What to Wear in Lapland: Finland Winter Packing Guide

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This post includes everything you need to know about what to wear in Lapland, Finland. From thermal layers to fluffy socks, I’ve got you covered for your upcoming trip to the wonderful Arctic Circle.

When we first booked our trip to Finland during winter, one thing I struggled with was finding a definitive list telling me what to wear in Lapland.

I read pretty early on that temperatures can drop to as low as 30°C in Rovaniemi, so I needed to be prepared!

The winter weather in Lapland, Finland is seriously, seriously cold. You do not want to be in a position where you feel uncomfortably freezing.

Layer up, layer up again and then layer up some more.

But as someone who hadn’t even been skiing, I had no idea where to start when it came to packing for Lapland. 

How many layers do I need?

Do I need snow boots?

Please don’t tell me I have to wear a balaclava?!

I was clueless.

That’s why I’ve written this definitive guide to packing for Lapland, Arctic weather and a freezing cold Finland winter. 

Visiting Finland for the first time? I’ve got you! Check out my most popular posts here:

• What to Wear in Lapland: Finland Winter Packing Guide
• 16 Fun Things to do in Helsinki in Winter
• 18 Unmissable Things to do in Rovaniemi, Finland
• 11 Top Tips for Visiting Finland for the First Time
• 16 Fun Things to do in Helsinki in Winter

What to wear in Lapland

Can I hire warm clothes?

You CAN hire clothes in Lapland, but it’s going to be inconvenient and pricy.

If you book any type of activity (huskies, reindeer, Northern Lights…) you will be provided with a warm overall and snow boots for free.

But then you’ll have to return it at the end of the tour, so it’s only for a few hours.

If you want to hire anything else, it’s not easy to do, and it’s going to cost a lot of money.

In my opinion, it’s worth buying as much of it as you can, as you don’t want to be caught short in the cold.

HOWEVER, if you have a package holiday booked, there is a high chance they will provide all Arctic clothing for you. This is a HUGE money-saving hack, and something definitely worth looking into.

🗺️ My worldwide must-have: A wheelie backpack! Check out my favourite, the Osprey 65L wheeled backpack. It’s dreamy for long-term trips and when you need more than a carry-on!

What I wore in Lapland day-to-day

I found it so hard to find an easy to read, quick and definitive guide explaining what to wear in Lapland.

So I wanted to write a quick go-to list of exactly what I wore in Lapland to keep warm on a daily basis.

I also wore these clothes when visiting Helsinki, Finland’s capital city.

Remember the key point here…layers. And lots of them!!

🗺️ My worldwide must-have: Well, it’s a little more advanced, but if you want to take high-quality photos, make sure you invest in a good camera. This doesn’t have to be thousands of pounds, and our favourite is the Canon EOS 6D Mark II.

Upper body:

• A sports bra
• Base Layer 1: T-shirt or vest top
• Base Layer 2: Thermal or any long sleeved top, as long as it’s decent quality
• Top Layer: A thermal or thick jumper (hoody, fleece etc)
• Outer Layer: A 650+ filler coat (make sure you have one that ZIPS up, has a hood and will keep your warm to at least -30 degrees Celcius).

Lower body:

• Thermal leggings (or regular leggings, as long as they’re thick!)
• Thermal trousers (so important! I went out without them one day and my thighs went bright red by the end of the day 😭)
• Thick socks (if you have proper snow boots, they don’t necessarily need to be thermal)
• Snow boots (vital if you’re planning on visiting in winter. The snow can be up to 2m deep so you MUST have appropriate footwear.)

🗺️ My worldwide must-have: A portable power bank. Don’t get caught short and lose your phone battery whilst travelling! If you’re solo travelling, you’re going to rely on it to get you from A to B.

Head/face/hands:

• Fleece lined wooly hat
• A snood to keep your face warm (I couldn’t step outside without my snood, my face would just freeze)
• Gloves (thin base layer for taking photos, using your phone)
• Thick mittens/gloves as a top layer for your hands (I always wore 2 pairs. My hands were freezing without!)
• Handwarmers (ok not vital, but they were so cosy for cold days!)
• Sunglasses (it might be cold but it gets bright!)

As you can see, it is not vital to have EVERYTHING thermal to wear in Lapland. I spent so much money buying everything overly-expensive and I regretted it.

Some days I just wore long-sleeved gym tops as my base layer, and because I was wearing so many layers, I was more than warm enough.

Oh, and don’t forget your swimsuit if you want to hit up the saunas!

What I wore in Lapland in the evenings

Well, I made a complete mistake when it came to clothes for the evenings in Lapland.

I thought I’d be clever taking nice evening clothes and trainers, but did I wear them? Absolutely not.

The snow in Finland in winter is thick. So thick. Like, up to my hips thick.

Even for our evening meals, we prepped and put on all of our layers (maybe one less) and laced up our life-saving snow boots.

I think my feet may have turned into ice cubes without them.

So, to put it simply, I did not need in Lapland:

• Trainers
• Jeans (way too cold for that, unless you’re staying in a resort and don’t need to step outside)
• Dresses
• Anything hair related (straightners, curlers…your hair is covered 99% of the time by your hat, and then it gets ruined in the snow anyway. Embrace it!)

🗺️ My world travel must-have: The tap water around the world isn’t always safe to drink, so I use my filter water bottle pretty much every day to keep myself hydrated. I take it everywhere with me, and it works in every country where you can’t drink tap water!

What I wore in Lapland: Tips for Packing

1. Use packing cubes

Wondering how you’re going to first all of this in your suitcase?

I was the same!

I use a 65L Osprey backpack for all of my travels, and my thick jumpers were not fitting in easily.

And then I found…packing cubes.

They will change your packing game forever.

If you’re visiting Lapland during the winter, packing cubes are a must for fitting everything into your bag.

Buy my favourite packing cubes here.

🗺️ Booking hostels? I always use Hostelworld as their deals are usually the cheapest. They also have reviews from other backpackers, and explain the vibe of the hostel (party, chill, social…) so you know exactly what you’re booking.

2. Take a tripod

Even if you’re not an avid Instagrammer, I’d recommend taking a tripod.

Not only are the aesthetics of Lapland incredible (stay tuned for an expert guide on snow photography coming soon), but taking photos in the snow can be a tricky game.

It’s freezing cold, you need to keep your hands warm in your gloves, and fiddling around with a camera is the last thing you’ll want to do.

Take a tripod, set it up to be dug into the snow, and leave it taking shots.

Your hands will thank you!

🗺️ My worldwide must-have: Solo travelling but still want to take photos?  📸 I’ve found the most perfect adjustable tripod that’s lightweight and easy to set up (you don’t want any awkward moments alone, I know how it feels!)

3. Wear most of your layers on the plane to save space in your bag

If you’re visiting Lapland from overseas, you’re going to have to buy baggage for the plane.

There’s just no way you can fit everything you’ll need into your hand luggage. Sorry.

But, to save space, wear a few layers on the plane. Especially your snow boots and big snow coat.

If you’re not feeling wearing your snow boots the entire time, take some small slip-on shoes for the plane/onward journey and tie your snow boots onto your bag.

Or if you’re like me, just wear your snow boots 24/7.

Check out my recent post Tips for First Time Flyers (+ Solo Travel Advice!) if you’re worried about flying solo.

🌎 Looking for a carry-on bag to hold everything you need for your flight? I spent YEARS looking for a good carry-on that’s accepted by all airlines, and I finally found it. I couldn’t fault this Aerolite backpack!

What to wear in Lapland: FAQs

What do you wear under a snowsuit in Finland?

Treat your snowsuit as your most outer layer (ie your coat). Wear all other base layers underneath. This could include a vest/t-shirt, a long-sleeved thermal or regular top and a thick jumper.

If you’re still booking flights, I recommend checking lastminute.com for the latest deals. Recently, we were able to save £50 on our flights just by booking through Last Minute!

What shoes do you wear for Finland?

Snow boots. Especially if you are visiting in the winter months. The snow can be up to 2m deep, and you don’t want to be tackling that in your trainers.

🗺️ My world travel must-have: Whilst out during the day, I use a tote bag to hold my belongings like my camera, notebook, purse and Microfibre towel. It’s easier to pack away than a big beach bag, and can be neatly tucked away when you don’t need it!

Can you wear makeup in Finland?

You can, but be prepared for weird things to happen 😂

I wore mascara on a day when it was -27 degrees Celsius in Rovaniemi, and the condensation from my breath froze onto my mascara, leaving it in little icicles. The second I stepped inside, it melted down my face and left me looking like a panda.

However, in Helsinki where the temperatures were a bit higher, I found it easier to wear make-up.

But overall, any makeup you normally wear is ok to wear in Finland.

🌎 Travelling for the first time? You’re in the right place! Check out my essential travel kit for EVERY type of trip, big or small!

Do you need ski goggles in Lapland?

No, you do not need ski goggles in Lapland.

This is down to personal preference.

We saw some people wearing ski goggles, but the majority weren’t. We found we didn’t need them, we just wore regular sunglasses on brighter days.

🗺️ My worldwide must-have:  I use my Insta Mini 11 to take photos on all of my trips. As they print instantly, they’re perfect for making a scrapbook and writing in all your favourite and funniest memories. I’ve even got my boyfriend joining in on it now too!

Can you wear contact lenses in Lapland?

Yes. Contact lenses are fine to wear in Lapland, although you can wear ski goggles to be on the safe side.

How do you keep warm in Lapland?

Layers, layers and more layers.

It’s not as complicated as the Internet makes it out to be, and you definitely don’t need to spend a fortune.

If you can’t afford Merino wool, that’s ok! Regular long-sleeved tops are ok, but just take a few extra in case you do feel the cold. Just keep layering!

What do you wear to Rovaniemi?

Rovaniemi is a city in Lapland (it’s actually the capital of the Arctic), so you can wear all of the same items listed in this post.

We stayed in Rovaniemi for seven days and followed the exact guidelines of this post. We didn’t get cold once!

(Well, apart from the day I accidentally only wore my H&M leggings outside and forgot my thermal trousers).

Want to see the Northern Lights in Lapland? Sadly, we didn’t get to see them, but one of my favourite bloggers did! You can check out their amazing guide here!

What to wear in Lapland: In a Nutshell

There you go, the definitive guide to knowing what to wear in Lapland and exactly what to pack for your sub-zero degree trip!

As long as you take layers, layers and more layers, snow boots, a hat, gloves, a snood, a big coat…ok well, pretty much everything on this list, you’ll be golden.

Packing for Lapland is important stuff, and you don’t want to end up ruining your time in Finland because you forgot a few layers.

Pack heavy (I know I’m normally telling you to pack light) and stay warm!

Oh, and have the BEST time. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Happy travelling!

Jennie 🙂 x

Backpacking for the first time? I’ve got you! Check out my most popular posts here:

• Making Friends in Hostels: A Complete Guide
• Tips for Staying in Hostels: A First Timer’s Guide
• Backpacking Essentials & Packing List
• Tips for Travelling Abroad for the First Time

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