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Municipality in Lapland, Finland
Photo: Glysiak, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Inari (North Sami: Anár, Inari Sami: Aanaar, Skolt Sami: Aanar, Swedish: Enare) is a village in the municipality of the same name in Finnish Lapland, on the shore of Lake Inari. The village is an administrative and cultural centre of the Sami people in Finland (but not of the municipality itself). The lake, its surroundings and some other destinations in the municipality are also covered in this article.
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Inari Sámi Museum
The Siida is a museum devoted to the history and culture of the Sámi, the original people of the area. It also doubles as a natural history museum for the region, displaying plants and wildlife from all of the areas inhabited by the Sámi. The main building is from 1998, the outdoor museum has traditions from 1959. The exhibitions are of international standard, and text is provided in local languages, English, and German. In addition to the indoor exhibition, there is an outdoor museum which features traditional Sámi dwellings. Plenty of free parking available at the site. Souvenirs, including literature on local Sámi languages. Restaurant Sarrit serve lunch. Siida acts also as a visitor centre for the national parks and other Finnish Forest Administration's facilities nearby (some not so near). The museum will receive a new extension during 2020-2022. The construction work may affect the opening hours!
Sami cultural centre and the headquarters of the Finnish Sami Parliament. Guided tours every working day at noon. Café Čaiju. Authentic Sami handicrafts and other products in Duodji Shop. National Sami library.
(Inari Sami: Äijih) This small but tall island has been – and still is – a sacred place for the Sámi people. In the Lake Inari some 11 km from the Inari village. Offer rituals may have been held still in the 19th century, probably even later. Guided tours from Siida will let you see the island in summer. To respect the sanctity of the place, since 2020 there are no more guided tours that call at the island. The Finnish Forest Administration will demolish all structures on the island that served tourism. Hautuumaasaaret ("Graveyard Islands"; protected area) and some other special islands nearby.
A 15 metres long cave with permanently frozen few meters thick ice layer on the floor. Reachable with boat in summertime, over the ice in the winter.
The wooden church is from 1760 and thus one of the oldest buildings in northern Lapland. There is a 5 km trail to the church from Sarviniementie parking lot, 3 km from Siida, through a nice forest. In wintertime there is an 18 km ski trail passing by the church. Campfire areas by the church and halfway. The church is still used for services every now and then.
Karhunpesäkivi
An old legend tells that once a local man sought shelter during a snowstorm and found the opening under the stone. Next morning when he woke up he realized he had been sleeping next to a bear, hence the name. This huge stone high on a hill is actually almost hollow making it one of the weirdest places around. The stone itself is a glacial erratic and the geological name of this kind of void is "tafoni". The entrance into the stone is via a small opening close to the ground, inside the stone there is enough room for several people standing. Unfortunately not suitable for disabled: 200 m through the forest, mostly by stairs. The forest behind the hill has never been subject to logging and some pines are over 700 years old. There is a café by the parking lot.
Cruises, fishing trips and snowmobile safaris.
Indigenous music festival held in August since 2004. The event is concentrated on traditional and modern Sami music. The name is Northern Sami for Nightless Night.
Restaurant at the Hotel Inari. View to the Juutua river estuary.
A small café and restaurant at the top floor of the Siida museum, featuring a lunch buffet and sandwiches. Takeaway meals available by request. Sarrit means bilberry in Northern Sami.
Café and lunch restaurant (lunch only M-Th, at F there is just a salad buffet) in cultural center Sajos. Čaiju is a Skolt Sami word for tea (loanword from Russian 'chay').
A prestigious à la carte restaurant with a river view in the Hotel Kultahovi. Ranked several times as one of the best restaurants in the whole Finland, and lately awarded as Restaurant of the Year 2020 by the Finnish Gastronomic Society. Lunch at the summer season. Aanaar is the name Inari in Inari Sami.
They offer meals from €6. It seems a bit like a tourist trap with the singing bear at the entrance. a climb of a few hundred metres through the forest to the Bear's nest stone (nice variation to sitting in the car).
Legendary guesthouse by the highway E75 some 30 kilometers north from Inari village. Atmospheric restaurant and cabin accommodation.
Bar in the heart of the village. Occasionally live artists. Food available.
Pub-like lobby bar at the Hotel Inari.
Camping, cottages and rooms. By the lake. Café and kiosk.
A modern and comfortable hostel. Also cottages.
Free internet available in the reception area and nearby rooms. Rooms have different standards. Nice view over Lake Inari from some rooms. Restaurant with full menu at a reasonable price. Many of the courses are based on local produce such as reindeer, fish from Lake Inari, and berries. Bar open to 03:00 in summer.
Originally named Inarin Kultahovi, dating back to 1937. The building was destroyed in the Lapland War but was soon rebuilt. Today it belongs to the Wilderness Hotels chain. The hotel has a riverfront sauna.
Variety of summer and winter activities are offered.
Accommodation, restaurant, programme services. Rooms, suites and cabins, all with cabin feel. Also "aurora accommodation". Minimum 3 nights' stay.
Grocery store with pharmacy and post office services.
S-group grocery store.
Gas station with a well equipped store and a small café which also serve lunch and burgers.
Small grocery store 30 km north from the village, next to Kaamasen Kievari guesthouse. Post office.
Handicraft by Petteri Laiti, a famous Sami goldsmith. Mr. Laiti often combines silver and reindeer horn. Among the products are large leuku knives, jewelry, spoons, and wooden kuksa cups. Not cheap, but true to Sami tradition and highly regarded.
Sells locally made modern jewellery inspired by the traditions and nature of Lapland. You can also watch the goldsmith at work.
By bus
Coaches from or via Rovaniemi pass Inari on their way to Utsjoki, Vadsø, Nordkapp or Kirkenes.
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