Korvatunturin Retket

A wooden church built in 1956. Open during the services, otherwise by request.

Salpalinja was an over 1200 km long fortification against the Soviet Army in World War II. A short part of the fortifications is visible in the main village. The circular trail 1.2 km consist mostly of duckboards.

An old farm so deep in the forest it survived the Lapland War. The Riikonen family lived in the estate until the 1980s. Today the nearest inhabited house is four kilometres away. The buildings were completely renovated in 2006. Visiting the yard is free but if you wish to go inside the buildings you need to contact the local entrepreneur.

One of two steam locomotives modified for forest environment and used in Samperin savotta loggings in the early 1910s. Part of the 'railway' is also preserved in the forest some 8 km to the north.

A quite ordinary bog area, but with the longest name in Finland. The name was probably made up by a local frustrated by map makers interrupting their work, but made it to the maps. A bar (now closed) was named after it: the owner had previously tried any conceivable name, but failed to register them; all were taken. Near the bog is Näpnähtämäselkä, which also sounds unlikely (although easily pronounced by locals).

The home of Father Christmas (according to the Finns), 20 km from the nearest road. Local entrepreneurs arrange guided snowmobile tours in the winter and guided hikes at other times. The fell is at the Finland-Russia border, inside the border zone; there are views to Russia as well. If you wish to hike the area yourself you need to apply for the border zone permission from the Finnish Border Guard in advance. There is a minor peak, Korvatunturinmurusta, at the end of the trail (2×20 km), outside the border zone, from where one can get a glimpse of the fell (4 km away) in good weather, without permits. Hiking on your own requires skills and some preparation (the trail is marked and has bridges and duckboards, and there are two open wilderness huts along it, but it may not be easy to follow all the distance). Mobile phone (and data) coverage is probably weak or non-existent. Don't be disappointed if you don't see Santa Claus or any of his staff – when he is in the mood of meeting tourists he usually does so in Rovaniemi or in markets, here he just might show up. The chances are better to see some of his reindeer. You can write him at the address "Joulupukki, FIN-99999 Korvatunturi".