Practical tips for Rovaniemi in winter

Finland is part of the European Union and uses the euro, so for many visitors the basics are familiar. A few things in Rovaniemi work differently from what you might expect, though, and some of them matter more in winter: where to get cash, what is open over Christmas, and why the river in the middle of town is not a place for a walk.

Money and cards

The euro has been Finland's currency since 2002. If you arrive with pounds, dollars or kronor, plan ahead: Visit Rovaniemi says there are no currency exchange offices in Rovaniemi at all. The nearest place in Finland to change foreign cash is Tampere, six to seven hours away by train, and banks in Rovaniemi only order currency for their own customers. There are cash machines in the city centre, at the airport and in Santa Claus Village. The machine at the airport also dispenses some other currencies, but it cannot change your money into euros.

In practice you rarely need cash. Most places in Rovaniemi accept cards, and some are completely cashless and take only card or mobile payments such as Apple Pay or MobilePay. Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted cards in Finland. A sign saying “Ei käteistä” means no cash. A few coins can still be handy: city buses accept cash, while the airport bus and Santa's Express do not.

Tipping is not expected. Visit Finland says service is always included in the bill, in Lapland as much as in Helsinki. People sometimes round up the bill when the service was very good.

Emergencies and health

The emergency number is 112, for an ambulance, the fire service or the police. The Lapland safety brochure, which Visit Rovaniemi says was written by the Lapland Rescue Department, recommends installing the 112 app on your phone, because it helps the emergency services find you faster. Keep the phone in an inside pocket: cold drains the battery quickly.

For health problems that are urgent but not life-threatening, call the medical helpline 116 117 first, without a country code. It gives an urgent health assessment anywhere in Lapland. The emergency room at Lapland Central Hospital is open around the clock, and you should bring your passport or ID card if you are sent there. A breakdown or a car stuck in the snow is not a case for 112: call a towing service.

Time, power, phone and water

Finland is on Eastern European Time, UTC+2 in winter, which is one hour ahead of Germany and the rest of Central Europe. Santa Claus Village gives its event times in UTC+2 as well. By the calendar, the clocks go back on Sunday 25 October 2026 and forward again on Sunday 28 March 2027, which is Easter Sunday.

Mains power is 230 volts at 50 Hz, and VTT, the state research centre that keeps Finland's official time, says plugs and sockets are the same as in the continental EU countries. Under the EU roaming rules, phones from other EU and EEA countries work at domestic prices or with a small capped surcharge. Tap water is safe to drink, and Visit Rovaniemi says there is no need to buy bottled water during your stay.

Citizens of EU and EEA countries can enter with a valid passport or national ID card. Others may need a visa, and since 10 April 2026 non-EU travellers on short stays are registered by the EU's Entry/Exit System at the Schengen external border. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland has the details for each country.

Alcohol and Alko

Finland sells alcohol under strict rules. Supermarkets and other licensed shops may sell fermented drinks, such as beer, wine and cider, up to 8 per cent alcohol, and other alcoholic drinks up to 5.5 per cent. Anything stronger, and wine above 8 per cent, is sold only by Alko, a chain owned by the Finnish state. You must be 18 to buy drinks of up to 22 per cent, and 20 to buy everything else. Alko checks the age of everyone who looks younger than 30, including every member of a group.

A change in the law in June 2026 allows Alko shops to open on any day of the year between 09:00 and 21:00, although hours differ from shop to shop. The Alko in Rovaniemi city centre opens on Sundays from 12:00 to 18:00.

Shops and public holidays

According to Visit Rovaniemi, supermarkets and department stores in town are generally open from 08:00 to 21:00 on weekdays and from 09:00 to 21:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. Smaller specialist shops keep shorter hours, usually 10:00 to 18:00 on weekdays, 10:00 to 16:00 on Saturdays and 12:00 to 16:00 on Sundays. Most shops have limited hours on public holidays, and many close at Christmas and Easter. The Santa Claus Office Shop at the Arctic Circle is the exception: it is open every day of the year.

The public holidays in the 2026/27 winter are Independence Day on Sunday 6 December, Christmas Day and Boxing Day on 25 and 26 December, New Year's Day, Epiphany on 6 January and Easter from Good Friday, 26 March, to Easter Monday, 29 March 2027. Christmas Eve is not an official church holiday, but it is a paid day off for many Finns and the main day of the Finnish Christmas. Our Christmas page lists what is open around the holidays.

Visit Rovaniemi adds that the town has no central booking system for accommodation and recommends contacting hotels directly, early, for the Christmas and New Year period.

Nature, ice and everyman's rights

Finland's everyman's rights let you walk, ski and move around on frozen lakes and rivers in the countryside without asking the landowner, and you may fish through the ice with hook and line. They do not let you drive a motor vehicle off the road, light a fire on someone else's land or disturb animals. Maintained cross-country ski tracks are for skiers only, so do not walk or sledge on them.

Being allowed on the ice does not make it safe. In Rovaniemi the city spells this out. It says it is not safe to go onto the river ice in the central area, and that between the Jätkänkynttilä Bridge and the railway bridge the ice is dangerous all winter. The current under it is strong, and more water is sometimes released for hydropower, so the ice may never thicken properly. Footprints on the ice do not prove that it holds. If you see someone out on the river in town, the city asks you to tell them to go back to the shore at once.

To stand on a frozen lake, go with a guide: ice fishing trips, snowshoe walks and ice floating tours use places where local operators know the ice. Our page on getting around covers walking on icy streets, and the guide to what to wear explains layers, boots and what tours lend you.