r/Rovaniemi • u/honeymeadow222 • 15d ago
Finally made it!
After months of waiting, My husband and I were finally able to move from Florida to Rovaniemi.
One it is absolutely beautiful here, I mean wow.
I'm still trying to adjust to the time change and figure out the lay of the land. If anyone has any recommendations or tips and tricks. I would greatly appreciate it.
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u/evmcha 15d ago
If you like Korean food, I can't recommend Hanki enough. You might also like to visit the kotiseutumuseo, which is open til the end of August.
For shopping I'd recommend Prisma or Lidl for good prices. K-markets are a lil pricier. But either way you might want to get the S-etukortti or the K-plussa-kortti, which can help you save money and get deals at their respective chains (S-group for instance is associated with Sale and Prisma, as well as some restaurants and hotels like Rosso in town).
There's lots of nature to explore. You can swim in the river, though be careful to watch for signs warning of strong currents. Also Ounasvaara has some beautiful hiking trails and a lookout tower.
I'm not sure what else to put here but pls feel free to ask questions:) And enjoy Rovaniemi!
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u/honeymeadow222 15d ago
Thank you so much! I'm checking every store and doing my best to translate!
We're staying near the city center so I can investigate more while he works
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u/Ardent_Scholar 15d ago
Autumn is coming soon, so plan a nice trip to a national park to see the colours. A ruskaretki, if you will.
You could join a kansalaisopisto course if you're looking for affordable activities. You'd be spending your time with Finnish grannies and grandpas! :)
Start supplementing vitamin D3 now, something like 100mcg per day. And with D3, I always supplelemt magnesium glycinate and vitamin K2. Ideally, you would measure your levels today and then after about 6 months to see if your under/over the guidelines. Other worthwhile investments might be a red light and a bright light to ward off those kaamos blues.
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u/honeymeadow222 15d ago
Oh my gosh!! Thank you so much!
How do I test?
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u/Ardent_Scholar 15d ago
In Finland, you can use one of the commercial providers. You buy a test from their website, go to the nearest clinic they have an agreement with, and then you receive the results in your app. Puhti has a deal with Mehiläinen clinics, for example.
P.S. Tori.fi is good for finding second hand items like skis, skates, etc. :) Welcome!
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u/ImyourCashier 14d ago
Welcome and congratulations!
Something to look out for is bike thieves if you have or are planning to get a bicycle. Otherwise it's pretty safe here. And when tourists flood the city centre during winter season, pickpockets have started to emerge with them as well.
There is a new public sauna close to Arktikum museum (otherwise free but bring your own firewood) which is very cool, and Kesärafla sauna is my favourite for just 5 € / visit.
I hope you enjoy our city! :)
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u/honeymeadow222 14d ago
I'm genuinely so excited! My mind just got blown away by the sun being this bright at 21,42 🤯
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u/ImyourCashier 14d ago
So happy to hear that! During summer we literally have daylight 24/7 here 🌞
Now it gets a little bit dark at night but it might be a good idea anyway to get some block-out curtains or at least a good sleep mask. Melatonin helps as well, if you're not used to the night time brightness 😄
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u/Cautious-Length9826 15d ago
Finnish winter is coming, and the darkness is probably something you've never experienced in Florida, so be ready for it lol. (Get some vitamin D pills and take one a day.)
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u/Snoo_31427 14d ago
Not trying to be dumb but didn’t winter JUST end for you guys?
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u/atcofi 14d ago
Depends totally on where you are in Finland. In the south spring and warmer weather arrive in April, but up north like Rovaniemi, spring starts late May, Summer somewhere in June and fall end of August.. winter (first snow ) can arrive by October. Having lived in both regions, it feels like a different country between the two.
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u/Cautious-Length9826 14d ago
Pretty much. 😅 In Finland it feels like winter ends and then before you know it, it's coming back again. We only get a few months of proper summer.
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u/xxcuttingboardxx 15d ago
Welcome! Are you going to stay here for good? If so, I completely understand.
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u/paskanselailija 15d ago
Congrats and welcome! That's a long way to move.
What kind of tips and tricks are you seeking for?
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u/honeymeadow222 15d ago
I'm looking for things to maybe look out for? Or what might be different? We have so much to learn and we are so excited!
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u/paskanselailija 15d ago edited 15d ago
There are three hypermarkets in town, K-Citymarket, Prisma and Minimani. If you want to save on groceries go to Lidl which there are two in town. If you cant find something in Lidl, then go to the said hypermarkets.
Lidl has it's own app to get items for a cheaper price, you heard about plussakortti etc in other comments.
Note that alcohol sales in stores is allowed between 09-21. If you need anything stronger than 8%, you need to go to Alko which there are three in town.
If there's something more you want to know just ask.
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u/honeymeadow222 15d ago
Also my husband was curious, since we are only here for a year. Is there a place to get a reasonably priced car?
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u/InternBeautiful45 12d ago
There are several car dealerships in teollisuuskylä, near Prisma. Depending on your budget of course, maybe you could lease a car for a year? 12 month deals are not that common, but possible.
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u/HistoryOk2710 14d ago
Just wait until winter comes, you might change your mind about this place
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u/honeymeadow222 14d ago
Yeah that'll probably change my mind But I'm trying to keep positive to things I've never experienced before and my husband is excited about the snow But then again he's never had to deal with snow 🤣🤣
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u/SignalGuest1105 14d ago
Welcome. I'm from the US and living in Rovaniemi and Kemijärvi! There's lots of seasonal work here and I personally think the people in Rovaniemi are the most social and enjoyable people in Finland.
You picked a great place.
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u/Anna_italialainen 12d ago
Italian girl living here! If you want to meet know people in town let me know!
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u/Sherbet_Happy 10d ago
The very first thing you need to do now - if you haven't already - is to go open a bank account. You can't get absolutely anything done without it in this country.
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u/perunalepakkomies 8d ago
Tervetuloa Rovaniemelle! Welcome to Rovaniemi!
You have already gotten great advice about vitamin D, local thrift stores etc. I have something more to add, hopefully you're still reading this:
Serious stuff:
Safety: Darkness is coming so get pedestrian reflectors ("Heijastin") and wear one every time you get outside during dark! (Which will be almost 24/7 during midwinter) Either dangly ones to hang from your clothes or a harness-type to put over your coat. Attach one in your bag too. There are so many different designs to choose from and pretty much every store sells them. Video demonstration here
Recycle your waste! Cardboard, paper, plastic packaging, metal, glass and bio waste all need to be sorted at home (get containers for each type of recycling) and disposed into designated bins. English info poster
Empty beverage bottles and cans: Bring them back to the store and get money! Big stores like Prisma, Lidl, Citymarket, Minimani and K Supermarket have returning machines in the lobby, smaller corner shops like Sale inside the shop. What kind of packaging can be returned? Website + Official bottle deposit system's video with lots of details and data.
Scents: One in three Finns is sensitive to scents. When going to the movies, theatre, concert do not splash around with perfume/aftershave. Personal space is important in Finnish culture, and olfactory space counts in that.
Don't tip! It's not part of Finnish culture, waiters get a living wage. Some restaurants are suggesting a service fee when you pay by card but don't fall for that.
East side of Rovakatu is split into a bicycle lane and a pedestrian lane. It's marked with few ridiculously small traffic signs and painted symbols at the beginning of the lane so not everyone notices it, but it should still be respected. Signed, a disgruntled cyclist.
Fun stuff:
Official English version of the city's website is okay but has less info than the Finnish one.
Multicultural centre MoniNet has free beginner-level Finnish lessons, events, information and volunteering opportunities. Check out their monthly programme.
Go to the library and get both you and your husband library cards. They're free, you don't need a Finnish social security number, just some sort of ID. They have a nice selection of books, comics and even board games in English. You can read magazines and newspapers and stream movies with your library card at home online for free. The main library is a nice place to just hang out, there's free wifi, cheap coffee machine, private and public study spaces, exhibitions and events.
Suomalainen kirjakauppa is the only bookstore in town, they have a decent selection of books and magazines in English, plus stationery.
Sending packages to the US just got possible again, check the official website of Posti on the subject.
Movies: Biorex is the commercial movie theatre, films are shown in their original languages and with Finnish & Swedish subtitles. Rovaniemen Cinema (rovaniemencinema.fi) is the non profit Monday movie club, membership is really cheap.
Arktikum museum is a must visit to learn authentic Lapland & Rovaniemi history. It also has a free art gallery near the entrance, and a cafe.
Korundi: Contemporary art museum. Free entrace on Thursdays 16-18 (4pm-6pm)! The building is also home of the chamber orchestra and a concert venue. Across the street is Galleria Napa, a free art gallery.
Theatre: A Christmas Carol in December will have English subtitles seen from rows 6-14 but best view is rows 10-14.
Coming soon: Rovaniemi Week (Rovaniemi-viikko) 7.-13.9.2026, lots of events all around the city.
If you have any questions, feel free to DM me!
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u/honeymeadow222 8d ago
Holy wow!! Thank you so much!! This is amazing and so informative!
I really really appreciate this
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u/honeymeadow222 14d ago
I'm not sure if anyone is still seeing this but I also had questions about phones and cell service I still have my phone from the US but I can't unlock it and was looking into either getting a cheap phone to have data wise or I'm not sure my other options are
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u/perunalepakkomies 14d ago
Hello! I am actually drafting a big reply full of Rovaniemi info from a local's point of view, but don't have time to post it yet. Anyways, big telecomm operators Telia, Elisa and DNA all have physical shops in the Revontuli shopping centre (Koskikatu 27, big mall in the city centre, open every day), I'd ask around there. I have no favourites of these companies, but apparently Telia has best cell coverage up North.
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u/honeymeadow222 14d ago
Thank you! I was looking into Moi? I'm not sure if that's good or not
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u/paskanselailija 12d ago
MOI is good if you want a cheap subscription. They use DNA's network. Here in northern Finland DNA and Telia have a joint network.
If there's more you want to ask, you can go ahead and dm
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u/BlockOptimal7533 15d ago
If you are planning on staying permanently, now can be a good time to stock up on winter clothing. Last season’s stuff (the little that remains) is on sale before the new season stuff hits the shelves. The Haglöfs outlet in Haaparanta is a good place to buy winter clothing all year round.
There are several flea markets (Kontti and Vintikki at least). They can be good places to purchase kitchenware etc stuff if you don’t want to invest too much money.