Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
smell, splashes of arty colour, good modern showers, and use of a small kitchen area and
sauna. Breakfast is included and meals can be arranged. It has bikes for hire, and the high-
light is meeting all the 140-odd dogs and playing with the puppies.
Hotel Kultahippu
HOTEL
( 016-320-8800;
www.hotellikultahippu.fi
;Petsamontie 1;s/d €85/110; )
In the friendly 'Speck of Gold' you might still see the odd goldpanner stooped pensively
over a beer. Rooms are simple but decent, with big windows. Some have their own sauna,
and the riverside location appeals. The spacious restaurant does a €10.50 buffet lunch, and
the pub and club are the main local nightspots. Try not to get a room above the club on
weekends.
Information
Metsähallitus
TOURIST INFORMATION
( 020-564-7701;
www.outdoors.fi
;
Ivalontie 10; 9am-4pm Mon-Fri)
On the main road, this has local and national park information.
Getting There & Around
There are numerous winter charter flights, and regular Finnair services from Helsinki.
Norwegian also flies to/from Helsinki in winter. The airport is 12km south; a connecting
bus meets flights.
There are a few daily buses from Rovaniemi (€53.50, 4½ hours) to Ivalo. Major car-hire
companies are at the airport.
Three weekly buses travel the 300km east to Murmansk, Russia.
Nellim
This tucked-away village with a population of under 200 is one of the major Skolt settle-
ments and worth a visit for anyone interested in Sámi culture. There's also a significant In-
ari Sámi and Finnish population and Nellim likes to dub itself as the meeting point of three
