Kittilä

The main tourist information is in Levi:

• Kittilä Tourist Information

  phone: +358 16 639 3300
  address: Myllyjoentie 2, FI-99130 Levi
  Kittilä Tourist Information is operated by Visit Levi.

Kittilä covers a vast area consisting mostly of taiga forest and bogs, with only 6400 permanent residents. River Ounasjoki runs through the municipality almost directly from north to south. Some remote villages got a road connection only after the WWII. The fell massifs, especially Pallastunturi and Levi, got some fame for their sights already in the 18th century but the remoteness was a major issue until the main village got a suitable road and a coach connection from Rovaniemi in 1923. Already in the 1930s a small hotel was built at Pallastunturi, but the visitors had to hike or travel in a reindeer sleigh(!) to get there until the road to the fell was accomplished in 1956. The 55 km long trekking route between Pallastunturi and Hetta in Enontekiö was opened in 1934 and is the oldest marked hiking trail in Finland.
In the WWII aftermath, known as the Lapland War, almost all buildings in the area were destroyed by retreating German troops, including the hotel at Pallastunturi and even some of the roadless villages.
Today Kittilä is a vivid and economically stable community and one of the very few municipalities in Lapland having positive net migration. The is one of the most popular winter sports centres in Finland with almost complete set of services and top level nightlife for after ski.
For nature enthusiasts, parts of , and extend to Kittilä but the landscape is more or less backcountry elsewhere as well.
, located about 40 km from the main village as the crow flies, is the largest gold mine in Europe and an employer for over 1000 people. This ore rich municipality is struggling between interests of international mining companies and increasing request for unspoiled nature.
The coldest temperature ever recorded in Finland, −51.5°C, was measured in the in January 28th 1999.

By plane

• Kittilä Airportis served from Helsinki by Finnair (daily) and in season by Norwegian (4 times a week), in season also services by Lufthansa from München (weekly) and TUI Fly from Brussels (weekly), as well as some charter airlines from the British Isles and Central Europe.

Public transport to several destinations, partly, especially off season, as shuttle services that have to be booked in advance. There are several car rental companies at the airport, but advance reservation may be needed.

• Tunturilinjat Oy

  phone: +358 400-694-927
  Regular service to Levi in season. Also other connections.

• Rundgren ky

  phone: +358 40-502-5691
  Services to Ylläsjärvi and Äkäslompolo

• Kilpisjärven Taksi

  phone: +358 16 537-716
  Taxi to Hetta and Kilpisjärvi. Reservations a day before.

• Other shuttles

  phone: +358 20-014-919
  Shuttles to Muonio, Olos, Jeris and Pallas.

• Other coachesFor Eskelisen Lapinlinjat, Gold Line etc, passing the airport and centre on their way from Kilpisjärvi or Hetta to Rovaniemi (about three services daily), see Matkahuolto.

By car

Kittilä is situated about 150 km north from Rovaniemi. Many people coming from the south choose to take the car with them on the train from Helsinki and then drive from either Rovaniemi or from Kolari which is just some 60 km away from Kittilä (however the train to Kolari only runs twice a week).
Optionally you can drive from Helsinki. The distance is almost 1000 km and the drive will take some 12–14 hours depending on road conditions. If driving from Germany or Central Europe in general, the shortest alternative is to drive through Sweden along road E4 all the way to Luleå and then through Pajala to the Finnish border and on to Kittilä.

By rail

There are overnight trains to Rovaniemi and to Kolari (sparsely to the latter) from southern Finland and to Luleå from southern Sweden. From there you can continue by coach.

By bus

There are coach services from e.g. Rovaniemi, Hetta, Kilpisjärvi, Kolari, Sodankylä and Haparanda.

• The midnight sun is visible from late-May to mid-July for about 45 days on the latitude of Levi. The polar night starts early December and lasts about one month. During the winter, the northern lights are a common sight.

• Kittilä wooden church

  address: Valtatie 93
  The wooden church in Kittilä was designed by Carl Ludwig Engel and built 1829–1831. The church was saved in Lapland War.

In or near the main village

• Home of Kalervo Palsa

  address: Kivitie 14 B
  Home and atelier of the visual artist Kalervo Palsa (1947–1987).

• Kittilä museum of local history and culture

  phone: +358 40 568 1356
  address: Pakattiojantie 1
  A local history museum in old buildings moved here and placed in a traditional manner. Main building from the 1860s.

Elsewhere

• Taatsi sieidiThis sacred place for the Sami people is considered as one of the most powerful sieidi places in Lapland. The surrounding forests are protected and the place itself is a nationally significant cultural environment. There is a short trail from the gravel road. The road is not maintained in winter. There is an open wilderness hut, campfire site and dry toilet about 1 km away from the sieidi.

• Kaukonen villageA very picturesque village on both banks of river Ounasjoki by the road between Rovaniemi and Kittilä. Included to the list of nationally significant built cultural environments and most buildings were saved in Lapland War. Silence Festival in June.

• Särestöniemi museum

  phone: +358 16 654-480
  address: Särestöntie 880
  Estate of the artist Reidar Särestöniemi (1925–1981), one of the most important visual artists in Lapland, known for strong Lapland-inspired oil paintings. The museum includes the old buildings, and gallery and cafeteria by artist couple Reima and Raili Pietilä. Also changing exhibitions with other artists and chamber music concerts.

• Gallery Raekallio

  phone: +358 40 484 0122
  Atelier and gallery of famous painter Reijo Raekallio (1950-). Weekly changing exhibition.

• Lainio Snow village

  address: Lainiontie 566

• Pulju villagePulju is a true wilderness village. During the Lapland War it was so deep in the forest that even German soldiers didn't wander that far and therefore the village was completely saved from destruction. When president Kekkonen visited the village in 1959 he had to walk almost 30 km to get there. The road was opened in 1962. Until then the locals used reindeer to carry goods from other villages.

• Kelontekemä villageAnother backcountry village which was roadless and remote enough to be completely saved from destruction during the Lapland War. Village and music festival in July.

• Ruoppaköngäs rapids

  address: Muoniontie 2177
  Small rapids about 200 meters from the road. No maintained trail in winter.

• Linkupalo volcanic park

  address: Aakenuksentie
  A 1.5 km long nature trail showing geological formations formed by volcanic activity some 2 billion years ago.

Most people come to Kittilä for downhill skiing in the winter. They head for the nearby ski centres Levi and Ylläs.
There are also a host of other outdoor activities offered by tour providers, see below, sorted by village.
You can also go hiking or cross-country skiing on your own in Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park. The nearest trailheads are around Aakennustunturi, both trails and skiing tracks.

• Totovaara: 16 km by road 80 towards Kolari; also (15 km) and Joutsenpolku (7 km) nature trail
• Äijänkuusikko (10 km farther; skiing tracks, on the other side of Aakennustunturi.
• Trail via Niritsa: 20 km from Kittilä, turn right to road 9403; also Aakennustunturi nature trail (starting 4 km from the road). The skiing tracks start at Levi 20 km away.
• Kalliokoski: 25 km from Kittilä, drive 5 km further along road 9403. The trail and the skiing tracks start at Levi 20 km away.

Sirkka and Köngäs

For activities in or near the villages Sirkka and Köngäs (about 10km north of Sirkka/Levi), see Levi.

Rauhala

In or near the village Rauhala at lake Jerisjärvi, near Pallas-Yllästunturi fell chain and national park.

• Fell Trek

  phone: +358 40 509-8210
  address: Muoniontie 3124, 99135 Rauhala
  In the village of Rauhala next to Lake Jerisjärvi and Pallas-Yllästunturi fell chain. Cross-country ski tours, snow shoe tours and other winter activities; hiking, biking, canoeing tours and programmes, multi-activity programmes. Guided tours for a day or even a week. Accommodation in rooms for 1–2 persons and cottages, also independently of activities.

• Pallashusky

  phone: +358 40 551-3153
  address: 99135 Rauhala
  several days' husky programmes in the beautiful surroundings of Pallas-Ylläs National Park.

Try the Lappish speciality Poronkäristys (reindeer meat).

Kittilä centre

• Hotel Kittilä

  phone: +358 16 643 201
  address: Valtatie 49
  Free WiFi, sauna.

• Guesthouse Golden Goose

  phone: +358 16 642 043
  address: Valtatie 42
  Free WiFi, sauna.

• Kittilän Lomamökit Oy

  phone: +358 40 736 8800
  address: Sodankyläntie 65
  Cottages, camping etc.

Jerisjärvi/Rauhala

See also Do above.

Sirkka and Köngäs

Large selection. See listings in Levi.

Lainio

30 km from Kittilä centre, near the road between Kittilä and Ylläsjärvi.

• Lainio snow village

  phone: +358 40-416-7227 (M–F 9:00–17:00)
  address: Lainiotie 566
  Sleep in a room of snow and ice (with temperature a little below freezing). Sculpture theme 2018–2019: Game of Thrones. Warm sleeping bags etc. provided. Showers and other facilities in a nearby warmer environment. Guided tour included. Also normal cabins. Activities for overnight guests and others, including husky, reindeer and snowmobile safaris (some with ice fishing or northern light viewing), skiing and snowshoe trips; not all activities all days. Also weddings.

Pulju-Lompolo

• Puljuvaaran majat

  phone: +358 40 765 1951
  address: Ruotsalantie 15
  Three cottages in a remote village. Hiking, fishing, hunting and cross-country skiing.

• Aittatievan mökit

  phone: +358 400 123 879
  address: Puljuntie 1314
  Two cottages.