Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland province in Finland and a famous Finnish winter resort. Today, holidays in Rovaniemi are steadfastly associated with the New Year and Christmas. Rovaniemi is located at the Arctic Circle, at the confluence of two large northern rivers - Ounasjoki and Kemijoki. The population of the city is 60 thousand people.

The first mention of a settlement on the site of present-day Rovaniemi dates back to the 11th century. Lapland forests and the gold-bearing veins discovered in these places at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries attracted a large number of settlers here. The city was badly damaged during the Second World War, burning to the ground. Therefore, in today's Rovaniemi, there are no buildings built before 1940. After the war, the architect Alvar Aalto undertook to rebuild the city. The Arktikum Museum and the Yatkyankyunttilä Bridge (“rafting's candle”) are now considered the symbols of Rovaniemi. But first of all Lapland and Rovaniemi in particular is the capital of Christmas and the birthplace of Santa Claus himself. The Finns believe that Santa Claus and Christmas spirits live in Lapland, on the Korvatunturi mountain. Here are the workshops of Santa, the post office, as well as "Santa Park" - themed Christmas entertainment center, where tourists with children from all over the world strive to get during their winter holidays. Even in summer, local shops can pick up gifts for next Christmas.

Rovaniemi is also famous for being right on the line of the Arctic Circle, this is told to tourists by the “Arctic Circle” sign located at the northern entrance to the city, indicating the exact geographical latitude of this imaginary line - 66 ° 33 "07" "north latitude and 25 ° 50 "51" "east longitude. Here you will be given a certificate that you have crossed the Arctic Circle.

Founded: 1960 year
Square: 8017.20 km 2
Population: 59 848 people (2009)
Currency: Euro
Language: Finnish
Of.site: https://www.rovaniemi.fi

Current time in Rovaniemi:
(UTC +2)

Also the city of Rovaniemi is known in Europe as a center for winter sports. Thanks to the presence of snow cannons, which guarantee snow cover on the slopes and trails, the season starts here in November. The closest ski resort to Rovaniemi is Ounasvaara, which has 5 ski runs equipped with four lifts. The maximum elevation difference in this place is 140 m, the longest slope is 820 m. During the winter season, Christmas competitions, the international First Snow Games and the rally in the hills are held in Rovaniemi for a whole month. At the end of winter, there is an ice marathon, motonart competitions and reindeer sled races. Winter Games "Polar Ski Track" gather in Rovaniemi sports fans from all over Europe.

How to get there

Rovaniemi can be reached by train, bus or plane.

Rovaniemi has its own airport of the same name, located 18 km from the city, a flight from Helsinki to Rovaniemi lasts 1 hour 20 minutes. During the New Year and winter holidays, many tour operators set up charters, so on holidays you can take a tour package and fly directly to Rovaniemi.

There is also a railway station in the city, operating since 1909. The drive from Helsinki to Rovaniemi takes 9 hours 10 minutes.

On the eve of Christmas, the Finnish state railway company is launching additional night trains into Lapland to take everyone to the winter resorts.

Bus service from Rovaniemi to Russia is carried out from the city of Kandalaksha in the Murmansk region along the route Kandalaksha-Kemijärvi-Rovaniemi. There is also a bus route Murmansk-Ivalo-Rovaniemi.

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Highlights

Rovaniemi (800 km north of Helsinki) - the only city and at the same time the economic, cultural and administrative center of Lapland - the largest Finnish province. The settlement emerged spontaneously at the confluence of the Kemijoki and Ounasjoki rivers, and its first inhabitants were raftsmen and prospectors who came in search of happiness. However, long before them - 8000 years ago - nomads - seal hunters appeared in these places. The first mentions of Rovaniemi as a settlement date back to the 11th-12th centuries. The city gained fame in the 16th century, when Swedish and Russian tax collectors, who had climbed to the end of the world, unexpectedly discovered a thriving trade center.

With the beginning of industrialization in northern Europe, the demand for timber increased, which was the impetus for the economic growth of Rovaniemi: after all, here two of the most important timber rafting routes in Lapland converged. Rafting on the Kemijoki River was stopped only in 1992.

Before World War II, the city was almost entirely made of wood. In the winter of 1944-1945. almost the whole city (4/5 cities) burned down during the Lapland war between the Finns and the Germans. And then it took many years before the Finns stopped calling the Germans "the arsonists of Lapland." The honor of the post-war reconstruction of the city was given to Alvaro Aalto. According to the architect's plan, the outlines of the new city were supposed to resemble deer antlers. The town hall, library and Lappia Palace were built according to his project.

What to see in Rovaniemi

The city itself is spread out on the left bank of the Ounaskoski, on the right - there are public buildings and sports facilities. There are many peninsulas and bays in Rovaniemi that are popular summer vacation spots for townspeople. The banks of the Kemijoki river are connected by the Jatkänkünttilä bridge (1989, 320 m)... The central pylon of the cable-stayed bridge also serves as the basis for the eternal flame. In the dark the bridge (the symbol of the city) very nicely lit.

Library

The city library has the richest collection of books and documents about Lapland and its indigenous population - the Sami. The library building and Lappia Palace opposite - as already mentioned - are the outstanding creations of Alvar Aalto. The palace is used as a theater and concert hall.

Arktikum

To the north of the center is "Arktikum" ("Arktikum"), where two unique exhibition centers are located at once. Unusual in shape, the building was designed by the team of the Danish architectural bureau Birch-Bonderup & Thorup-Waade (Copenhagen)... Its main "highlight" is a glass dome with a length of 172 meters. Only local building and finishing materials were used in the decoration of the interior of the palace. The menu of the museum restaurant also includes only local food products: berries, mushrooms, game and fish. The exposition of the Arctic Center is dedicated to the life of people in extreme climatic conditions. With the help of multimedia tools, visitors get acquainted with the natural features of the region - after all, it is located north of 60 ° north. wide! Scenarios of the future, developed at the local scientific center, clearly demonstrate the harmful consequences of careless human intervention in the fragile ecosystem of the North.

The Province Museum is dedicated to the history of Lapland from the primitive communal system to the present day. Part of the exposition tells about the problems of small peoples in the Arctic regions on the example of the Sami and Inuit (Eskimos).

Opening hours: May, June every day. 10.00-18.00, July, Aug daily 10.00-20.00, Sep.-Apr. Tue-Sun 10.00-18.00.

Orthodox Church

On the eastern bank, near the rapids of Ounaskoski, there is an Orthodox church: here you should look at the icons brought to Lapland from an Orthodox monastery on the island of Valaam. Visit to the church by prior arrangement.

Ethnographic and forest museum

About 4 km south of the city center, on the bank of the Kemijoki River, there is the Pöyukkölä Ethnographic Museum (peasant houses, peasant utensils, working hours: Tue. Sun. 12.00-16.00) and the Lapland Forestry Museum, whose exposition is dedicated to the history of forestry in the High North (working hours: Tue - Sun 12.00-18.00)... The main forestry department has opened the Etainen information center. Here you can also buy fishing licenses, get maps of the area and book places in the tourist huts in Lapland. There is bus 6 to the museums, stop on Ruokasenkatu.

Rovaniemi surroundings

Polar circle

Highway to Kemijärvi (about 8 km from Rovaniemi) crosses the Arctic Circle (fin. - napapiiri), and in this place there is a souvenir shop and a children's playground; there is its own post office, where, by putting a special stamp, you can certify your stay in the Arctic Circle and purchase a Polar Certificate.

Santa Claus Village

But the main center of attraction for tourists is undoubtedly the seat of the Klaus Site; annually, about 700 thousand letters come here with wishes and requests from all over the world, and recently Santa Claus got his own page on the Internet www.santaclausoffice.fi Mont Blanc letters, and also half a million guests a year make the Finnish Santa Claus work seven days a week. Those who, for whatever reason, cannot visit Rovaniemi, can write to Santa Claus at: Santa Claus Office, Fin-96930 Arctic Circle; [email protected]

There is a Christmas amusement park 2 km from Santa Claus Village. Opening hours: ser. Nov-Ser. jan. daily 10.00-18.00, other times only out.

Reindeer park

Halfway between the village of Santa Claus and the amusement park, there is another park, the Reindeer Park, where it will be interesting to hear about the traditions of Lapland reindeer husbandry.

Trade fairs

Famous fairs are held in Rovaniemi three times a year. The spring fair starts in mid-March, the summer fair in the second half of June and the autumn fair in mid-September. The first fairs were held in 1881 and have been held regularly since then. At the fairs, goods and news were exchanged, marriages were contracted, or simply resting and having fun. The war interrupted this tradition, but after 1945 the fairs reopened.

How to get there

By plane

Regular flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Helsinki, Oulu or Kem, and then by domestic airlines to Rovaniemi (1 hour). Direct charter flights are organized to Rovaniemi during the winter season.

By bus or train

Regular bus service with all settlements. Direct train Helsinki-Rovaniemi (travel time - 12 hours).

Rovaniemi ski resort is considered to be one of the best places for winter holidays in Scandinavia. Every year it receives several thousand tourists from all over the world.

Rovaniemi is located in northern Finland, just a few kilometers from the Arctic Circle. The city is part of the Lappi province and bears the proud title of a historical and cultural center. Rovaniemi is also considered the largest city in all of Europe.

The first mention of the city dates back to the 11th century, when the first settlements were formed on the local lands. Since then, Rovaniemi began to develop rapidly, and after the so-called "Gold Rush" it turned into a major tourist and economic center.

Despite the fact that the city is located in close proximity to the Arctic Circle, the climate here is quite moderate. Winter lasts a long time. There are about 180 snowy days per year. The air temperature in winter is on average between −12 ° C and −15 ° C. In mountainous areas, the thermometer can sometimes drop below -35 ° C. The ski resort in Rovaniemi falls in December-March.

Summers are short and cool, so Rovaniemi is not very popular at this time of year. On average, the air temperature during this period rarely rises above +17 degrees.

General information about the ski resort

Rovaniemi includes immediately three separate ski centers, namely:

• Olos;
• Pyuha-Luosto;
• Ounasvaara.

All recreation centers are equipped in accordance with international standards. At the disposal of tourists are many trails of different difficulty levels, ski buses, equipment rental centers, hotels, hotels and souvenir shops. There are also several good restaurants and cafes on the territory of the resort, where you will be offered to enjoy the best delicacies of Scandinavian cuisine. In addition, in Rovaniemi, tourists will find a rich entertainment program with ice fishing and winter dog safari.

All photos of ski resorts and the city of Rovaniemi:

Trails and lifts

Each individual Rovaniemi base is equipped with its own slopes and lifts.

Olos

In the resort of Olos provided 10 adult slopes in blue and red, and one slope for children. The maximum piste length is 1400 m and the vertical drop is 210 m. There are several illuminated slopes for evening skiing, a half-pipe and a ski area. You can get to the desired track using one of 4 lifts.

The scheme of the slopes of the ski resort of Olos:

Pyha-Luosto

Pyha-Luosto base includes 8 tracks, two of which are illuminated. All of them, depending on the difficulty level, are divided into 3 groups: blue, red, black... The most difficult slopes have a sharp drop in altitude of 230 m.The maximum length of the slopes is 1800 m.A ski-bass runs on the territory of the resort, there is 2 halfpipes and 6 lifts, including the Pyhä Express super high-speed lift.

The scheme of the slopes of the Pyha-Luosto ski resort:

Ounasvaara

Ounasvaara ski resort located in close proximity to Rovaniemi and is considered the best holiday destination in the whole of Northern Finland. At guests' disposal 9 trails in blue and red and 1 slope for children. All the slopes here are designed for beginners and middle class skiers. Ounasvaara will surely seem boring to masters of sports and extreme lovers. The maximum length of trails is only 820 m, and the height difference is no more than 80 m.

Ounasvaara ski resort piste map:

For fans of other winter sports, Ounasvaar has a 200 m flat track, an 800-meter toboggan run, places to practice, etc. There is also a half-pipe and snow park with several rails, jumps and slides.

On the territory of the base works 5 lifts and a free ski-bass runs.

The cost of a ski pass, rental and an instructor at a ski resort

The price for ski passes in Rovaniemi depends on the amount of time spent on the slopes. The price list is as follows:

A one-time lift without a card will cost 7 euros. Services for children under 7 years old are provided free of charge.

For the convenience of visitors, the resort operates equipment rental point:

• Renting skis for a day will cost 20 euros, for a week you will have to pay 156 €.
• A full set of equipment will cost 22 € (for an adult) and 13 € (for a child under 12 years old) per day.
• Renting ski equipment for a week will cost 80 € and 48 €, respectively.
• The cost of renting an adult set of equipment for a snowboard is 26 euros, for children - 13 euros.

If you wish, you can contact a specialized service center, which will help you choose the most suitable set of equipment. The cost of services varies from 19 € to 50 €.
Also on the basis of the resort there are several schools where you can learn all the basics of skiing. The cost of individual lessons with an instructor will be about 50–70 euros. Group training will cost 35 € -55 €.

Attractions in Rovaniemi

Due to their location, all the attractions of Rovaniemi are somehow connected to the north. The most visited place in the city is the scientific center "Arktikum". Within its walls are thousands of exhibits dedicated to the history and nature of Lapland. The highlight of the center is the Polar Theater, where the northern lights are demonstrated with the help of media presentations.

Interesting in the excursion plan is the Museum of Local Lore, located in the Pöukeyol manor. Walking through the museum, you can get acquainted with the culture and life of the northern Finns, see their ancient dwellings and learn how they hunted.

After leaving the city, you can get into a reindeer farm. Here they will tell you all the subtleties and tricks of winter fishing, show you how to breed local animals and allow you to ride a sled.

For the youngest guests in Rovaniemi, an exciting excursion to the village of Santa Claus is provided. The excursion program includes acquaintance with the Finnish Santa Claus - Joulupukki and Christmas traditions of different countries.

Santa Park in Rovaniemi

You can also visit the gift shop and purchase unusual New Year gifts. You should definitely visit Santa Park. Here little tourists will be able to see with their own eyes Santa's main assistants - elves, taste gingerbread cookies and send congratulations to friends. Children are especially delighted with the "Haskipark", where everyone is invited to go on a dog sledding trip to find the northern lights.

The official website of Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi:

Hotels in Rovaniemi

The city has both budget and luxury types of hotels.

Budget hotels in Rovaniemi include 3-star hotels:

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  How to get to Rovaniemi: airport, train, buses

  Rovaniemi ski resort on the map:

  There are several ways to get to Rovainemi. The city has its own railway station, airport and bus station. Most international flights connect to Helsinki. From there, you usually get to the resort by train or bus.

  • A train. There are two express trains from Helsinki Railway Station to Rovaniemi daily. Travel time 10-12 hours... Distance between Helsinki & Rovaniemi - 812 km. Helsinki-Rovaniemi train ticket price - from 40 €.
  • Bus. You can also use by buswhich departs every 4 hours. The ticket will cost you 100 €. The trip will take at least 12 hours.
  • Aircraft. The fastest way to get from Helsinki to Rovaniemi is by plane - Rovaniemi has its own airport (it takes about 2 hours to fly from Helsinki). The cost of the flight starts from 80 € .

  See also the video about the Rovaniemi ski resort:

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