Levi, located in Finnish Lapland, is the largest ski resort in Finland. The resort is located in Kittilä municipality and is served by Kittilä Airport and Kolari railway station. At a latitude of 67.8° north, it is located approximately 170 km (110 mi) north of the Arctic Circle.
The Levi fell is at an elevation of 531 metres (1742 ft) above sea level. There are 48 ski slopes (18 of which are floodlit) and 26 ski lifts in Levi. Ascending the fell are 2 gondolas, 1 chairlift, 14 T-bar lifts, 5 stick lifts for children and 4 rope tows for children. Levi is one of two locations of gondola lifts in Finland, and has been chosen the best domestic skiing resort in Finland four times.
Levi is an early stop on the Alpine Skiing World Cup circuit, hosting slaloms in mid-November; in 2010 the races will be held November 9–11. The climate is somewhat too cold to host them in January–February.
The slopes in Levi are mostly suitable for beginners or intermediates, but there are also three black slopes for experts. The highest vertical drop is 325 metres (1,066 ft.) and the longest slope is 2.1 km (1.3 mi) in length. The longest ski lift is about 1,636 meters (1.01 miles) long. Levi has one superpipe, one halfpipe, two snow parks, 10 free children's slopes and seven slope restaurants.
The skiing and snowboarding season in Levi is fairly long, often lasting from October to mid May. The ski school provides instruction in downhill skiing, snowboarding, telemark skiing and cross-country skiing. Cross-country skiers have illuminated ski tracks and snow that lingers well into the spring. There are 230 kilometres of cross-country skiing tracks and 886 kilometres of snowmobiling tracks in Levi.
The resort's location in the Arctic Circle pretty much guarantees generous snow cover and sub zero temperatures throughout winter. It also allows for excellent chances of seeing the Northern Lights.
At 8 km from the centre of Levi is Luvattumaa, Levi Ice Hotel & Ice Gallery and at 45 km from Levi is the Snow Village Lainio; there it is possible to see snow and ice buildings, eat in an ice restaurant or experience a night sleep in an ice room. An addition from season 2010 is the ICIUM - Wonderworld of Ice built near the Gondola ski lift, a park of ice sculptures created by skilled Chinese artists.