Levi, Finland
Traveling to Finland in the winter is a unique experience of snow, sunshine, dancing Auroras and the cleanest air in the world.
When we first read about a Finnish ski town above the arctic circle with 230 kilometers of free, groomed trails it sounded like the perfect place for a Nordic ski vacation.
Our friends and family were just puzzled. “Finland? In the Winter? WHY?
Finland is the northernmost European capital, and the Finns’ national pastime is cross-country skiing. Cross-country skiing above the Arctic Circle, coupled with a chance to see the Northern Lights, seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Travel costs were also so affordable we couldn’t resist. At the time we traveled, airfare to Helsinki was half the price of flying to cross-country ski areas in the US or Canada. Lodging was also half the price.
So – why not Finland?
Getting There
After arriving in Helsinki, fortified with hot blueberry juice from Finn Air, we hopped aboard a short flight to Kittila Airport, 110 miles above the Arctic Circle.
At the small airport we walked down a staircase directly onto the tarmac, with no jetway to protect us. Braving the cold offered a spectacular view of the last Arctic daylight, tinged with pink, with the flat land ringed by mountains – or Fells as they call them in Finland – in the distance. The town of Levi, about a 20-minute drive from the Kittila airport, is Finland’s largest ski resort and a true ski town – lodging, restaurants and shops all catering to Nordic and Alpine skiers.
The Skiing
Skiing at home for us requires a two-hour drive in traffic to enjoy a Nordic trail system with less than 30km of trails, groomed a few days each week. Since the warming climate has made the snow in Helsinki less plentiful and predictable, we decided to head further north to Finnish Lapland for guaranteed snow. The ski season North of the Arctic Circle can last up to seven months. We were awed by the scale of Levi’s Nordic ski area. The challenge lie in deciding which trail and ski area to choose each day.
Accessing and using the trail options was easy. The entrance to Levi’s cross-country trail system sits in the center of town, a walk of just a few short blocks in ski boots from all the lodging options. A detailed map at the trailhead illustrates the trail system, free maps are available at the tourism centers in town, and the trails are well-signed in English and Finnish. Trails of all lengths and skill levels are available, with the familiar green, blue and black designations.
In mid-March of an unusually warm winter, the snow was fast and icy, with well-groomed tracks that were groomed multiple times each day.
The extensive trail system was free to use, a reflection of Finland’s commitment to outdoor recreation for all. Trails meandered through evergreen forests, across plains that served as golf courses in the summer, and across vast frozen lakes. It seemed the trails just never ended – a landscape composed solely of white snow and blue skies.
Levi is Nordic skiing nirvana, with 230 kilometers of beautifully groomed ski trails. Many of those trails connect to the 500 kilometers of Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, which can also be accessed by a short bus ride or drive. Yllas has the distinction of the having the purest air in the world, according to the Finnish Meteorological Association.
In another unique experience for us, 28km of Levi’s Nordic trail system is lighted throughout the winter. That allowed us the novelty of Nordic night skiing, kicking and gliding through the quiet forest on a clear March evening. The lights were plenty bright to allow us to ski safely on the terrain, and the calm, clear nights full of stars helped light the way. As the evening temperatures dropped, the snow got faster, and we enjoyed the silence and solitude, only seeing one other skier on the trail.
Refreshments
Skiing requires refreshments and warmth, and ironically, this has never been more convenient than above the Arctic Circle in Finland. Both the trail systems in Levi and in Pallas-Yllas National Park have cafes that seemed perfectly planned, at just the right interval when skiers need a break and chance to warm up.
Trail maps are marked with coffee cup symbols at regular intervals, designating cafes where skiers can warm up, eat and drink. The Finns drink more coffee per capita than any country in the world, which makes a winter visit even more pleasurable.
Café menus all include coffee, the ubiquitous hot blueberry juice, smoked salmon soup, and frequently a dish containing reindeer meat. Most unusual, every small café – even those in the middle of a national park ski trail system – includes meals and treats marked gluten-free and dairy-free. Finland happens to have the world’s largest population of people with celiac disease, so they are exceptionally accommodating of food allergies.
So if you’re looking for a new ski experience and maybe some green lights – why NOT Finland?
Planning Resources
| Location | Levi, Finland Closest Airport is Kittila (KTT) – 20 minutes |
| Getting There | FinnAir flies direct from several U.S cities; FinnAir is a OneWorld Partner, so we used AlaskaAir Atmos Rewards miles to fly from Helsinki to Kittila (KTT). We found cheap flights to Helsinki on Going. |
| Visitor Resources | Levi Tourist Information: https://www.levi.fi/en/ Finland Tourist Information: https://www.visitfinland.com/en/ Finland’s National Parks: https://www.luontoon.fi/en/articles/national-parks |
| Ski Rentals | Hill – Levi: https://hillskirent.fi/en/levi/contact/ |
| Ski Trails | Conditions: https://ladulle.fi/en/levi/rautuskylankierros_b1081d04 |
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