Inspiration programme · Draft 2
Rovaniemi · February 2028
Prepared for Space Viagens · Portugal
Rovaniemi is the easy way into the Arctic: a short flight, a fifteen-minute transfer from the airport, and the snowy wilderness right on the edge of town.
We have built this programme around one simple idea: the wow comes from the moments, not from long bus rides. Transfers stay short, so the time goes to the reindeer, the huskies, the frozen rivers and the sky.
On the activity days the group travels in two smaller teams, so nobody queues and everyone has time to enjoy each experience at their own pace. And every evening is a dining experience, because this is a group that loves good food and a good party.
Travel window: 7–20 February 2028, exact dates to be confirmed. Three nights core programme, with an optional fourth night. Portuguese-speaking guides throughout.
Getting oriented
Finland sits in the far north of Europe, between Sweden, Norway and Russia, with the Baltic Sea to the south. Like Portugal, it is part of the European Union, the Schengen area and the euro zone, so there is no currency to change.
It is a country of forests and lakes: around three quarters of the land is covered by forest, and the sauna is part of everyday life – Finnish sauna culture is on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Finland has also been named the world's happiest country in the World Happiness Report for nine years in a row (2018–2026).
Lapland is Finland's northernmost region and covers about a third of the country, yet fewer than 200,000 people live there. Rovaniemi is its capital and the natural gateway to the Arctic.
Getting oriented
Rovaniemi is the capital of Finnish Lapland, right on the Arctic Circle in the far north of Europe, where the Kemijoki and Ounasjoki rivers meet. It is a lively small city of around 65,000 inhabitants, surrounded by forest, frozen lakes and rolling fells.
Rovaniemi Airport is only a short drive from the city hotels. Our Portuguese-speaking team meets the group on arrival and takes care of all transfers on the ground, from the first welcome to the last goodbye.
In February the landscape is deep in snow and the light is soft and blue. Temperatures are usually between −5 °C and −20 °C, but with proper thermal clothing, which is included, it feels crisp rather than cold. Days are already growing longer, with around seven to nine hours of daylight, and long, dark evenings for the Northern Lights.
Arctic care
Nobody needs to bring Arctic gear from Portugal. We take care of everything the group needs to feel comfortable outdoors in the Lapland winter, so the guests can simply enjoy.
Thermal overall, winter boots, mittens, a warm hat and woollen socks for every guest, fitted on arrival and worn throughout the stay.
A simple guide on what to pack and wear underneath, sent well before the trip.
A clear safety briefing before every activity, and experienced local guides who know the conditions.
Hot drinks by the fire and warm indoor or kota breaks during the outdoor activities.
Timing and content of each activity are adjusted to the temperature and conditions on the day.
Our local, Portuguese-speaking team stays with the group throughout the programme.
Programme
Example programme – activities can be swapped from the menu below.
Day 1 · Arrival
Arrival at Rovaniemi Airport around 17:00. Our Portuguese-speaking team gives the group a warm welcome, followed by a short transfer to the hotels and check-in.
A gourmet introduction to modern Lappish cuisine at one of Rovaniemi's finest restaurants: Arctic char, reindeer, wild berries and the flavours of the northern forest.
Day 2 · The group splits into two teams
Team A visits a reindeer farm for a reindeer sleigh ride, meets the husky team for a husky sledge ride, and then crosses the Arctic Circle at Santa Claus Village.
Team B heads out on a snowmobile safari through snowy forests and across frozen rivers, two guests per snowmobile, with a sleigh option for those who would rather not drive.
Lunch along the way, Lappish style, then back to the city hotels in the afternoon.
Dinner at a characterful local restaurant away from the tourist trail, a short walk from the hotels, with time afterwards to enjoy the city by night.
Day 3 · Farewell evening
After breakfast, the teams swap: Team A goes snowmobiling, while Team B meets the reindeer and huskies and visits Santa Claus Village.
Lunch along the way. In the afternoon, check-out from the city hotels, with luggage taken directly to the glass igloos so everyone travels light to the gala evening.
A characterful log lodge on the bank of the Ounasjoki river, 14 km north of Rovaniemi, used exclusively for the group. The courtyard becomes a village of kota tepees with open fires, and salmon is flame-cooked on wooden planks by the fire as part of a three-course Lappish buffet. Warm indoor seating at long wooden tables by the big fireplace, and space for the CEO's speech. Then, just when you think the evening is over, the Northern Lights Disco begins, with a DJ and light show. Afterwards, a short transfer to the glass igloos for a night beneath the open sky.
Sample gala menu
Day 4 · Departure
Wake up in the glass igloo, followed by a relaxed breakfast and a free morning to enjoy at your own pace. Farewell lunch, then transfer to the airport for the late-afternoon flights, departing around 17:00.
Programme highlight · Day 2 & 3
No trip to Rovaniemi is complete without a visit to Santa Claus Village, Santa's official home town, where the Arctic Circle runs straight through the main square.
Each team spends time here as part of its reindeer and husky day: a visit to meet Santa Claus, a moment to step, jump or dance across the Arctic Circle line, and time to send postcards from Santa's Main Post Office, stamped with the special Arctic Circle postmark.
Optional · Rovaniemi city
Arktikum is Rovaniemi's science centre and museum, set on the bank of the Ounasjoki river, a short walk from the city hotels. Its long glass gallery reaches out towards the river, and the exhibitions open a window onto Arctic nature, the northern peoples and life in Lapland.
A guided visit fits easily into a free moment in the programme, for example on the arrival day or the optional fourth day, and the café serves northern lunch.
Farewell highlight · Day 3
Poropirtti is a beautiful log building on the bank of the Ounasjoki river, about 14 km north of Rovaniemi. The historic log building dates back to 1887, and inside there are long wooden tables and benches and a large open fireplace.
For the farewell night the whole venue is reserved for the group. Outside, kota tepees and open fires fill the courtyard and salmon is flame-cooked on wooden planks; inside, candlelit tables, room for the CEO's speech, and later the Northern Lights Disco with a DJ and light show.
Dining in Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi has a surprisingly rich restaurant scene for a city of its size, from modern Arctic cuisine to cosy Lappish log houses. Arctic char, reindeer, king crab and wild berries feature on many menus. The final choice of restaurants for each evening will be confirmed with the detailed proposal.
Accommodation
The accommodation follows the rhythm of the programme: two nights in comfortable city hotels, then one unforgettable final night under the Arctic sky. One move only, no back and forth.
City hotels close to each other in the heart of Rovaniemi, within easy walking distance of restaurants and the riverside. See the hotel options below.
The final night in glass igloos for the whole group, spread over two to three igloo sites, after the farewell gala. Watch the sky from your bed and, with a little luck, the Northern Lights dancing overhead. Please note: a glass igloo night for a group of this size has a significant cost impact and depends on availability for the final dates. Most glass igloos are built around a double bed, so real twin beds for all sharing guests may be limited. Single use of an igloo is available with a supplement.
Final hotels will be confirmed with the detailed proposal, subject to availability for the group.
A city hotel right in the centre of Rovaniemi, where the city and nature meet. Everything is within walking distance, and the rooms are a calm place to return to in the evening.
A new, warm-hearted hotel in the heart of Rovaniemi, right next to Hotel Santa Claus and connected to it by a covered walkway. Calm, high-quality rooms in the middle of city life.
A legendary hotel in the heart of Rovaniemi, right on the bank of the Kemijoki river. An icon of Lapland hospitality that combines northern aesthetics with modern comfort.
For the night under the Arctic sky we are looking at the following properties. The group will most likely be spread over two to three sites; the final choice depends on capacity and availability once the travel dates are confirmed.
A glass igloo hotel in Santa Claus Village, a few minutes' walk from the village square. Watch the Northern Lights, the starry sky or softly falling snow from your bed.
Rovaniemi's premier glass igloo resort on the Arctic Circle, about 17 km from the city. Glass-roofed Aurora Cabins, design suites and reindeer rides through snowy forests, all in one place.
An iconic design hotel on the Arctic Circle that blends Nordic design, Lappish heritage and pure northern nature. Panoramic windows open onto the forest and the Arctic sky.
Alternative
If the igloo night does not fit the budget, the dates or the rooming, the group can stay all three nights in the city hotels, with real twin rooms for everyone and no hotel change. In place of the igloo night we would create a special Arctic moment for the whole group, for example an evening aurora hunt by the campfire, or a visit to an ice and snow hotel with a drink at the ice bar. We will present both options with costs in the detailed proposal, so your client can choose.
Northern Lights
No one can promise the Aurora, but February in Rovaniemi gives the group several genuine chances. The outdoor gala evening and the night in the glass igloos that follows are both made for looking up, and our guides keep an eye on the conditions throughout the stay.
Optional
An extra day for those who would like to linger. For example: a traditional Finnish sauna with an ice-hole dip, a visit to an ice and snow hotel with a drink at the ice bar, or an evening aurora hunt by the campfire.
And, of course, another dinner experience in the evening.
Activity menu
The days above are one example of how the programme could flow. Rovaniemi offers many more experiences, and we would love to hear which ones your client would enjoy most. We will build the final days around their favourites.
All activities are subject to weather, ice conditions and availability for the final dates.
Designed for this group
This is a group of top performers who have seen many incentives. What they will remember is not how much was packed in, but how it felt.
So there is no team-building and no rushing. Two smaller teams mean short waits and room to breathe; short transfers mean more time in the snow; and every evening brings a table worth gathering around, with plenty of reasons to celebrate.
The concept
What happens next
You tell us which moments your client loves and what to change.
We confirm dates, hotels and igloo capacity once the arrival date is known.
We send the detailed proposal with itemised costs.
Our aim is a programme that feels effortless: short distances, smaller teams, long tables and big skies. Every element here can be shaped around your client's wishes — this is a first draft to inspire, and we look forward to refining it together.
Rovaniemi · February 2028
Prepared for Space Viagens · Portugal
All accommodation, activities and services are subject to availability at the time of confirmation.