Arctic Swimming in Lapland: Ice Swimming, Sauna Rituals, and Ice Floating

The Finnish Ritual Behind Arctic Swimming in Lapland

Arctic swimming in Finland comes from sauna culture and the contrast between heat and cold.

In Lapland, ice swimming is a common winter practice. You step into cold water through an opening in the ice, known in Finnish as avanto, then return to warmth. The water feels sharp at first, but once you are back in the sauna, the body settles and the cold passes quickly. People approach it in a simple way and here in Finland it is not treated as a challenge, but as something normal and familiar.

Sauna is what gives the experience its structure. You warm up, step into cold water, then warm up again. For many Finns, this is just part of winter life. It can be shared with others or done quietly, and it is not seen as extreme or unusual.

Ice Swimming vs Ice Floating in Lapland

Ice swimming and ice floating are often mentioned together because both involve cold water and frozen landscapes. But in practice, they are very different experiences.

Ice swimming is the traditional Finnish approach. You enter the water directly, usually as part of a sauna session, and many locals do it regularly without ceremony. For a first experience, it is important to choose the right place and setting, as stepping into icy water on a frozen lake or river without proper conditions can be dangerous. This is why ice swimming is normally done in places that are prepared for it and familiar to those taking part.

Ice floating follows a slightly different idea. It is a guided winter experience where you float on open water surrounded by ice while wearing a warm, insulated suit. The focus is on staying comfortable and enjoying the surroundings. In early winter, some floating experiences take place in gently flowing rivers, where the current carries you along. Ice floating is a fun winter activity, more about ease and the setting than about tradition.

Neither experience is better than the other. Some guests are drawn to the directness of ice swimming while others prefer the comfort of floating. Many enjoy trying both during the same trip.

Why Lapland Works Well for Cold Water Experiences

The cold water experience itself does not change from place to place, but the setting does. In Lapland, there is space and time around the experience, which makes everything feel more relaxed.

Ice swimming is often paired with sauna, and it can also be part of a spa stay where cold baths are built directly into the facilities of your accomodation in Lapland. Ice floating usually appears alongside other winter experiences, such as time on frozen lakes or rivers or even during an ice-breaker cruise! Floating then becomes a quiet break during a day of outdoor discoveries.

The surroundings help keep the experience simple. There is no pressure to rush, watch the clock, or turn it into something to perform, and that's also a big reason why experiences in cold water are so relaxing.

Choosing the Right Base in Lapland

The best destination in Lapland depends on how you want ice swimming to fit into your days, whether as a short pause between activities or as part of a more relaxed, wellbeing-focused stay.

Rovaniemi and Levi work well for travelers who want variety close by. These destinations suit a more active itinerary, where ice swimming often comes as a refreshing break between other winter experiences, usually paired with sauna or spa facilities that are easy to access. It works well when you want to try ice swimming without slowing the overall pace of the trip.

Ylläs, Saariselkä, Pyha-Luosto, and Inari suit travelers who are drawn to quieter surroundings and a slower rhythm. These areas work well for stays built around relaxation, nature, and time to unwind, where sauna, cold water, and rest fit easily into the day. Ice swimming in these settings feels less like an activity and more like a natural extension of the wellbeing experience.

What matters most is choosing a base where the ice swimming experience fits smoothly into the stay, without becoming something to schedule or plan around.

Bringing Arctic Swimming Into a Winter Stay

For most travelers, Arctic swimming is not the main reason they come to Lapland. It is one experience among many, but in the end, it stands out because it is so unfamiliar! Very few people ever find themselves outside in a bathing suit in sub zero temperatures, standing barefoot in the snow before stepping into water through a hole cut in the ice. For many, it is something they may never do again.

That is what makes it memorable. Not because it is extreme, but because it only really makes sense here, in winter, in this exact setting. When it happens at the right time, as part of a sauna session, a spa visit, or a quiet winter day, it feels natural and easy to enjoy.

This is why Arctic swimming often becomes one of the moments people remember most from their trip, and a genuine Lapland bucket list experience.