View over Lake Pielinen in Koli National Park

Scandinavia in autumn

Ruska in Lapland, the first northern lights and quiet roads

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Travel ideas · September–November

🍂 Scandinavia in autumn

Autumn colours on the fell at Pallas-Yllästunturi in Finnish Lapland
Photo: kallerna · CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped) · Photo credits

In September Lapland turns red and gold. The Finns call it ruska. At the same time the nights grow dark again, and from late August there’s a chance of northern lights in Tromsø once more. The roads are quieter, but from mid-October the first winter rules apply up north.

Researched by Arjan from Zuidlaren, so you don’t have to · Sources: Visit Finland, Visit Tromsø, Statens vegvesen · updated 24 October 2026 · About this page

  • Ruska: peak around mid-September
  • Northern lights from late August
  • Winter tyres in northern Norway from 16 October

Overview

📌 Autumn at a glance

MonthsSeptember, October and November
ColoursRuska in Lapland, at its best around the second week of September (Visit Finland)
Northern lightsTromsø from late August (Visit Tromsø); Iceland from September (Visit Iceland)
NoteStaffed DNT huts are open until about mid-September (DNT)
PricePrice: see the provider’s official website

Autumn colours

🍂 Ruska: autumn colours in Lapland

The Pallas fells in Lapland
Photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped) · Photo credits

According to Visit Finland, the colours in Lapland are at their best around the second week of September; around Rovaniemi and Kuusamo that’s roughly between 15 and 20 September. It depends on the weather each year. (Visit Finland)

A lovely place to see them is the fells of Pallas-Yllästunturi. Read more about the area at Visit Finland. (Visit Finland)

Northern lights

🌌 The first northern lights

WhereBest period according to the source
TromsøLate August–early April (Visit Tromsø)
IcelandSeptember–April (Visit Iceland)
Finnish LaplandOn about half of dark, clear nights; March and early April are especially good (Ilmatieteen laitos (Finnish Meteorological Institute))

Places, tours and chances: seeing the northern lights.

Days out

🎟️ Days out for an autumn trip

Days out we’ve already looked into; price and times are always at the source.

Nuuksio National Park
Photo: Stephan van Helden · CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped) · Photo credits

🎯 Nuuksio National Park

Location: Espoo Type: Hiking · nature

💶 Cost: Price: see the official website (source)

Nuuksio is a national park of forests, rocks and lakes, about a 40 km drive from the centre of Helsinki. Trails from Haukkalampi include the Haukankierros, a 4 km loop. At the Haltia nature centre you can learn about Finnish nature.

More info

Distance: ± 3,338 km from Utrecht (± 39.6 hrs drive, one way, no breaks); ± 39 km from Helsinki (± 0.8 hrs) (OSRM, 21 Oct 2026)

Season: all year

Large car park at Haukkalampi (94 spaces, Haukkalammentie 30); park only in marked spaces (according to Metsähallitus, luontoon.fi). (luontoon.fi)

The button goes to Helsinki: Nuuksio National Park Hike with Lunch & Pickup on GetYourGuide.

👉 See current prices & availability

Also via official website · location on the map

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🎯 Northern lights evening in a small group

Location: Tromsø Type: Tour · evening

💶 Cost: current price from the provider

An evening in a small group of no more than 15 people, with a campfire, hot stew and warm drinks. According to the provider, a thermal suit and boots are included. The tour lasts around 8 hours, so expect a late night.

👉 See current prices & availability

Also via Viator

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🎯 Northern lights tour from Reykjavík

Location: Reykjavík Type: Tour · evening

💶 Cost: current price from the provider

By bus out of the city to a spot without light, with hot chocolate. If you don’t see anything, according to the provider you can join again once for free. Not suitable for children under 6.

👉 See current prices & availability

Also via Viator

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A brown bear in Finland
Photo: Frank Vassen from Brussels, Belgium · CC BY 2.0 (cropped) · Photo credits

🎯 Bear watching at Martinselkonen (Suomussalmi)

Location: Suomussalmi Type: Safari · animals

💶 Cost: evening trip (4–6 hours in a hide): € 100 · bear night (1 night in a large hide): € 170 (source)

Martinselkonen Wilds Centre is in eastern Finland near the Russian border. From large observation hides you watch wild brown bears in the evening or all night, with a guide. There are also separate photo hides.

More info

All prices: evening trip (4–6 hours in a hide): € 100; bear night (1 night in a large hide): € 170; 1-night package with lunch and breakfast: € 190

Distance: ± 2,929 km from Utrecht (± 35.1 hrs drive, one way, no breaks) (OSRM, 21 Oct 2026)

Season: season dates from the provider

Suitable for: couples, nature lovers; child price and minimum age not published

The button goes to a comparable tour on GetYourGuide.

Prices according to martinselkonen.fi, checked on 21 Oct 2026.

👉 See current prices & availability

Also via official website · location on the map

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The Arktikum museum in Rovaniemi
Photo: Clemensfranz · CC BY 3.0 (cropped) · Photo credits

🎯 Arktikum (Rovaniemi)

Location: Rovaniemi Type: Museum · indoors

💶 Cost: adult € 22 · child (7–17) € 10 · family (2+2) € 54 · under 7 free (source)

Arktikum is a science centre and museum in Rovaniemi about the Arctic, Lapland and the northern lights. According to the museum you need 1 to 2 hours. There’s a free audio guide in more than 30 languages.

More info

Distance: ± 2,692 km from Utrecht (± 31.4 hrs drive, one way, no breaks) (OSRM, 21 Oct 2026)

Season: all year

Slightly cheaper online than at the desk; be inside no later than an hour before closing. (arktikum.fi)

The button goes to Rovaniemi: Arktikum Science Centre and Museum Entry Ticket on GetYourGuide.

More in our days-out guide →

👉 See current prices & availability

Also via official website · location on the map

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The entrance to Akvariet i Bergen
Photo: Premeditated · CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped) · Photo credits

🎯 Akvariet i Bergen

Location: Bergen (Nordnes) Type: Aquarium · indoors

💶 Cost: adult NOK 380 · child (3–15) NOK 245 · family (2+2) NOK 1,040 · under 3 free (winter rate) (source)

Norway’s national aquarium sits at the tip of Nordnes in Bergen. You’ll see fish from the Norwegian coast, seals and penguins. A good plan for a rainy day.

More info

Distance: ± 1,958 km from Utrecht (± 24.2 hrs drive, one way, no breaks) (OSRM, 21 Oct 2026)

Season: all year

👉 See current prices & availability

Also via official website · location on the map

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On the road

🚗 Winter tyres in autumn

Snowy road in Kelankylä in northern Finland
Photo: Ooketoo · CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped) · Photo credits

Up north, winter on the roads starts as early as October. The rules by country:

CountryWinter tyresStudded tyres
NorwayAt least 3 mm tread from 1 November to the first Sunday after Easter Monday; in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark from 16 October to 30 April (Statens vegvesen)In the same periods (outside them when the weather calls for it), on all wheels
Sweden1 December–31 March mandatory in wintry conditions, foreign cars included (Transportstyrelsen)1 October–15 April, outside that only in wintry conditions
Finland1 November–31 March mandatory when the weather or road conditions call for it (Traficom)In the same period, on all tyres
DenmarkNo date-based winter tyre requirement; clearly unsuitable tyres can lead to a fine (Færdselsstyrelsen)1 November–15 April, on all wheels
IcelandWinter tyres at least 3 mm tread (Reykjavíkurborg)1 November–15 April

Quick to sort

✅ Sorted

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

When is ruska in Lapland?

According to Visit Finland, around the second week of September; around Rovaniemi and Kuusamo roughly 15–20 September. It varies from year to year.

Can you see the northern lights as early as September?

Yes, in Tromsø from late August and in Iceland from September (Visit Tromsø, Visit Iceland). It’s nature, so never guaranteed.

Are the DNT huts open in autumn?

The staffed huts are open from about late June to mid-September. For the unstaffed huts you need a DNT membership and a key (DNT).

Read on

🧭 Also useful

Accountability

📚 Sources

Every number and every rule on this page comes from a source. Here they all are in one place, checked on 24 October 2026. We only mention prices if the provider publishes them itself; otherwise we refer you to the official website.

View 10 sources

💛 To be upfront: this page contains a few affiliate links, marked “Advertisement · affiliate link”. If you book through one, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. That’s how we keep this site running. We decide for ourselves what we recommend. Read the full disclaimer.