Saariselkä

Saariselkä is a popular year-round holiday village which offers a unique selection of activities to visitors. It is located in the "heart of Lapland," a semi-autonomous region which stretches across northern Scandinavia and is home to the Sami people. The resort is in the province of Ivalo on the eastern side of Finland, which continues on to the Russian border. Saariselkä is the northernmost winter sports centre in Finland, 250 km (approx. 160 miles) above the Arctic Circle and a similar distance from the Arctic Ocean to the north. This makes it Finland's and one of the world's most northerly ski resorts. But it is conveniently located just 20 minutes drive from Ivalo airport. Most visitors find the vast wilderness area surrounding the resort stunningly beautiful, with low hills or fells covered in pine forest frozen in suspended animation by temperatures which typically hover a few degrees below zero in the winter, although they can drop to 20 or 30 degrees below. The locals are well prepared for such cold temperatures however, with thermal wear loaned out and a lovely snug feeling once you're indoors. The clear 'blue light' and horizontal winter sunshine is particularly magical. The sense that the wilderness continues on, uninterrupted, up toward the North Pole, gives an exciting feeling of being in a very different type of ski resort to the typical Alpine village for many guests. The area has a higher population of reindeer than people and again most guests enjoy meeting these peaceable creatures. Saariselkä is within the Urho Kekkonen National Park named after Finland's former president. It was once home to legions of gold panners after the precious metal was discovered in the Ivalojoki river, the huts they built are still to be seen in a few remote locations. The first gold claim in Saariselkä was made in 1871 and the first gold rush began. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries a second, larger gold rush began and Saariselkä came in to being. In 1902 the Prospektor gold mining company began work to cart trail from the resort and the first cars arrived in 1914. Development as a tourism destination is relatively new with the resort planned in the mid-1960's and the first modern restaurants and hotels opening in the 1970s. In 1978 Kiilokappeli-chapel was built and the National Park was created on May 5th 1983. Given the northerly latitude there is of course a good chance of seeing the northern lights. With short winter days those chances are even greater. In common with other northern resorts, downhill skiing and boarding is one of a selection of winter sports and activities available but not the dominant one. Guests are equally likely to go snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or dog sledding as downhill skiing. Indeed cross country skiing is far more popular. Saariselkä itself is made up of low lying hotels and other buildings, varying between cosy little shops and cafes to a few giant eateries and nightclub that are the norm in Scandinavia's major resorts in order to accommodate sometimes big lively get togethers. British winter tourism to Saariselkä has been organised by Headwater Holidays (www.headwater.com) for several years and is now also offered by Inghams.

Details: Written by: Jim Walker; Last Updated: 20 Aug 2012

Saariselkä is a popular year-round holiday village which offers a unique selection of activities to visitors. These include canoeing trips on the Ivalojoki river which was famous for gold-panning in the past - and you can still give it a try yourselves. Santa Claus' village is not far and the Northern Lights are often visible. There's also more gold - this time mining for it and the Igloo Village at nearby Kakslauttanen. Trips are organised up to see the Arctic Ocean and to the nearby igloo village at Kakslauttanen (10km / 6 miles away). Part of the Urho Kekkonen National Park, named after Finland's former president. A free bus service links the resort to the lifts. Saariselkä is the northernmost winter sports centre in Finland, 250 km (approx. 160 miles) above the Arctic Circle. Excursions are organised to the Arctic Ocean

Mountain

Saariselkä has a small downhill ski area which is best suited to beginners and early intermediates. It is a five minute (one kilometre) bus ride from the resort centre and unusual the bus can drop you at the base or the top of the slopes, 180 vertical metres apart. There are six slow lifts, five are T bars, one a double chairlift serving a dozen runs, five of them floodlit for the short winter days. These are divided in to two separate areas, on each side of the road at the lower end which you will need to remove your skis to cross, further up the road ends but there's a flat area to pole or walk across. The ski runs total 10km (six miles), the longest 1.3km (a mile) long. Few provide any real challenge although there is a black and some powder between the runs, which tends to stay in good shape for long periods due to the low temperatures often slowing crust formation. There can also be good tree skiing if you have a guide. Most of the runs begin gently on the flattish tops of the two fells, Kaunispaa and Iisakipää then fall away more quickly a third of the way down. There is an excellent terrain park, reputed to be Finland's largest. If you get cold you'll find a welcoming bar at the base of the lifts and a good panoramic restaurant at the top. The ski hire facility is also very good and conveniently located right by he lifts. Cross country skiing is a major activity at Saariselkä which has a network of 220km of trails, 30km of which are floodlit for night skiing. A regular free ski bus links key points on the trails and local villages making one way excursions easy to organise.

Families

Families are well cared for in Saariselkä. On the slopes there's a Kidspark for children aged three to eight, open 9am to 3pm six days a week (not Sunday). Children's ski school operates for kids aged 4 to 14. Children aged seven and under ski free provided they wear a ski helmet (provided free of charge). Most of the terrain is family friendly and there's a special children's run. Indoor day care is available but is at an expensive hourly rate. Families will enjoy many of the facilities, activities and excursions that can be enjoyed together, normally meaning a rewarding and bonding trip for all! Dog sledding, reindeer safaris, gold panning or a visit to the igloo village or to meet Santa in his secret home are all especially magical for children. The excellent swimming complex and unintimidating ski area are also first rate for families, accommodation is good and the food selection also first rate for families.

Eating Out

There are about 20 restaurants in and around the resort and food served at all is consistently good. The hotel Tunturi has three restaurants including one in a lappish style Kota where traditional regional meals are served (salmon, reindeer meet and wild mushrooms are typical ingredients). You can also find global food including steaks, pizzas, burgers and buffalo wings. In the Tiekonlinna hotel there are several restaurants including an a la carte establishment. Again there are mouth watering local dishes including the novelty of eating a gigantic arctic crab. Restaurant Linnansali in the Riekonlinna Hotel serves unusual food from the Arctic Ocean including cod tongue, delicate scampit, sinisimpukat and ruijanpallas. It also serves southern European cuisine if you prefer to let your mind wander off to warmer climes. The Holiday Club also has a selection of restaurants including Italian themed Guksi's which is best for pizza. The Café-Restaurant Nord is one of the newest having opened in November 2004 within the information and shopping Centre Siula. It has a selection of special coffees made with a genuine espresso maker and serves delicious set lunches made with local ingredients. The colourful and relaxed decor of the restaurant is perfectly complemented by the mythical works and photographs by local artists The Huippu panorama restaurant can be reached on skis, snowshoes or by ski bus and has great food and great views.

Apres

Apres can be lively in Saariselkä with partying guests typically picking one of the large hotel bar/nightclub complexes and spending the evening there. The Gold Panner Bar, Guksui pub in the Holiday Club and Panimo are amongst the most popular. There are three late night clubs including one in the Holiday Club. The Tunturi hotel has live music and dancing every night of the week and also offers billiards, roulette and blackjack. The Lutto pub has a good selection of beer and cider and is a good place to drop by and enjoy some rock music. There's karaoke Sunday to Tuesday evenings and billiards tables. The Kieppi has live music twice a week from a local band and a Sami evening once a week.

Boarding

Boarders will have fun on the excellent terrain park, which claims to be Finland's largest and features an impressive half pipes and lots of jumps. The chairlift makes it easier to get up if you're not keen on boarding up on the T Bar. Saariselkä's laid back atmosphere and rocking night spots also appeals to most boarders.

// HIGHLIGHTS //

Vertical drop

180m

Ski area

10

Airport

Ivalo

Train station

Rovaniemi

beginner

45%

intermediate