Yllas
Holidays to Yllas put you in the midde of a peaceful national park. The snow-topped Arctic wilderness is all around you – and Father Christmas is close by.
Yllas Lapland Holidays
Christmas-card scenery
This Lapland resort in northern Finland is split into two villages on either side of a mountain. There’s just a smattering of shops and restaurants here – and that’s exactly the appeal. As for the setting, you’re surrounded by the vast Pallas-Yllas National Park, a fairytale landscape of frozen lakes and snow-covered forests.
Home of Santa Claus
Yllas is considered to be Father Christmas’s original home. The bearded one lives in a house in Akaslompolo, one of the two villages here. On a visit, the elves introduce everybody to the reindeer, then there’s a short ride with the huskies before meeting Mr Claus himself. There’s a restaurant and gift shop onsite, too.
Cross-country skiing
Between November and May, Yllas is a sought-after ski resort. Round here you’ve got some 300 kilometres of downhill and cross-country trails, many of which are floodlit into the evening. Pistes are wide and quiet, with the cold weather making for powder-perfect conditions. It’s generally better for beginners and intermediates, with a ski school available in case you need a confidence booster.
Winter sports
The Yllas fell, or mountain, is the ideal spot to try a new winter sport such as driving a snowmobile, or husky sledding. Husky safaris allow you to drive a team of dogs – it’s one of the fastest ways to travel around these parts, and there are no speed limits.