RunCityRovaniemi on foot: a self-guided walking route
This route takes you past 11 of Rovaniemi's best-known sights, including Steam locomotive Tk3 1147, Korundi House of Culture, Lappia Hall (Alvar Aalto) and more. It is about 14 km on foot, roughly 4 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Follow the list on your own, or play it as a free GPS checkpoint game with RunCity and race the clock on the Rovaniemi leaderboard.
- 11Stops
- about 14 kmDistance
- 4 hoursWalking
- about 106 minRunning
Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland, lies just south of the Arctic Circle where the Ounasjoki meets the Kemijoki. Almost the whole town burned in 1944, at the end of the Lapland War, and it was rebuilt to a plan by Alvar Aalto, so most of what you walk past is post-war. The route starts at an old steam locomotive near the railway, passes Korundi, the red-brick house of culture with the art museum, and crosses the Aalto Centre with Lappia Hall and the white City Hall to the church, rebuilt in 1950.
From the Ounaskoski bridge it follows the river to Lordi's Square, named after the hard-rock band that won Eurovision for Finland in 2006, and the Jätkänkynttilä bridge, the Lumberjack's Candle, whose pylon is lit at the top. The walking part, about 5 km, ends at Arktikum, the Arctic museum and science centre with its long glass hall, and the arboretum behind it. The bonus stop is Santa Claus Village, about 8 km north, where the Arctic Circle line is marked across the square: take the bus for that one.
Travelling with children? Rovaniemi with kids: a shorter walk with playgrounds
The stops
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Steam locomotive Tk3 1147 Photo
The old steam locomotive on its plinth.
Photo: flightlog · CC BY 2.0
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Korundi House of Culture
The red-brick house of culture with the art museum.
Photo: GualdimG · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Lappia Hall (Alvar Aalto) Photo
Alvar Aalto's curved roofs seen from the front.
Photo: Htm · CC BY 4.0
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Rovaniemi City Hall
Alvar Aalto's white city hall in the Aalto Centre.
Photo: GualdimG · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Jätkänkynttilä Bridge (Lumberjack's Candle) Photo
The tall pylon with its flame, seen from the riverbank.
Photo: kallerna · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Arktikum Photo
The curved front and forecourt of Arktikum.
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Arktikum Arboretum
The riverside arboretum of northern trees behind Arktikum.
Photo: Leonhard Lenz · CC0
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Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle Bonus Photo
The Arctic Circle marker post on the line across the square.
Photo: Leonhard Lenz · CC0
Getting around
Public transport is run by Linkkari. Fares and tickets
- Nearest stop to the end (Steam locomotive Tk3 1147): Rovaniemi (train, about 150 m).
Leaderboard
Questions
Can you see Rovaniemi on foot in one day?
Yes. The 11 stops on this route add up to about 14 km, roughly 4 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Some stops are far apart, so you may want public transport for a leg.
Is this self-guided walking tour free?
Yes. The route and map on this page are free, and the RunCity game for Rovaniemi is free during launch.
How does the RunCity game work in Rovaniemi?
Open Rovaniemi in RunCity, walk to a stop and tap Validate: your phone's GPS confirms you are there. Some stops also ask for a photo. Timed runs go on the Rovaniemi leaderboard.
Where does the route start?
This page suggests starting at Steam locomotive Tk3 1147 and finishing at Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle. In the game you can take the stops in any order.
Nearby cities
- Helsinki Finland
- Tallinn Estonia
- Stockholm Sweden
- Oslo Norway
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