Finland · DINNER EXPERIENCES
Good dinner experiences fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Visit Rovaniemi’s Arctic SnowHotel with an English or Finnish-speaking guide, see its ice suites and chapel, then dine in the Ice Restaurant. Choose elk, Arctic salmon, chicken, or vegan falafel. Return transfers, ice-bar access, and free time for sledding are included.
“Food was amazing and whole structure of ice hotel is mind blowing, brilliant trip”
From Rovaniemi, ride to a lakeside cabin for a traditional wood-fired sauna, brief ice swimming, towels and slippers, and smoked salmon cooked over an open fire. Evening departures from late October to mid-March add a Northern Lights possibility. Hosts may include Alex, Tanija, or Pedro.
“Easily one of the best part of our trip! Spent my birthday doing this activity and it was sooo worth it! Pedro picked us up from Rovaniemi center. We started on time and it was -17 degrees at that time. We were given clear instructions and started to change to go inside the Sauna. It was a wonderful experience. Also met lots of lovely people :) It is a memorable experience especially dipping in the ice lake with -17 degrees outside!! Did it for 2 times (25mins sauna then dip, repeat 2x then sauna at the end) After that, we went inside for a nice salmon meal and at the…”
Nordic Adventures takes you from central Rovaniemi to a remote Arctic lake for a wood-fired Finnish sauna, optional ice swimming or snow cooling, and a fire-cooked salmon dinner in a cottage. English-speaking guides such as Pedro, Mattia, Victor, and Tanja have led the outing. Evening departures run from late October to mid-March for a chance at auroras.
“This is one of the first things we did after we arrived in Rovaniemi and set us off to a great start. Our guide Pedro was kind and friendly, explained everything about how to use the sauna and how to go about dipping in the ice lake if we wanted to. Felt so energized and refreshed after going in the ice-cold water, definitely want to do it again. The lunch afterward was some of the best food we had whilst in Finland, definitely the best salmon. The sun came out halfway through our experience and the already beautiful view of the lake got even more beautiful.”
Enjoy a private Finnish sauna and hot outdoor jacuzzi beside a Lapland lake, then eat a traditional dinner in an old cottage. Hotel pickup, towels, robes, slippers, drinks, and an English-speaking host are included. Andreas, Dimitri, Andrei, and Elena have all helped make this a warm, personal evening.
“A must do when in lapland, such a nice evening and experience. Staff is very nice and the location is stunning ☺️”
Tina and Tapio host this small-group evening from Ivalo to their island home near Lake Inari. You will ride a reindeer-hide-covered sleigh, feed friendly reindeer, and eat local fish or reindeer in a traditional teepee while watching for the Northern Lights.
“Zonder noorderlicht (wat natuurlijk nooit te garanderen is) is deze tocht wat magertjes. Het is vooral een (koude) tocht over het meer in een slee achter een sneeuwscooter gevolgd door een tussenstop in een tipi tent met vuur waarop worstje/soep/brood worden klaargemaakt en waar je de gelegenheid krijgt 2 rendieren te voeren. Daarna nog paar minuten terug met de slee naar de auto die ons terugbracht naar de beginlocatie waar we onze dikke geleende pakken konden inleveren en daarna teruggebracht werden naar ons hotel. Als totaalpakket niet slecht als aanbod, maar in de praktijk zonder noorderlicht heeft het weinig om het lijf.”
Join an English-speaking guide for a seven-hour Arctic SnowHotel visit with return transfers, an ice hotel tour, private snow and Finnish saunas, an outdoor jacuzzi, and a three-course Lappish dinner by the fire. You’ll also have time for kick sledding, tobogganing, and northern lights spotting at Sky Bar.
“A new experience for the books. Worth every penny and the food was amazing!”
Enjoy a private three-hour evening from Rovaniemi with pickup, a three-course Finnish dinner by the fire in a glass igloo, and snow scooter riding on a frozen lake. Guides such as Andrew and Andrei handle transport, photos, and local tips. Northern Lights sightings depend on weather.
“Andrew and Katja were excellent and went above their jobs to make it an excellent time. Both very knowledgable with infomation and provided great service. Money well spent!!👍”
From Ivalo, your local guide outfits you in thermal gear before a snowmobile-pulled sleigh ride to a family island on Lake Inari. Meet reindeer, warm up with berry juice, and eat reindeer or salmon soup in a traditional teepee while watching for the aurora.
“We are very disappointed because we couldn't find any Northern Light on the trip.”
Spend two hours at Snowman World in Santa Claus Village, with ice skating, tubing, snow sculptures, and an ice bar. Then sit at an ice table for a three-course Lappish dinner, including mushroom soup, bread, and lingonberry-caramel bavaroise. English and Finnish hosts are available.
“Really cool experience! It was a 3 course meal and just as described. I had the elk and everything was very tasty. There is an ice disco bar in the restaurant as well. They served shots in shot glasses made of ice. The snow sculptures on the walls were very impressive! I had access to Snowman world and went on the large labyrinth slide. Bundle up because it's cold!”
Spend 6.5 hours at Rovaniemi’s Arctic SnowHotel with round-trip transfers, a guided hotel tour, private snow and Finnish sauna use, an outdoor jacuzzi, and a three-course dinner served among sculpted ice and snow. Choose elk, Arctic salmon, chicken, or vegan falafel.
“We felt that the overall experience was excellent and the Ice Hotel and snow sauna were very unique experiences. However, we were asked to be at the meeting point 1/2 hour prior to the start of the experience. That seemed somewhat excessive, but we were willing to do that to prevent any unnecessary delays. But when the bus transporting us came 15 to 20 minutes late, it meant that we had to stand out in the cold for approximately 45 minutes for absolutely no reason whatsoever. If you are going to demand punctuality from your guests, you should make sure that the transportation is punctual as well.Read more”
Travel from Saariselkä to Koppelo, then ride a covered snowmobile sleigh across frozen Lake Inari to a family-run island. Your guide prepares reindeer or salmon soup, sausages, dessert, and hot drinks in a Lappish teepee. Thermal clothing, reindeer feeding, and aurora watching are included.
“Great trip - including a wonderful sighting of the aurora. Really well organised - picked up and dropped back at our cabin in Saariselka, which was very helpful. Friendly, helpful guide for the trip, looked after us really well and gave us lots of interesting information while we drank our hot drinks and ate delicious reindeer stew. Warm suits provided but make sure you bring as many warm layers as you can as it gets really cold on the lake even so!”
Leave Rovaniemi by private vehicle for a three-course dinner by the fire in a glass igloo. Hosts Katerina, Katia, and Andrew have been praised for warm service, while snowmobile rides on a frozen lake add an active finish. Aurora sightings depend on cloud and sky conditions.
“Una celebración de cumpleaños en familia, inolvidable. Una comida estupenda, el guía súper atento y la experiencia final excepcional”
You’ll leave Rovaniemi by private vehicle for a candlelit glass igloo restaurant beside a frozen lake. Enjoy local snacks and dinner, then look for the Aurora from warmth indoors. A snowmobile ride may add extra excitement, and guides such as Andrew, Andre, and Ruslan have helped make evenings memorable.
“It was a great experience, I’m so glad that we did it. Our host picked us up from the hotel and gave us an exceptional service and nice dinner, showed us around and walked on the frozen lake, then dropped us off back to the hotel. Although we didn’t see the northern lights due to the weather, this was one of my most memorable experiences in Rovaniemi”
Travel about 30 kilometers from Rovaniemi to a private glass igloo beside a frozen lake. Your English-speaking guide arranges a three-course fire-cooked dinner, an aurora hunt by snow scooter, snacks, and a Santa Claus visit. Pickup is included, but snowmobile rides depend on safe ice.
“Cena deliziosa, atmosfera incantevole. Temperatura molto bassa, -25 gradi.. nonostante tutto anche i bambini di 8 e 5 anni si sono divertiti. Unica pecca è non aver potuto avere la guida in italiano.”
Leave Rovaniemi for a private Lappish evening beside an Arctic lake. Your English-speaking guide helps you heat a traditional wood-fired sauna, try a cold lake swim, and enjoy smoked salmon cooked over an open fire in a log cabin. Pickup, towels, slippers, and return transport are included.
“It’s not as scary as you think it might be. The guides explain everything and provide a wonderful meal. The others in our group felt like dear friends by the end of the evening.”
Pick a town, a machine, or a fire to sit beside.
