Year Round Adventures in Kemi
Arctic Adventures Abound in the Snow or the Sun in Finland's North.
Jan 20, 2007
Kemi, Finland is a seaside town in northern Finland, just on the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, for outdoor adventures in the depths of winter snow or the height of the summer sun.
Winter in Kemi
Kemi in winter offers visitors unique, Nordic winter experiences. The SnowCastle (or LumiLinna in Finnish), opening in 2007 on January 27, is a frozen winter wonderland-like structure where the temperature is a constant, frosty, -5 Celsius. Visitors can sleep on an ice bed (in a warm sleeping bag) in an ice room, eat in an ice restaurant, and seek solitude in the ice chapel.
If you have ever wanted to ride in an icebreaker, here is your opportunity to do it. The Sampo crashes through the ice of the Gulf of Bothnia while you eat in the cozy dining room or gaze out at the ice as far as the eye can see. If that’s not close enough, you can don a bright orange safety suit and float among the broken pieces of ice.
For those who prefer action on terra firma, rent a snowmobile, go for a dogsled ride, or go cross country skiing through the groomed, snow covered paths and ice fields. For those who want to take a bread from the elements, head to glass enclosed the swimming hall/spa or visit the Kemi Gemstone Gallery in the center of town. You will be able to see the crown designed for the first and only King of Finland, Väinö, along with a collection of other precious gemstones.
Spring, Summer, and Fall in Kemi
Spring and summer brings fishing to Kemi in the river Kemijoki (Lapland’s largest river), the salmon rivers Simojoki and Tornionjoki. Besides salmon, you can catch perch, pike, grayling, bass, sea trout, and whitefish in the rivers and the Gulf of Bothnia. Opportunities abound to hike, bike, and bird watch abound in the warmer months. The harbor is the site for people watching. Some festivals of note this year are the International Comic Strip Festival in May, the Salmon Games (Lohigames) in June at the mouth of the Kemijoki river, and Run to 60s in July a gathering of Harley Davidson motorcycles in the harbor.
Getting There and Details
Kemi can be reached by flights from Helsinki and other Nordic capitals. Kemi is located on or near the major highways connecting Northern Scandinavia with Russia. Due to its far north location, November – January is very dark with almost no sun but May – July is virtually one continuous day because the sun never sets. Days in February – April are usually filled with lots of sunlight and snow. Go to www.kemi.fi for more details about Kemi.
