The Skiers' Guide to Ruka

First time visitng Ruka as we were mainly looking for some guaranteed snow at the start of the season given how unpredictable the Alps have been in recent years.

Everything about the resort exceeded my expectations! I'd read some older reviews about it not being great for snowboarders and there being a lot of drag lifts, but I can safely say this is no longer true! 90% of the resort can be accessed by modern, fast chairlifts and there was only one significant run I found that was t-bar only (still not a deal breaker just less fun on the legs).

Yes, the runs are short, but they immaculately groomed every night and you should go in knowing it's a different experience from the alps. Quiet slopes with that finnish atmosphere (think cooking up sausages by the fire as a mid-run break as opposed to dancing on tables). The park is world-class and used by many professionals for training and comps so if that's your thing you're very well catered for. There are also plenty of short dips through the trees and some dedicated ungroomed terrain which unfortunately we didn't get quite enough snow to sample properly.

The tempreature is worth mentioning (-20c average for us during a week at the start of Jan) but if you bring the layers and are prepared it doesn't stop you from doing anything.

The village is small but modern with everything you could need - a small supermarket, a few nice bars and restaurants and some good winter clothes shops. Also worth mentioning the new BASE sauna and restaurant which opened for 2025 at the top of the hill and is an all-round incredible experience.

There's also way more to do here than just ski which is half of why a lot of families visit i'm sure - we took part in snowmobiling and ice karting but there's also ice fishing, reindeer farms, tubing down a frozen lake, snowshoeing and more, it truly is a winter wonderland!

We found all food and drink to be very expensive, even more so than most Alps resorts we've been to, but countered this by gettting a very good deal on a half-board hotel which meant we had little need to eat out. I'd say overall it's still a cheaper holiday as flights and accomodation package deals to Ruka seem much more reasonable than a lot of places.

Finally - the transfer from kuusamo airport is about half an hour! Can't get that anywhere else i'm sure.

Overall I feel as though i've found a hidden gem in Ruka and will certainly be back!

This was a great resort for a family with lots to do for non skiers alike. Lots of great food options. Very busy in morning, quiet by afternoon.

Ihan hyvaa!Cool place to spend the day with friends, and enjoyed a pint. Good layout of rental area and a small ski school for the kids. Lift could use a upgrade and the price is fair.