All aboard the Aurora Borealis Express: There are two main ways to get to Akaslompolo. Fly into Kittila Airport and then catch a 50-minute connecting bus. Or take an overnight train from Helsinki, which can be booked online (vr.fi), and catch a 30-minute connecting bus from the train station in Kolari.

What to do: Everybody in town seems to get around on cross-country skis, which can be rented from one of a couple of shops near the town center for less than 100 euros ($129 at $1.29 to the euro) a week. Also nearby are a number of tour agencies, such as Scandinavian Adventures (scandinavian adventures.fi), that can arrange visits with reindeer farms, husky or reindeer sledding and other activities.

Where to stay: There are plenty of cabins, many with built-in saunas, to rent by the week. The best way to find one for yourself is to book through Destination Lapland (destination lapland.com), which manages scores of cabins of various sizes that can sleep four to 16 people. A week in a typical two-bedroom log cabin, with sauna and beds for six adults, runs around 900 to 1,200 euros.