Levi & Kittilä

Finland's largest ski resort, with direct flights to Kittilä Airport, glass igloos for aurora viewing, Ylläs fell, snow villages, and hiking in Pallas National Park.

Levi and Kittilä are in western Finnish Lapland, about 170 km north of the Arctic Circle. Levi is Finland's largest ski resort, and its town center (Sirkka) concentrates hotels, restaurants and gondolas, making it an ideal base for exploring the surrounding area. Winter (November–April) is about skiing, aurora, snowmobiling, husky and reindeer sleigh rides; around December there is about a month of polar night with its blue twilight, and in March–April the days grow longer and the sunny snow is most pleasant. In mid-September the autumn colors of "ruska" are ideal for hiking, and in June–July you can see the midnight sun. Activities around the area fall into three parts: Levi fell, the town center and glass igloos; Ylläs fell, Äkäslompolo village and the Lainio snow village, 35–45 km to the southwest; and Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, about 60 km to the northwest. Getting there: Kittilä Airport (KTT) is about 15 minutes from Levi, with direct winter flights from Helsinki; from Rovaniemi it is about 2.5 hours by bus. We suggest staying 4–6 days. Driving is the most flexible option, but in winter you need to be used to icy roads and watch for reindeer crossing. Winter temperatures are often below -20°C, so prepare layered warm clothing; activities and accommodation are most in demand at Christmas and during the February–March holidays, so book early.

Top sights

• Levi Ski Resort – Finland's largest ski resort, with 43 runs and gondolas up to a glass hut at the summit. Lit runs allow skiing under the polar night.
• Levi Gondola & Summit – Ride a panoramic gondola up to Levi's 531-meter summit for views over the lakes and forests of Kittilä. In winter, watch for northern light…
• Levi Village (Sirkka) – A resort village within walking distance of the ski slopes, where hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and sign-up points for snow activities…
• Levin Iglut - Golden Crown – Glass-domed cabins perched on the slopes of Levi, where you can lie in bed and watch the northern lights and the starry snowfield through t…
• Northern Lights Village Levi – A lakeside camp of glass-roofed cabins far from light pollution, offering northern lights viewing along with snowmobiling, reindeer and hus…
• Ylläs Ski Resort – Finland's highest ski hill (718 m), with the country's biggest vertical drop, flanked by the villages of Ylläsjärvi and Äkäslompolo at its…
• Äkäslompolo – A traditional lakeside village on the northern slope of Ylläs, quieter than Levi and the base for cross-country skiing and national park hi…
• Kellokas Nature Centre – The visitor centre for the southern part of Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, with free exhibits on Lapland's fell nature and Sámi culture.
• Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park – Finland's most visited national park, home to the rounded tundra summits of the Pallas fells and a monument marking the 1952 Olympic flame.
• Lake Pallasjärvi – A clear, large lake at the foot of the Pallas fells, good for lake views, summer camping, boating and fishing.
• Lapland Hotels SnowVillage – An ice and snow hotel and ice sculpture gallery rebuilt from scratch every winter, with an ice bar, ice chapel and sleepable ice suites.
• Särestöniemi Museum – The former home and studio of Lapland painter Reidar Särestöniemi, known for his bold colours depicting the Arctic landscape, on the banks…
• Kittilä Church – A wooden church built in 1831 to a design by architect Engel, one of the best-preserved old churches in Lapland.
• Kittilä – The town centre of the municipality Levi belongs to, with an airport, supermarkets and a local history museum, offering a taste of everyday…
• Kittilä Local History Museum – An open-air museum on the banks of the Ounasjoki River, preserving 18th- and 19th-century Lapland farm buildings and everyday tools.
• Kätkätunturi – A quiet hill to the west of Levi with short trails and good views over Levi's ski area and the surrounding lakes and marshes.
• Aakenustunturi – A hill in the southeastern part of Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, where the wreckage of a German Ju 52 transport plane from the Second…
• Pakasaivo – A deep lake sunk in a steep gorge, nicknamed the 'Hell of Lapland', ringed by cliffs and once considered sacred by the Sámi.
• Harriniva Wilderness Centre – A large husky kennel and outdoor centre on the Muonio River, where winter visitors can ride husky sleds through snowy forests.

Where to eat

• NiliPoro Reindeer Restaurant – A reindeer specialist in Levi centre, known for traditional stir-fried reindeer, reindeer sausage and the daily reindee…
• Ämmilä Lapland Restaurant – The Lapland restaurant inside Hullu Poro Hotel. Weekday lunch is an affordable buffet, while evenings bring à la carte…
• Myllyn Äijä Restaurant – A long-running Lapland restaurant founded in 1995 by local Kittilä brothers. Smoked reindeer and mushroom soup and stir…
• Káfet Café – A two-person café in the basement beneath Levi centre, famous for its homemade cinnamon rolls. Lunch offers creamy salm…

Itineraries

• Rovaniemi to Tromsø Winter Aurora Corridor – A cross-border winter route from Santa Claus Village along the E8 highway via Levi and the Three-Country Border Market…