Salla Travel Guide

Utsjoki, Finnish Lapland / Copyright www.lifeinlapland.com

(A friendly reminder where you are on top of the fells in Salla)

Salla is a municipality in Eastern Lapland as well as the name of the main village in the area. The municipality covers an area of 5,872 square kilometres and lies on the Finland/Russia border. The area is rich in military history as Salla was the invasion point into Lapland for Russian troops during the Winter War in Lapland and the area saw much fighting. Salla is also a popular tourism destination with a ski resort at Sallatunturi and likewise, because of its close proximity to the Russia border, attracts many Russian tourists.

In the map below, you will find practical places to know about for planning a trip and things to do in Salla. Below the map you will find some helpful travel information by clicking on a topic button and scrolling down to read.
Enter the name for this tabbed section: How to Get to Salla
The closest airports to Salla are Rovaniemi and Kuusamo from where you can take a bus to Salla. You can see a list of airports in Lapland here. The closest railroad station is in Kemijarvi, which has a direct bus links to Salla. You can also take the car transport train to Rovaniemi and drive from there.

You can see bus timetables and buy tickets and on the Matkahuolto website.
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Getting Around Salla
The village of Salla and the ski resort area are roughly 10km away from each other, and fairly independent so you can walk around both easily. There are more shopping option in the village however.
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Salla Weather
Check out the forecast on the FInnish Meteorological Institute for up to date weather in Salla.
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Things To Do in Salla
Winter
  • Snowmobile Safaris
  • Cross country skiing
  • Downhill skiing
  • Snowshoeing
  • Husky Safaris
  • Reindeer Safaris
Summer
  • Hiking
  • Mountain Biking
  • Camping
  • Canoeing
  • Fishing
  • Swimming

Things To Do in Salla

  • The Salpa Line - View remnants of anti-tank obstacles from Lapland's Winter War.
  • The Paikanselkä memorial area - Commemorates those who died fighting in the area during the second world war and presents remnants of fortifications used.
  • The Lutheran Church of Salla - built in 1948–1950, the church is a noticeable architectural landmark in the centre of village.
  • Salatunturi - a popular ski resort area in the winter time, the fells offer a nice hike and some great views of the surrounding area in the summer.
  • Oulanka National Park - located in Kuusamo and Salla in the Koillismaa uplands, a popular outdoor recreation area.
  • Midnight sun - In summer time its quite a surreal experience to stay up late into the evening to watch the different colors produced as the sun floats on the horizon. In general, the night sky is luminous from May until mid August
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Salla Travel Tips
  • Practical Lapland Travel Information
  • The Russian border is very close to Salla and if you are able to acquire a visa in advance, its easy to take a day trip to Vanha Salla (Old Salla) which is just across the border. Old Salla was ceded to Russia from Finland during the second world war.
  • If you are interested in military history, there are many interesting sites around Salla which offer tribute and preservation to the events that took place during the Second World War
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Finding Accommodation