Te Travel Guide - brought to you by APL Media • Wednesday 17 September 2025


Worldwide Travel • 17 ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE


Experience the wonders of light at a festival in Finnish Lapland


© EEVA MÄKINEN


Nature-lovers have long flocked to Finland for its captivating scenery, but it’s in Ruka-Kuusamo — Finland’s outdoor paradise in Lapland— where the real magic happens


Year-round, Ruka-Kuusamo is packed with delightful experiences for the whole family. In the untamed beauty of Finnish


Lapland, light transforms with the seasons. During the polar night, the land is cloaked in deep twilight, where moonlight and stars shimmer over snowy forests. As spring returns, golden rays stretch longer each day, painting the fells with warmth. Then comes the Midnight Sun in summer, a surreal glow that never sets. In Lapland, light is a rhythm, with its own unique story. Outdoor enthusiasts have a


plethora of activities to get stuck in to, from skiing, ice-karting, husky safaris and snowmobiling in the winter, to hiking, horse-riding, golf and cycling in the summer. In Oulanka National Park, you can hike on breathtaking trails and spot reindeers, bears, moose and wolves in their natural habitat. Plus, new adventures are launching all the time: for example, Finland’s first alpine coaster, Ruka Coaster, opened this year. But one of the most magical ways


to connect with the cultural and natural world of Lapland is through its festivals. Imagine: night skiing between trees illuminated with neon light installations, or dancing at a music festival where the sun never sets. Ruka-Kuusamo’s festivals


invite visitors to lose themselves in the Arctic’s wonders, where nature, light and culture intertwine in an unforgettable way.


IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE BEAUTY OF THE ARCTIC AT THE POLAR NIGHT LIGHT FESTIVAL The Polar Night Light Festival offers a spellbinding way to enjoy the majesty of Finnish Lapland. Forget everything you thought you knew about the aesthetic charms of a ski resort, because this event brings the natural beauty of the Arctic to a whole new realm. Between 9 January and 2 February


2026, the festival will bathe the slopes of Ruka in magical lights, making skiing or snowboarding down them a dreamlike experience. Lights in vibrant shades of blue, purple, pink and green illuminate trees drenched in snow, project realistic images of animals via light artworks and make the landscape seem completely otherworldly. Plus, diehard skiers will rejoice at the fact that the slopes are open extra late, not to mention the icy cold keeps the powder snow in perfect condition. As the world’s northernmost light


installation, it’s a sight to behold, and the spectacle is just as enjoyable for non-skiers, too, with marked paths through the village offering ideal vantage points from which to drink in the best of views. For soaring vistas of the slopes flooded with colour, gondola rides are always popular. And if the lights don’t offer enough photo opportunities, you can snap yourself feeding reindeer,


too. Best of all, the festival is free to attend. It’s a winter experience like no other.


DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY AT THE SOLSTICE FESTIVAL Equally stunning in appearance, but different in style, the Solstice festival is another must-visit event in the region. Sitting on top of Rukatunturi — an Arctic fell which rises 1,640ft above sea level – this achingly cool gathering takes place in June 2026, welcoming music, art and nature-lovers for a uniquely sunny experience. As you may have guessed from its name, the festival takes place during the longest day of the year. As opposed to the Polar Night Light


Festival, where the long nights are illuminated, at Solstice, the time of the year combined with the northern location means the sun doesn’t set, even well into the hours of the morning: perfect for party animals who don’t want the fun to stop. Those with energy to spare can


get stuck in to active pursuits like reindeer yoga, mountain biking, hiking and trail running. Plus, there’s one of Finland’s longest zip-lines, where you’ll zoom over the Ruka fell with a bird’s-eye view of the scenery and the chance to paddle, canoe, swim and river-raft in the stunning waters around Ruka. When you need some downtime, there are multiple saunas to decompress in: this is Finland, after all. Music-lovers gravitate to three


different stages, each with its own distinct sound and vibe, and when you’re not throwing shapes to thrilling DJ sets and music by international talent, there’s more than enough space to simply sit on the hilltop and take in the Arctic scenery, with vast panoramas stretching out over pine tree forests and serene lakes. Art installations celebrating the relationship between light and life elevate the aesthetic even more. While a visit to Ruka-Kuusamo at


© ANTTI AUTIO


any time of year is always enjoyable, timing your trip to visit one or both magical festivals is a must.


© SIMO VILHUNEN


© SIMO VILHUNEN


© HARRI TARVAINEN


The inimitable settings make for unforgettable, once in a lifetime memories for even the most seasoned of festivalgoers. Whether through lights or music,


both the Polar Night Light Festival and Solstice Festival provide guests with an immersive introduction to the joys of the region, in the most magical of natural settings.


For further information


Find out more about Ruka-Kuusamo and plan your trip to Polar Night Light Festival and Solstice Festival for 2026. Visit: ruka.fi/en polarnightlightfestival.ruka.fi solsticefestival.fi


© FELIX BARDY


© JONI STANLEY


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24