Things to do in Ivalo

Ivalo is the region's airport town, not a destination in itself: Ivalo Airport (IVL) sits around 30 km south of Saariselka and Inari, and most visitors are only here to land, collect a hire car and drive on. Flights peak in winter for the aurora-charter season and thin out considerably in summer, so check your route in advance if you are flying off-peak.

The village itself covers the essentials rather than sights: a supermarket, a fuel station and a pharmacy along the main road, useful for stocking up before heading north. Aurora tours, husky and reindeer sledding, and the national park trails are based in Saariselka and Inari, not here.

Ivalo is also a distinct town from Inari, roughly 40 km away, despite the similar-sounding names, and it is nowhere near Rovaniemi's Santa Claus Village, which lies over 250 km to the south.