Christmas
in Lapland

4 nights in beautiful Harriniva

Overview

Departing on December 23rd, this fabulously festive break allows you and the family to experience the magic of a Lapland holiday, right over Christmas. Flying out to Finland’s frozen north, you’ll make your cosy base at the pine-clad Hotel Harriniva, where you'll be treated to a full spread of included activities. Think snowmobile safaris, husky sledding and reindeer sleigh rides, topped with a private meeting with the elves and Santa himself. Alongside your hearty full-board dining, you'll even be treated to lunch in a snow village entirely carved from ice. Throw in the likes of marshmallow toasting, cookie baking and a delicious Christmas dinner, and you've got the ultimate festive holiday, especially if you manage to spot the Northern Lights. 

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Christmas in Lapland is part of the "Small & Personal" collection.

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Day 1  -  23rd December

UK to Harriniva

Depart the UK on your flight to Kittila in Finnish Lapland, where, on arrival, you'll be met by your local guide. An included transfer will then bring you through the snowy swathes to Harriniva and your delightful wilderness lodge hotel. Check into your room and depending on your arrival time collect your winter clothing this evening or first thing in the morning.  Head to the restaurant for the first of your included meals. The hearty buffet offering has a choice of local specialities and international favourites. Then, why not get your first taste of the frosty surrounds with some late-night tobogganing. Be sure to keep your eyes on the sky for the Northern Lights.

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Stay - Hotel Harriniva, Muonio

Meals - Dinner

Day 2  -  24th December

Huskies, Elf Kota, Cookie Baking & Santa

It’s Christmas Eve, and with the celebrations well under way, you’ll be brought to visit Harriniva's huskies, mushing a dogsled through the snowy trails with the kids being brought out by the guides. Don't worry, there's also plenty of time for a cuddle with the puppies. Lunch back at the hotel.
 

After lunch, head down to a cosy kota hut to toast marshmallows by the open fire, drink hot chocolate and engage in some arts and crafts, making your own Christmas keepsake. Then try your hand at cookie baking and gingerbread house making back at the hotel.
 

Finally, a snowmobile sled ride will bring you out to Father Christmas, his elves showing you the secret path to his log cabin. And, after enjoying a private audience with the man himself and pancakes cooked over the open fire, it all culminates in a festive Christmas Eve dinner and a return visit by a surprise guest, bearing gifts for everyone.
 

While the Finns might not do crackers and hats, the chance to walk off your delicious meal in the hotel’s snow-laden grounds – hopefully accompanied by the aurora’s spectacular swirls – is, we think, far more magical.

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Stay - Hotel Harriniva, Muonio

Meals - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3  -  25th December

Christmas Day with Reindeer Farm, Ice Restaurant Lunch and Snow Fun

Christmas Day and this year’s will be especially exciting as you begin the day with a visit to Finland's oldest reindeer farm. After an included transfer, you'll be brought out for a sleigh ride through the forest and across the frozen lake before you feed the reindeer and learn how the herders use their lasso. Your next stop is a village entirely made of ice, with a bar, restaurant and beautifully carved igloos all adorned with beautifully lit sculptures. It's the stunning venue for your included lunch.
 

Returning to Harriniva, you'll have a full choice of winter fun, ranging from snowshoeing and cross-country skiing to ice hockey and tobogganing. There are even mini-snowmobiles for the little ones. 
 

A Christmas Day dinner is served in the restaurant and be sure to keep an eye out for a dancing display of the aurora - perhaps from the riverside hot tub (supplement applies).

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Stay - Hotel Harriniva, Muonio

Meals - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

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Day 4  -  26th December

Snowmobile Safari & Ice Fishing

Boxing Day is always a firm favourite, and today starts in spectacular style as you strike out into the wilderness on snowmobiles – expert instruction included. Driving in pairs, and swapping half way, you’ll venture deep into the wild remotes, pausing for photo opportunities and to play in the knee-deep snow. Children will be pulled along in a sled behind your guide.
 

Return to Harriniva for lunch, then this afternoon you'll take the snow train to a special spot, learn how to drill a hole in the ice and wait for your catch of the day to bite. Hot drinks and cookies are served around an open fire to keep you warm (and perhaps to cook your catch).
 

Dinner is served in the restaurant - and hope that the Northern Lights light up your final evening in this winter wonderland.
 

Meals - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

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Day 5  -  27th December

Depart for Home

After breakfast, return your snowsuits before your included transfer back to Kittila and your flight, via Helsinki, home. 

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Meals - Breakfast

Accommodation Details

Hotel Harriniva, Muonio

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Perched on the banks of the Muonio River, this simple yet cosy wilderness hotel comprises 64 comfortable rooms, some with private saunas, whose wood-cabin aesthetic is pure Scandinavia. It's also a convenient base for exploring the very best of the region's wild remotes, with activities ranging from husky sledding to Northern Lights safaris, and, in summer, hikes under the midnight sun.

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SLEEP

The rooms at Harriniva are reassuringly rustic, their cosy pine-clad interiors completely in tune with the forested Lappish surroundings.  And, while all are en suite, some, including the spacious apartment rooms, come with a TV, kitchenette and even a private sauna, perfect for families.

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EAT

Ok, so it's not fine dining, but Hotel Harriniva’s cosy restaurant does serve a mixture of hearty, home-cooked and locally inspired dishes along with a range of international favourites. It's simple but effective fuel for a holiday packed full of activity and adventure.

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DO

Santa aside, a winter holiday to Finnish Lapland is, in many ways, about seeing the Northern Lights. And, at Harriniva, staff offer a wakeup service to alert guests as soon as the show begins. In daylight hours, there's plenty of frosty fun to be had, with husky safaris, skiing, ice fishing and snowmobiling among a full spread of adventurous options. Back at base, there are saunas and hot tubs to relax in after all the fun. 

Resort Details

Harriniva

Perched on the banks of the Muonio River, this simple yet cosy wilderness hotel comprises 64 comfortable rooms, some with private saunas, whose wood-cabin aesthetic is pure Scandinavia. It's also a convenient base for exploring the very best of the region's wild remotes, with activities ranging from husky sledding to Northern Lights safaris, and, in summer, hikes under the midnight sun.