Originally Posted by
flatlander
How was Ivalo to visit and to get around?
(edit to add: there's a direct Finnair service from LGW-IVL, Thursdays and Sundays. The Sunday IVL-LGW leaves at 06:20, unfortunately).
Originally Posted by
dbru
We rented our car directly at the airport. The car is perfect for the winter, has spikes and a plug for the heating for longer parking.
Our plan was to drive to the North Cap, so I cannot say too much about Ivalo. But they have all the typical winter activities (cross skiing, dog sledging, reindeer, snow mobile...) and endless forests. Inari which is nearby also has a museum about the Saami people. If you only to Thu - Sun you won't be bored.
I have been aurora spotting in Northern Finland 3 times and can highly recommend Inari, a ~40 minute drive from Ivalo. There's a good hotel there, the Saami parliament building and the Saami museum. The walk to the Wilderness church is well worth doing.
Originally Posted by
florens
Indeed, we always plan around the moon's phases. If your DSLR can be triggered from an infrared remote then consider getting one. I you normally have a UV filter on your lens take it off to avoid Newton's rings.