Rovaniemi, Levi or Saariselkä? Lapland destinations compared

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In short: Rovaniemi is the easiest to reach and offers the most activities, but it is more urban and very busy in December. Levi and Ylläs are ski resorts with family facilities, restaurants and trails. Saariselkä and Inari lie further north and are quieter and closer to nature – with a little less light pollution. For aurora chances, a dark spot and flexibility when it is cloudy matter more than the name of the place. As of October 2026.

The comparison at a glance

Distances are approximate road kilometres. Rovaniemi – Levi is around 170 km (about 2.5 hours), Rovaniemi – Saariselkä around 260 km (about 3.5 hours) – longer in winter conditions.

Rovaniemi: activities on the Arctic Circle

Rovaniemi is the capital of the Lapland region and the starting point for many. Pros: lots of flights, a wide choice of accommodation, pick-ups for almost every activity. Besides Santa’s village on the Arctic Circle there is Arktikum (a museum and science centre about the Arctic and Lapland), reindeer farms, husky farms and snowmobile tours close by.

Cons: the town is bright – for auroras you need to drive out. Around Christmas accommodation and activities are expensive and full. If you want peace, combine one or two nights in Rovaniemi with a place further north. Christmas planning: Christmas in Lapland with kids – planning, Santa and alternatives.

Levi: a ski resort with infrastructure

Levi is one of Finland’s largest ski areas, with slopes for children, ski schools, cross-country trails and many restaurants in the centre. Kittilä airport is close and transfers are short. For families who want to combine skiing with Lapland experiences, Levi is practical.

For auroras: slopes and village are lit. A few kilometres outside, by a lake or in a cabin away from the centre, it is much darker.

Ylläs: cross-country skiing and space

Ylläs consists of the villages of Äkäslompolo and Ylläsjärvi at one of Finland’s highest fells. It is quieter than Levi, with long trails and access to Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park. Much of the accommodation is cabins – a car makes you far more flexible.

Saariselkä: a national park on the doorstep

Saariselkä lies on the edge of Urho Kekkonen National Park, around 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. Small slopes, a toboggan run, snowshoe and cross-country routes, plus well-known glass-igloo resorts nearby. The village is compact and the nights are dark. More on glass igloos: Glass igloo and aurora cabin – is it worth it?.

Inari: Sámi culture and silence

Inari is a centre of Sámi culture in Finland. The Siida museum and nature centre explains the history, culture and nature of the north – ideal for dark or very cold days. Lake Inari is frozen and vast in winter. It is quiet, cold and dark here: good for auroras, but with few organised activities.

Aurora chances

All these places lie in an area where auroras are seen regularly when the sky is clear. The further north and the less light, the better – but clouds decide. One advantage of Finnish Lapland: inland weather is often more stable than on the Norwegian coast, though colder. Reading forecasts: Understanding the aurora forecast – Kp index, Bz and clouds. Where and when in general: Where and when to see the northern lights.

With children

Everything else about family trips: Planning Lapland with kids – season, places, activities, clothing.

Car or no car?

In Rovaniemi and Levi you can manage without a car because tours pick you up and buses run. In Ylläs, Saariselkä and Inari a car makes you much more flexible – provided you have winter driving experience: snow, ice, reindeer on the road and long darkness are normal.

Combining places: sample routes

• 5 nights, family with small children: 5 nights in Rovaniemi or Levi, no moves.
• 7 nights, with a car: 2 nights Rovaniemi → drive to Saariselkä (about 3.5 hours) → 3 nights Saariselkä → 2 nights Inari.
• 7 nights, skiing and nature: 4 nights Levi → 3 nights Ylläs (short drive).

Allow a full day for each move and drive in daylight. How light it is when: Polar night and daylight – how dark is it up north really?.

Common mistakes

• Rovaniemi in December without booking early – accommodation and activities are scarce.
• Choosing a place from Instagram photos alone: glass igloos and Christmas villages are not everywhere.
• Too many moves with short days and cold.
• Expecting auroras in the village centre: get away from the lights, to a lake or forest edge.
• Underestimating inland cold: −25 °C and below is not unusual in Inari and Saariselkä.

What else is there

• Pyhä and Luosto: two smaller fell resorts between Rovaniemi and Sodankylä, quiet, with a national park and an amethyst mine (limited opening in winter).
• Muonio and Enontekiö (Hetta): far in the north-west, very dark, close to Sweden and Norway – for travellers with a car and experience.
• Kemi: on the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia, known for excursions on the frozen sea; a complement to Rovaniemi.

All of them are good for auroras if you choose accommodation outside the village centres.

Prefer Swedish Lapland? Abisko lies in the mountains’ rain shadow and often has a clearer sky: Abisko – northern lights in Swedish Lapland, Aurora Sky Station and how to get there.

Frequently asked questions