Should you have any questions about the seminar, please feel free to contact us: nutrition.winterschool@helsinki.fi
The 7th Nutrition Winter School will take place in January 2026 at Saariselkä, Finland.
Our seminar venue is Lapland Hotels Riekonlinna (meaning willow grouse’s castle) in downtown Saariselkä. This cosy Lappish hotel is located conveniently on the main street.
Saariselkä is a scenic outdoor resort build around nature tourism. It is a popular destination year round, and offers something for everyone. It can be described as peaceful little town, with the great outdoors just outside the doorstep.
The winter attractions are about 200 km of excellent cross-country skiing tracks, a downhill skiing resort and Finland’s longest tobogganing slope. Other typical outdoor activities are snowshoeing and fatbike cycling. There are marked paths for each activity so that ski tracks are maintained in good condition and unfortunate collisions can be avoided.
Saariselkä has a grocery shop, cafes, outdoor equipment rentals and shops, several restaurants and pubs.
Links on Lapland and Saariselkä:
Transportation
How to get to Saariselkä? There are several options. You can find the most timely and detailed information about traveling options here. See also section Travel.
You can fly to Ivalo Airport and take the airport bus to Saariselkä. There is a bus connection to and from every flight. The flight time from Helsinki is an hour and a half.
If you have the time, perhaps you’d rather choose the environmentally-friendly option of taking the train to Rovaniemi and catching a bus to the hotel doorsteps in Saariselkä? Trains in Finland are 100 % carbon-neutral.
The night train is a cosy way to spend most of the travel time fast asleep. Perhaps share a cabin with another Nutrition Winter School attendee? (Email us, if you need to find a cabin buddy!). Or use the day-time connection for work or relaxation on the rails.
This is especially a good option for those who’d like to visit Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi. The Village can the visited by local buses.
For more information and purchase of tickets, visit the train and bus company websites:
You can also drive to Lapland. Beware of the reindeers and remember winter conditions on the road!
NWS2026 venue has two options for accommodation – you can either stay at the traditional hotel in hotel rooms or book an apartment for two or four people.
You can view different hotel rooms and the apartment options here: Lappland Hotels Riekonlinna
Hotel rooms and apartments can be booked from the hotel with the code: .
There are standard rooms (1 or 2 persons) and appartments (2 or 4 persons) reserved for NWS participants. Make your booking soon since there are limited number of reserved rooms!
Breakfast and the use of the large common sauna and gym are included in the price of the rooms. Hotel rooms have wifi. Some of the superior rooms also include their own small saunas!
Prices for the hotel rooms are:
standard 2 persons: 172 € / night
Extra bed available on a sofa bed for €35 per night
superior 2 person: 207 € / night
Extra bed available on a sofa bed for €35 per night
A great option is to book an apartment at Lapland Hotels Riekonlinna, which is our venue for the week. These apartments host either 2 or 4 people, with shared bedrooms and bathrooms. The apartment building is located just behind the hotel, so you will be conveniently located. The apartments include a kitchen and a sauna and a nice view to the nearby Iisakkipää fell.
The apartment for 2 person with one bedroom costs 220 €/night and the apartment for 4 person with two bedrooms 360 €/night.
Extra bed available on a sofa bed for €35 per night
You can book an apartment with your coworkers or perhaps you want to bring your family with you too? (Family members can attend seminar dinners at an additional cost. Ask the organizing committee for details.)
Breakfast at the main hotel building is included. Appartments have free wifi.
If you prefer to stay with your own group rather than in a hotel, Saariselkä offers a variety of alternative lodging options. For example, Lomarengas provides a wide selection of cabins suitable for different group sizes. You can book a cabin independently through their website: https://www.lomarengas.fi
If you need more information about cabin accommodation or would like to discuss your options, feel free to contact the organizing committee.
Interested in a shared cabin? If you would like to join the Winter School shared cabin accommodation, please get in touch as soon as possible. The shared cabin option will be arranged if there is sufficient interest – spots are limited!