Kemi

The biggest snow castle in the world, built yearly in Kemi since 1996. About 300,000 people visited the first snow castle. The area covered by the castle has varied from 13,000 to over 20,000 m². The highest towers have been over 20 m high and longest walls over 1,000 m long, and the castle has had up to three stories. The snow restaurant has ice tables, seats covered with reindeer fur, and ice sculptures. The ecumenical snow chapel with 50–100 seats has seen numerous weddings, of couples from as far as Japan and Hong Kong. There is also a snow hotel in the snow castle, with double rooms and a honeymoon suite. The snow castle has an adventure land for kids, theatre, and ice art exhibitions with lights and sound effects. Many opera singers and dancers have performed in the snow castle.

Gothic revival church completed in 1902.

One of the northernmost medieval churches in the world and the northernmost one in Finland. Although said to be built around 1520 the church is probably built between 1530 and 1550, in the very end of the Catholic era. This church is one of the most popular attractions in Lapland. The main reason is the undecomposed body of priest Nicolaus Rungius, who died in 1629. Taking photos of the mummy is forbidden. The new Keminmaa church, built in 1827, is across the road.

The largest collection of gemstones in Europe. The gem stone gallery was established in 1986 by goldsmith Teuvo Ypyä. The well known speciality is the crown designed for the King of Finland in 1918. Since 2019 the Kemi comics centre has got their comics exhibition in the same building.

The most visible building in the town and an excellent landmark. It has 13 storeys and is 51 meters tall. Built in 1940 it was so steady that even German troops failed to explode it during the Lapland War! There is a cafeteria and a viewing platform on the top floor.

A modern wood shingle church, built in 2010.

The sea off Kemi and Tornio, with scattered islands. Birds and seals. Only reachable by boat or, parts of it in winter, over the ice. A few tour companies offer cruises, paddling or skiing tours etc.

In the winter, there are cruises of either 3 or 4 hours on board Sampo out into the Gulf of Bothnia. Depending on the ice conditions the cruise includes either walking on the sea ice or floating in the water wearing a survival suit. There's a restaurant on board the ship. In the summer the ship is anchored and open to visitors. A fun fact is that Sampo is the only Arctic icebreaker in the world solely used for tourist cruises. You can get to Ajos, where the ship departs from, by your own car or by the cruise company's bus from Kemi (an outrageous €39/return and has to be reserved at the same time you reserve your cruise).