Valentine's Day 2027 falls on a Sunday, and that matters. It means a lot of couples will make a long weekend of it, and Lapland in February is one of the best-looking places in Europe to do exactly that. We live here, and we get the same question every year: what is the least cliché, most memorable thing two people can do in Rovaniemi that week?

Our answer is not a dinner. It is a morning with huskies, because there is nothing to perform or pose for. You both drive, you both laugh, and then you drink hot juice together in the snow. This guide shows how to build the week around it, and where our 5% reader discount (HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5) helps.

Why Valentine's week works

February is the heart of the Lapland winter. Lakes are frozen, snow tends to be deep and the days are lengthening, so you have both daylight for activities and long dark evenings for the aurora. For couples, that rhythm is perfect: daytime for doing, nights for looking up.

The downside is demand. Valentine's week lands near school holidays in some countries, and tours with limited seats sell out. The earlier you book, the more choice you have on days and times. We wrote about the family side of this in our February school holiday week guide.

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There is also the question of pace. Many couples arrive in Rovaniemi with a list of ten things and leave exhausted. Valentine's week is better spent doing two or three things well. We would pick one big daytime activity, one evening outdoors and one slow day in between, and let the rest of the time be sauna, coffee and a walk by the river. That rhythm is what makes a short trip feel like a holiday rather than a schedule.

Think about money in the same way. A husky ride from €189 per adult and an aurora tour from €109 to €199 per adult add up quickly for two, so decide which one is the highlight and spend there first. Our 5% reader discount, HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5, is applied at checkout on each StayLapland booking, so booking both tours the same way saves on both.

The husky day we would book

The Nulkki Husky Adventure5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is the one we point couples to when they want to drive the sled themselves. It is rated easy, lasts about four hours with transfers and briefing, and starts at €189 per adult. The ride itself is 5 km and self-driving, with clear instructions on mushing safely before you set off.

What we like about it is the shape of the experience. You are not a passenger in someone else's day. You share a sled, you share responsibility for the dogs' pace, and you share the proud look when it works. The listing includes winter clothing, overalls, boots and gloves, an English-speaking guide, cookies and juice, and photos taken with your own device.

If you want to compare options first, our husky vs snowmobile guide helps you decide, and the activities hub lists everything else.

What the four hours are like

Without inventing details we cannot verify from here, here is what the listing and the format tell us. You start with a briefing on how to stand on the runners, how to brake and how to treat the dogs. Then you drive the 5 km route, with the huskies' enthusiasm doing most of the work. Afterwards there is time for the dogs, for photos and for something warm to drink.

Expect to take turns. One of you drives, the other sits in the sled, and then you swap. The person in the sled gets the better view and the person driving gets the better story. Couples often tell us the swap is the moment of the day.

The booking cut-off is 12 hours before the start time. That is generous, but we would not rely on it in Valentine's week. Type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout for 5% off when you reserve your preferred slot.

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Add an aurora evening

Huskies by day and northern lights by night is the most reliable romance formula in Lapland. For the evening, you have several options at different prices.

The Northern Lights Tour Reindeer Safari5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 runs about 3.5 hours from €179 per adult and includes a 2–3 km reindeer safari in the forest, warm berry juice and cookies, plus pick-up and drop-off within 10 km of the centre of Rovaniemi. It is slow and atmospheric.

The small-group aurora hunting tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 starts at €199 per adult and gives you a guide and photographer for 2–8 guests, and the bus hunting tour5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is from €109. If you want only the two of you, the private hunting tour at €1,990 is there as the splurge. We explain how to choose in our comparison of the three.

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Upgrade: the husky and reindeer day

If you want one long day instead of two shorter ones, the Kuoksa Husky & Reindeer Adventure5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 is a five-hour day from €349 per adult. It includes a 5 km self-driving husky ride, a 2–3 km reindeer sleigh ride and Flames & Fish: open-fire salmon soup in a cosy teepee, with drinks. The cut-off is one day before the start time.

This suits couples who like the idea of the teepee lunch and the animal contrast: the energy of huskies and the calm of reindeer. It costs more than the husky-only tour, but you are replacing two bookings with one, and the meal is part of the price. Add HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout and 5% comes off the total.

For a quieter alternative to a full husky day, see the private honeymoon-style activities we like.

What to wear and bring

The tour provides winter clothing, overalls, boots and gloves, so your job is the base. Wear a warm merino or thermal layer, thick socks that are not tight in the boot, and a hat that fits under the helmet or hood. Bring a neck gaiter. Keep your phone in an inside pocket because cold drains batteries faster than anything.

Do not wear jeans as your only legging layer. They hold the cold. Our guide to what to wear on a husky safari covers the whole stack from the skin out.

Finally, a small romantic detail that costs nothing: bring a flask of something warm for the car afterwards, and agree in advance who will take the photos. We have seen many couples return home with three hundred pictures of the dogs and none of themselves.

A two-day plan for couples

Day one: arrive, drop bags, and use the evening for a slow dinner in town. Keep the aurora for day two or three so you have buffer. Day two: the husky morning, a lunch you do not have to cook, and a free afternoon for a sauna or a rest. Then book your aurora tour for that evening, or the following one if cloud is forecast.

Day three: keep the schedule light. A reindeer visit, a walk, or the sauna of your choice. The key principle is that you protect the evening aurora attempt with spare nights, and you put the physical activity in the morning when you have energy.

If you only have two nights, choose one husky booking and one aurora booking and leave the other evening empty. Book the pair together and type HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout on each for 5% off.

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If you are travelling from far away, build in a buffer day at each end. Flights in winter can be delayed, and a husky morning is not something you want to rush to after a night of travel. If your flight lands late on the day before the tour, choose an afternoon departure if one is offered, and read the pick-up details in the booking window so you know where and when to be ready.

Finally, if one of you is nervous around animals, tell the guide at the start. The briefing is designed for first-timers, and the dogs are used to hesitant visitors. Being honest at the beginning makes the day better for both of you.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Nulkki Husky Adventure include?
It includes a 5 km self-driving husky ride, instructions on how to mush safely, information about the huskies, photos on your own device, an English-speaking guide, winter clothing, overalls, boots, gloves, cookies and juice. It takes about four hours and costs from €189 per adult.

Do we drive the sled ourselves?
Yes, the listing describes the ride as self-driving, with a briefing first. Couples usually take turns, one standing on the runners and the other sitting in the sled.

Is it romantic or just fun?
Honestly, more fun than candlelit. The romance comes from the quiet forest, the shared effort and the cookies afterwards. If you want a more formal romantic evening, we cover that in our guide to private activities for honeymooners.

When should we book for the week of 14 February?
As early as your dates are fixed. The booking cut-off is 12 hours before the start time, but the best slots over school-holiday and Valentine's weeks will not wait that long.

Can we combine huskies with a northern lights evening?
Yes. Huskies by day and an aurora tour at night is our favourite pairing. See the prices of the reindeer-sleigh aurora tour (from €179) and the three hunting tours linked in this guide.

Is there a discount?
Yes, HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 gives 5% off every StayLapland tour at checkout, with no expiry.

Our pick

For two people in Valentine's week, we would book the Nulkki Husky Adventure5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for the morning and the small-group aurora hunt5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 for an evening, with one spare night. If you want a longer indulgent day, take the husky and reindeer day5% off · HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 instead.

Check the live calendar below for your dates, and remember: HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY5 at checkout for 5% off every StayLapland tour.

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