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Kemi
Kemi is a town in Finnish Lapland, at the northernmost tip of the Gulf of Bothnia.
Culture and History
Kemi is a rather grim industrial town dominated by pulp mills, which spew their smelly fumes over the countryside. Most of its tourists are drawn by two wintery sights: its snow castle and the unique chance of cruising on an icebreaker. By its character Kemi is far more like town in Finland than town in Lapland.
Travel to Kemi, visa requirements
Flights to Kemi, airtickets
Kemi is one hour by plane from Helsinki. Kemi-Tornio airport (KEM or EFKE) [1] is located 6 kilometers from the city. Airport is target for Finnair and Finncomm Airlines.
By train
Kemi is the end of the line if heading west, towards Sweden because there are no passenger services across, as the rail gauge is different. Within Finland, trains to Rovaniemi take about 1.5 hours, while a trip all the way to Helsinki, fairly painless if done in a sleeper overnight, is 9 hours.
Buses to Kemi
Buses head towards the Swedish border at Tornio/Haparanda (30 min) and onward to Luleå (2.5h), where you can reboard a train. Buses on this segment are free with most railpasses.
Get around
Kemi attractions and sightseeing
- Kemi Snow Castle, [2]. The biggest snow castle in the world, built yearly in Kemi, Finland since 1996. About 300,000 people visited the first snow castle. The area covered by the castle has varied from 13,000 to over 20,000 square meters. The highest towers have been over 20 meters high and longest walls over 1,000 meters long, and the castle has had up to three stories. The SnowRestaurant has ice tables and seats covered with reindeer fur, as well as ice sculptures. The ecumenical SnowChapel with 50-100 seats has seen numerous weddings, of couples from as far as Japan and Hong Kong. There is also a SnowHotel in the snow castle, with double rooms and a honeymoon suite. The SnowCastle of Kemi also hosts such things as an adventure land for kids, theatre and ice art exhibitions with lights and sound effects. Many opera singers and dancers have performed in the SnowCastle of Kemi.
- Kemi Church [3] gothic revival church completed in 1902. Church enthustiastics should notice that about 12 kilometres from the city in the neighbouring muncipality Keminmaa is located medieval Keminmaa old church [4] build between years 1519 and 1521. In the church the undecomposed body of priest Nicolaus Rungius (died 1629) can be seen.
- Gemstone Gallery [5] has the largest collection of gemstones in Europe. The well known speciality is the crown designed for the King of Finland in 1918. Tickets 5€/adult or 2.5€ for children.
- City hall is the most visible building in the town. It has 13 floors and is 51 meters tall. Cafeteria is located on the top of the building.
City tours
Kemi offers the world's only Arctic Icebreaker (Sampo) only for tourist cruises.
Shopping, Kemi souvenirs
Good restaurants and cheap meals
Kemi nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.
Hotels, youth hostels, lodging
Get out
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