The second week of January is one of the quietest and most underrated times to stay in Rovaniemi. The Christmas and New Year rush is over, Epiphany on Wednesday 6 January has passed, the daylight is slowly returning, and the cold is often at its most serious. If you want a calm winter week with a kitchen, a washing machine and a dryer for your snowsuits, a self-catering apartment is the sensible base. Check live dates for 8–17 January 2027 on Airbnb or Booking.com, and use the rest of this guide to decide whether that week suits your family.

What is the second week of January like in Rovaniemi?

Practically, the second week of January is the first fully ordinary week of the year. Epiphany (6 January) is a public holiday in Finland, and the following days are the return to normal life: shops and services run to their usual hours, schools and offices are back, and the town feels like itself rather than a Christmas set.

The light is changing. The polar-night low point is behind you, and each day brings more daylight than the one before, although it is still short compared with March. Our guide to Rovaniemi daylight by month shows the pattern. For aurora hunters, long dark evenings remain, and a darker hill in Korkalovaara helps: on a strong night the lights can show from the yard, though no one can promise them.

Temperatures are often the coldest of the winter. That is not a reason to skip the trip, but it is a reason to pack properly and to value a flat with a tumble dryer. Our post on a cold snap at minus 25 in an apartment covers what to do when the thermometer drops.

Who this week suits

Based on how the week is shaped, we would suggest it to:

• Families who want less of a crowd. It is after the Christmas and New Year peak, so the town is calmer.
• Remote workers who want a month or a few weeks. Our flat has fast Wi-Fi, and our post on working remotely from a family holiday apartment explains the setup.
• Photographers and aurora-minded guests. Long nights and few other lights nearby.
• Couples and friends who want to cook and stay in as much as they go out.
• Anyone whose school or work calendar forces January.

It is not the best fit for guests who want every attraction in its busiest mode, or who are expecting festive atmosphere. For that, December is the month, and we cover it in other posts.

Booking realities for a mid-January week

We never quote nightly prices for Nine Pines because they are dynamic and change by date; the live price on Airbnb or Booking.com is the only reliable answer. We would also not promise that mid-January is cheaper, although many travellers find that the weeks after the holidays can be easier to book. What we do suggest is to compare a few start days. A Friday-to-Friday week and a Sunday-to-Sunday week can price differently, and some start days are simply easier to fill. Our post on prices changing by date explains why.

For a week with children, seven nights is a good unit. For a short break, three or four nights is realistic. See also how many nights to stay in a Rovaniemi apartment.

A week in the flat: how it works

The first night is about arrival. Check-in is from 16:00, at any hour including late at night, through a code lockbox; the code and a photo guide come three days before you arrive. Our hosts live a few minutes away and usually reply within the hour.

After that, a simple rhythm works well:

• Morning: a slow breakfast at the dining table, coffee from the coffee machine, a plan for one outdoor block in the daylight.
• Midday: outside. The forest trails are a few minutes from the door for walking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, and the Korkalovaara hills have sledging (ask for a sledge).
• Afternoon: back in, clothes into the washer and dryer, supper from the two nearby stores, K-Market and Sale.
• Evening: a quiet home. Quiet hours run from 22:00 to 07:00.

If you want an easy winter structure for the whole week, our week-by-week winter 2026/27 guide sets out how each week of the season differs.

Beds, kitchen and laundry

Nine Pines is 103 m² on one floor with three bedrooms: a 160 cm double bed, two rooms with two 90 cm single beds, a sofa bed sized for two children and an armchair bed. It sleeps up to nine. Linen and towels are included, and a baby cot is free on request. The kitchen is equipped for nine with dishwasher, oven, microwave, coffee machine and kettle; the dining table seats six. There is a washing machine and a tumble dryer in the flat, so snowsuits go in after dinner and are dry by morning. There is one bathroom with a shower and a separate second toilet, and Wi-Fi is fast.

Getting around in the cold

The bus stop is 150 m from the door, with a direct bus to the city centre in about 15 minutes that goes on to Santa Claus Village. By car it is 8 minutes to the centre, 15 minutes to Santa Claus Village, SantaPark and the airport, and about 10 minutes to the Ounasvaara slopes. There is one free parking space with an ice scraper and snow brush provided. A taxi from the airport takes about 15 minutes and costs roughly €35–45. The apartment is on the second floor; there is no lift.

FAQ: Rovaniemi in the second week of January

Is Rovaniemi busy after the holidays?

Generally calmer than around Christmas and New Year, but we cannot promise it. Check the live calendar.

Is it too cold for children?

With proper layers it is manageable, and many families do it. Short outdoor blocks and the dryer at home make it comfortable.

Can we see the northern lights?

Sometimes. Long dark evenings and a darker hill help, but no one can promise them.

Are services back to normal after Epiphany?

Mostly yes, but check opening hours for anything you plan to rely on.