'''Yllas''' [http://www.yllas.fi/?deptid=8951] is a popular ski resort located in the municipality of '''Kolari''', at the Swedish border in Finnish Lapland.

Understand

The municipality is largely forest and swamps with some fells in the west. The most important location is the area around '''Yllastunturi''' (Yllas fell).

Get in

By plane

Kittila airport is about 50km west from Yllas. There you may take a bus or airport taxi. Another possibility is to fly in Sweden from Stockholm to Lulea and from there to Pajala airport [http://www.airport.pajala.se]. There you may take an airport taxi for the 30km trip to Finland.

By train

Kolari is the northernmost train station in Finland. During the winter season there is a direct train connection daily from Helsinki via Tampere; at 995 kilometers, this is the longest single train route in Finland. An overnight trip takes 13 hours and is most comfortable in a sleeping cabin. Sometimes the train contains a special club car serving as a nightclub during the trip.

By car

Drive by E75 from Helsinki to the north. Switch to E8 after Kemi. Drive to Kolari and follow signs to either Akaslompolo or Yllasjarvi.

Get around

By bus or taxi. In villages everything is within walking distance.

Talk

Most Finns are fluent in English, and Yllas is no exception. Russian is also spoken by some people here, due to large numbers of Russian tourists.

See

  • '''Lainio Snow Village''' [http://www.snowvillage.fi/] is located near Yllas, somewhat halfway between Yllasjarvi and Kittila.
  • '''St. Lauri's Chapel''' is located in Akaslompolo.
  • Do

  • '''Winter sports'''
  • Yllas is Finland's largest downhill ski resort in terms of total drop (465 m) and single slope length (3000 m). There are 37 slopes in total.

    The most important locations are '''Akaslompolo''' and '''Yllasjarvi''' villages [http://www.yllas.fi/?deptid=8951] located on different sides of Yllastunturi. Around the fells there is the largest network of ski tracks (330 kilometers) in Finland.

    Currently, several T-lifts and one chairlift line are available. The chairlift line only operates at good weather. There is also one gondola lift line operating at Yllasjarvi and it was opened on February 9, 2008 at 12 o'clock noon [http://www.yllas.fi/?showmodul=7&preview=1&interface=off&languageid=3&deptid=8953&event_id=6702].

    Nearby Levi offers more comfortable lifts with 45 slopes and better infrastructure, however total drop in Levi is only 325 m and longest slope is 2000 m.

    Both resorts maintain '''snow parks''' for freestyle snowboarding. These parks have rather large ice-runs, but jibbing rails and half-pipes are usually absent.

  • '''Snow safari'''
  • Yllas travel agencies offer practice of traditional Lappish activities like '''husky''' or '''reindeer sleigh''' trips, visits to '''reindeer farms''' and traditional Sami yarangas, as well as '''snowmobile safaris'''.

  • '''Concerts'''
  • The Yllas area hosts two major music festivals: '''Yllas Jazz Blues''' [http://www.yllasjazzblues.net/infoeng.html] in February and '''Yllas Soikoon''' [http://www.yllassoikoon.net/index2.html] in July.

    Buy

  • '''Gifts''' by Wood Jewel [http://www.woodjewel.com/], particulary from any souvenir shop in either Kolari, Yllas or Levi.
  • '''Lakkalikoori''', a signature Lappish cloudberry liqueur, from Akaslompolo Alko store.
  • '''Cloudberry jam''' or sauce, from any retail store.
  • Eat

    Drink

    Sleep

    The Yllas area is one of the largest winter sport resorts in Finland and it has a great variety of accommodation opportunities.

  • '''Hotel Kolari''' [http://www.hotellikolari.fi/welcome/] is located in the main village.
  • Get out