Finland is often known as a land of mystery. With its breathtaking forests, spectacular aurora displays, and magical wilderness, this Northern European nation is also famous for skiing. Skiing in Finland is fantastic for anyone, especially beginners.
Many instructors in ski schools are trained to speak English. The gentle slopes are also an added advantage. If you are one of the seasoned skiers, then there are enough steeps equivalent to World cup races.
Finland is a beautiful country with some of the best scenery in the world. The snow-capped trees, the mesmerizing northern lights, and the bright horizons are just some delightful sights you would see in Finland.
You must know that the Finnish Ski Resorts are primarily covered in snow from December to May. Finland, being a flat country, has over 100 ski resorts. Many of them are located in Lapland, close to the Arctic circle.
Some of the best Ski resorts cater to downhill skiing and snowboarding and have access to hundreds of acres of ski tracks for fun cross-country skiing. Many ski resorts in Finland are also known for family-friendly holidays. In addition, you can participate in winter sports such as husky sledging, and ice fishing, or view the Northern Lights in any of the 14 best places in Finland.
Ski Holidays in Finland
Finland is popularly known as Lapland or the home of Santa Claus. However, this beautiful country, with its breathtaking scenery, warm but laid-back culture, and the most suitable winter climate, is perfect for skiing.
Skiing in Finland is just glorious for skiers of all levels and snowboarders. You will not find another special place on Earth for a relaxing getaway that offers majestic views and attractive opportunities for skiing than Finland.
Top Places for Ski Holidays in Finland
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Ruka is the best snow-sure resort in Finland. Due to its northern location and winter season lasting the longest between Early October and Mid June, Ruka is a popular ski resort for a ski holiday.
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If you are looking for festive fun, you must travel to Levi and Saariselka in Finland. There are the best places to be in the buildup before Christmas.
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If it is after skiing activity or apres ski that you are interested in, then you must look at Levi and Ruka. Both have plenty of bars that play live music. Some allow dancing on tables, while others prefer a more traditional set-up.
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Travelling in groups, many cosy log cabins would be perfect. There are options to choose from self-catering cottages and apartments in Levi and Saariselka that would also be an excellent fit for your group.
Ski Areas for the Best Finland Ski Holidays
The ski area in most places in Finland has extraordinary forests, beautiful frozen lakes, and minimal queues for the best runs in Europe. So, most skiers and snowboarders rarely go back disappointed from Finland.
Visitors looking for the best Finland Ski holidays can rest assured that skiing is not the only activity. There are many cross-country skiing trails and other winter activities to indulge in for a memorable visit to Finland.
Many cross-country skiers would love to know that many off-piste options are available across Finland, and the most popular ski resorts here offer them between the trails.
10 Exquisite Ski Resorts for Skiing in Finland
There are over 75 ski resorts in Finland. This can be pretty surprising as Finland is not a mountainous region. Most resorts in Finland are on hills and fells, filled with snow for 200 days or more in a year.
Skiing in Finland starts in early October and ends in May. Resorts in Finland have adopted efficient snowmaking practices, snow farming, and many indoor skiing opportunities, which has helped them to extend the length of the skiing seasons to a great extent.
There are slopes for every skill level here at the Finnish ski resorts. Some are easy, wide, and short, while others are similar to world-class race slopes. In addition, the most popular ski resorts in Finland offer lifts and slopes for children and plenty of other family facilities.
This article has listed 10 exquisite Ski Resorts for Skiing in Finland. It believes that it will help you to make the right choice of a Ski Resort before you embark on a ski holiday in Finland.
1. Levi Ski Resort
A popular resort in Finland, Levi is excellent for families to have a great ski adventure. As the largest ski resort in Finland, many slopes are suitable for all types of skiers.
Levi is conveniently located 170 km north of the Arctic Circle and Rovaniemi city. Apart from the wide variety of slopes, you can find two snow parks and over 239 km of cross-country skiing trails.
So, for your next ski holiday in Finland, please remember that the ski season in Levi starts in October and is on till Mid- May. A fun fact about this ski resort is that the prestigious Skiing World Cup Competitions is held here at Levi at the beginning of November. If you wish to try another accommodation, you can choose hotels, cottages, and apartments around the resort.
2. Saariselka Ski Resort
Not far from the Russian border, Saariselka is one of the main resorts in Lapland. As the home of Santa Claus, Saariselka is well known for snow sure slopes for skiing, a delightfully picturesque village, and loads of festive activities.
If you are looking for a ski holiday very close to the wilderness, then Saariselka is the place for you. Have a wonderful time away from civilization and become part of nature living in a village surrounded by a charming forest. The winter wonderland has a little chapel, a few shops, and restaurants. You can also choose to stay at a spa hotel or traditional log cabins.
You can visit the Kekkonen National Park or enjoy yourselves in any of the nonski activities as well. Ice fishing, Snowmobile safaris, and Northern Lights spotting are some of the nonski activities that many visitors to Saariselka would love to enjoy. Although the location is quite remote, the ski resort has many amenities and entertainment.
3. Ruka Ski Resort
In the quiet corners of Finnish hills and on the borders of Lapland is Ruka Ski Resort for you. Ruka is also close to a village, Kuusama, near the Russian Border. Also known as the “Gateway to Lapland, Ruka Ski Resort was founded in 1954. Since then, it has blossomed to 21 ski lifts and 34 ski slopes. Skiers and snowboarders of all levels can use the ski slopes.
There is nearly 500 km of trails here for cross-country skiing. Almost 50km of the trail is flood-lit, so most remain open till 7 pm. Other snow activities include snowmobiling and a snow play area. The ski season starts in October and stretches till May.
4. Vuokoatti Ski Resort
A popular winter resort, Vuokoatti, is located in the Finnish Lake District in Sotkamo, close to Kajaani. As Vuokoatti offers many activities for all seasons. it remains one of the popular resorts all year round.
There is a list of snow activities for visitors in Vuokoatti. It starts with a cross-country skiing trail in October. Winter sports include downhill skiing, snowmobiling, husky sledging, and snowshoeing. There is never a dull moment for skiers at Vuokoatti, and the most exciting aspect of all is their unique Ski Tunnel, which allows skiers to ski throughout the year.
5. Salla Ski Resort
If you are looking for a unique place with midnight sun and a fantastic view of the Northern Lights in winter, then Salla Ski Resort is the place to have an experience of a lifetime. A Ski Resort amidst the magical wilderness and remarkable landscape.
Salla Ski Resort will transport you to the land of Christmas cards or literally into the ‘middle of nowhere’. Although Salla is a smaller and lesser-known ski resort than Levi, the peace and tranquillity give this place a fresh perspective. There are over 15 ski slopes for all levels of skiers. Most slopes are quiet with beautiful views. On a clear day, there is a chance to see Russia as well.
Although one of the few Finnish ski resorts at 214m, it remains a snow-sure location due to the low Scandinavian temperatures.
So, take a trip to the land of Santa to enjoy the pristine Finnish landscape. Have a wonderful time with your kids on Reindeer safaris or snuggle up together to watch the sky explode with Northern lights.
6. Iso-Syote Ski Resort
Iso Syote is a family-friendly ski resort nestled in Syote National Park. An award-winning ski resort, Iso-Syote has 17 slopes and 10 lifts.
You will be thrilled to know that Snow world daycare centre teaches kids to ski and meet live reindeer. Under the watchful eye of professional nannies, the indoor childcare centre is a boon to all visiting Iso Syote Ski Resort.
Iso-Syote boasts of one of the biggest ski centres in the country and many tourists love to visit it during the coldest months of January and February. On the other hand, March and April regarded as the warmest spring months will seldom leave you disappointed as you would benefit from the late season show.
7. Laajis Ski Resort
Laajis Ski Resort can be found just 4km from Jyvaskyla’s city centre. There are numerous activities for all levels of skiers here. With 15 slopes, 4 snowparks, a toboggan run, and an exclusive section for beginners and kids, Laajis Ski Resort is a beautiful location for skiing in Finland.
You can enjoy the 48 km of cross country skiing trails, and winter biking or indulge in challenging winter sports such as downhill ice cross track at the Laajis Ski Resort.
8. Yllas Ski Resort
If you are looking for family entertainment while skiing in Finland then you must look to Yllas. As a 718 meter high fell and ski area at the Yllastunturi National Park, Yllas has welcomed skiers since the 1930s. It also boasts of the 3 km Jattipitka (translates to ‘enormously long’) run which is Finland’s longest slope.
There are many reasons why Yllas is known as an important cross-country destination in the world. The foremost of them all is that it has 63 km of downhill slope and compact skiing on the 300 km of designated tracks.
The Slopes are suited for beginners and intermediates. All advanced skiers can use the extensive off-piste at the ski resort. Non-ski activities include ice fishing, snowmobile rides reindeer spotting and dog sledging.
Take a ski holiday here at the Yllas and your family will be exhilarated to step into the home of Father Christmas who will welcome you with gifts and hot chocolate.
Be awestruck at the opportunity to be a part of the universe while watching the Northern Lights on a cold night. Yllas, as you can see is a wonderful location for skiing in Finland. Do remember to plan your trip here anytime between December to February to get the best holiday in Finland.
9. Pyha Ski Resort
Pyha Ski Resort is mystic and enigmatic with its dense pine forest, frozen lakes, and waterfalls. To top it all, it is one of the best places to view the Northern lights. A sacred mountain to the Lappish people, and the reason for the name ‘Pyha’ which translates to “holy hill”, this famous ski resort is compact and uncommercialized.
There are both slopes and off-piste trails available that will suit beginners and experienced skiers. At the base of the ski resort, there are gentle slopes for children and beginners for a fun family adventure.
The magic never ends here at Pyha Ski Resort and after you have taken a free magic carpet lift at the Huttumaa area, it will be an experience like no other.
Skiing in Finland is never boring at the Pyha Ski Resort with its flood-lit slopes and excellent cross-country trails. There is no dearth of places to eat at Pyha. The nightlife too is pretty exciting. Do drop in at the Sportsbar for a chilled-out pub experience or have the prize-winning waffles at the Restaurant Tsokka.
There are endless non-ski activities at the Pyha too. Some of them are Icelandic horse-riding, ice fishing, ice karting, and ice climbing. To dig for your gems, do visit Amethyst Mine. You might get lucky one time or the other.
10. Tahko Ski Resort
Tahko Ski Resort can be reached within an hour’s drive from the city of Kuopio. A compact ski resort in the Finnish Lake District, Tahko attracts many tourists because of its exciting outdoor activities and splendid accommodation options.
The ski area has 15 lifts and 24 slopes. The longest slope at Tahko Ski Resort is nearly 1.2 km long. Cross country skiing at Tahko begins in October and is usually considered great for night skiing.
Takeaway
As a world-class skiing destination, Finland has some of the best ski resorts in the world. Skiing in Finland is a marvellous experience as it has snow-sure slopes and fantastic facilities. Many love skiing in Finland in February because of fewer crowds and there is an incredible chance to see the Northern Lights in a clear night sky.
Another wonderful reason skiing in Finland is awesome is because you can learn to ski in the best ski Schools. So What better way to take a break from your mundane routine and find yourself skiing in the “Happiest Country in the World”. Skiing in Finland can become the ultimate mood-lifter for your mind and body as a whole.
