Ounasvaara Resort and the Arktikum Museum in Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi, March 1st, 2018.
Unlike previous days, this morning started with heavy snowfall. However, since it was my last day here, I wanted to make the most of it and visit a couple of places still on my list: the Ounasvaara outdoor resort and the Arktikum Museum.
Changing Hostels: GuestHouse Arctic Heart
Before my expedition to Ounasvaara, I packed all my things into my trusty backpack to switch hostels. My reservation at Wherever Hostel ended today, but I decided to stay one more day in Rovaniemi before continuing my journey north. For this last night, I booked a stay at GuestHouse Arctic Heart. It’s not that I had any issues with the previous hostel—not at all! It’s just that I still hadn’t given up hope of seeing the Northern Lights, and this hostel is closer to the Kemi River. Located at Tukkipojantie 6, the nightly rate is under €30, which is quite affordable for Finland.
From my experience so far, hostels are the best way to stay in Rovaniemi. They are the most budget-friendly option and tend to be cozy, quiet, and well-equipped. So far, both Wherever Hostel and GuestHouse Arctic Heart have exceeded my expectations. During my first few days, the hostels seemed busier, but lately, they’ve been emptier. Could it be that February is ending, and with it, the peak winter season?
On my Way to Ounasvaara
I started my walk to Ounasvaara around 11:30 AM–12:00 PM. Based on my research, it was about a 50-minute walk from the hostel to the hotel in the area. While Ounasvaara is primarily a ski resort, what intrigued me the most was the natural surroundings. I had read online that it was the perfect place to see the Northern Lights (since it’s away from the city lights), practice winter sports, or simply go for a walk. My goal this time was the latter (skiing isn’t really my thing).
Lost in the Middle of Nowhere
Getting to Ounasvaara seemed simple enough: I had to leave the city center and cross the bridge that connects both areas. At first, everything made sense.
By the way, this is the place where I went every night in search of the Northern Lights:
After passing through a tunnel, I followed the trail leading into the forest, walking straight ahead along the flat ski tracks…
…until I reached a confusing spot. The path split into two: one continued straight, while the other veered into the forest, looking like a mountain bike trail.
My first instinct was to check Google Maps to see where I was and decide which way to go. However, if you’ve read my previous posts, you know that my phone doesn’t handle cold temperatures well, and this time, I couldn’t even unlock it. The battery died instantly.
So there I was, stranded without a working phone, facing two mysterious paths. I had no choice but to trust my intuition and continued straight until I reached another fork in the road. At this point, I felt more lost than Alice in Wonderland—without a phone, over an hour away from the city center, and with no one else in sight. Who would be out here in the middle of nowhere at this hour?
A Special Encounter in Ounasvaara
But life works in mysterious ways, and sometimes things happen for a reason. Just then, I saw a girl walking in the same direction. I asked her how to get to Ounasvaara, and she told me she was heading there too and that we could go together if I wanted. So we started chatting, and to my surprise, it felt like we had known each other forever—we had so much in common! Not only that, but she even offered to let me leave my backpack at her place and show me around Ounasvaara and its surroundings.
I want to take a moment here to address stereotypes about different countries and cultures. Finland has a reputation for having reserved, distant people who aren’t very social. I don’t think this is true at all, and before judging a society or culture, you need to experience it firsthand.
Exploring the Ounasvaara Forest
My new friend didn’t live in a regular house in Rovaniemi—she lived in the middle of the Ounasvaara forest. There were no other houses nearby, just trees, snow, and pure nature. It was incredible!
After she had dropped off her backpack, we went for a walk through the snowy landscapes of Ounasvaara. The scenery reminded me of those Instagram-perfect winter photos, but seeing it in real life was incomparable. No matter how many pictures you take, you can never truly capture the beauty of this place. Everything was completely white—the trees, the trails… I don’t think many people pass through here.
We hiked along the trails until we reached a viewpoint with breathtaking panoramic views of the landscape and the city of Rovaniemi in the distance. Since my phone was dead, she let me use hers to take some pictures.
After the viewpoint, we headed to the ski tower, where we could also admire stunning views of the city. There, we stumbled upon something really interesting—a note stuck to the staircase. Apparently, a girl and a guy had met at this exact spot and spent time together, and the girl had left a message in case he ever returned so they could reconnect. It felt like something straight out of a movie!
To get back down, we found a steep slope. Since we didn’t have a sled, we just slid down on our backs. At first, I was hesitant, but I finally gave it a try—and now I regret that there weren’t more slopes like this!
Tea and Good Company
After wandering through the forest for a while, we went back to her house for a snack. Her home was beautiful—a cozy wooden cabin straight out of a fairy tale.
At some point, our conversation turned to the Arktikum Museum. It’s a museum dedicated to Arctic culture, history, and modern life, with a strong emphasis on nature and human existence in the region. She had been there several times, but we decided to visit together so I could take a look.
The Arktikum Museum
We walked for about half an hour from Ounasvaara to the Arktikum Museum. The entrance fee is €13 for adults and €9 for students (as of 2018). There are also discounts for senior citizens, military personnel, etc., but you need a specific accreditation—an international student card won’t do. One of the great things about the museum is that it offers free lockers where you can leave your coats or backpacks while exploring the exhibitions.
The Arktikum is designed as a long corridor with doors leading to different exhibitions, and both the ceiling and the back wall are made of glass. This means you can see the sky and the Kemi River from inside the museum. It would be the perfect place to watch the northern lights… if only it didn’t close at 6:00 PM.
Even though we were short on time, we managed to see some fascinating exhibitions—on the northern lights, the Sámi people and culture, climate change in the Arctic, winter sports, and more. There were also taxidermy animals, interactive games, traditional dresses and artwork, history panels with real testimonies, a tank with small marine creatures, etc. I remember there was a completely random room dedicated to sex, featuring stories, quotes, sculptures, and even headphones where you could listen to audio recordings of orgasms. For real!
I thought an hour and a half would be enough time to see everything, but it was not even close. The museum has two floors and is much bigger than I expected. Who knows? Maybe I’ll return one day and explore it at a more relaxed pace!
And now… time to rest!
Tomorrow, I’m heading to Levi, which means an early wake-up call. I’m going to bed exhausted but really happy after such an amazing day. Let’s see what tomorrow brings!
