Hand-picked bars, pubs, ice bars and après-ski in Rovaniemi, Levi, Ylläs and Saariselkä. Plus Arctic cocktails, craft beer and how Finns actually drink.
What is an ice bar in Lapland? An ice bar is a bar built from snow and blocks of lake ice, with the counter, walls and even the glasses carved from ice. It runs at roughly −5 °C inside, so venues like the Ice Bar at Arctic SnowHotel near Rovaniemi lend you a thermal cape or suit at the door. Each one is rebuilt with a new design every winter and melts away in spring, so it only exists from about December to April.
Where are the best après-ski bars in Levi and Ylläs? In Levi, Hullu Poro Areena sits at the base of the main slope and holds up to 1,700 people across two floors, with ten bars and live Finnish acts; Bar Ihku and Pub Hölmölä carry the late hours. On the Ylläs side, Selvä Pyy in Äkäslompolo village is the gathering point after the fells, and the nightclub at Lapland Hotels Äkäshotelli takes over once the pubs wind down. The lifts close around 4pm and the bars fill straight after.
Can you drink alcohol outdoors in Finland? Broadly yes, with a caveat. Finland’s Public Order Act bans drinking in public places, but it explicitly exempts parks and comparable public areas as long as you are not obstructing others or causing a nuisance. Municipalities can still restrict specific spots such as town squares or playgrounds, and being drunk and disorderly in public is an offence. The legal drinking age is 18 for beer, wine and cider, and 20 for spirits.
What are typical bar opening hours in Lapland? Most pubs open in the afternoon and serve until around midnight on weekdays, with later closing (often 2am or 4am) on Fridays and Saturdays in the ski resorts. Licensing law allows alcohol sales until 1:30am, with an extension permit needed to serve later. Hours shift with the season: resort bars run long during the winter ski months and keep shorter hours in the quiet shoulder seasons, so it is worth checking the venue directly before you set out.
What local drinks should I try in Lapland? Look for lakka, a cloudberry liqueur made from the amber Arctic berry that ripens for only a few weeks each summer, often served chilled or stirred into a cocktail. Local craft beer is worth seeking out too: Lapland Brewery in Rovaniemi and Tornion Panimo in Tornio both brew with Arctic water. For something classic, Lapin Kulta was founded in Tornio in 1873, though its production moved to Lahti in 2010, and Koskenkorva is the everyday Finnish grain spirit.
Where can you buy alcohol in Finland outside bars? Supermarkets and convenience shops sell fermented drinks such as beer, cider and low-alcohol wine up to 8.0% ABV, and drinks made any other way, such as spirit-based mixers, up to 5.5% ABV, usually until 9pm. Anything stronger, meaning spirits, stronger wines and beers above 8%, is sold only at Alko, the state-run chain, which keeps daytime hours and closes early on Saturdays. Most Alko stores are closed on Sundays, though some branches have opened on Sundays since the summer of 2026, so check the hours of your nearest one. In smaller Lapland villages the nearest Alko can be some distance away, so it is worth stocking up before heading out to a remote cabin.
Ice bars carved from snow. Legendary après-ski arenas. Cosy pubs with the Northern Lights through the window. The best bars in Finnish Lapland, all real and all hand-picked.
Lakeside terraces and rooftop bars under the midnight sun. Patios that stay bright past midnight, live music and summer festivals. The best bars in Finnish Lapland, all real and all hand-picked.
Hand-picked bars and experiences that define Lapland nightlife.
Drink from glasses made of ice inside bars carved from snow and ice. A uniquely Arctic experience rebuilt every winter.
From Hullu Poro Areena's 1,700-person stage to cosy fell pubs. Lapland après-ski is legendary for good reason.
Open stage jams, live bands, karaoke in wooden barns. The best music nights in Lapland happen after the Northern Lights come out.
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