national park
Pyhä-Luosto National Park
Lapland national park of ancient quartzite fells split by a road link, with gorges, ski resorts and marked trailhead parking.
52 km · about 60 min drive
Lapland, Finland · Europe
Sodankylä sits on the route: 55 minutes from Pyhäjärvi, 52km from Pyhä-Luosto National Park.
Sodankylä is a town located in Lapland, Finland. With a population of 8,067, it is an important destination in Europe.
On a road trip, Sodankylä sits in Finland, where you drive on the right. It's in the Europe/Helsinki time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Sodankylä to your route.
Sodankylä (Finnish: [ˈsodɑŋˌkylæ]; Northern Sami: Soađegilli [ˈso̯ɑðeˌkilːiː]; Inari Sami: Suáđigil; Skolt Sami: Suäʹđjel) is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the region of Lapland, and lies at the northern end of Highway 5 (E63) and along Highway 4 (E75). The Kitinen River flows near the center ofRead more
Sodankylä. Its neighbouring municipalities are Inari, Kemijärvi, Kittilä, Pelkosenniemi, Rovaniemi, and Savukoski. The municipality has two official languages: Finnish and Northern Sami.
The municipality has a population of 8,095, (31 December 2025) which makes it the fourth largest municipality in Lapland after Rovaniemi, Tornio and Kemi, and at the same time the largest municipality in population that does not use the title of city or town. It covers an area of 12,415.50 square kilometres (4,793.65 sq mi) of which 718.65 km2 (277.47 sq mi) is water, making it the second largest municipality in Finland in terms of area, right after its neighboring municipality of Inari. The population density is 0.69 inhabitants per square kilometre (1.8/sq mi).
Sodankylä has an airfield. Also, one of EISCAT's scientific radar receiver stations is located outside Sodankylä, at the site of the Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory. The urban area around the observatory is known as "Tähtelä", which translates as "Place of Stars", although the observatory does not observe stars. The Jaeger Brigade of the Finnish Army is also located in Sodankylä. There is also much mining in Sodankylä, as the Pahtavaara mine (Pahtavaaran kaivos), which was opened in 1996 and focused on gold, and the Kevitsa mine (Kevitsan kaivos), which started commercial nickel mining production in 2012, operates in the municipality's territory. Although the name "Sodankylä" and (also "Soađegilli") directly translate to "Village of War", the etymology of the name is from a surname Sova rather than the word "war".
Since 1986, Sodankylä has been home to the Midnight Sun Film Festival (Sodankylän elokuvajuhlat).
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Sodankylä.
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Sodankylä.
Sodankylä offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
Plan your road trip to Sodankylä with Plan Your Road Trips! Add Sodankylä as a destination, and we'll help you find the best route and discover more amazing places along the way.
Sodankylä is located in Lapland, Finland, Europe. The coordinates are 67.4167 latitude, 26.6000 longitude.
Sodankylä has a population of approximately 8,067 people, making it a town in Finland.
Add to your itinerary
Start planning your road trip with Sodankylä as a destination. Create a custom route and discover more amazing places along the way.
Start Road TripDiscover destinations like Tinder
Swipe through stunning destinations near Sodankylä. Save your favourites and add them to your trip.
Essential numbers in Finland
Winter tyres mandatory December–February.
Full driving guide for Finland1 notable place within an hour's drive.
national park
Lapland national park of ancient quartzite fells split by a road link, with gorges, ski resorts and marked trailhead parking.
52 km · about 60 min drive
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
Other places to explore near Sodankylä.
Create your perfect itinerary with our calendar-based planner. Add stops, discover attractions along the way, and share your trip with friends.
Start Planning