This was the best skiing holiday I’ve ever been on!
Nestled in Northern Europe, and perhaps better known for its ties with Santa and his Christmas elves than its reputation as a serious ski destination, Finland delighted us with its backwater charm and abundant snow (think up to 8 feet off-piste in the depths of winter when we went!).
You’ll need to pack warm gear; the temperature dropped to -20 degrees on one of the days – my feet resembled a bunch of chipolata sized ice lollies! What I would say though, is that with the right thermal gear, the relatively low wind tends to make the place feel decidedly warmer.
On-piste, we had a fantastic time, particularly my folks who were beginners. The abundance of cruising slopes (blues and reds) along with a generous helping of nursery runs made it great fun and ideal for them to learn and get their confidence up. Someone tried to persuade me to try x-country – but I resisted as a few extra pounds around the waist would have brought me to my knees pronto. I guess i’m just a downhill kinda guy?
Apparently though, there are over 300km of trails to explore so for people interested it would have been perfect.
If you’re looking for tons of black runs and high speed thrills, Yllas may be a little sedate, and there are probably better options in other, larger resorts.
The queues were fairly light, meaning we got plenty of time skiing and much less practice at Olypmic elbow-wrestling with Europeans!
There was also a fantastic on-site ski school – the instructor we had was fully fluent in English and a fun guy to boot!
Cuisine-wise, the highlights were undoubtedly the Reindeer steaks (which happen to be quite delicious) and Lihapullat (swedish meatballs).
Off-piste, Yllas really shone. We managed to fit in a husky ride, a 60km/h Skidoo trip across a frozen lake and a trip to an ice hotel!
Our log cabin came equipped with a sauna which was a great way to relax in the evenings and get over a gruelling day on the slopes.
Oh, and before I forget to mention it, we saw the Northern Lights (aka the Aurora Borealis) – absolutely stunning, shame I didn’t have my camera with me!
We didn’t go with kids, but trips to meet Santa were on offer, and Lapland’s grotto’s were just a short coach or cab ride from the ski slopes.
Conclusion: If you are looking for a ski holiday with a twist, you would do well to consider Yllas for a truly unforgettable experience.
My rating:
Skiing: 4/5
Family Friendly: 5/5
Après Ski: 3/5
Value: 4/5
Originality: 5/5
Average holiday cost: £500 per person
If you’re travelling abroad skiing yourself this winter, feel free to check out my site for some great deals on airport parking, lounges etc!
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for external hotel reviews of Yllas and for price comparison please click here.
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Tags: skiing
