Every season in Finnish Lapland is uniquely different from each other. Summer in Lapland is a season of white nights and peaceful arctic nature. Summer’s glow is followed by the majestic season of autumn when Lapland gets its truly iconic ‘ruska’ colors. This is the best season to go for a hike in one of Lapland’s many national parks.
In the wintertime, Lapland is as close as reality gets to those who dream of a winter wonderland. Spring brings along light that follows the long season of ‘kaamos’ (arctic night in Finnish). During the spring time, the snow covered hills and fells offer exciting experiences for all winter outdoors enthusiasts from skiiers to snowshoe walkers.
Finnish Lapland is all this and more.
In 2023, there were 3.3 million registered bed nights in Lapland, which is a 14,7% share of all overnights in Finland.*
* Source: Visitory, Lapland, Accommodation and Travel Stats.
North is near with Lapland Airports
Lapland Airports form a network of 5 airports conveniently located next to the main destinations. With Lapland Airports, the North is near.
Rovaniemi Airport (RVN)
Santa’s Official Home Airport, located directly on the Polar Circle. The airport served 735 000 passengers in 2023, making it the second busiest airport in Finland. Rovaniemi is the Arctic capital of Lapland and the centre of Barents region located in the Arctic Circle. It’s a city in the middle of nature with a wide variety of nature attractions in city surrounding. Rovaniemi Airport was expanded in 2019 and today, it offers various services and the capacity to serve Lapland as a major hub. The recently renovated runway is 3,000 metres long.
Kittilä Airport (KTT)
Kittilä Airport is one of the main airports in Northern Finland. It carried 374 000 passengers in 2023, being the 4th busiest airport in Finland. During 2018-2020 Finavia invested in Kittilä Airport with a development program worth several million euros which improved the terminal building and apron taxiways.
Ivalo Airport (IVL)
Ivalo Airport is located 11 kilometres southwest from Ivalo, the municipal centre of Inari, and 25 kilometres north of Saariselkä. It is the northernmost airport in Finland and served 220 000 passengers in 2023.
Kuusamo Airport (KAO)
Kuusamo Airport serves one of Finland’s major holiday destinations Kuusamo, attracting almost a million tourists annually. Many of them arrive in winter to enjoy the excellent skiing available at the nearby ski resorts, especially the Ruka Ski Resort, one of the largest in Finland. 120 000 passengers travelled through Kuusamo Airport in 2023.
Kemi-Tornio Airport (KEM)
Kemi-Tornio Airport is situated on the coast of the Bay of Bothnia, serving business travelers and tourists heading to Southern Lapland. Kemi in particular has been gaining an international reputation for tourism, in part due to the magnificent Snow Castle that is built there every winter since 1996. Less than 30 minutes north, nestled on the Swedish border, Tornio uniquely blends the two cultures in an exciting mixture of art, handicrafts and history. 37 000 passengers travelled through the airport in 2023
Main image: Ylläs. Visit Finland, Jordan Herschel.
