Ruka is a ski village near Kuusamo in northern Finland, close enough to the Arctic Circle for proper winter and long summer light. It is one of Finland's busiest ski resorts, with a long season, floodlit slopes, cross-country tracks, and World Cup events.
The resort is compact and practical, but the reason it deserves a World66 page is the landscape around it. Rukatunturi, Valtavaara, Konttainen, and Pyhavaara rise above spruce forest, marsh, and lakes, with trails that connect into the famous Karhunkierros route toward Oulanka National Park.
Come in winter for skiing, snowboarding, night sledging, and the chance of aurora. Come in summer or autumn for hiking, birdwatching, and clear northern air without the deep freeze.