A Quiet Winter in Lapland

A Different Kind of Winter Holiday

Five nights in the quiet of Finnish Lapland. No crowds. Plenty of time to simply be.

Imagine waking up in your own traditional log cabin, surrounded by snow-covered forest. Make your morning coffee, light the fire, and let the day begin without rushing anywhere.

At Metsä Kolo, winter is not a checklist of activities. It is an invitation to experience the north at a gentler pace. Meet local people, explore the snowy forest on traditional Finnish forest skis, enjoy the warmth of a wood-fired lakeside sauna, and discover the simple pleasures of life close to nature.

We keep things small and personal. With just three cabins, Metsä Kolo offers a quieter alternative to busy tourist resorts — a place for travellers who value authenticity, meaningful encounters and the freedom to follow their own rhythm.

Your stay begins with time to settle in, get to know your cabin and discover the little ways of life at Metsä Kolo. I’ll introduce you to the place, show you around the grounds, explain how we carry fresh water from our own well, and guide you through the art of lighting the fire and heating the traditional wood-fired sauna. You’ll get to know the practicalities, local customs and simple rhythms of Finnish cabin life, so you can feel at home and enjoy the days ahead at your own pace.

After that, we plan around one special experience a day, leaving plenty of space for everything in between: a good book by the fire, cooking your own favourite meal, a peaceful walk through fresh snow, or simply watching the northern landscape change with the light.

Choose a small, personal Christmas in Lapland, filled with intimate seasonal traditions, or Lapland, Unhurried, a peaceful winter escape in December or January.

The programme is flexible and shaped around the weather, local availability and your wishes. Reindeer visits and husky safaris can be arranged separately, so you can choose the experiences that matter most to you.

This is not about doing more. It is about having the time and space to enjoy what is already here.

Welcome to Metsä Kolo — a little further from the crowds, a little closer to nature.

A Small, Personal Christmas in Lapland

Five nights of northern winter, cherished traditions and the quiet magic of Christmas.

What if Christmas could be something different? No crowds, no busy schedules and no pressure to make everything perfect. Just a traditional log cabin, the peace of the snowy forest, and a few meaningful moments shared with others.

At Metsä Kolo, we celebrate Christmas in a small and personal way. We can head into the forest together to choose and cut down your Christmas tree, gather in my home for traditional Finnish Christmas porridge, and enjoy a traditional Christmas sauna in our wood-fired lakeside sauna — a peaceful moment to slow down and savour the warmth of this special evening.

On Christmas Eve, we gather by the Christmas tree for warm glögi and a quiet moment inspired by the Austrian tradition of Räuchern — using fragrant

incense to symbolically bless the home and its surroundings.

A Christmas that feels personal, peaceful and a little different — far from the crowds, close to nature.

There is no grand feast or elaborate programme. Just a little Christmas atmosphere, time together, and room to enjoy the winter at your own pace. A small Christmas meal can also be arranged in advance.

Rates & booking conditions for the Christmas Stay

5 nights · €950 per person · Minimum 2 paying adults

A personal Christmas experience in the peaceful surroundings of Finnish Lapland. Experience your own traditional log cabin and share a few meaningful festive traditions with your host.

What’s Included

Your Christmas stay	Included
Your own cabin	5 nights in a traditional log cabin
A warm welcome	Welcome snack, tea or coffee, and a personal introduction to Metsä Kolo and Finnish cabin life
Cabin comforts	Bed linen, towels, firewood and final cleaning
Winter outdoors	Finnish forest skis for exploring the snowy landscape, weather permitting
Wood-fired sauna	Lakeside sauna every other evening, including a traditional Christmas sauna
Choose your Christmas tree	Join me in the forest to choose and cut your own Christmas tree
Finnish Christmas porridge	A traditional Christmas porridge gathering in my home
Christmas Eve by the tree	Finnish glögi — a warm, spiced Christmas drink — served with gingerbread
A touch of Austrian tradition	A small Räuchern ritual with incense, inspired by the Austrian tradition of symbolically blessing the home and its surroundings

Christmas, the Metsä Kolo Way

No grand feast, no crowded events and no packed schedule. Just a small, welcoming Christmas, a few cherished traditions and time to enjoy the peaceful winter landscape.

A traditional Christmas meal can be arranged separately by advance agreement.

Reindeer farm visits, husky safaris, ice fishing and transfers can also be arranged at an additional cost.

The programme is planned personally with you and adapted to the weather and local availability.

Christmas Eve traditions are included only for stays covering 24 December. New Year stays feature a seasonally adapted programme.

Lapland, Unhurried

Five nights to slow down, breathe deeply and rediscover the luxury of having time.

Not every winter holiday needs a full itinerary. Sometimes, the greatest luxury is having nowhere to rush to, nothing you have to achieve, and a beautiful landscape waiting just outside your door.

At Metsä Kolo, you stay in your own traditional log cabin, surrounded by the peaceful forests of Finnish Lapland. Your first day is all about settling in, getting to know the place and discovering the simple rhythms of local cabin life — from carrying fresh water from the well to lighting the fire and learning how to heat a traditional Finnish sauna.

After that, we leave room for one special experience a day. Perhaps a visit to a nearby reindeer farm, ice fishing with a local fisherman, or an excursion into the snowy forest on traditional Finnish forest skis. We can also arrange a husky safari as an additional experience.

And the moments in between? They belong to you.

Make coffee and breakfast in your cabin. Cook something you love. Read a good book beside the fire, enjoy the stillness of the snow-covered forest, or simply stay warm and do absolutely nothing. There is no need to fill every hour.

We plan the days together, according to the weather, local availability and how you feel. Would you like an adventure today, or would you rather stay in and enjoy the peace? Both are perfectly fine.

With just three cabins, Metsä Kolo offers a personal alternative to the busy winter resorts. Come for the snow and the northern landscape, but stay for the silence, the freedom and the feeling of being somewhere real.

Five nights. A little adventure every day, if you wish. And always enough time to simply be.

Rates & booking conditions for Lapland, Unhurried

Five nights · From €695 per person · Minimum 2 paying adults

Experience your own traditional log cabin, surrounded by the winter stillness of Finnish Lapland. A personal, flexible holiday for those who value space, nature and the freedom to slow down.

Included in your stay	What to expect
Your own cabin	Five nights in a traditional log cabin
A warm welcome	Welcome snack, tea or coffee, and a personal introduction to Metsä Kolo and Finnish cabin life
Cabin comforts	Bed linen, towels, firewood and final cleaning
Winter outdoors	Use of traditional Finnish forest skis for self-guided outings, weather and snow conditions permitting
Lakeside sauna	Traditional wood-fired sauna every other evening
Your own rhythm	Personal suggestions for one simple winter activity a day, with plenty of time to relax, read, cook and enjoy the silence

There is no packed itinerary and no pressure to be busy. We plan your days together, according to the weather, local availability and how you feel.

Reindeer farm visits, ice fishing, husky safaris, meals and transfers can be arranged separately. Please see the optional experiences below.

Four-night stays may be possible on request.

The starting rate of €695 per person applies outside the Christmas and New Year period (22 December–3 January). Festive-season stays are priced separately.

Optional Experiences with Local Hosts

Would you like to discover a little more of local life in Lapland? I’m happy to help arrange authentic experiences with small, local businesses and people who know this place as home.

These experiences are optional and can be added to your stay according to your interests, availability and the weather. You choose what feels right for you — there is no need to do everything.

A Husky Safari

Approximately one hour · From the currently advertised adult rate of €155

Experience the excitement of travelling through the winter landscape behind a team of huskies. The safari includes driving instructions, time out on the trail and an opportunity to meet the dogs afterwards.

I can help you book a suitable safari in Posio or Ranua, subject to availability. This is an optional experience, arranged separately from your Metsä Kolo stay.

The experience, price, payment arrangements and any transport requirements will be confirmed when we make your reservation.

Ice Fishing with a Local Fisherman

Approximately 1.5–3 hours · €80 per person · Incl. snack and hot drink at the fire

Join a local fisherman on the frozen lake and discover the quiet art of ice fishing. You’ll learn how it’s done, use the necessary equipment and enjoy a little time by the fire with a warm drink and a small snack.

No previous fishing experience is needed. Just dress warmly, bring your curiosity and enjoy a glimpse into a traditional part of life in northern Finland.

The experience includes equipment, personal guidance, a hot drink and a small snack. Duration and arrangements depend on weather and ice conditions.

Payment: Cash, paid directly to the fisherman on site.

Meet the Reindeer

€48 per person · Visit / €93 per person · Visit with lunch by the fire

Enter the winter enclosure, feed the reindeer, take photographs and hear personal stories about reindeer herding, the changing seasons and everyday life on a working farm. This is an opportunity to meet local people and discover reindeer culture in a personal, unhurried setting.

Choose the visit with lunch to enjoy homemade food prepared by the family using local ingredients and served by the fire. It’s a lovely way to experience local hospitality and the flavours of the north.

The farm welcomes visitors by advance arrangement, subject to seasonal availability. Visits and lunch are arranged directly with the family, with my help if needed.

Payment: Directly to the farm on site.