Kemi (Finland)

Kemi is a Baltic port and town in Finland's Lapland region, with population around 20,000. Kemi is close to the Finland-Sweden border (approx 20 km / 12 mi to the southeast of Tornio Finland/cross-border twin city with Haparanda Sweden). The closest large Finnish cities are Oulu (105 km / 65 mi to the south) and Rovaniemi (117 km / 73 mi to the northeast).

Port Kemi (locode FIKEM) is on Bothnia Bay (at the Kemijoki River's mouth). The Port serves mainly cargo vessels, container ships, oil tankers. The Port has 3 main terminals - Ajos (4 docks/11 berths, serves container ships, bulk carriers, RO-RO ships/car ferries, cruise ships), Veitsiluoto (7 berths) and Oil Terminal (connected with 4 pipelines). Cruise vessels dock at Port Ajos, which pier (length 239 m / 784 ft) can accommodate small- to medium-sized ships.

As cruise port, Kemi is visited by smaller-sized ships and superyachts. Next table shows a 15-day itinerary (roundtrip from Germany) included in the 2022 schedule of the luxury travel brand Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (ship Hanseatic Spirit). Early booking prices started from EUR 9650/USD 11150 per person with double occupancy.

The Kemi-Tornio Airport (approx 5 km / 3 mi north of downtown Kemi, and approx 18 km / 11 mi east of downtown Tornio) serves regular flights to Helsinki. Ferries link to Finalnd's ports Oulu, Rauma, Kotka, Aland/Mariehamn, as well as with Lubeck (Germany). Trains interlink Kemi with Helsinki.

In Kami is homeported Sampo (1960-built icebreaker) while Perameren Jahti (2007-built replica of a traditional wooden sailship from the 1800s) is permanently moored as a historical ship. Sampo is still in active service at Bothnia Gulf (during winter, also offering "icebreaker cruises"/max passenger capacity 150) while during summer is permanently docked and accessible to tourists.

Kemi is a relatively new settlement, being established as a port town in 1869 by Alexander II (1818-81, Russia's Emperor between 1855-81). The town's best-known tourist attraction is Kemin Lumilinna (SnowCastle of Kemi) - currently the world's biggest snowfort.

• Since 1996, the unique ice-construction is rebuilt each year, on an area ranging between 13,000-20,000 m2 (140,000-215,000 ft2). The SnowCastle's records through the years include max tower height 20 m (65 ft), max wall length 1 km (0,6 mi), and has had up to 3 stories.
• The castle is constructed in various configurations, with 3 recurring elements - SnowRestaurant (featuring ice sculptures, ice tables and ice seats covered with reindeer fur), SnowChapel (max 100 seats, hosting weddings for both Finnish and foreign couples) and SnowHotel (has mainly double rooms, including a Honeymoon Suite).
• Kemi's SnowCastle also has "ice-themed" kids park, theatre (hosting live performances), art exhibitions (with lights and sound effects).

Other popular attractions are the Kemi Kirkko (20th-century built Lutheran church/Gothic Revival style) and Kemin Jalokivigalleria (Gemstone Gallery). At the Gemstone Gallery are also displayed a model of The Crown of Finland, as well as replicas of Great Britain's Imperial Crown, Russia Czar's scepter, Marie Antoinette's diamond necklace, and other jewelry.