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Municipality in Lapland, Finland
Photo: Matthew Ross (Matthewross), CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Kolari is a municipality in Finnish Lapland, best known as the northernmost railhead in Finland, with overnight trains from southern Finland. Most tourists continue from the town itself to Ylläs or other resorts.
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The new church was built 1965.
The Kolari old church was built 1818–1819 and is included in the list of nationally significant built cultural environments. The church is in use only during special occasions in summer and the service in the Christmas Eve.
Sieppijärven kotiseutumuseo
A local history museum in 18th- and 19th-century buildings with old local household items. Short culture oriented trail.
A circular 3.5-km-long trail starting from the Kolarinsaari church going around the southern part of the Kolarinsaari island. There is a campfire site on the trail.
Three aapa mire complexes, including open fens and forested pine bogs and spruce swamps. This 58-km² mire complex is among the largest in the whole of Europe and one of the best bird watching sites in central Lapland. Telatie is an 11-km duckboard trail between Venejärvi and Kurtakko villages, built in the 1880s and renovated in the 2000s. The trail is on the list of nationally significant built cultural environments. Easy routes with duckboards, lean-to shelters, campfire sites and observation towers. The observation tower at Teurajärvi, 1.4 km from the road, gives a very nice view. Kurtakko, another trailhead near Kurtakontie (1.5 km), is a 13-km hike away (i.e. 16 km in all with public transportation). Get mosquito repellent.
An easy 2.7-km-long nature trail with lean-to shelter and observing tower.
Menu tongue-in-cheek in the local dialect, most items foreign dishes with a local twist or local ones with international touch.
Burgers, pizza, etc.
Breakfast included. Sauna. Free Wi-Fi. Social dancing with live music about weekly.
Apartments, cabins, caravan places and camping. Fishing gear and licences. Fishing guide service.
Apartments for 1–5 persons, hostel, caravan places (electricity, WC, shower) and camping (WC, shower). Canoe for hire.
Knives, fishing lures and souvenirs, including wooden jewellery. Café with lunch.
By train
Kolari is the northernmost railway station in Finland.
By bus
Daily connection from Oulu, Kemi and Tornio is available. See timetables from Matkahuolto.
By plane
The nearest airports are in Kittilä to the east and in Pajala across the border to Sweden. Rovaniemi, farther away but with better connections at least off season, is another option.
By car
From Helsinki, drive by E75 to the north until you reach E8 near Oulu.
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Kittilä · International · KTT
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