You are looking for a new winter break destination? We have a suggestion for you: explore the Pyhä-Luosto ski resort in Finnish Lapland.

Welcome to Eastern Lapland

Located at only 1h30 from Rovaniemi, in the region called Itä-Lappi (Eastern Lapland in Finnish), the Pyhä-Luosto fells are easily accessible by car or bus transfers.

The fells chain of Pyhä-Luosto is one of the oldest in the world and considered, in the old times, as the home of gods by the Forest Sámi who were living in the area. It was then a great reindeer hunting ground long before reindeer husbandry begun. Actually the word Pyhä means sacred in Finnish language.

Photo by Tea Karvinen

The region also has a long tradition and history for logging in the 19th and 20th centuries when logs were transported on the Kitinen and Kemijoki rivers down to the Bothnian Gulf.

The Pyhä-Luosto National Park offers great opportunities to explore the Lappish nature. Finland’s deepest ravine, Isokuru, is located there, along with beautiful pine forests, where some trees are 400 years old. You can find a diverse selection of well-maintained trails to discover different parts of the park.

A different way to experience the Lappish nature is to stay an overnight in a wilderness hut in the national park. You can ask for more info at the Visitor Centre Naava.

Here are our suggestions for sporty break in Pyhä-Luosto.

Pyhä-Luosto backcountry is perfect of outdoors activities

The mid-winter and spring are the best seasons in Lapland to spend time outdoors. Pyhä-Luosto ski resort offers a good choice of outdoors activities you can do by yourself or on guided tours.

As outdoors lovers, in our list of favorite activities, we recommend you to try:

Snowshoeing

Hiking and nature trails can be used as snowshoeing tracks during winter. On the trails, take a break in the shelters to light up a campfire to enjoy hot drinks and snacks before continuing your journey. No need to bring your snowshoes with you, as you can easily rent them on the spot.

Downhill and backcountry skiing

Pyhätunturi is one the go-to-spots for Finnish freeriders in Lapland. You too can participate in one of the guided backcountry excursions to discover the other side of Pyhä.

Crosscountry skiing

Pyhä–Luosto has more than 150 km of cross-country skiing tracks to explore the area. As cross-country skiing is one of the most popular and traditional sports in Finland, it is a great way to meet with locals.

Ice climbing

The Tajukangas icefall is 30 meters high and gives you the opportunity to try ice climbing. From beginners to more advanced climbers, it is one of the rare spots in Finnish Lapland where you can practice this activity.

Fat biking

Fat biking is another cool way to discover the surroundings or Pyhä-Luosto. Made especially for snow, these bikes will take you literally anywhere you want: very easy to handle, and no need to be super fit to enjoy the pleasure of riding a bike on snow.

To find out local service providers, check out: http://pyha.fi/en/to-do/activities

Where to stay in Pyhä-Luosto?

To get most out of your active holidays in Pyhä-Luosto, we highly recommend you to explore the cottages available in the region.

In the area, you can find from traditional styled to luxurious cabins, all with fully equipped kitchen, sauna, chimney and a warm atmosphere to relax after a great day outside.

Very often located near cross-country skiing slopes, you literally have the Lappish wilderness at your doorstep.

Have a look at our cottages selection in Pyhä or in Luosto

Finland is a land of seasonal delicacies. Traditional cooking has been closely linked to religious holidays and the season at hand. However, one month is above them all. In February we feast with many kinds of sweet pastries!

February kicks off with the day of Runeberg (1804-1877), the national poet of Finland. The day is celebrated with sweet tarts, called Runebergs torte or Runebergin Torttu in Finnish. They are served pretty much everywhere and eaten as a dessert after a meal, or with a cup of coffee as a snack.

This tart has a muffiny feel to it, but because the ingredients are pretty dry, the tarts are soaked in either arrack or rum what makes them pretty moist. Other ingredients are e.g. crushed almonds and cookie crumbles. The whole thing is topped with a dash of raspberry jam and sugar frosting rim.

Legends tell, that Mrs. Runeberg invented the recipe from the ingredients she had laying around. Apparently the poet husband had quite a sweet tooth and he eat one tart every day for breakfast – washing it down with a nice glass of punch.

Dream filled with cream

As soon as the Runebergs tortes have been stored as healthy body fat, the next sweet holiday is upon us Finns! Laskiainen is the same thing as Shrove Tuesday or Pancake day and it marks the start of the spring lent. Of course you have to stack up some weight before, and what would be a better choice than a sweet bun filled with whipped cream and sugar?

The concept is pretty popular in northern Europe, but in Finland the delicacy is called Laskiaispulla, or the Shrove Tuesday bun. It originates from Sweden, where they call it the “semla”.

You start out by backing a batch of cardamom seasoned buns, the bigger the better. Then you slice the bun and carve out some of the inside to make room for the stuffing.

The stuffing is traditionally marzipan, but nowadays people might also use berry jam instead. Smear some stuffing to the bottom half of the bun and top it off with a lot of whipped cream.Then place the top part of the bun on the top of the cream mountain and there you have it – the Laskiaispulla!

Enjoy the Laskiaispulla with a cup of coffee or even hot chocolate. Don’t mind if you aren’t going to fast on your spring lent, you have still deserved every single Laskiaispulla you eat!

Cover Image by: Jussi Hellstén

Helsinki, the capital of Finland, has many different sides to it. This vibrant Nordic city is the largest city in Finland, but at the same time it has the nice atmosphere of small town by the sea.

There is tons to see and do in Helsinki. You could rely on the usual travel tips of Tripadvisor or even the Michelin Guide, but we thought to give you another side of the city. We asked a bunch of locals for their recommendations for travelers, and here are their answers.

Coolest Places of Helsinki by locals

Many of the most wonderful places of Helsinki can be experienced just by strolling around the city. Especially the sea shores around Töölö and the Seurasaari island are nice places to visit just for the nature and atmosphere. They are located really close to the city center and easy to reach. There is a cool little café Regatta just by the sea in Töölö. They serve hot coffee and small snacks around the year and are definitely worth a visit!

Lammassaari Photo by: Riku Pihlanto

Another nature destination is Lammassaari, a bit further from the city. This small island is a part of a larger nature reserve, so there is a lot to see here. There are routes made with traditional pitkospuut (duckboards) that take you around the area. Lammassaari is more of a summer destination, but you can also go there in the winter – just remember to dress warm!

There are also really nice neighborhoods in the city itself. Old parts of Eira have wonderful architecture and at the top of Tähtitorninmäki stands an old observatory. There is a nice café by the observatory in summers and the garden around the area is nice.

If you want to see Helsinki from another perspective, climb the cliffs of Linnanmäki. This is a popular picnic spot and you can see the whole city from there. Linnanmäki is also has a big amusement park where you can get in for free. The cliffs are easily found right outside the south gate of the park.

Best food and drinks in Helsinki

Helsinki has a lot to offer for you foodies out there! There are restaurants ranging from fine dining to artisanal street food all over the city. The hottest restaurant at the moment (winter 2016) is BasBas, where you’ll be served amazing meals with natural wines. For other restaurant recommendations, consult your favorite guidebook or website.

More food culture can be found at the indoor market of Hietalahti (Hietalahden halli), where a traditional food market has been converted into a hub of small restaurants. Similar concept but with a bit more hipstery wibes can be found at Teurastamo, where the summer specialty is a public barbecue grill for anyone to use.

Finns love their beer and the craft brewery boom is pretty big in Finland right now. You should be able to find some local small batch beers from pretty much every bar in town. For an ultimate beer experience, head over to Bier-Bier. If you are looking for a cheap pint and want to see some local pubs, head over to Kallio and pop in to any old dive bar you stumble upon.

Other things to do in Helsinki

This category was the most diverse among our advisors. Guess that just tells us that Helsinki has a lot to see and do. If you are interested in popular local sports, ice hockey is the pick. You can see some world class KHL-hockey in Helsinki if Jokerit are playing home. The other local team HIFK plays the Finnish major league that is really entertaining as well.

For more cultural and relaxed experience, we recommend Kino Engel, an independent cinema with a quality repertoire. In the summer they do popular kesäkino-screenings outdoors.

A trip to Finland wouldn’t be right without some time in a sauna! There are many public saunas in Helsinki for anyone to visit for a small fee. Kallio area has some larger ones right in the hearth of the city. If you want to dip into the sea between your sauna sessions, go to Kulttuurisauna at the shore of Merihaka. The sea option is available also in winter if you are crazy enough to try.