A couple of hundred kilometers from the Arctic Circle lies the resort of Ruka. The terrain is not typical for Finland hills, but real mountains at an altitude of 493 meters above sea level - that's where Ruka is located. Although it is not far from the hills. Because of this character of the local landscape the resort has received the unofficial name "Golden Gate of Lapland". From here it's not far to the residence of Santa Claus!
The history of Ruka is closely connected with Kuusamo resort, which is not more than 30 km away. On its territory back in the XVII century lived nomadic tribes of Sami, who gradually assimilated with Finnish settlers. But only by the end of the XIX century Kuusamo was recognized as a city. It was only at the beginning of the last century that equipped tracks appeared near it.
Ruka itself was founded in 1954 due to the increased interest in the ski resorts of the region. Over the 60 years of its existence, it has developed a high-class infrastructure and has become the leading resort in the region. Today Ruka alone can accommodate over 30 thousand tourists.
