Pello: Trails, art and seasonal nature

Explore Pello through a range of interests: trails and outdoor pursuits, activities that change with the seasons, and places of art and remembrance. Choosing a focus for your trip can help you use trail distances and the locations of individual destinations as a guide. The village itself has cultural attractions, while other activities are available nearby. The Tornio River also shapes the destination’s appeal, with a summer salmon migration and the riverside landmark Vihreä Pysäkki.

Choose activities by season

The Pello–Ritavalkea–Salmilompolo outdoor trail network is 30 kilometres long. Nearby, about eight kilometres from Pello village towards Rovaniemi, is Ritavalkea, a year-round sports and leisure centre. The activities on offer vary by season: in winter, you can downhill ski, cross-country ski and go winter swimming. In summer, options include hiking, mountain biking, paddling and swimming.

This lets you plan your trip around the season and the activities you want to enjoy: winter combines snow sports with winter swimming, while summer pairs hiking and cycling with activities on the water. The year-round centre is distinct from the seasonal activities. If a particular activity is the reason for your visit, plan it for the appropriate season.

Compare trails by length

The ascent on Eero’s Path is about one kilometre long, and the full trail is approximately two kilometres. The marked Jaipaljukka Nature Trail is around four kilometres long. It starts outside Pello, about ten kilometres towards Rovaniemi. These distances make it possible to compare the trails: at approximately two kilometres in total, Eero’s Path is shorter than the Jaipaljukka trail. The trails differ in length and starting location, which is useful to bear in mind when deciding which one to include in your travel plans.

Location is another useful point of reference. The Jaipaljukka trail starts outside Pello. Eero’s Path is described as having an ascent of about one kilometre and a total length of around two kilometres. These figures refer to different parts of the trail: one kilometre is the ascent, while two kilometres is the full route. This helps clarify the distances without confusing the ascent with the entire trail.

Art and places of remembrance

Oranki Art is located on a wooded ridge near Orajärvi village, about 25 kilometres north of central Pello. The environmental art exhibition is organised by several artists. Oranki Art also includes a workshop where artists create works for the exhibition; it usually begins around mid-June. If you’d like to include the workshop in your travel dates, check the latest schedule.

Another historic site is the Maupertuis Monument on Kittisvaara Hill. Erected in 1956, it is four kilometres north of central Pello. There is also a statue of Olympic cross-country skiing champion Eero Mäntyranta in the centre. A relief of writer Timo K. Mukka, who was born in Orajärvi village in Pello, is located in Pello Municipal Library. The statue, monument and relief offer different cultural points of interest, commemorating sport, history and literature.

The Tornio River, seasonal nature and getting around

Vihreä Pysäkki is located on the Tornio River and is one of Pello’s best-known landmarks and tourist attractions. The river is also the setting for a seasonal spectacle: every summer, tens of thousands of salmon migrate through Pello, swimming upstream in the Tornio towards the rapids. This makes summer a clear point of reference for travellers interested in river landscapes and the changing seasons.

In Juoksenki village, the Arctic Circle Ice Road connects Finland and Sweden. You can travel along it by car, on foot or by kicksled, but access depends on natural conditions. Check the current situation before your trip. Pello railway station also makes it possible to use the Arctic by Cycle routes as a starting or ending point. Check rail and route services before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Tornio, Salla, Keminmaa, Ylläsjärvi, Äkäslompolo, Nellim, Naruska, Simo.

Back to the main travel overview: Lapland.