It can be confusing to decide where to stay in Lapland. Previously we listed different destinations in Lapland but there are dozens more less known and smaller destinations as well. We will go through them in another article.

Lets go through what makes the destinations listed above different from each other.

Rovaniemi is the only city destination on the list. There is about 60 000 inhabitants in the city so it is a unique destination on the list since the other destinations are villages or resorts. If you enjoy a city vibe and want to stay in a city on your holiday to Lapland then Rovaniemi is the place to be. Then again Rovaniemi is located barely above the arctic circle so in general it receives snow later and the snow melts earlier compared to the other destinations on the list. Many locals more north do not consider Rovaniemi to be “real Lapland”. 

Levi is a resort in Kittilä municipality. By area it is quite small but receives a huge amount of tourists during the winter. It can be very crowded. In Levi you can do all the winter activities you want and all the services are close by. If you want to experience winter activities and do not mind the crowds then Levi could be your dream destination. The village is built around tourism so it can feel a bit unauthentic. 

Saariselkä is a bit similar to Levi. Located on the eastern side of Lapland it is also a resort with big crowds during the winter months and services close by. 

Inari is a small village on the eastern part of Lapland. It is a beautiful town surrounded by amazing landscape and wilderness. It’s right next to one of the biggest lakes in Finland, Lake Inari. If you want authenticity and beautiful outdoors then Inari could be your destination.

Muonio is a small village on the western part of Lapland. Similar to Inari is it surrounded by amazing nature and is very authentic since it is not built around tourism. Muonio is a bit less known destination in Lapland even though it has been a popular destination among Finns for decades. There are no tourist crowds and minimal light pollution so it is an excellent destination to see the Northern Lights.

Ylläs is a skiing resort in western Lapland. There are actually two destinations in close proximity to each other- Ylläs and Äkäslompolo. They are located on different sides of a same fell. Ylläs is more of a resort and Äkäslompolo is more like a village. They both receive quite a bit of tourists during the winter months. Äkäslompolo is very known for its excellent cross-country skiing possibilities.

Kilpisjärvi is the most remote destination on the list. It is located more than 300km from Kittilä airport and is the last destination in the western Lapland before Norway. It is very secluded and with limited services but the wilderness surrounding it is breathtaking. If this sounds appealing to you then Kilpisjärvi might be your dream destination.

I hope this article has helped you decide or at least given you some direction on where to stay in Lapland.