Discover Pello: Nature, Trails and Culture

You can plan your trip around the activities that interest you. These include seasonal sports, trails of varying lengths and cultural sites connected to the region.

Activities in Different Seasons

The Pello–Ritavalkea–Salmilompolo outdoor trail network is 30 kilometres long. Ritavalkea is a year-round sports and leisure centre about eight kilometres from Pello village, towards Rovaniemi. Activities there vary by season: in winter, you can go downhill and cross-country skiing, as well as winter swimming. In summer, options include hiking, mountain biking, paddling and swimming. This means you can plan your trip around specific seasonal differences, rather than assuming there is one uniform leisure programme throughout the year.

Trails in the surrounding area also vary in length. The ascent on Eero’s Path is about one kilometre long; the full trail is approximately two kilometres. The marked Jaipaljukka nature trail is about four kilometres long. It starts outside Pello, around ten kilometres towards Rovaniemi.

The open lean-to shelters at the Valkeakoski and Hirvaskoski rapids offer another point of reference for outings in the municipality: there is one at each set of rapids. The Arctic Circle Ice Road in Juoksenki village connects Finland and Sweden. Depending on natural conditions, it can be used by car, on foot or by kicksled. Check local conditions before travelling along it.

Cultural Sites and Highlights on the Tornio

Vihreä Pysäkki is located on the Tornio and is one of Pello’s best-known landmarks and tourist attractions. At its centre is a statue of Olympic cross-country skiing champion Eero Mäntyranta. Pello Municipal Library has a relief of writer Timo K. Mukka, who was born in the village of Orajärvi in Pello. Another historical landmark is the Maupertuis Monument, erected in 1956 on Kittisvaara Hill, four kilometres north of the centre of Pello.

The salmon migration is also part of the Tornio’s seasonal character. Every summer, tens of thousands of salmon migrate upstream through Pello to the rapids. This is a different travel attraction from the cultural sites in the centre: the latter provide points of interest for a tour focused on history and literature, while the salmon migration shapes the summer by the river.

Nearby, Oranki Art is an environmental art exhibition organised by several artists. It is located on a wooded ridge near Orajärvi village, about 25 kilometres north of the centre of Pello. Oranki Art includes a workshop where artists create works for the exhibition. The programme and artworks may change over time; if you would like to plan your visit around them, check the latest information.

Getting Around and Choosing Where to Stay

Väyläkeila is a four-lane bowling alley near the centre of Pello and is also suitable for families with children. As operating arrangements may change, check current opening hours before planning a visit. For cyclists, Pello railway station offers the possibility of using Arctic-by-Cycle routes as a starting or ending point. Check train and route operations before your trip.

When choosing a hotel location, you can first consider whether your stay will focus mainly on destinations in the centre or whether you also plan to visit nearby places. The distances to Ritavalkea, Jaipaljukka and Oranki Art provide different points of reference. Seasonal activities, cultural sites and the option to start or finish a cycling route in Pello each offer their own reasons to tailor your travel plans to your interests.

Discover more destinations: Sirkkakoski, Kemi, Naruska, Ivalo, Patokoski, Kittilä, Enontekiö, Sirkka.

See the broader travel overview: Lapland.