Airport

About Levi

Set in the midst of an unspoilt arctic wonderland, Levi is the biggest ski resort in Finland, and sums up everything that is special and magical about skiing in this country. If you are looking for a ski experience outside the box - then Levi is perfect.

The magical element comes from Levi's Arctic Circle location - around midsummer the sun does not set, and you can find your self skiing at night with no lights on! In autumn snow is blown in from the Atlantic, and the blue twilight of the polar night can be seen. During winter you can witness the breathtaking aurora of the Northern lights. Unsurprisingly, visitors to Levi can't help but spend a lot of time off the slopes.

You can take a ride in a reindeer (The resort sits in the Kittila district, which is home to 6, 000 people and 30,000 reindeer) drawn sleigh, or head off on safari through the wilderness, stopping to have your dinner prepared by a chef under the open stars. They have 750 km of snowmobiling tracks here, or for something quieter you can snowshoe to the nearest fell, in absolute unspoilt beauty. People are often drawn by the areas reputation as gold country - precious and semi-precious stones can be found in the mountain streams.

Cross-country skiing originated in Finland, and they make it into an art form over here. At Levi there is a 250 km long network of varied cross country tracks. On the longer tracks, you can stop and cook your own meal over an open fire or stay over night in log cabins. The skiing at Levi generally favours beginner and intermediate skiers, with wide open spaces and crowd-free slopes. There are some tracks to keep experts happy, like the wildly steep black World Cup piste, but in general, good skiers may get bored on the slopes. Even though most of the lifts are drags, there are so many that the queues are small.

For beginners

For intermediates

For the advanced

Ski school

Après Ski

Off the Mountain

Getting there

By air

Airport transfers

By train

By car

For beginners

Levi is a fantastic choice for beginners, with its long, wide uncrowded slopes. Most of its slopes are geared towards beginners and those progressing through to intermediate levels. You'll find many different learner slopes to try your hand at, and as you get better you can gradually move on to slightly steeper runs. This is a good spot for learning families too - there are so many fun activities for kids to try off the slope, and plenty of opportunity to show them some unspoilt nature.

For intermediates

The terrain at Levi is well suited for intermediates. With more than half the runs are blues and reds, you'll soon be swishing down the wide slopes with confidence, and moving on to something harder. The Koillisrinteet sector of the north-eastern pistes is long and fast, and head to Lammaskuru for sunny afternoon skiing.

For the advanced

There are some good testing black runs here, like the World Cup piste and the challenging mogul field underneath the gondola. However, some experts may get a little bored of the runs after a few days, as there isn't a huge amount of steep slopes. There's good off-piste with powder staying in tact for long times, and the lack of crowds means you will be able to hone your technique to perfection.

Ski school

There's a good emphasis on learning here, because so much of the mountain lends itself to beginners.
Ski school 2008-2009
A comprehensive high standard of skiing instruction will soon have your skis facing the right way. Downhill, cross-country, snowboarding and telemark lessons. Skiing instruction is available daily from 10am to 6pm. Bookings can be made in the Ski School office 10 minutes before lesson start at the latest.
October 2008 - May 2009
One-day course - 180 minutes 114 €/ person - every additional person 19 €/ person
1/2 day course - 90 minutes 59 €/person - every additional person 19 €/person
4 day children Werneri ski school 16.2 - 16.4.2009
- 7-11 years (min. 4 persons) - Monday-Thursday, 4x90 min 95 €/ person
3-day Snowboarding course 16.2 - 25.3.2009
- min. 4 persons - Monday-Wednesday, 3x90 min. 84 €/ person
Further information and reservations:
Ski School Office Open during the winter season daily
9.30 am - 5.30 pm Hissitie, Front pistes, lift 2
tel. +358 207 960 211
tel. +358 207 960 200
fax. +358 16 641 641
skischool@levi.fi

Après Ski

Après-ski can get pretty lively at Levi. There are about 30 bars and restaurants you can choose from in the area, offering everything from sophisticated lounge bars to lively karaoke joints and from pizzerias through to gourmet local specialities. The Hotel Hullu Poro (Crazy Reindeer) combines authentic Lapland atmosphere with excellent Lapp cuisine and plenty of fun. For an evening of dance, the Hotel Levitunturi has the biggest dance floor in Lapland which has live music nightly year round. The Hotels Sirkantahti and Levitunturi both have their own nightclubs where you can dance until the early hours. Food-wise, they use a lot of great seasonal ingredients here; don't miss a traditional Lappish Night which involves a copious buffet using local ingredients such as salmon, reindeer, mushrooms and bilberries. Also a fun chance to get to know the culture here is the Lappish ceremony. You'll hear tales of Lappish mysticism, shamans and old culture, accompanied by Lappish chanting and the beat of drums. A Laplander is inducted to quiet mystic drumming and chanting which gradually increases in power. You hear interesting and colourful Lappish tales about such things as drums, symbolism, the Sàmi folk and their connection to the surrounding nature.

Off the Mountain

You'd miss out on some amazing, magical experiences if you only went to Levi to ski. For Kids and adults alike, this resort has worked hard to offer many unique and unforgettable experiences. Go on a safari with a snowmobile, snowshoes, or on a sled drawn by huskies, Icelandic or Finn horses, or reindeer. On longer safaris, you can spend a night in a wilderness cabin or a Lappish tepee. Take a dip in a steamy sauna along the banks of the Ounasjoki River then brave a taking a dip on ice hole! Bath in the outdoor heated pool at Taivaanvalkeat, taking in the frost, the heavenly northern lights of Lapland and a magnificent starry sky as the steam rises from the pool. Test your wilderness skills at traditional Lapp events. Lasso throwing, skiing in untracked snow, carrying out different hunting tasks and learning traditional skills are fun ways to spend your time. Can you boil water if all you have is an axe, some firewood and a tin box? A fantastic way to take in the beautiful surroundings is from a hot air balloon, and there are hundreds of other fantastic activities waiting here for you. Kids will absolutely love it here, with activities like the ‘Pancake Party', cooking pancakes over an open fire. You're invited to show your skills as a "Pancake Chef", or just relax and let us prepare them for you. There's also a snow dance contest, and a Kids Land with fun things to do every week.

Getting there

By air

Finnair flies to Kittilä on a daily basis www.finnair.fi. Blue 1 flies from Helsinki to Kittilä from November 2007 www.blueone.fi (direct flights to Kittilä). There are bus connections from Kittilä airport to Levi. Levi centre is 15 km. from Kittilä airport.

Airport transfers

By train

You can travel from Kolari to Rovaniemi on a car-carrier train. The trip from Kolari to Levi is 80 km, and from Rovaniemi approximately 170 km. There is a bus connection from Kolari to Levi which you can get as soon as you get off the train. There are also bus connections from Rovaniemi to Levi. Further information of bus timetables from Oy Matkahuolto Ab Travel Services Tel. +358 (0)200 4000, www.matkahuolto.fi

For more detailed information concerning timetables and prices of train, contact VR tel. +358 (0)600 41 900 www.vr.fi or Levi Travel +358 (0)207 940780 levitravel @ levi.fi.

By car

Resort rating and reviews

04 November 2010

Traveller rating: 5 star