Kemi

Kemi’s gemstone gallery enjoys an international reputation. Alongside the crown of the Finnish king, who held office for just two months at the end of 1918, visitors can also see a replica of the British Crown, which only an expert can distinguish from the original. A total of 3,000 exhibits await visitors, who can also tour a goldsmith’s workshop. Anyone visiting Kemi in winter will see the world’s largest snow castle. It consists of an ice hotel, a restaurant and a chapel. Since it first opened in 1996, hundreds of thousands of people have visited this unique attraction every year from the end of January onwards. The legendary icebreaker Sampo is not only a sight to behold, but an experience to enjoy. The 75-metre-long ship, built in 1961, is no longer in service, but regularly ventures out into the ice as a luxury tourist vessel.

Above all, the diverse Nordic nature surrounding the city of Kemi on the Gulf of Bothnia attracts holidaymakers who love the outdoors. There are many ways to enjoy an active family holiday on the Baltic Sea, including fishing trips and canoe safaris in summer, among the archipelago islands as well as on the Kemijoki River. Kemi’s guest harbour also has room for recreational boaters willing to make the long journey to the northern tip of the Baltic Sea and make the most of Lapland’s short summer.

Fishing is possible in winter, too, although you have to reach the fish through a hole in the ice. Dog- or reindeer-sled safaris in Lapland, snowmobile safaris and trips aboard the Sampo are typical winter activities. Kemi also has an indoor golf facility. Hotels, holiday homes and campsites are available throughout the year in Kemi, on the Gulf of Bothnia by the Baltic Sea, for every kind of holiday.