The school will be held at Lapland Hotel Riekonlinna, the northernmost conference hotel in Finland. Riekonlinna is located in Saariselkä in the municipality of Inari. The hotel has hosted EU meetings.
For more details: https://www.laplandhotels.com/FI/lapin-hotellit/saariselka/lapland-hotels-riekonlinna.html
Surroundings
Saariselkä resort is located in Northern Lapland, 260 km North of Rovaniemi. The village, surrounded by mountains (fells) beside Urho Kekkonen National Park, is a well-equipped resort that provides many services for visitors. When climbing up the fells of the area, the big forest opens into dwarf trees and bushes and some of the summits are treeless, offering incredible views of infinite landscapes.
Saariselkä village has about 350 inhabitants, and it belongs to Inari municipality, which together with Ivalo has about 7000 inhabitants. The area also has one of the biggest Sámi communities in Finland, with about 2000 Sámi living in the area.
Around the resort is the largest fell plateau in Europe where the unspoilt environment, natural beauty and quiet of the fells give you the space to breathe deeply and calmly. To the east, you will find the Saariselkä fell area, to the west the wilderness of River Ivalojoki famous for its gold, to the north the forests of Lutto and Tsarmitunturi and to the south, the wilderness of Sompio.
Gold rushes
Saariselkä is well known for its gold rushes during its history. The first gold rush started back in 1869 and lasted until 1900. The second gold rush started in 1936, when Aleksanteri Peltovuoma discovered the Tankavaara gold area. Years later, in 1945 gold panning started in Lemmenjoki River.
The biggest golden nugget ever found in Finland was found in Luttojoki River, close to Laanila. Its weight was 393 grams and we can be sure that Evert Kiviniemi was very happy the day he found it.
Nowadays it is still possible to find gold in the Saariselkä area, and many amateur gold diggers come to Lapland, and there are still a few professionals making their living from this precious metal.
Activities and safaris
Saariselkä is the ideal destination for those looking for an authentic and natural experience in Lapland. A good local infrastructure and a good selection of hotels provide a comfortable base to explore the surroundings.
Distances from Saariselkä
- Ivalo airport: 27 km
- Rovaniemi: 258 km
- Santa Claus Village: 249 km
- North Cape, Norway: 450 km
- Helsinki: 1068 km to the south
