Arctic Snow Castle tour: Ice Chapel & Lappish dinner

Everything inside the castle (walls, chapel, restaurant) is carved from snow and ice by hand.

A small-group tour from Rovaniemi to the Arctic Snow Castle, 25 km outside the city, where you walk through handmade ice rooms kept at 5 degrees, sit in an ice chapel, and eat a three-course Lappish dinner in the castle's ice restaurant. A guide in English leads the group. Winter clothes are provided. The tour runs about two and a half hours and includes hotel pickup.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Arctic Snow Castle and Dinner

• Travel 25 km from city center
• Explore handmade ice hotel rooms
• Sit in ice chapel
• Dine in largest ice restaurant

The experience

You're picked up from your hotel and driven to the castle, which sits in the Lapland forest about 25 km from the city center. Everything you see there (the walls, the chapel, the carved decorations) was built by hand from snow and ice. The rooms stay at 5 degrees, so the winter clothes provided (overall and boots) matter. You walk through the ice hotel rooms, then sit in the ice chapel built entirely from snow and ice, where the quiet of the Arctic settles around you.

After the castle, the group moves to the ice restaurant also inside the castle. You order from four main-course options (salmon, reindeer, vegetarian, or a kid's menu), and eat a three-course dinner surrounded by the carved ice walls. The restaurant is the largest ice restaurant in Rovaniemi, and it stays part of the castle itself, so the setting does not change between the tour and the meal.

Hotel pickup is included, and the local provider will email you the exact pickup time before the tour, since it shifts with the season. A live guide speaks English. French, Italian, Spanish and Chinese are available on request. Groups stay small, and children from age 3 are welcome when accompanied by a paying adult.

What’s included

• Arctic Snow Castle, Ice Hotel and Ice Chapel visit.
• three-course dinner with your choice of main course (salmon, reindeer, vegetarian or kid's menu).
• winter clothes (overall and boots).
• English-speaking guide (French, Italian, Spanish and Chinese available on request).
• hotel pickup and return.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except Wednesday and SundayDeparts at 17:00Last departure this season: 31 Oct

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Youth (3 to 11 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupUp to 16

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 15 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats available

Operated by Nordic Unique Travels

Is this one for you?Pick this option if you're staying in central Rovaniemi without a rental car, since the castle sits 25 km outside the city and hotel pickup eliminates the need to arrange separate transport.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (3 to 11 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What is the Arctic Snow Castle made of?

The Arctic Snow Castle is built entirely from snow and ice by hand. The walls, rooms, chapel and restaurant decorations are all carved by Lapland artists. The rooms inside stay at 5 degrees, so you experience the structure in its natural frozen state.

Can I choose what I eat at the ice restaurant?

Yes. The three-course dinner includes your choice of main course: salmon, reindeer, vegetarian, or a kid's menu with fish and fries. Tell the operator your preference when you book online, and let them know about any dietary requirements at that time.

How far is the Arctic Snow Castle from Rovaniemi?

The castle is about 25 km from the city center. Hotel pickup is included in the tour, so you do not need to arrange your own transport.

What happens if I arrive in Rovaniemi without a car?

Hotel pickup is part of the tour, so the provider collects you from your hotel lobby. You'll receive an email with the exact pickup time before the tour date. Just be ready and waiting 10 minutes before that time.

Is there an ice chapel inside the castle?

Yes. An ice chapel built from snow and ice stands inside the castle. You sit in it during the tour and experience the quiet and tranquility of the Arctic setting.