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Snowman World Santa Claus Village

We had initially not planned on going to Snowman World Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi. However, a chance email with the Snowhotel told me that we would get in for free as we were staying with them. So during our visit to Santa Claus Village, we decided to try it out. I am so glad we did as the boys had an absolute blast. It was the highlight of our visit to Santa Claus Village. If you are planning on adding some snowy fun for th kids on your Lapland holiday then this frozen world of snow should be on the list.

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Where is Snowman World?

The Winter wonderland is part of Santa Claus Village, which is located 8km from Rovaniemi city center in Finland. If you are driving then you can use the address 96930, Rovaniemi to find it. Once in Santa Claus Village, you can find Snowman world next to the reindeer park a short walk from the entrance.

How do you get to Snowman World Rovaniemi?

We built our own trip to Lapland Finland as we did not want to be limited by the parameters of a package deal. However, we did not hire a car as travelling just before Christmas we knew a lot of snow was expected. We got a tax instead from our hotel which was located outside of central Rovaniemi (the wrong side for Santas Village). It cost us 32€ for around 11km journey. It took around fifteen minutes by car it is only a short drive. If you would like to drive then there is free parking available.

Alternatively, if you are staying in the centre then you are able to get the Santa Claus Bus to Santa’s Village. The Santa express bus leaves from Rovaniemi train station and will also stop at Santa Park. You can find out more information on the Santa Claus Bus on their website. You can purchase tickets on th bus in either cash or cards. It costs 4€ per adult one way or 7€ return and 2€ per child one way or 3€ return. Alternatively, the local bus number 8 bus also calls at both locations. More about the Linkkari bus can be found on the Rovaniemi transport website.

Opening times for Snowman World

Unlike Santa Claus Village, Snowman World is not open all year round. Since you need an element of snow and ice to make it work! When we visited it opened on the 6th of December through to March the 19th. During peak days from opening until the 6th of January, it is open from 10 am to 8 pm and then from the 7th of January from 11 am to 7 pm. You can check the opening times for your visit on the Snowman World website.

How much does it cost?

Entrance costs 28€ per person and this gives you entrance for the whole day. Allowing you to leave and reenter if needed. This is the price for everyone over the age of two. Children under the age of two have free entry. As we were staying at the Snowhotel later on in our Lapland Holiday we got free entry to Snowman World. If you are doing the same then all you need to do is to go to the admission desk and give your name and date of staying. This is because both Snowman World and the Arctic Snowhotel are run by the same people. There is even a Snowhotel showroom.

Once you have paid you are given a wristband which you need to wear for the duration of your visit. The wristband will also allow you to reenter.

What age is Snowman World good for?

The boys were aged 10 and 6 when we visited. Although the pricing would suggest that it is suitable for children over the age of 2. I would suggest you are looking at ages 4 to 5 up to early teenage years, to really make the most of Snowman World Rovaniemi. As the activities are much more suited to this age group. Most of the children we saw were within this bracket.

How long do you need at Snowman World?

We spent around two hours at Snowman World Rovaniemi. Although we could have stayed a lot longer. Especially if you decide to eat in the ice restaurant. The boys would have happily played on the slides constantly. So if you are planning your schedule I would suggest you should allow at least 2-3 hours to fully enjoy all the ice world has to offer.

What is there to do at Snowman World?

It is not that big but there is quite a lot of fun activities to do at Snowman World all of which are included in the entrance price. The only additional costs are for drinks in the ice bar.

Inside ice slides
Ice sculptures and carvings
Snow slides one small and one large
Ice skating
A labyrinth made of ice
Snowman World Ice Bar
For the adults an ice disco
Ice Restuarant

Our Visit to Snowman World Rovaniemi

During our visit, we did all of these apart from eating in the ice restaurant and the ice disco. There is a map as you enter so that you can make sure you tick everything off. The ice slide is inside a large room made of ice. It was very popular with the kids. Although the boy’s favourite was by far the snow slide outside that can be used with snow tubes.

We tried the small one first but it wasn’t long until they were going down the big snow slide. There were plenty of snow tubes when we visited and the boys did not have to wait too long to have a go. The large slide had staff on hand to make sure the kids went down safely. This was definitely the main attraction for the boys.

We discovered ice skating a little by chance. You help yourself to skates and there are a couple of little supports to help those not keen. The husband and I managed to walk on the ice and help th boys. Especially Harry who is a little like Bambi on ice. Although he really enjoyed moving around the rink. Sometimes there are also snowman characters to help guide you around.

There is an ice bar where you can buy non-alcoholic cocktails for 5€ or alcoholic cocktails for 10€ both served in ice drinking glasses. If you would prefer something hot they also serve hot chocolate at 5€ and also Golgi at 10€. You get to sit in seats made out of ice with ice tables. The walls have intricate ice carvings. Our last stop was the labyrinth which is on the small side. But the boys enjoyed getting lost.

Tips for visiting Snowman World

We visited around lunchtime when it was quiet, meaning the boys could enjoy the slides as much as they wanted.
Make sure you remember gloves, snoods and hats. It is worth having a spare pair of gloves and a snood so you can swap them out. As they get wet very quickly.
Sledges are not allowed in Snowman World so do the negotiation beforehand.
You can book and pay for your entrance online in advance. Numbers are capped so if you want to visit on a particular day then this may be worth considering. We just turned up and gave details on the day. There were also people paying to go in ahead of us.
There is a cafe as well as an ice restaurant if you are looking for snacks for the children the cafe may be more appropriate. There is also a small gift shop for souvenirs.
As much as the kids are having the best time make sure you take some time to see the artistic ice sculptures.
There is free wi-fi to encourage you to share your adventure on social media.

There are lots of other things to do at Santa Claus Village Finland. These include husky ride, reindeer rides, the Santa Claus office where you can meet Father Christmas, the arctic circle snowmobile park and the Santa Claus main post office.