A full guide to Levi, Lappland (Finland)
The ultimate winter paradise dream coming true. A white landscape covered in snow, wide forests, reindeers and the Northern lights during the night – as if this doesn’t sound like the actual dream of any traveller. And the best thing is that places like this do not only exist in your imagination but are actually true. One of them being the small village of Levi in Finland. Located in the Finnish Lapland in the very North of the country, Levi is one of the most popular destinations for anyone who wants to tick off a few things from the bucketlist. If you finally want to see the Northern lights with your own eyes, experience a husky tour or simply live a winter out of the books, Levi might be just the right choice. Here is your full guide to Levi Finland with all the necessary information you need to plan your trip.
How to get there
First question of your full guide to Levi Finland is probably: how do you get to Lapland? The journey is actually easier than it sounds and Levi even has a nearby airport. To reach Levi you need to fly to Kittilä Airport, which is located around 20-30 minutes away from the village. It is a relatively small airport and still international flights are possible. However, most of the connections from Europe include a stopover. You can check on websites such as skyscanner.com for the cheapest prices. Many flights stop in Helsinki, the capital of the country where you board on a smaller plane which will take you up North.
From the airport, it is best to organize a transport in advance. You can check with your accommodation and most of them will offer you a pick-up right away. Even if you book a private stay, they can organize you a taxi to pick you up from the airport. From here, you will be driven directly to your home for your stay in Levi, Finland.
Where to stay
For your trip to the Finnish Lapland, you can decide between multiple types of accommodation. In Levi there are a some bigger hotels and resort which will allow you to stay directly in the centre of the village. Another option, which really is recommended, is to stay in a cabin somewhere in the woods. These types of stays can be found on airbnb or booking.com and will offer you the ultimate experience. Espeically if you are travelling with a group of friends or family, renting a cabin is a great option. The cabins are usually located a little outside the village, but can easily be reached by taxi or sometimes even the bus.
Living in the forest and surrounded by nature really is a dream. You can go crosscountry skiing from your front door, use the sauna (which is often in the cabins) and go for long walks through the snow. The cabins in Levi are beautiful wooden houses which make your trip absolutely complete. Surely, if your budget is tight, you can look for a cheaper hotel room but still, keep an eye out for affordable cabins because this is something you do not want to miss out on!
How long should you visit Levi?
What’s the best time frame to stay in Levi? And how long do you need to get the full experience in? Surely, that totally depends on what you are planning to do. If you want to go skiing or simply take a wellness trip and totally recharge, you should plan around five to seven days.
The most important point to mention about the length of your trip are probably the Northern Lights. Thinking that if you stay longer, you will have better chances at seeing this absolute spectacle is a false assumption. You could stay for one night only and be blessed with the best aurora and you could as well stay for a whole week and not being able to see them. Therefore, you should not plan based on your chances to get to see them.
The best length for a trip to Levi for a traveller who wants to take some time to go skiing and simply enjoy the beautiful surrounding is about six nights.
When to travel to Lapland
What is the best time to visit the Finish Lapland? In general, the winter season goes from October to April and can slightly vary each year. But in between those months, you will get exactly what you are looking for: a white landscape and the absolute winter wonderland. But there are a few other factors which need to be considered before choosing your travel dates.
The best time to see the Northern lights might be one of them. In general, you can see the Northern lights in the Finish Lapland from August to May, the best time being October to March. And out of those months, autumn and the winterly spring are most likely to show you the stunning aurora.
Another thing to consider are the hours of daylight. As you are travelling above the arctic circle, you will have to deal with lots of darkness in the winter months. From November to February, Levi only has a few hours of daylight. Sometimes even only one hour where the sun shows her face. While for some, this might be worth an experience, other travellers prefer to enjoy more daylight. If that’s what you are looking for, you should aim to travel to Levi in March. This will be the best combination of your chances to see the Northern lights and get most hours of daylight in the winter season.
Another great time to visit Levi is in November. Again, you will have good chances to see the aurora and also get the whole Christmas spirit. You can visit the Santa Village and be able to go skiing or on a husky tour during sunrise and sunset which is as well a special experience.
What to do in Levi during your stay
The next aspect on the full guide to Levi Finland are the activities. What is on your to-do list when you are visiting the very North of Finland? And what activities can absolutely not be missed? Of course, Levi is all about winter sports. With the best skiing area in Finland, it is an absoute must to take your skis and hit the slopes. You can easily rent them in the centre of the village.
Other things for your list are cross country skiing, ice-skating, a husky tour or a snowmobile tour. You can also take a sleigh, walk through the forests, go on tours and enjoy bonfire in a tent somewhere in the wilderness.
Levi itself also has a few restaurants and bars which guarantee a program for your evenings as well.
Click here for a full article on the best things to do in Levi.
What you need to plan in advance
As this might be the trip of a lifetime, it requires some planning in advance. Especially if you intend to book some tours for your stay in Levi, you might want to do this before your arrival.
You can book your husky tour and your snowmobile tour online before you travel to Finland. You can check for offers on tripadvisor or even airbnb. For the husky tour I can personally recommend the Northern Lights Village Levi. Also, if you want to go on other tours, such as a Nothern Lights tour or whatever you want to experience, make sure to check for the availability before your trip.
All you need to know about Levi
And lastly, what is important information about Levi which you should be aware of? Firstly, you can pay in euros but be prepared for higher prices as Finland can indeed be expensive. In Levi centre you can find small supermarkets which have everything you need for your stay. They also have some restaurants, sport stores and souvenir shops.
To get around Levi the best way is a taxi. You can get in touch with your host and they will for sure give you the contacts of a taxi company. If you want to get home after a day of skiing, there are usually taxis waiting in front of the Levi Ski Resort in Sirkka/ Levi Centre.
The winter dream in Lapland is waiting
And to sum this full guide to Levi Finland up: What are you waiting for? This trip will really exceed all your expectations and turn your winter dream in Lapland into reality. Get ready to experience all these bucketlist moments you have been dreaming about and see a real winter wonderland. Levi will remind you that those magical places really do exist and make sure to get the most out of your trip. Do all the activities, go skiing, go for late night walks and get lost in the stunning view of the Finish Lapland!
