Photo: Reindeer farm in Lapland |
Photo: Reindeer farm in Lapland |
HIGHLIGHTS | INARI | ROVANIEMIFor eight months of the year, ice and snow dictate life in Lapland. In the dark winter nights, the northern lights appear in the sky – glowing symphonies of colour, around which many a myth has been spun. The native inhabitants of the region, the Sami, called these lights revontuli, meaning ‘fox fire’. One of their sagas tells of a fox that painted the colours in the night sky with its tail. From February onwards, the days start to get longer. A snowy landscape glistening in the sun can be explored on a snowmobile, a reindeer or dog sled, or on skis. The short summer starts in July and lasts until the beginning of September with its fiery autumn foliage – ruska. Wilderness fans, canoeists, fishermen and gold seekers brave clouds of mosquitoes to be able to experience Europe’s last truly wild region.
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Siida Sámi Museum  |
Sami culture from the past to the present |
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Boat trips on the Lemmenjoki |
Up-river in a long boat through an untamed fluvial landscape |
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Arktikum |
The history of the northern people and their natural surroundings in an award-winning building |
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Kilpisjärvi |
A small Sami village and Finland’s highest mountain |
The lake covers 1040 km² and is peppered with some 3000 islands. The vegetation around its shore – pine, spruce and birch trees – only reach dwarf proportions. The climate is marked by freezing cold temperatures well into spring. The area is correspondingly thinly populated. Inari has a population of only 7000 – that statistically means just 1.2 people per mi². 30 percent of the inhabitants of Inari are Sami. They live from fishing, reindeer farming and tourism, and try to hang onto their cultural inheritance in a balancing act between the traditional and modern world.
SIIDA SÁMI MUSEUMThe museum provides an overview of the history, way of living and culture of the Sami people. Buildings, animals traps and everyday objects can be seen in the open-air museum. June–Sept daily 9am–8pm, Oct–May Tue–Sun 10am–5pm | Inarintie 46 | 8 euros | www.siida.fi. The North Lapland Nature Centre is housed in the same building.
 | NUTUKAS |
Cosy café and lunch- k. Daily | Ivalontie 2, Ivalo | tel. 040 1 62 25 99 | Budget
This restaurant serves excellent ‘gold-digger’ specialities and good wines. Daily | Honkapolku 5, Saariselkä | tel. 016 66 89 30 | Moderate–Expensive
Pleasant, family-run hotel. 29 rooms in the main building; the 16 rooms in the building on the bank all have a view of the river. Good restaurant with regional fare. Saarikoskentie 2, Inari | tel. 016 5 11 71 00 | www.hotelkultahovi.fi| Moderate–Expensive
| VILLA LANCA B & B |
Imaginatively furnished wooden villa run by a Finnish/Sami couple. Breakfast in the wine bar and restaurant. 2 rooms, 3 flats | Kittilän Ratsutie 2, Inari | tel. 040 7 48 09 84 | www.villalanca.com| Moderate
Inari: Siida Museum | Inarintie 46; Ivalo: Ivalontie 10 | tel. 040 1 68 96 68; Saariselkä/Kiehinen: Kelotie 1 | tel. 040 1 68 78 38
| KARHUNPESÄKIVI |
This cave inside a huge boulder is a natural wonder located in an untouched forest area along with other rocks and boulders 20 km (12½ mi) south of Inari. It can be easily reached along a boardwalk from the café on the E75 between Inari and Ivalo.
BOAT TRIPS ON THE LEMMENJOKIAt the time of the gold rush, the Sami transported gold diggers and their supplies up the River Lemmenjoki in narrow long boats to the prospecting grounds. Since 1956, the area has been part of Lemmenjoki National Park – at 1,100 mi², the most extensive and untamed area of protected countryside in Finland. Although there are still some prospectors here today, most of the people the Sami take along the untouched river valley to Ravadasköngäs Waterfall or to the old gold diggers’ huts in Hamina are hikers and day tourists nowadays. Boat trips, gold panning and accommodation: Café Ahkuntupa | mid June–mid Sept daily | Njurguilahti, 45 km (28 mi) south of Inari | tel. 040 7 55 43 06 | www.ahkuntupa.fi
The Lemmenjoki National Park can also be explored by boat |
This huge park (980 mi²) on the Russian border is named after Urho Kekkonen, a passionate hiker, who was President of Finland for 25 years. Information about the park and keys for cabins in the wilderness can be obtained at the Koilliskaira Visitor Centre (Tankavaarantie 11B | tel. 0205 64 72 51). Hiking and cross-country ski trails in the fells start from here and from the Fell Centre Kiilopää (Kiilopääntie 620, Saariselkä | tel. 016 6 70 07 00 | www.kiilopaa.fi).
Half of the 1300 people who live in this, the northern-most settlement in Finland, are Sami. The villages of the native inhabitants are located on the banks of the rivers Utsjoki and Tenojoki. The latter is one of the richest salmon fishing grounds in Europe. If you take a trip along the Tenojoki, you can climb up the Sami’s sacred mountain, Ailigas (620 m, 2034 ft) along the way and visit Finland’s largest spring, Sulaoja. This is where a 63 km-long (39 mi) hiking trail starts, taking you through a spectacular canyon in the Kevo Nature Reserve that is 40 km-long (25 mi) and 80m deep. It is possible to tackle shorter sections, too. Info: Nature Information Hut | mid June–end Sept | Miessipolku 2 | tel. 0205 64 77 92. Giisa Village Hut runs a café and sells reindeer meat and handicrafts (Utsjoentie 9). Accommodation: Hotel Luossajohda (22 rooms, 4 flats | Luossatie 4 | tel. 040 517 3178 | www.luossajohka.fi| Moderate).
The capital of Lapland is a busy commercial centre with a corresponding infrastructure and airport. It is idyllically located at the confluence of the River Kemijoki and its tributary, the Ounasjoki. The architecture is sobre and functional. 90 percent of the old wooden town was destroyed following the explosion of a German Army ammunition train in 1944 which unleashed a huge fireball.
ARKTIKUM 
A tubular glass complex and two partially subterranean buildings make up this award-winning centre that houses exhibitions on the people and nature of the north and arctic explorations. A multi-vision show and mythical tales are held in the Northern Lights Theatre. June–Aug and early Dec until mid Jan daily 10am–6pm, otherwise Tue–Sun 10am–6pm | 12 euros | Pohjoisranta 4 | www.arktikum.fi
It’s Christmas 365 days a year in a small wooden village on the Arctic Circle. Pixies in pointed red hats work through mountains of mail in the post office while Father Christmas welcomes guests for a photo. You can also take a ride on a sledge through the snow pulled by reindeer or dogs, have a look at an exhibition about Christmas customs around the world. June–Aug daily 10am–6pm, Sept–Nov and mid Jan–end May until 5pm, Dec–mid Jan daily 9am–7pm | www.santaclausvillage.info
| NILI |
This atmospheric restaurant is furnished like a wooden cabin. The Lappish specialities on the menu are carefully and imaginatively prepared. Daily | Valtakatu 20 | tel. 0400 36 96 69 | www.nili.fi| Moderate
This hotel restaurant, with its white tablecloths and beautiful view over the town, is one of the best in Rovaniemi. Juhanuskalliontie | tel. 016 32 34 00 | www.laplandhotels.com| Moderate. The hotel (Expensive) has good accommodation and many of the 71 rooms have their own sauna.
Small, friendly place not far from the station. Good buffet breakfast, free Internet. 15 rooms | Asemieskatu 1 | tel. 016 3 42 01 30 | www.guesthouseborealis.com| Budget
A totally non-Christmasy, well equipped and centally located, modern hotel. Interesting special offers in the summer. 151 rooms | Korkalonkatu 29 | tel. 016 32 13 21 | www.hotelsantaclaus.fi| Moderate
Maakuntakatu 29–31, on Lordi Square | tel. 016 35 62 70 | www.visitrovaniemi.fi
| AAVASAKSA |
This partly rocky hill 10 km (6¼ mi) north of Ylitornio forms part of the Finnish ‘national landscape’. There is a a viewing tower on the summit which provides simply stunning views as far as Sweden. Freshly grilled fish can be had 50 km (31 mi) down river in the Café Myllyn Pirtti (Jun–Aug daily | Koskitie, Kukkola | Budget) located at the Kukkola Rapids which is rich in fish and famous for its picturesque wooden jetties used by salmon fishers.
| KEMI |
The biggest snow castle (lumi linna) in the world can be found every year between February and the beginning of April in Kemi, 120 km (74½ mi) away. Not only chilled drinks are to be had in this temporary structure, there is also a restaurant, a hotel and even a wedding chapel. And, of course, there is a sauna as well (www.snowcastle.net). If that isn’t cold enough for you, take a trip into the pack ice: the icebreaker Sampo cuts its way through sheets up to 5 ft thick. (Dec–April | tel. 016 25 88 78 | www.sampotours.com| 4 hrs cost 240 euros, incl. food, guide and a swim between icebergs in a thermal suit).
KILPISJÄRVIThe tiny Sami alpine village (pop. 100) in the northwest corner of Finland is surrounded by the highest mountains in the country. This is where Finland’s oldest nature conservation area can be found and steps lead up sacred Mount Saana (1029 m, 3376 ft). Finland’s highest mountain, Halti (1324 m, 4344 ft), is just 55 km (34 mi) away. Cabins and holiday flats can be rented from Kilpisjärvi lomakeskus (Kasivarrentie 14188 | tel. 016 53 78 01 | Moderate). The Café Restaurant Ida-Sofie has a lovely view of Saana (daily | Käsivarrentie 14205 | tel. 016 53 S77 90 | Moderate). Info: www.kilpisjarvi.org
Finland’s third largest national park is dominated by a 100 km-long (62 mi) eroded mountain range (fjells) that can be seen from everywhere. Pallas Yllästunturi is known for its very good infrastructure. There are three visitors’ centres (in Pallas, Enontekiö and Äkäslompolo); hiking and cross-country ski trails of varying lengths and levels of difficulty are well signposted. The 55 km-long (34 mi) Hetta Pallas Trail in the northern part of the park is particularly popular. In winter, 500 km (310 mi) of cross-country ski trails are prepared. Info: www.outdoors.fi/pallas-yllastunturinp
In the Pallas Yllästunturi National Park hikers will find cabins in the middle of the wilderness where they can stay free of charge or for a small fee. There are 
free cabins that are not locked, and others for which you need a key and which cost 10 euros a night. Keys can be picked up at the Yllästunturi Visitors’ Centre (advanced reservation necessary) | tel. 0205 64 79 30 | www.outdoors.fi
Outa, a guesthouse in Rovaniemi, is a cheap alternative to Lapland’s rather expensive larger hotels: slightly unconventional but cosy. Double rooms cost 60 euros. 7 rooms | Ukkoherrantie 16 | tel. 016 312 474 | www.guesthouseouta.com