Inari

The pleasant lakeside settlement of Inari is the place to see living Sami culture, and is one of the most interesting towns in northern Lapland. The open-air museum, Siida, covers the crafts, reindeer-farming and fishing traditions of Finland’s indigenous people.

Not far from the museum, there is a marked walking track to the 18th-century Pielpajärven Wilderness Church, with a hut and a sauna nearby. In summer, boat trips leave for prominent Ukko Island, an ancient, cultic site for the Inari fishermen. There is a reindeer farm 15km from the village, but with 40,000 other reindeer in the area to catch sight of, you may find a visit to the farm unnecessary. Inari is located along the ‘Arctic Road’ in East Lapland, beside Lake Inari.