easy answer, you can generally see the Northern lights in Rovaniemi from the end of August to the beginning of April.
While that is the general band of when you can see the aurora, my friend who lives part-time in Finland has let me know that the best months are generally September, October, and March, as this is when there is the least likelihood of clouds impeding your view.
Any time there are enough nighttime hours to have true darkness, you have a chance of seeing the Northern lights in Rovaniemi!
Keep in mind that Rovaniemi is juuuust below the Arctic Circle. In fact, Santa Claus Village, 8 kilometers north of the city center, actually runs right through it!
What does that mean? Well, the Arctic Circle is essentially the latitude line on the map above which the sun does not completely set, but rather hovers just above the horizon, on the longest day of the year (aka the summer solstice).
That means that if you visit any point north of the Arctic Circle on June 20th or 21st (depending on the year), you won’t experience a true night at all!
At some places further north, like Abisko and Tromso, you won’t experience a sunset for several weeks… or more than four months, in the case of Svalbard!
The inverse of that is that during the winter, the sun won’t rise, either…. meaning lots of hours to try to spot the aurora!
Fun fact: Abisko was the first place I ever saw the aurora, and I managed to capture this epic shot!
In Rovaniemi, this period of polar night is quite short — just two days — but in places further north in Finland, it can last up to two months!
So, as you can imagine, the length of days varies quite a bit in Rovaniemi; the sunrise and sunset hours change dramatically throughout the course of a year.
In general, you can see the aurora borealis starting about two hours after sunset and two hours before sunrise. Otherwise, it is a little too bright to properly see any aurora.
Tips for Spotting Rovaniemi’s Northern Lights
Dressed warm and ready to try to spot the lights!
While the Northern lights are theoretically visible at any point there is darkness in Rovaniemi, in actuality, there are several other factors to consider.
The main thing that you need to think about when trying to spot the Northern lights during your visit to Rovaniemi is cloud cover: it’s the biggest enemy to seeing the aurora.
This is because the aurora borealis occurs 100 to 300 kilometers above the ground.
If you have clouds just a few kilometers above the ground blocking the night sky, you simply won’t see the lights, even if the most magical display in the world is actually happening above the clouds!
So, you need a clear night to actually see the Northern lights in Rovaniemi. Unfortunately, this is somewhat harder than it sounds!
While Rovaniemi is inland and thus not quite as cloudy as coastal spots like Tromso, it can still get quite cloudy in the winter and that can impact your ability to see the aurora.
Seeing the Northern lights on a tour in Tromso… that actually crossed the border into Northern Finland in order to see the lights!
I’m writing this post during my January 2024 visit to Rovaniemi. As of today, I’ve been here for one week and it’s only been possible to see the aurora twice due to the cloud cover, despite quite a bit of solar activity.
Oh, yeah. The other thing you need besides a dark night and a cloudless sky is solar activity.
The aurora borealis is caused by solar activity, when solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) emit particles that make their way towards Earth.
They’re then pulled towards the Earth’s poles through electromagnetism, which is why you have a much better chance of seeing the Northern lights around the Arctic regions than anywhere else in the world.
When the solar particles interact with the atmosphere as they are pulled towards Earth, they create bursts of color: typically green, but other colors vary depending on what gas they’re interacting with and how high in the atmosphere the interaction is occuring.
Later in the post, I’ll explain aurora forecasting apps and let you know tips for using them that I learned from trial and error as well as expert tips from my Northern lights tour guide.
Seeing the Northern Lights Without a Tour
Personally, I only saw the Northern lights with a tour and thought it was worth it!
It is definitely not required to take a Northern lights tour in order to see the Northern lights in Rovaniemi.
… But it certainly helps, as you are a lot more mobile and your guides will work their hardest to find the aurora.
That said, taking Northern lights tours can get expensive: at at least 100 euros a pop, they can add up, especially if you take multiple excursions to try to see the lights.
Luckily, if the Northern lights are strong enough, you might be able to see them in Rovaniemi so long as you get away from some of the light pollution of the city center.
In the city center, I’d recommend the area around the Arktikum Museum if you are trying to spot the Northern lights.
Not only is the architecture of the museum really cool to capture in aurora photos as it provides a really cool tonal and visual contrast to the lights, but the museum area has a pretty clear view to the northern horizon, where you’ll see the majority of the lights’ activity.
Imagine this view at night with the aurora overhead!
It’s also on the edge of the city center bordering the river, so you won’t have a ton of light pollution in that direction.
That said, this isn’t the ideal spot to see the Northern lights because there is still a good deal of light pollution which will impact your eye’s ability to perceive the aurora (and your camera’s ability to capture it).
There are some other cool spots to try to see the lights in Rovaniemi but outside the city center, like Ounasvaara Hill (about an hour’s walk to the top from Rovaniemi city center or accessible by a 10-minute taxi).
A view of Ounasvaraa’s ski slopes
There’s also he observation tower at the top of Syväsenvaara Hill (which is tricky to reach, but it does have epic views).
I really love the observation tower at the top of Syväsenvaara Hill!
I walked there several times, as it was close to where I was staying at my friend’s house in Rovaniemi (and it’s right next to Arctic Treehouse Hotel).
At the top of the observation tower; the ladder is quite icy so I only recommend climbing if you are confident of your skill, not afraid of heights, and during the daytime!
However, it is a bit difficult to find the path leading up to the observation tower when everything is covered in snow.
There is a not insignificant risk that you could get lost or turned around while trying to find it, which is potentially extremely hazardous in winter temperatures. Do so at your own risk!
There are some other ideas for where to see the Northern lights around Rovaniemi here; keep in mind you will need to rent a car to get to the majority of these spots.
If it’s in the middle of winter and a lot of snow has accumulated, you should only rent a car if you are familiar with how to drive in the snow.
The road conditions can get quite hazardous for the inexperienced (seriously, my friend who lives in Rovaniemi tells me about tourist accidents all the time!).
Seeing the Northern Lights With a Tour
On a tour seeing the Northern lights in Finnish Lapland, an hour outside of Rovaniemi
The easiest way to (almost) ensure you see the Northern lights in Rovaniemi is by taking a Northern lights tour.
Depending on the tour you take, you’ll spend 4 to 8 hours chasing the Northern lights as far as reasonably necessary within the time limits of your tour to try to see the lights.
I took this exact tour and can recommend it highly: our guide, Genis, was really kind and helpful and we even stayed a little longer than planned because there was a ton of cloud cover and we had to go a little further than we planned.
Worth the wait, always!
However, once we got to our final spot at a frozen lake, we were able to see the lights and all was worth it!
Even better, on our way home the Northern lights went absolutely crazy to the point where we were even able to see it out the window.
Even though at this point we were running a half hour behind, our guide stopped quickly to let us out to admire the lights dancing overhead.
A beautiful, brief eruption of the aurora on the way home
This is the exact tour that I took and that I recommend to others visiting Rovaniemi.
It’s affordable but excellent, and its small group focus makes it a really enjoyable experience.
A small group is extra important if you want photos of you with the Northern lights overhead, because they can be fickle and fleeting.
Our group size on an aurora tour in Rovaniemi
The more of you there are on the tour, the less your guide can help you take photos in that (potentially) short time span!
On my tour, our group was 8, which was not too many and we were easily able to get as many photos with the Northern lights as we wanted.
Book the same Northern lights tour I did here!
Northern Lights Hotels Near Rovaniemi
The Arctic Treehouse Hotel is one of the best choices in Rovaniemi!
While not the cheapest option, another way to have a better chance of spotting the Northern lights in Rovaniemi is by staying at a Northern lights hotel.
Staying at one of the hotels outside the city center, especially that offers glass igloos, aurora cabins, or other similar accommodations that have settings out in nature with panoramic views, means that heading outside to try to see the aurora doesn’t take much effort at all!
Here are a few recommendations near Rovaniemi:
Photo Credit: Arctic Treehouse Hotel
Arctic Treehouse Hotel: Not far from Santa Claus Village or the Rovaniemi city center, this is a great compromise between being close to the city’s attractions yet out in nature. The treehouses are on a hill that offers a great, unobstructed northerly view. There’s a designated shelter point for warming up while you’re waiting for the aurora! You can also walk about 10 minutes uphill to the observation tower for another viewpoint.
Photo Credit: Apukka Resort
Apukka Resort: One of the best Northern lights hotels options in Finland, Apukka is about 30 minutes from the city center which makes it the perfect place to see the Northern lights away from the city’s light pollution. There’s a variety of room types including glass igloos with panoramic windows! It hosts activities like dog sledding (which I did with Apukka – it was great!) and reindeer sledding on-site as well.
Photo Credit: Santa’s Igloos
Santa’s Igloos Arctic Circle: Close to Santa Claus Village, this igloo hotel isn’t particularly remote but it does offer an escape from the worst of the light pollution of the city while still being close to the amenities of Santa Claus Village like its souvenir shops and restaurants. There are also dog-sledding and reindeer tours you can do here but the tours at Apukka are much nicer.
Note: While these accommodations are an amazing experience, keep in mind that a lot of what you see are marketing materials where everything is portrayed in the best light possible.
Photos of the aurora borealis use long exposure to make the colors more vivid than you would see with your naked eye; don’t expect to see neon squiggles overhead, bright as Tokyo city lights!
More often, the aurora borealis looks like a faint-colored, fast-moving, odd-shaped cloud. It’s more likely that you’ll spot it because of its movement than because of its colors.
While you can see the Northern lights from out of a window in exceptional conditions (like the below photo I took from a car window!), more likely, you’ll have to go out for a walk to properly see and photograph the aurora.
A cellphone shot of the aurora borealis in the car — this intensity is quite rare!
The panoramic windows of a glass igloo can give you a good indicator of if the lights are out or not.
That said, don’t expect to have a rave-like show in your room.
This isn’t to dissuade you from staying in one; I just want to give you accurate expectations, especially as the price tag is so high!
Using Aurora Forecasting Apps
A faint but beautiful aurora
Whether you’re trying to see the Northern lights with a tour or independently, checking out an aurora forecasting app is a good way to have an idea of what the lights will be like.
The app will calculate a percentage chance of seeing the aurora and alert you if your percent chance is above their 30% chance threshold or if other people nearby using the app have checked in and reported sightings.
But the app is also useful for digging into the numbers and analyzing the data that’s given to you, including a few key factors.
Kp-index: This is perhaps the most poorly understood part of seeing the aurora, as many people simply think high number = you will definitely see the lights and think no further than that. The Kp-index solely measures the geomagnetic storm’s intensity and does not factor in cloud cover, wind direction (Bz), or other factors that may impact your ability to see the aurora. It also gives a reference for how far south the aurora may stretch, but that doesn’t necessarily correlate to a much more dramatic view at higher latitudes like Rovaniemi.
Solar winds: The higher the number, the stronger the chance of aurora activity. As a rule of thumb, numbers above 400 km per hour are good, and even better as it approaches 500.
Bz: The more negative this number is, the stronger the chance of aurora activity, because it means that solar particles are being pulled towards the earth and creating the Northern lights.
A shaky view of the Northern lights because I didn’t have time to set up my tripod when they were this active!
These apps won’t guarantee you seeing the Northern lights but they will help you understand the factors that go into the phenomenon of the aurora borealis.
This will hopefully give you more insight as to when is a good time to take a hike somewhere dark to see the lights or book a Northern lights tour.
In general, I would book a Northern lights tour based on forecasted clouds as opposed to anything else like Kp-index or geomagnetic storms.
Like I mentioned above, you can have the most spectacular aurora in the world… and see nothing if there’s low clouds overhead, blocking out your entire view.
Tip: Rather than booking direct with a company offering Northern lights tours in Rovaniemi, I book through GetYourGuide which gives you a free 24-hour cancellation option.
This way, you can book a tour and reschedule it with 24 hours or more notice if the forecast isn’t looking favorable.
Lately, I’ve noticed that GetYourGuide offers a 1-hour cancellation policy at a surcharge; this may be worth it if you want extreme flexibility.
Honestly, generally, 24 hours should be enough notice to decide whether or not the forecast is worth a Northern lights attempt, since tours do give you the option to branch out quite a bit and attempt to snag a hole in the cloud cover.
That said, it is an option I just wanted to make you aware of!
Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
