Lapland's oldest travel destination, Aavasaksa Hill, is located about 10 km to the north of Ylitornio town centre. The hill, which rises 242 metres above sea level, is a well-known scenic attraction and vantage point. Visitors can admire one of Finland's official national landscapes from the summit. A four-kilometre nature trail goes around the hill in this exceptionally beautiful setting. Today's Aavasaksa offers accommodation, a small ski centre, a cafeteria-restaurant, an observation tower and the Keisarinmaja (Imperial Lodge) museum, which is housed in a villa built in 1882. The hill is the southernmost point in Finland where the midnight sun can be seen during the summer solstice. A French Academy of Sciences expedition led by Pierre Maupertuis came to Aavasaksa to perform geophysical measurements in 1736. Kruununnäyttämö stage for outdoor performances, audience capacity 200.

Aavasaksa Lapland covers a large part of the Tornio River Valley. In addition to pristine nature, the area's tree-covered hills and water bodies offer travellers fantastic opportunities to engage in various recreational activities. The Tornio River defines the region. It is the last free-flowing major river in all of Europe. Rugged, forested hills dominate the landscape on both the Swedish and the Finnish side of the border. The valley's flora is lush, while the hilltops are barren like the tundra.

Come here to enjoy the authentic atmosphere, beautiful nature and all the opportunities it brings. The Tornio River Valley also has its own unique cultural heritage and forms a unified dialect continuum. This emphasises the unity of the culture on both sides of the river. Some refer to the region as Meänmaa, which means Our Land in the local dialect. The Aavasaksa Lapland travel pages will provide you with a wealth of information about local accommodation providers, restaurants, shops, visit attractions and events. The Municipality of Ylitornio maintains this service in cooperation with local travel businesses and it is an integral aspect of the region's joint marketing effort.