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Ylläs · Ylläs or Levi

Ylläs or Levi: two Kittilä fells, one quiet and one lively, compared honestly.

Levi and Ylläs are about 50 km apart and share Kittilä Airport, so most people choose between them. Levi is Finland's largest ski resort by lifts and visitors and sits 15 km from the runway; Ylläs is the higher fell with longer runs, a far larger cross-country network and two small villages about 40 to 55 km from the airport.

Reviewed
2026-09-26
Sources checked
2026-09-26
Published by
Premier Nordics
The rounded summit of Ylläs fell above snow-covered forest on a bright winter day
Key numbers

The facts that decide this trip

Fell height
Ylläs 719 m with a vertical drop of about 460 m; Levi 531 m with about 325 m
Downhill
Ylläs about 60 slopes, close to 30 lifts, longest run about 3 km; Levi more lifts and a World Cup slalom slope
Cross-country
Ylläs about 330 km of tracks, about 38 km lit; Levi a smaller network centred on the village
Airport transfer
Levi about 15 km and 20 minutes; Ylläs about 40 km to Ylläsjärvi and about 55 km to Äkäslompolo by road
Nightlife
Levi has a central strip of bars and restaurants; Ylläs has a few restaurants per village and hotel bars
Between them
About 50 km by road, roughly 45 minutes; no direct scheduled bus in most seasons, so a car or taxi

Skiing: Levi has more lifts, Ylläs has the longer runs and the tracks

Levi is the bigger lift system and the busier one, with a compact front side above the village, a gondola from the centre and the slope that hosts the Alpine World Cup slalom. It suits beginners and mixed-ability families because the ski school, the rental shops and the lifts sit within a few hundred metres of the hotels.

Ylläs is the higher fell and the runs are longer: several of the southern pistes drop for two to three kilometres, and the gondola on the Ylläsjärvi side reaches the top in about seven minutes. Queues are rare outside the school holidays. The real difference is cross-country: about 330 km of maintained tracks with about 38 km lit, running from the villages into Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park.

  • Beginner families and short transfers: Levi.
  • Long runs, a quiet gondola and skiing from the door: Ylläs.
  • Cross-country as the main activity: Ylläs, without a close contest.

Evenings: lively strip or lodge dinner

Levi's centre is a compact grid of hotels, bars, restaurants and shops that stays busy from the first snow to Easter, with après-ski music and late dinners. Ylläs has no equivalent: Äkäslompolo has a few restaurants along its road and the Äkäshotelli's traditional dance restaurant, Ylläsjärvi fewer still, and most evenings end in a sauna and a walk to look at the sky.

That is the honest trade. If a choice of restaurants every night matters, book Levi. If you would rather eat at the hotel and have the lake shore dark and empty at 21:00, book Ylläs.

Where to stay

Where to stay in Ylläs if you choose it over Levi

Äkäslompolo gives the most services and pickups; the Ylläsjärvi slope side gives the gondola from the door. Both are on the airport-bus route.

Affiliate disclosure: the Stay22 comparison link is commercial. If you book through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost. Providers control prices, payment, changes and refunds; the picks stay editorial.

  • ÄkäslompoloLapland Hotels ÄkäshotelliThe closest Ylläs comes to a Levi-style hotel: pool, restaurant, bar, apartments and a usual pickup point.
  • Ylläsjärvi slope sideLapland Hotels SaagaSki-in spa hotel at the foot of the southern slopes and the gondola; the strongest reason to pick Ylläs over Levi for skiing.
  • ÄkäslompoloLodge 67°NSmall lodge with kitchenettes and a north-facing aurora suite on the bus routes, for travelers who chose Ylläs for quiet.
Stay22 · live value comparisonFind best-value stays around YlläsCompare live totals, map position and cancellation terms for the exact dates.
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Transfers and getting around without a car

Levi is about 15 km from Kittilä Airport and buses meet every flight in about 20 minutes. Ylläs is about 40 km to Ylläsjärvi and about 55 km to Äkäslompolo by road; airport buses run on confirmed flights in the ski season and take roughly 45 to 90 minutes depending on the stop. The Kolari night train favours Ylläs, with the station about 37 to 40 km from the villages and buses meeting the trains.

Inside the resort, Levi is walkable. Ylläs relies on the ski bus between the two villages and the two ski areas through the season; it works, but it sets the timetable for your day.

Families, aurora and the polar night

For families with young children Levi is easier: shorter transfer, more indoor options, the largest choice of husky, reindeer and Santa products in the area. Ylläs suits families who ski or cross-country ski daily and are content with a pool, a sauna and one guided evening.

For aurora the two are close in latitude and climate, but Ylläs villages are smaller and darker, and a ten-minute walk reaches a lake shore with a clear northern horizon. Levi's centre is bright, so aurora tours drive out of the village. Both sit at about 67.5° N with the sun below the horizon around the villages for roughly two weeks around Christmas.

Splitting the week between the two

The 50 km between the fells is about 45 minutes by car and there is usually no direct scheduled bus, so a split week needs a rental car or a taxi transfer. Four nights at Ylläs for the skiing and three at Levi for the tours and the restaurants is workable; a single night at either end is not worth the packing.

Experiences

Reviewed Ylläs tours that Levi cannot match

A snowshoe climb of Kesänki fell in the national park, a guided night ski on the lit tracks and a beginner snowmobile outing, checked on the public product pages on 26 September 2026.

Affiliate disclosure: GetYourGuide and Viator links are commercial. If you book through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost. Providers control prices, operator terms, changes and refunds.

GetYourGuideYlläs snowmobiling ABC beginner tourTwo-hour introductory snowmobile outing on the forest tracks around Äkäslompolo with a guide leading at a beginner pace; confirm the driving licence rule, the two-per-snowmobile pricing and whether thermal overalls are included.
Check on GetYourGuide
GetYourGuideYlläs snowshoe hike to Kesänki fellGuided four-hour snowshoe climb of Kesänki fell in Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park with a campfire break and fell-top views on clear days; confirm the meeting point, the fitness level expected and what the snack includes.
Check on GetYourGuide
GetYourGuideYlläs guided night skiing tourGuided cross-country ski outing of about three and a half hours on the tracks around Äkäslompolo after dark, with headlamps and a chance of aurora; confirm the skill level expected, whether skis and boots are included and the start point.
Check on GetYourGuide
Practical questions

Questions travelers ask before booking

Answers use the sources listed below. Re-check live hours, weather and operator terms close to the travel date.

Is Ylläs cheaper than Levi?

Often slightly for the same hotel class, and the self-catering chalets and small lodges are cheaper still, but the transfer costs more time and money. Compare the whole week including buses rather than the room rate alone.

Can I ski Levi on a day trip from Ylläs?

With a car, yes: about 50 km and 45 minutes each way. Without a car it is a taxi, because scheduled buses between the resorts are rare; check Matkahuolto for the current timetable before relying on one.

Which is better for northern lights, Ylläs or Levi?

Similar odds on the sky, but Ylläs villages are darker and a short walk reaches an open horizon, while Levi's centre is bright and tours drive out. Ylläs is the better base for watching from the door; Levi has more guided products.

Which is better for a first ski holiday with children?

Levi, for the short transfer, the compact centre and the ski school beside the hotels. Ylläs works for families who already ski and want space, but the villages are spread out and the evenings are quiet.

Sources

Where the numbers come from

Checked 2026-09-26. These sources support hours, distances, transport and climate facts; they do not guarantee prices, availability or operator terms.

Keep planning

Related Ylläs guides and pages

Skiing

Skiing in Ylläs: two ski areas on one fell, and the largest cross-country network in Finland's resorts.

Skiing in Ylläs explained: the two ski areas, the gondola with a sauna cabin, the 330 km cross-country network with lit tracks, ski-week logistics, lessons and rentals.

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Getting there

How to get to Ylläs: Kittilä Airport with timed buses, the Kolari night train, or a car from Rovaniemi.

How to get to Ylläs: Kittilä Airport about 39 km away with buses timed to flights, the Kolari night train with bus links, Rovaniemi and Levi by road, car or no car.

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Northern lights

Northern lights in Ylläs: dark villages, a fell top and safaris that leave the lights behind.

How to see the northern lights at Ylläs: dark lake shores in both villages, the fell top, ice floating and snowmobile safaris, forecasts and which nights to protect.

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