If you're planning a trip to Levi and wondering whether Arcandia is worth visiting, you're in the right place.
We visited Arcandia twice during our family trip to Finnish Lapland, spending the afternoon at the magical Elf Court before returning later that evening to experience Park Side after darkness fell. From meeting Santa and decorating gingerbread to racing mini snowmobiles, throwing axes and trying ice pucking, we experienced many of Arcandia's most popular activities firsthand.
In this honest review, I'll explain exactly what we thought, who I think Arcandia is best suited to, what has changed since our visit and whether I think it's worth adding to your Lapland itinerary.
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Arcandia is one of the most unique attractions in Levi. Hidden amongst the forests just outside the village, it's an immersive adventure park combining magical family experiences with outdoor games, themed entertainment and action activities.
Unlike many Lapland attractions that focus on just one experience, Arcandia offers several different ways to visit. During the day, families can join The Elf Court, where children meet Santa, take part in festive activities with the elves and receive their own certificate. After dark, the park transforms into Park Side, where visitors can enjoy activities such as mini snowmobiles, hill sliding, archery, axe throwing, ice pucking and reindeer feeding.
There are also outdoor laser tag sessions in the Action Park, themed dinners and seasonal events throughout the winter.
One thing many people don't realise is that Arcandia wasn't originally built as a tourist attraction. It began life in 2009 as the film set for a fantasy movie called Nicholas North. Although the film was never made, the impressive buildings remained hidden in the forest until they were transformed into the adventure park visitors can enjoy today.
Whether you're travelling with young children hoping to meet Santa or older children looking for something a little different, Arcandia offers one of the most unusual experiences we found during our time in Levi.
If you're looking for a traditional Lapland attraction, Arcandia probably isn't what you'll expect. But if you're looking for something a little different, it's one of the most unique experiences we had during our trip to Levi.
What makes Arcandia special is that it combines several attractions in one place. During the day, The Elf Court offers a magical Santa experience with festive activities led by the elves. Later, as darkness falls, the park transforms into Park Side, where the focus shifts to outdoor adventure, games and family-friendly activities.
We visited both on the same day and genuinely enjoyed the different atmosphere each offered. The Elf Court felt magical and relaxed, while Park Side was much more energetic, with mini snowmobiles, axe throwing, archery and plenty of opportunities to get involved.
If you're visiting Levi with younger children, I'd recommend booking The Elf Court. For older children and teenagers, Park Side was probably our family's favourite part of the day, especially the mini snowmobiles and outdoor games.
Overall, I'd happily recommend Arcandia to anyone looking for something beyond the typical husky safaris and reindeer rides. It feels completely different to anywhere else we visited in Lapland, and that's exactly what makes it memorable.
📍 Location: Around 10 minutes from Levi village
⭐ Our Rating: 9/10
👨👩👧 Best for: Families, older children and teenagers
⏱️ Time Needed: 2-4 hours depending on which experiences you choose
🎅 Santa Experience: Yes, during The Elf Court
🚕 Getting There: Taxi, Uber or your own car
💰 Budget: Mid-range to premium, depending on the experiences you book
Arcandia is located around 8.5km from the centre of Levi, with the journey taking approximately 10 minutes by car or taxi.
If you're hiring a car during your trip, there's a large free car park on site. Most visitors, however, simply take a taxi or Uber from Levi village.
At the time of writing, you can expect to pay approximately:
Unlike some other Lapland attractions, Arcandia no longer offers its own transfers, so you'll need to arrange your own transport.
It is advisable to book your return taxi in advance.
Address:
Kaakkoisrinteentie 2
99130 Sirkka
Finland
One thing that can be confusing when planning a visit is that Arcandia isn't just one attraction. There are several different experiences available, and they're designed for slightly different audiences.
Here's a quick overview of what's on offer.
The Elf Court is Arcandia's magical daytime experience and is designed primarily for families.
You'll spend time with the elves taking part in festive activities before meeting Santa in his cosy wooden cabin. It's a relaxed, interactive experience where children can decorate gingerbread, make Christmas crafts, feed the reindeer and receive their own certificate from Santa.
This is the experience we booked during our visit.
As darkness falls, Arcandia transforms into Park Side.
Rather than focusing on Santa, the evening experience is centred around outdoor activities and adventure. Visitors can enjoy mini snowmobiles, hill sliding, archery, axe throwing, ice pucking, reindeer feeding and a variety of family games, with fires burning around the park to help you warm up between activities.
If you book The Elf Court, entry to Park Side is included later the same day, making it excellent value if you're planning to experience both.
For older children, teenagers and adults looking for something more adventurous, Arcandia also offers outdoor laser tag sessions in its Action Park.
Although we didn't try this during our visit, it's at the top of our list for next time, especially now my children are older.
Throughout the winter, Arcandia also hosts themed dinners, live entertainment and seasonal events, particularly during the busy Christmas period.
If you're visiting in December, it's worth checking the latest programme before booking, as extra shows and events are often added during the festive season.
We first discovered Arcandia after seeing a video on social media and, honestly, we weren't quite sure what to expect. It looked completely different to anything else we'd seen in Lapland, but there wasn't much information available online at the time, so booking it felt a bit of a leap of faith.
Looking back, I'm really glad we did.
We booked The Elf Court during the afternoon before returning later the same evening for Park Side. Experiencing both on the same day gave us the chance to see two completely different sides of Arcandia.
The daytime experience was magical and centred around Santa, the elves and festive activities, while the evening felt much more like an adventure park, with outdoor games, mini snowmobiles and family-friendly activities lit by fires and colourful lights.
If you're considering booking both experiences, I'd recommend allowing most of the day. Depending on the time of year, there's a short break between The Elf Court closing and Park Side opening while the park transforms for the evening experience. During the busiest weeks around Christmas, you can wait in Hunter's Hut with food, drinks and table games before Park Side opens.
We included Arcandia as part of our 5-day Levi itinerary. If you're planning your own trip, be sure to read our full itinerary to see everything else we got up to during our time in Levi.
The Elf Court is Arcandia's signature daytime experience and, in my opinion, it's one of the most unique Santa experiences you'll find in Lapland.
Before our visit, the children received a personalised letter from Santa inviting them to the Elf Court. It was a lovely touch and something we actually used as part of our Lapland surprise at home before we travelled.
When we arrived, we were greeted by one of the elves who presented each of us with a Ring of Truth. According to the Arcandia story, the rings reveal whether your heart belongs on Santa's nice or naughty list, and every guest gets to keep theirs as a souvenir.
From there, we followed our elf into the village where we spent the next part of the experience taking part in festive activities together.
Our favourites included feeding the reindeer, decorating gingerbread, making Christmas crafts, hill sliding, Knockerballs and the giant Spider Swings. There was a lovely balance between organised activities and free time, so nothing ever felt rushed.
Because our session was fairly quiet, we were also incredibly lucky to spend plenty of time chatting with Santa. Rather than simply posing for a photograph, he joined in with the activities, helped decorate gingerbread and chatted naturally with the children, making the whole experience feel much more personal than many Santa visits we've experienced elsewhere.
At the end of the session, each child received their own Elf Court certificate before Santa walked everyone back towards the entrance, stopping to visit the reindeer along the way. It was a lovely way to finish the experience.
One of the biggest advantages of booking The Elf Court is that your ticket also includes entry to Park Side later the same day.
After a short break while the park prepares for the evening, Arcandia transforms into a completely different experience. The fairy lights come on, the fires are lit and the whole place takes on a much more adventurous atmosphere.
Although we enjoyed The Elf Court, Park Side was probably our children's favourite part of the day.
Rather than focusing on meeting Santa, the evening is all about getting involved in the activities. Some are included with your admission, while others can be purchased using Arcandia's wooden tokens.
We spent most of our evening trying activities we hadn't already experienced during The Elf Court, including axe throwing, archery, ice pucking, mini snowmobiles and feeding the reindeer.
The mini snowmobiles were by far the biggest hit with my children. They couldn't get enough of them and went back for multiple turns throughout the evening. It's one of Arcandia's most popular attractions, so it's worth heading there early if it's on your list.
I also wasn't expecting to enjoy ice pucking as much as I did. Imagine a giant version of air hockey played on real ice, and you'll get the idea. It was surprisingly competitive and a lot of fun, especially playing against another family.
One thing I really appreciated was how easy it was to warm up between activities. Fires were dotted around the park where we could stop for a few minutes, and Hunter's Hut provided a cosy place to escape the cold with hot drinks and snacks before heading back outside.
Even though temperatures dropped well below freezing, we never felt uncomfortable because there were plenty of opportunities to warm up throughout the evening.
One thing that surprised us during our visit was that not every activity is included in your Park Side admission ticket.
Some attractions are free to enjoy, while others require Arcandia's wooden tokens, which you can purchase when you arrive.
At the time of writing, 10 tokens cost €25, and you simply spend them on the activities you'd like to try.
There are also several activities included at no extra cost, including the Spider Swings, table games and some of the family-friendly outdoor games, so you don't need to spend tokens on everything.
I actually liked this system because it meant we could choose which activities were worth paying for rather than being tied to a set programme. We ended up spending most of our tokens on the mini snowmobiles because they were such a hit with the children.
🎯 Park Side Token Guide
Some activities at Park Side are included in your admission, while others require Arcandia's wooden tokens.
10 tokens cost €25.
1 token gets you a go on the Village Games.
2 tokens are needed for Ice Pucking, Hill Sliding and Reindeer Feeding.
3 tokens cover Knockerballs and Ice Balling.
5 tokens are needed for the Mini Snowmobiles and the Human Snowball experience.
There are also plenty of activities included at no extra cost, including the Spider Swings, table games and several family-friendly outdoor games, so you don't need tokens for everything.
Arcandia offers several different ticket options depending on which experience you'd like to book.
The Elf Court is the premium daytime experience, while Park Side can be booked separately if you're only interested in visiting after dark. Action Park, themed dinners and seasonal events can also be booked independently.
At the time of writing, The Elf Court costs €174 per adult and €144 for children aged 3-12, with children under three visiting free of charge.
If you'd prefer to visit Park Side only, admission costs €25 for adults (13+), €15 for children aged 7-12, and is free for children aged 6 and under.
One thing worth knowing is that entry to Park Side is already included with an Elf Court ticket, so there's no need to pay for both if you're planning to experience the daytime programme.
Please note that Park Side admission only covers entry to the park. Many of the activities use Arcandia's token system, so you'll need to purchase wooden tokens separately if you'd like to take part in those.
As prices, opening dates and programmes can change from season to season, I'd always recommend checking the latest information before booking your visit.
After visiting Arcandia ourselves, I'd say it's one of the most versatile attractions in Levi because there's genuinely something for all ages.
If you're travelling with young children, The Elf Court is the highlight. Meeting Santa, decorating gingerbread, making Christmas crafts and spending time with the elves creates a magical experience that feels much more personal than simply queuing for a photo.
Families with older children and teenagers will probably get even more out of Park Side. My own children loved the mini snowmobiles, Knockerballs and the outdoor games, and I think Action Park's laser tag would be an excellent choice on a return visit now they're older.
Even if you're visiting Levi as a couple or with friends, Arcandia offers something a little different from the more traditional Lapland excursions. It's a fun evening out and a chance to experience a completely different side of Lapland.
Would I recommend booking both? Yes. If your budget allows, experiencing Arcandia during both the day and after dark gives you the full experience and really shows off everything the park has to offer.
I'd happily include Arcandia on my itinerary again if I returned to Levi today. The only thing I'd do differently is swap The Elf Court for Action Park and finally give the outdoor laser tag a try now my children are older.
Anyone looking for a Lapland attraction that's a little different from the usual husky safaris and reindeer rides should definitely consider Arcandia.
If you're still deciding how to spend your time in Levi, I've also rounded up the 25 best things to do in Levi, including family favourites, winter activities and a few hidden gems we discovered during our trip.
Arcandia was one of our favourite experiences during our family trip to Levi, but it was just one part of an unforgettable few days in Finnish Lapland.
If you're planning your own visit, you can also read my 5-Day Levi Itinerary, where I share exactly how we planned our trip, where we stayed, how much we spent and all the other activities we squeezed into five magical winter days.
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