If the first week of our Finland and Norway winter itinerary was all about adrenaline and chasing the Northern Lights, the final stretch was about slowing down, soaking in the incredible Arctic scenery, and enjoying some serious festive cheer even though we still travel long distance by bus and changes hotel daily.
Day 8: Snowy Fjords and Narvik before going into Sweden
We started day eight in Tromsø with a heavy breakfast of pancakes and warm omelets—essential fuel for another freezing day of exploration. Leaving the island city behind, we hit the road south towards the town of Narvik, Norway.
The drive itself is half the magic. We spent hours winding through towering, snow-covered mountains that plunge directly into icy, dark blue fjords. We pulled over multiple times just to stand in the freezing wind, snapping selfies and trying to capture the sheer scale of the landscape.
After awhile, we arrived at Narvik, an ice free port town in norway with a really beautiful backdrop as the sun was setting at like 2pm. We had our Lunch at the nearby mall and shopped like 2hrs then out enjoying the beautiful twilight hours.
After which, we continued our journey to Sweden Kiruna, which is also one of the famous spot for Auroras. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t really good and thick fog was covering that area. The temperature in Kiruna hits -23 degree Celsius which was the coldest that we have ever experienced! We checked in Scandic Kiruna and had dinner at the hotel, after that we had some free time to roam around the town. Most shops are closed by then and it was super cold outside, the experience seems like everyone walking in the freezer, we can only last for awhile walking outside before quickly seeking shelter for warmth.
Day 9: Back to Rovaniemi & Festive Comforts
On day nine, we crossed back into Finland, making our way to where the adventure first began: Rovaniemi. Before that we stopped by the Ice hotel near Kiruna for photo taking and toilet break!
the journey back to Rovaniemi is about 4hr or so , and we took breaks along the way for lunch as well.
Back in Rovaniemi, we stayed at the same hotel we initially stayed on day1. Had chinese food for dinner and walked around the city center enjoying the cold weather and the Christmas vibes one last time before leaving the next day.
Do check out the northern most Mcdonalds there in Rovaniemi!
Day 10: Souvenirs, Tax Refunds, and the Journey Home
Our final day was all about wrapping up the logistics. We spent the morning doing some last-minute shopping in Rovaniemi—picking up thick winter clothes, souvenirs, and even some car air fresheners to take a scent of the trip home. We spent a good chunk of time sorting out our tax refunds before finally heading to the airport.
Checking our heavily packed bags and boarding our flight felt bittersweet. As we took off towards Istanbul on our way back to humid Singapore, looking down at the endless white pine forests receding below us, we knew this Finland and Norway winter itinerary was one we would never forget.
Miss the other part? Read it here:
Part 1 – Finland, Norway Winter Day 1-3
Part 2 – Finland, Norway winter day 4-7
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