Sports and Outdoor activities in Finland

The winter landscape lends itself to cross-country skiing, the season lasting from December until January in the south and April or May in northern and central Finland. There are ski slopes, too – Levi, Ylläs and Ruka are the main ones – see www.ski.fi for more information. Several operators offering off-piste skiing. The hiking season is short (May to September) because of snow coverage, but trails like the 80km-long Karhunkierros (bear’s ring; nationalparks.fi/en/karhunkierros) remain popular. Watery pursuits like kayaking (or kitesurfing on the frozen lakes in the winter) are a worthwhile option in the lake regions, especially around Lake Inari. Popular national sports include the distinctively Finnish pesäpallo, similar to baseball, and ice hockey.

Rough Guides tip: To increase your chances of a great vacation, read everything you need to know about the weather in Finland.