Summer break in Finland under the midnight sun

Spend long, languid days in Rovaniemi petting reindeer, visiting Santa and cuddling husky puppies

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From visiting Santa Claus' office to riding a husky cart through the forest, find out what you can do in summer in Rovaniemi, Finland.
Chat with Santa at Santa Claus village, a theme park with a petting zoo. At the Santa Claus' Reindeer summer camp, about 45 adult males roam freely in a 20ha forest compound and are tame enough to come when called. Ride a husky cart through the fores
At the Santa Claus' Reindeer summer camp, about 45 adult males roam freely in a 20ha forest compound and are tame enough to come when called. ST PHOTO: CLARA LOCK
Chat with Santa at Santa Claus village, a theme park with a petting zoo. At the Santa Claus' Reindeer summer camp, about 45 adult males roam freely in a 20ha forest compound and are tame enough to come when called. Ride a husky cart through the fores
Ride a husky cart through the forest around Bearhill Husky Kennel. ST PHOTO: CLARA LOCK
Chat with Santa at Santa Claus village, a theme park with a petting zoo. At the Santa Claus' Reindeer summer camp, about 45 adult males roam freely in a 20ha forest compound and are tame enough to come when called. Ride a husky cart through the fores
Chat with Santa at Santa Claus village, a theme park with a petting zoo. ST PHOTO: CLARA LOCK
The Temppeliaukio Church in Helsinki was carved out of natural bedrock and covered with a copper dome.
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It is midnight in Rovaniemi, Finland, and I am floating face up on a lake. Clouds drift slowly across a sky that never gets dark at this time of year.

I float for close to an hour, buoyed by a puffy red survival suit that makes me look like a teletubby on land, but keeps me warm and dry in the water. These neoprene suits are usually worn by crew on icebreaker ships. It keeps them afloat should they fall into the frigid water.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on August 18, 2019, with the headline Summer break in Finland under the midnight sun. Subscribe