It’s winter again!
The biggest resorts are in northern and central Finland.
For example, near to Kittilä there are a number of ski resorts near to each
other: Ylläs, Olos and Levi. Other well-known ski resorts such as Saariselkä, Luosto,
Pyhä and Ruka are in Lapland. In central Finland
there are a few excellent ski resorts, including Tahko and Himos. The slopes
are kept in excellent condition throughout the season, which begins in November
and lasts until May in Lapland and is little
bit shorter in southern Finland.
You will find most slopes – and the longest one with lights,
at almost 3 kilometres
long – in (sometimes very windy) Ylläs. Almost all of the biggest ski resorts
say that they have the steepest slope, and while it is difficult to say where
the steepest slope is actually located, in the biggest resorts you will find both
steep and gently sloping hills. Ruka is said to be good place to start skiing
because there are long and easy slopes in addition to a few steeper ones. According
the rumours the best after ski parties will be found in Levi, Ylläs and Ruka.
The essential thing, when you choose where to go, is what you want to do: ski,
snowboard or do other activities.
All of the ski resorts mentioned here offer different
kind of activities in addition to downhill skiing. These activities may be, for
example, reindeer safaris, snowmobile excursions and snowshoe hiking. All
visitors will find something fun to do and there are activities for kids as
well, including smaller hillsides just for smaller skiers and rooms where they
can play games. No matter how old you are, you can take lessons in skiing and
you can also hire equipment. And when you once learn to ski (and believe me it
is like riding a bike: once you learn, you will never forget how to do it!) you
can just buy a ski pass and go!
Reindeer safaris are also a lot of fun. Usually, the master
harnesses the reindeers while you sit in the sleighs under warm reindeer fur
and head for a route through a snowy landscape. After a while the reindeer are
given a break, and you will enjoy a cup of coffee or hot chocolate while
sitting by the campfire. During the day you will get lot of information about
reindeer and the master is happy to answer to any questions you may have.
If you don’t feel like rolling in the snow you can
always spend a day at the gym or have a massage. And of course you will find
several saunas in all of the resorts. What would be better than a hot sauna
after a day in the snow? It doesn’t get more Finnish than that!
You can wine and dine in the restaurants
and if you feel like dancing there are several bars and nightclubs in the area.
As a rule you can find a supermarket, souvenir shop,
pharmacy, doctor, post office and liquor shop in the ski resorts and most of
the staff are used to serving foreign guests in different languages, especially
English. In spite of the long distance from Helsinki the transportation to these resorts
is very well organized; you can catch a bus or a train to get there, or to save
some time, you can catch a flight to a nearby airport.
When you choose the ski resort you should pay
attention to the location, the length of the slopes, and other activities
provided. And don’t wait too long when you want to make a reservation for
flights and accommodation, because the resorts are often quite busy especially during
high season. And you may want to consider the cost of your holiday as well. The
price level in the high seasons (during the school holidays) and weekends is
relatively high. In general the resorts have good deals for the first snow at the
beginning of the season.
In addition to downhill skiing, cross-country skiing
is a very popular sport all over the country. There are lots of excellent
trails from which to choose. There are many places in Helsinki where you can ski and you don’t even
have to own your own gear. For example in Paloheinä, which is the most poplar
place to ski in Helsinki, the average skiing season runs from November to April
and the tracks are anywhere from a few to ten kilometres long. And if you think
that the skis are too slippery and you are afraid of losing your balance, you
can always do some snowshoe walking!
Country skiing is a brilliant way to explore the
winter landscape and a very good way to exercise your muscles, or just take it slow
and enjoy the white landscape. After the trip into the nature (and making a few
snow angels), you may want to warm yourself up with hot chocolate with a hint
of mint liqueur.
The best thing about cross-country skiing is that you
don’t even have to go to the ski resorts to do that, because there are trails
everywhere. And more good news: the ski trails are free for
everyone. The peak season for skiing is from January to March.
And after all of that white stuff, the most magical
sights of Finnish winter are the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis. They are very
common in northern Finland
and occasionally you can even see them in Helsinki.
Imagine a silent, dark night, the sky full of green and yellow colour. It is an
amazing phenomenon that you should see at least once in your lifetime!
