Yes, a self-catering apartment is a good place to celebrate Nowruz in Rovaniemi: the Persian New Year falls on the spring equinox, Saturday 20 March 2027, when Lapland still has proper winter snow, and a kitchen and a dining table matter more than a hotel room. In the calendars we have checked, the equinox falls late on the evening of 20 March in Finland, around 22:25 local time, but check your own calendar for the exact moment the year turns. Check live dates for 18–22 March 2027 on Airbnb or Booking.com, and read the rest for how it works in practice.

Why Rovaniemi at Nowruz?

Late March is one of the best times to be in Lapland. The days are long enough to enjoy outdoors properly, the snow is still deep, and the sun feels like spring at last. For families who take the Nowruz holiday, it is also a break from work and school, so the trip tends to come together as a long weekend or a week.

The date lines up with Easter: Easter Sunday in 2027 is 28 March, and Good Friday falls on 26 March. That means the week after Nowruz is a Finnish holiday week, with shops and services closed on some days. Our post on Easter weekend groceries in Rovaniemi explains it, and our guide to the March equinox and northern lights covers the astronomy of the same night.

The table: haft-sin in a dining room

Nowruz is about the table. Nine Pines has a dining table for six, which is the right size for a haft-sin spread with a family of that size, and a living room beside it. We cannot promise anything about the room’s decoration or provide items for your table, so bring what you need: the cloth, the mirror, the items that matter to you. Please ask us before arrival if you plan to use candles or anything with an open flame; our guide to candles and fairy lights covers the basics.

Because the new year begins at a precise moment, many families gather around the table beforehand. A flat is far better than a hotel room for that: you can set the table, sit together and have the family around you, without needing a restaurant booking.

Cooking for Nowruz in a Finnish kitchen

The kitchen is equipped for nine: dishwasher, oven, microwave, coffee machine and kettle. It is an ordinary Finnish family kitchen, so bring any specialist equipment you cannot do without (a rice cooker, a particular pan). Cooking smells are the practical point in a building with neighbours: open a window or the balcony door while you cook, and mind the quiet hours from 22:00 to 07:00.

For ingredients, the two grocery stores near the flat, K-Market and Sale, sell the basics, but we cannot promise specialist herbs, dried limes or other Persian ingredients. Many travellers bring dried herbs and spices from home. If you do, check Finnish rules on bringing food into the country first; our post on bringing food into Finland for a self-catering stay is a good starting point. The cooking-for-nine post on one oven and nine people also helps with timing.

Sleeping, space and quiet

Nine Pines is 103 m² on one floor with three bedrooms: a 160 cm double bed, two rooms with two 90 cm single beds each, a sofa bed sized for two children and an armchair bed in the living room. Up to nine guests. Linen and towels are provided, a baby cot is free on request, and there is one bathroom with a shower plus a separate second toilet. The apartment is on the second floor with no lift.

Nowruz tends to be a family occasion, often with grandparents or relatives joining. If your group includes older relatives, think about the stairs and about who sleeps where; our post on multigenerational trips and stairs is a useful read.

What to do outdoors on a late-March day

The apartment’s surroundings give you a lot for free. The forest trails are a few minutes from the door for walking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, and the Korkalovaara hills have sledging. Ask us for a sledge. In late March the snow can be bright, so sunglasses matter; see bright snow packing. For tours and guest discounts, see guest activities.

Arriving and getting around

Check-in is from 16:00, at any hour including late at night, with a code lockbox; the code and photo guide arrive three days before. The hosts, Joona and Alla, are a local couple who live a few minutes away and usually reply within the hour.

A taxi from the airport takes about 15 minutes and costs roughly €35–45. The bus stop is 150 m from the door, with a direct bus to the city centre in about 15 minutes, continuing to Santa Claus Village. By car the centre is 8 minutes away and Santa Claus Village, SantaPark and the airport are 15 minutes away. There is one free parking space in the yard, with an ice scraper and snow brush provided.

Clocks change on 28 March

Finland moves its clocks forward on Sunday 28 March 2027, the same day as Easter Sunday. If you are leaving that weekend, our post on the clock change in March 2027 will save you a missed flight.

FAQ: Nowruz in a Rovaniemi apartment

When is Nowruz 2027?

The spring equinox is on 20 March 2027. Check your own calendar for the exact time.

Can we set up a haft-sin table?

Yes, on the dining table or in the living room. Bring the items yourselves, and ask about candles first.

Will we find the ingredients locally?

Basics, yes. Specialist items, not reliably. Bring what you need and check the customs rules.

Is it busy at that time?

Generally quieter than Christmas, but Easter week is popular. Check the live calendar.