The largest village in the municipality of Inari and the gateway to northern Lapland, with its own airport just south of the village.
At 68.7° N, Ivalo lies under or very close to the auroral oval, so the aurora can appear even on quiet nights when the sky is dark and clear. Clouds are the biggest obstacle, so always check the cloud forecast above before heading out.
In late December Ivalo has about 17 hours of darkness every night, around the autumn equinox about 8 hours and around the spring equinox about 8 hours; in mid-April still about 3 hours. See when to see the northern lights for a month-by-month guide.