Ivalo

Ivalo (Sami: Avvil) is a town in Finnish Lapland.

Ivalo Airport (IATA: IVL) www.finavia.fi is the northernmost airport in Finland. The only scheduled services are twice daily flights to Helsinki (1:40) on Finnair, although there are many charter flights from all over Europe during the Christmas/New Year peak tourism season. The airport has a regular bus service to Saariselkä (25 km, 20 min, €7,50), but none to central Ivalo (17 km). Taxis to Ivalo, Utsjoki and Saariselkä cost around €17, €27 and €35 respectively.

Ivalo is along highway E75 from Utsjoki to Sodankylä and the railhead at Rovaniemi (3 hours away), and is thus served by any buses plying this route. Gluttons for punishment can even take a direct bus from Helsinki, which takes around 15 hours. There's a bus connection to Murmansk, Russia as well.

Virtually nothing. Ivalo is ugly puny village without anything to do. That's why most people head straight for Inari or Saariselkä.

The Ivalo River nearby was the site of a gold rush in the 1870s, and some gold panners still try their luck.

• Saariselkä, 30 km south from Ivalo

• Don't forget your Artic Clothing... It can be damn cold there... • Koen J.
• Inutile d'emporter des tee-shirts en coton si vous optez pour la Laponie en hiver: on porte du synthétique sur la peau sinon ça gèle sur vous, l'idéal étant le polaire! Attention à l'eau de vie que l'on prend pour de la vodka • Sophie B.
• depaysement garantie avec des temperatures allant entre -40 et -7, ce n'est qu'a 3h30 de paris, pour le reve.... chien de traineau, motoneige et surtout renne de traineau,avec des endroits magnifiques et des gens inoubliables, avec leur culture, à faire absolument, la finlande j'aimeeeeeeeeeee • Isabelle M.