Things to do in Kittilä

Kittilä is a municipality in Finnish Lapland, north of the Arctic Circle. Levi is the part that matters. This fell village, fifteen kilometres from Kittilä's own airport and administrative centre, carries almost everything sold under the town's name.

Levi, the fell and the village

The fell itself rises to 531 metres and gives its name to the ski resort built around its base. Sirkka is the village address. Chalets, restaurants and gear shops cluster at the bottom of the slopes, all within walking distance of each other.

• Elves' Village. A Christmas-themed attraction with its own workshop and a chance to meet Santa, open through the winter season.
• Ounasjoki river. The river running past the village, used for reindeer safaris and rapids-side excursions in both seasons.

What people come to do

Snow activities carry the whole place: husky and reindeer safaris, snowmobiling and snowshoeing, much of it built around Sámi reindeer-herding tradition.

• Reindeer and husky safaris. Sled rides with reindeer or huskies, from short farm visits to full days out on the snow.
• Snowmobile safaris. Day and night routes across the fells, some ending at a campfire or a wilderness hut.
• Northern lights hunts. Guided drives away from the village lights, with some operators offering a partial refund if nothing appears.
• Rovaniemi and Santa Claus Village. A day trip south to the official Arctic Circle Santa attraction, about two and a half hours each way.

Practical

• Weather. Winter lows regularly pass -15C and can reach -30C on the coldest nights, while summer highs reach around 18C. Daylight runs close to 24 hours in June this far north and shrinks to only a few grey hours around midday in December.
• Getting there. Kittilä's own airport takes direct charter flights from several European cities in winter; the rest of the year usually means connecting through Helsinki or Rovaniemi.
• What to bring. Proper winter layers matter more than almost anywhere else in Europe, though most operators rent the technical gear and boots.
• Booking ahead. Christmas and New Year fill the village solid; late winter, February to March, combines snow with longer daylight and fewer crowds.
• Money. Cards are standard everywhere, including for a coffee at a wilderness hut.