Slopes at Levi

Levi is one of the largest winter sport resorts in Finland. It is situated in the Kittilä municipality in Lapland, by the village Sirkka. Levi is a very popular place among young people, and in addition to being a ski resort it is a significant nightlife center for people from rural Lapland.

Get in

By plane

Kittilä airport (KTT ^IATA) is some ten kilometers south from Levi. The airport has direct connections to Helsinki by Finnair and Norwegian and (during season) charters from destinations in the British Isles and Central Europe. Buses coming from south travel via the airport to Levi. You may also use taxi.

By train

Overnight trains operate from Helsinki and Turku to Rovaniemi and Kolari (getting from Turku to Kolari require change in Tampere). From there you have to take bus. The trip takes 2:30 hours from Rovaniemi and 1:15 hours from Kolari.

By bus

Buses operate from Helsinki to Levi requiring change in Rovaniemi. The trip takes over 16 hours!

By car

The distance from Helsinki is about 1000 km. If you start fairly early in the morning you can drive up to Levi in one day. The best way from Denmark or further south in Europe is road E4 to Luleå and then through Pajala.

Get around

Levi has internal bus traffic. In the Levi center you may easily walk or ski around. For longer trips to the forests, hire a snowmobile. Although a driving licence is not required it is illegal to drive snowmobile if you are under 15 years old or drunk. Landowner permission is needed also on snowmobile tracks, unless you use "snowmobile routes". You probably get the permission via the rental business, but check.

See

Being a ski resort, Levi is much more about doing than seeing. The thing worth seeing is the landscape including Mt. Levi (Levitunturi) itself.

Do

Winter sports. There are 230 kilometers of cross-country skiing tracks and 886 kilometers of snowmobile routes. For alpine skiing Levi has 45 pistes totalling 37 kilometers length, the longest piste being 2500 meters long and maximum vertical drop being 325 meters. Piste information is available at the resort's web page. Levi is known for organising World Cup slalom races.

If you want to take a break from winter sports, you can go on various safaris like snowmobile safaris, husky safaris and reindeer rides. These are arranged by tour operators, most of whom arrange summer activities too.

See also Kittilä.

• Fintravel Levi, Leviraitti 2, ☏ +358 403 447 755, fax: +358 403 447 771, levi@fintravel.com. 

• Wolverine Fell Wilderness and Nature (Kätkätunturin Erä ja Luonto), Kätkäjärventie 400 (3km from the Levi fell south to Kätkäjärventie, then 4km), ☏ +358 468 101 400. A number of summer as well as winter activities are on offer. Reindeer safaris, snowshoeing, ice fishing, fox snare hunting, or rounding up of reindeer are available in winter, while fishing trips, marking reindeer calves, bog hikes, cycling, sauna evenings and goose hunting in summer. A restaurant is also available there, where you can enjoy home-style delicacies, such as reindeer casserole or salmon soup in a Lappish hut. 

Köngäs

Activities in Köngäs, some 10 km north of Levi, and its surroundings.

• Katkan Aija (Kätkän Äijä), Lakkakuja 3 (4km north from Levi), ☏ +358 40-765-5265. Snowshoeing, guide services, lappish ceremonies, Santa Claus visits 
• Lapin Luontoelämys (Lapland’s Nature Experience), Ounasjoentie 810 (in Köngäs, 10km north from Levi), ☏ +358 40-716-3033. Snowshoeing, kicksledding and skiing in winter, hiking, canoeing and mountain bike riding in summer. 
• Levi Huskypark (Levin Huskypuisto), Inarintie, Sokkapora, Köngäs, ☏ +358 40-570-6572, levinhuskysafarit@gmail.com. 11–16. Siberian Huskies, Movie Wolves, Reindeer, Arctic foxes, Spitsdogs, Husky safaris, Christmas with Huskies. History about huskies and sled dog races. guided visit (30–60min): €10/5, husky and reindeer tours (60–150 min) €41–76/26–48, separate prices in Christmas season; longer tours by request; children's fares for 2–11 old. 

Buy

• Shopporo, Hiihtäjänkuja 10 (This shop is located in the Shopping gallery at Levi center.), ☏ +358 40-587-8234. 10-18. Fashionable clothes for women, men and children. 

Eat

The restaurants offer good variety of local delicacies. Especially worth of trying are reindeer (poro) in all its forms, willow grouse (riekko) and several varieties of fish such as salmon (lohi), arctic char (nieriä) and common whitefish (siika). These are usually fried or smoked and eaten with mashed potatoes. In addition to local specialities also hamburgers, pizzas and kebabs are available.

Many restaurants and bars are located inside hotels.

• Luvattumaa, ☏ +358 40-7400-925. IceGallery: Snowcastle with ice chapel, snowhotel and icebar Natural Spa: Underground sauna and ice sauna with warm and cold baths outdoors Teepee restaurant: Cosy restaurant with delicious Lappish food. 

Sleep

Being one of the largest resorts in Finland one could think there will be no problem to get bed in Levi. However, during the holiday season it may appear surprisingly difficult to find one! Most popular times are around Christmas and New Year, Easter and Finnish winter holiday held during three weeks period from mid-February to early March. Right after the New Year when local people get back to work, skiing resorts get crowded with Russian tourists. There are (incredible) 20,000 beds available making Levi actually one of the largest human concentrations in Lapland. Accommodation alternatives vary from camping to luxurious cottages and spa hotel.

• Hotelli K5 Levi, Kätkänrannantie 2, ☏ +358 16 639-1100. 

• Spa Hotel Levitunturi (Kylpylähotelli Levitunturi), Levintie 1590, ☏ +358 16 646-301. 
• Levi Central Booking Office (Levin Keskusvaraamo), Myllyjoentie 2, ☏ +358 16 639-3300. Over 900 apartments and a large number of hotel rooms. 
• Hotel Hullu Poro, Rakkavaarantie 3 (Hotel Hullu Poro is located in the heart of Levi village, only 15 kilometres away from Kittilä airport.), ☏ +358 16 651-0500. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 11:00. Hotel Hullu Poro (Crazy Reindeer) is situated in the Finnish Lapland in the centre of Levi ski resort. Crazy Reindeer, a holiday legend for more than twenty years already! Yet, we still provide you with something new and unforgettable each time you pay us a visit. 62. 

Stay healthy

The health care centre is in the municipality centre Kittilä, at Sairaalantie 2. Call +358 400-356-498 in acute cases that are not emergencies. For emergencies, call 112.

• MediLevi oy, Levintie 1590, ☏ +358 40-132-133. 8–16. Commercial Doctor Medical in Levi. 

Go next

• Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, some 20 km away by ski. The park is the third in size and the most visited one, with much more services than in most national parks in Finland.