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Municipality in Lapland, Finland
Photo: Htm, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Kittilä is a municipality in Finnish Lapland. The best known destinations here are the Levi ski resort at Sirkka, Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park in the west (Ylläsjärvi, Jerisjärvi/Rauhala) and Lemmenjoki National Park in the north. The sculptures in the snow village in Lainio got a lot of attention in the late 2010s.
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The wooden church in Kittilä was designed by Carl Ludwig Engel and built 1829–1831. The church was saved in Lapland War.
Palsa-museo
Home and atelier of the visual artist Kalervo Palsa (1947–1987).
Kittilän kotiseutumuseo
A local history museum in old buildings moved here and placed in a traditional manner. Main building from the 1860s.
Taatsin seita
This sacred place for the Sami people is considered as one of the most powerful sieidi places in Lapland. The surrounding forests are protected and the place itself is a nationally significant cultural environment. There is a short trail from the gravel road. The road is not maintained in winter. There is an open wilderness hut, campfire site and dry toilet about 1 km away from the sieidi.
A very picturesque village on both banks of river Ounasjoki by the road between Rovaniemi and Kittilä. Included to the list of nationally significant built cultural environments and most buildings were saved in Lapland War. Silence Festival in June.
Estate of the artist Reidar Särestöniemi (1925–1981), one of the most important visual artists in Lapland, known for strong Lapland-inspired oil paintings. The museum includes the old buildings, and gallery and cafeteria by artist couple Reima and Raili Pietilä. Also changing exhibitions with other artists and chamber music concerts.
Atelier and gallery of famous painter Reijo Raekallio (1950-). Weekly changing exhibition.
Pulju is a true wilderness village. During the Lapland War it was so deep in the forest that even German soldiers didn't wander that far and therefore the village was completely saved from destruction. When President Urho Kekkonen visited the village in 1959 he had to walk almost 30 km to get there. The road was opened in 1962. Until then the locals used reindeer to carry goods from other villages.
Another backcountry village which was roadless and remote enough to be completely saved from destruction during the Lapland War. Village and music festival in July.
Small rapids about 200 m from the road. No maintained trail in winter.
Linkupalon tulivuoripusto
A 1.5-km-long nature trail showing geological formations formed by volcanic activity 2 billion years ago.
In the village of Rauhala next to Lake Jerisjärvi and Pallas-Yllästunturi fell chain. Cross-country ski tours, snow shoe tours and other winter activities; hiking, biking, canoeing tours and programmes, multi-activity programmes. Guided tours for a day or even a week. Accommodation in rooms for 1–2 persons and cottages, also independently of activities.
Several days' husky programmes in the beautiful surroundings of Pallas-Ylläs National Park.
Free WiFi, sauna. Restaurant.
Free WiFi, sauna.
Cottages, camping etc.
Sleep in a room of snow and ice (with temperature a little below freezing). Sculpture theme 2018–2019: Game of Thrones. Warm sleeping bags etc. provided. Showers and other facilities in a nearby warmer environment. Guided tour included. Also normal cabins. Activities for overnight guests and others, including husky, reindeer and snowmobile safaris (some with ice fishing or northern light viewing), skiing and snowshoe trips; not all activities all days. Also weddings.
Three cottages in a remote village. Hiking, fishing, hunting and cross-country skiing.
Two cottages.
By car
Kittilä is about 150 km north from Rovaniemi.
By rail
There are overnight trains to Rovaniemi and to Kolari (sparsely to the latter) from southern Finland and to Luleå, and onwards to Haparanda, from southern Sweden. From there you can continue by coach.
By bus
There are coach services from e.g. Rovaniemi, Hetta, Kilpisjärvi, Kolari, Sodankylä and Haparanda. In summer a daily direct connection from Tromsø is also available.
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Kittilä · International · KTT
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