Idre Fjäll or Ruka?
These two are close on 7 of 9 measures. That is the honest answer: the numbers will not choose for you, so the difference below that matters to you is the one to decide on.
Sweden
Idre Fjäll
Sweden's family resort by default: slopes on every aspect of one hill, ski-in/ski-out cabins and a long season this far north. Independent of the big chains, which keeps prices down and the lift queues honest.
Worth knowing. Three hundred metres of vertical, and heaving every school holiday.
Choose it if
Off-piste
About £1,027 a week from London
Finland
Ruka
One of the longest seasons in Europe — October to May — on 34 km of floodlit, tree-lined runs. A short-break destination rather than a ski week, and priced accordingly.
Worth knowing. 34 km of piste — a short break, not a ski week.
Choose it if
A non-skiing partner
About £1,026 a week from London
Side by side
| Idre Fjäll | Ruka | |
|---|---|---|
| Snow reliability | 57/100 | 58/100 |
| Size of the ski area | 30 km | 34 km |
| Top lift | 890 m | 492 m |
| Cost before travel | €920 | €880 |
| Families with young kids | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Snowboarders | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| A non-skiing partner | 4/10 | 8/10 |
| Budget and après | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Off-piste | 4/10 | 3/10 |
Bold marks the winner. Rows where neither is bold are close enough that the difference would not change a decision. Cost excludes travel, which depends on where you leave from.
Piste kilometres, lift counts and prices are indicative and compiled from public sources — they have not yet been checked against the resort's own figures for this season. Costs are planning estimates, not quotes. Spotted one that is wrong? Tell us.