To Lapland to see Santa Claus. Lapland: Santa Claus and Northern Lights. New Year in Oulu. Breakfast buffet

Prices are for 4 nights, arrivals on Fridays: 01/26/18 - 03/23/18

Tour program:

1 day (Friday). Rovaniemi
Departure to Rovaniemi (if a tour with air travel is booked). Transfer airport - hotel, accommodation. Free time.

Day 2 (Saturday). Rovaniemi
Breakfast in the hotel.
11:00 - excursion to Santa Claus Village. Lapland, northern mysterious land, familiar to many from children's fairy tales. The country of the Sami, reindeer and Santa Claus. Any child knows that this is where Santa Claus lives, or Joulupukki in Finnish. You can meet him in his office.
14:00 - excursion around Rovaniemi with a visit to the Arktikum Museum. The visible part of the museum, the glass pipe, is 172 m long. The roof is made up of more than a thousand panels of special, especially durable glass and is oriented from north to south. Under the roof of the palace there is a local history museum telling about northern life, people and customs of the Arctic region, history and culture local residents. The museum displays exhibits of northern flora and fauna. Undoubtedly, the hall of culture and life of the Sami will attract attention.
22:00 - in search of the Northern Lights by car, 2.5 hours (optional for extra charge).
See Northern lights- this is great luck and unforgettable experience for life! In the evening, the snow-covered Lapland Forest looks magical, and this trip will give you the opportunity to see it for yourself. The snow reflects the light of the moon and stars, the trees twinkle mysteriously in the headlights. We will take you away from the city lights and find you open place to admire the sky. The guide will light a fire, and you will try your luck and try to see the Northern Lights. Around the fire, everyone will be able to indulge in the Finns' favorite pastime - frying sausages, while the guide will prepare hot glegi for you.
Cost: 95 euros/adult, 75 euros/child. (4-11 years old).

Day 3 (Sunday). Rovaniemi
Breakfast in the hotel.
Free time or extra excursions.
10:00-15:00 - trip to the Ranua Polar Zoo (optional for an additional fee). The zoo is located 80 km from Rovaniemi and the journey by car or bus takes approximately 1 hour. An entertaining walk through the zoo, where you can see animals and birds living in the natural conditions of northern latitudes. You will have the opportunity to visit souvenir shops, the Fazer factory store, and a wine shop where you can buy unique wines made from wild berries: cloudberries, lingonberries, blueberries, etc.
Cost: 95 euros/adult, 85 euros/child. (4-11 years old).
16:00-19:00 - snowmobile safari, 3 hours (optional for extra charge).
This safari begins with learning how to operate a snowmobile. You will have a great opportunity to ride a snowmobile through a snow-covered forest and river.
The price includes: program, special clothing, hot drink and sausage during the rest.
139 euros/adult on a two-seater snowmobile, 184 euros/adult. on a single-seater snowmobile, 70 euros/child. in a sleigh.

Day 4 (Monday). Rovaniemi
Breakfast in the hotel.
Free time or extra excursion.
11:00-13:00 - visit to a reindeer farm (optional for an additional fee).
By car we will go to a local reindeer farm. You will get acquainted with reindeer and the peculiarities of life of reindeer herders. You will undergo a rite of passage into Laplanders. And of course, you will ride in a reindeer sleigh and take unforgettable photographs of northern animals.
Cost: 110 euros/adult, 80 euros/child. (4-11 years old).
13:00-15:00 - visit to a husky farm, dog sled safari (optional for an additional fee).
Professional dog breeders will introduce you to the life of a husky on a farm, daily work and everyday life. You will take a short course as a “young dog breeder”, after which you will go on a safari (5 km) on a dog sled (1-2 people in a sleigh). Upon your return, hot tea or coffee with cookies awaits you in a traditional Finnish kota.
Cost: 85 euros/adult, 75 euros/child. (4-11 years old).

Day 5 (Tuesday). Rovaniemi
Breakfast in the hotel. Rooms are available until 12:00. Transfer to the airport or train station.
Departure to Moscow (if a tour with air travel is booked).

Attention! It is possible to book extra. overnight at the hotel.

New Year- magical time. Adults expect holidays and changes for the better, children expect magic and gifts. If you want to give your child a real New Year's tale and plunge headlong into the atmosphere of childhood happiness - you need to go to the ends of the world - to Lapland! New Year's Eve in the homeland of Finnish Santa Claus - Joulupukki - is real magic; such a trip will be remembered for a lifetime.

In Finland, as in Europe in general, the main event of winter is Christmas, and according to the old style, December 25th. New Year is not celebrated as widely. So by the time the New Year arrives, Joulupukki will have already given Christmas gifts to Finnish children and will be entirely occupied with us, the guests. Joulupukki Residence is located 9 km from the city of Rovaniemi, right on the border of the Arctic Circle.

Santa Claus Village (Joulupukin Pajakylä) – this is the office and post office of Santa Claus, Santa Park, cottages for tourists, many shops and restaurants, a small deer farm. In winter, numerous slides are built on the square, from which you can ride for free. Near the village there is another amusement park - Arctic Winter World.

In the center of the Village there is a large Christmas tree, sparkling in festive attire, this immediately improves your mood!

Joulupukki Residence

There is about Santa Claus's house (Joulupukki) interesting legend: since it is in this place that the earth’s crust is very thin, with the help of special mechanisms Santa Claus learned to control time and, in particular, slow down the speed of the Earth’s rotation. And this little trick helps Santa visit everyone in the world on the eve of Christmas in one night and give everyone gifts. In order not to disturb the structure of the clock mechanism, guests move along suspended bridges;

Here you can watch and even pet a deer completely free of charge. The reindeer camp is located behind the main house;

You can get to the office to meet Santa Claus through a long fairy-tale corridor. The famous wizard himself and his gnome assistants joyfully welcome the guests. This happens every day, without weekends or holidays. There may be queues in December. Finnish Santa Claus speaks many languages, including Russian!

After the office, be sure to visit Santa Claus Post Office. Letters from children come here from all over the world with their requests and wishes, the elves sort them out and hand them over to Santa. You can find yours among the stacks! Write a letter with your child in advance and send it to the central Santa Claus post office: Santa Klaus, 96930 Arctic Circle, Rovaniemi, Finland. You can send cards to family and friends from Santa Claus's post office. All letters and cards are stamped with Santa's special seal and are immediately sent to their destination. A nice souvenir for your beloved grandmothers.

Entrance to the residence is free. Reindeer ride - 85 euros. Snowmobiling - 150 euros. Postcard - 2-4 euros. Souvenirs from 20 euros. An audience with Santa is free, a photo with Santa in his house is 17 euros.

From railway station Rovaniemi bus number 8 takes you to Santa Claus Village.

Santa Claus Village Websites:

santaclausvillage.info
santaclausholidayvillage.fi

Santa Park

2 kilometers from the village of Finnish Santa Claus there is a Santa Park for children theme park entertainment.

The legend is this: Once Santa Claus was returning from a Christmas trip, and so he was captivated by the beauty local nature that right here on the Arctic Circle Santa and his elves have set up a real amusement park for their many guests. In a huge cave, carved out of the rock by tireless dwarves, there is a whole underground city. This magical place is the only place in the world where you can cross the Arctic Circle underground and receive a certificate in honor of this geographical achievement! Magic coordinates of the Arctic Circle – 66° 33" 07"

Santa Park is a huge structure in the form of tunnels that are laid right inside the rock. Before you are greeted by elves and fairy tale characters, you have a long descent ahead of you. Carousels, activities with elves, colorful costume shows, cafes and souvenir shops.

Arctic Winter World Park

This amusement park is only open in winter - from early December to late March. Every year, entertainment is rebuilt here from snow and ice: slides for children and adults with fantastic lighting, a cafe and bar where drinks are served in ice glasses, ice sculptures and even an igloo hotel (Snowman World Igloo), where you can spend the night in a sleeping area. heated bag...

Official website of the park: arctice.fi

Entrance to the park is paid

Santa Claus Village is very popular place visits by families with children, especially during the New Year holidays. People flock here who dream of not only enjoying the local beauty, but also once again returning to a distant fairy tale from childhood. "The Snow Queen", "Nils' Journey with wild geese" - these fabulous places really exist. And if you're lucky, you can see the Northern Lights!

It is necessary to prepare in advance for such a trip. Can buy ready-made tour, but it is much more convenient and cheaper to plan the trip yourself.

Book a hotel and buy tickets.

Option 1: You can get to the Arctic Circle by own car. From St. Petersburg to Rovaniemi is more than a thousand kilometers. Without taking into account traffic jams and crossing the border, the drive takes 12 hours, and before the New Year there are queues at the border, which means you definitely won’t be able to do it in a day, it’s better to stop overnight in the middle of the journey. This is especially true when traveling with small children. On the way there are inexpensive houses with family rooms and a sauna:

The most convenient way to get to Santa Claus is by plane. The city of Rovaniemi and the village are located Joulupukki are located next to international airport, there are direct flights from Helsinki to the city's airport and train station. From Rovaniemi train station, bus number 8 runs every hour to Santa Claus Village. Also, at Rovaniemi airport they will put a stamp in your passport in the shape of Santa Claus.

A trip with the whole family for just 3-4 days will turn into the most memorable childhood trip for your kids.

Visit Santa Claus: Rovaniemi and Ranua Zoo, 4 days
(departure from Helsinki)

Additionally upon request:

Transfer to regular bus St. Petersburg-Helsinki-St. Petersburg - from 70 euros RT
Transfer to high speed train allegro SPb-Helsinki-SPb - from 140 euros RT
Transfer by train Repin Moscow-Helsinki-Moscow - from 190 euros RT
Air flight Moscow-Helsinki-Moscow - from 200 euros

We ask you to check availability before booking your tour.

For this trip you must have a valid Schengen visa and health insurance.

Tour program:

1 day
Meeting with the group in Helsinki. Sightseeing tour in Helsinki. Departure to Oulu. Accommodation in a 3* hotel in the vicinity of Oulu (accommodation in double rooms). Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2
Breakfast. Excursion trip to Lapland to visit Santa Claus in the city of Rovaniemi.
Near the city of Rovaniemi, Joulukka is hidden in the forest - this is a magical forest village inhabited by elves and trolls - the most important helpers of Santa Claus! And right on the Arctic Circle, in underground cave in the Syväsenvaara hill, guests from all over the world are greeted by Santa Park (entrance tickets for an additional fee).
In Santa Park you can visit a myriad of secret places and entertainment, such as the Giant Snow Globe, Elven Post Office, Elven Toy Factory Gift Shop, Christmas Gingerbread Bakery, Secrets of the Elven Toy Factory Show, Santa Park Dance Show (3 times a day), Magic Train "Seasons" ", Elven Workshop, Calligraphy School, Angry Birds Playground, Elven School (5 times a day), Ice Gallery and Bar accompanied by the Ice Princess, you will also have the opportunity to visit the Champagne Bar and the Kota cafeteria, you will be able to cross the Arctic Circle, and don't forget to send a personalized Christmas video card via JoinMe Tube!
Return to the hotel. Rest.

Day 3
Breakfast. Free day in Oulu or, if desired, transfer to the northernmost natural Park world - Arctic Zoo Ranua (optional).
The zoo has a wide variety of services for the whole family - not only from the world wildlife, of which there are approximately 50 species of Arctic and northern wild animals: polar and brown bears, lynxes, wolves, moose, owls, reindeer and other representatives of the northern fauna, the habitat of which is as close as possible to the natural habitat. Especially in winter, life changes completely in a wildlife park. For many animals, the Arctic winter is natural environment habitats and can be easily observed in the snowy park.
In winter, snow and ice sculptures are erected in the park, which form an integral part of the Polar Wildlife Park. Also at the zoo there is the opportunity to go skiing, snowmobiling, dog sledding and reindeer sledding (additional charge).
After a walk around the zoo, you can soak up the cozy warmth of the Lapland Chum restaurant, where you can have lunch and warm up near the fireplace.
At lunchtime, departure towards Helsinki via Oulu. Check-in at a transit hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

4 day
Breakfast. Arrival in Helsinki ~ 10:00.

Additionally, the following must be paid:
. If you are traveling alone: mandatory supplement for single occupancy at the hotel - 105 € (29.12.2019 - 135 €)

Additional payment upon request:

Entrance fees to Santa Park - ~34.00€ \ ~28€ children from 3-12 years old, under 3 years old free
Visit to Husky Park (without a trip) - 10€ \ 5€ for children 4-12 years old
Visit to the Husky Park + sleigh ride pulled by Husky dogs - 30€ \ 15€ for children
Sleigh ride drawn by reindeer - 18€ \ 14€ for children
Trip to Ranua Zoo - 10€ and additional entrance fee (adults~15€, children~12€)
Upon request, we offer you accommodation in a 4* hotel - ON REQUEST

I continue to talk about our New Year holidays in Finland. So, we decided to go to Lapland and see the Finnish Santa Claus.

We looked on the Internet that you can get there from Helsinki by train, the journey will take 12 hours. Destination: Rovaniemi (the capital of Finnish Lapland). The day before the trip we booked a hotel room. If you decide to go spontaneously like us, then I still advise you to calculate your time so that you book two or three days in advance. Because it was already difficult to find the number within a day. Prices there are higher than in Helsinki.

Train tickets were purchased immediately there and back. There were only seat place like on an airplane. Not the best convenient option, but there’s nowhere to go.

So, we bought tickets for the night train. Still, I don’t want to waste precious vacation hours. Trains in Finland are double-decker. Their compartments are designed for two people. And seating. The train is clean, comfortable, and there is a place to connect to charge your phone. And there is also Wi-Fi! The only thing that marred the trip was that I would have to sit for the entire 12 hours.

We arrived in Rovaniemi in the morning, at an ordinary small station. And we got a little lost. Everywhere you look there is snow. And nothing else is visible. We followed the crowd and somehow made it to our hotel, fortunately it was nearby. Therefore, I advise that if you book a hotel, make sure that it is located in the center, not far from the station.

We slept all day and walked around the town. It gets dark very early in Lapland. It starts to get brighter around ten o'clock in the morning, and at two o'clock in the afternoon it gets dark.

Our hotel was located in the center, we walked a lot, went to shops and bought souvenirs. By the way, in one store we met a Russian woman; she has been living in Rovaniemi for more than ten years. And she told us that the best souvenir from Lapland is cloudberry tea and this bookmark.

Bookmark made of deer skin, with its fur and antlers. When you buy such a bookmark, you can say that you are buying a whole deer))) We decided to listen to it and buy it.

The next morning we went to Santa Claus's village. In the morning, we came back to the station where we had arrived and there was a bus stop nearby, where the bus to the village departed.

We didn't drive for long, about 30-40 minutes.

And so we arrived. Of course, the beauty is breathtaking. Fabulous.

Music is playing, all the houses are beautifully decorated, the Christmas trees are illuminated.

The border of the Arctic Circle passes through the village. Let's cross it)))

Let's see what's there. There is a "Christmas House" where you can see various exhibitions dedicated to the New Year.

"Santa's Mail" Elves work here, they will help you send a beautiful card to your friends and relatives for Christmas. There are many beautiful postcards and cute souvenirs here.

"Santa Claus's Office", where Santa Claus himself lives. You can take a photo with him, of course, for a fee.

The rest of the houses are cafes and shops. A lot of souvenirs.

There are also clothing stores. Of course, the Finnish brand Marimekko. In Finland it is at every step.

1 day Moscow, Saint Petersburg

Joining/detaching from a group in European cities is carried out only after written agreement with managers in the direction, before booking air or train tickets to the place of joining/detaching.

Departure from Leningradsky station by train No. 56 at 21:24 or another train, meeting to receive documents 40 minutes in advance. before departure at carriage No. 3. For a guide, train and carriage No., see section a week before departure.

Day 2 St. Petersburg - Helsinki

Arrival in St. Petersburg early in the morning (~05:19). Meeting at 05:30 at the main entrance to the Gallery shopping center..

T transfer by busin Helsinki (~390 km),museums* to choose from: Natural History Museum "Ateneum" "Kiasma"

Overnight at the hotel

Day 3 Tampere - Oulu

Breakfast in the hotel.

Morning sightseeing in Tampere Free time.

In the afternoon transfer (~480 km) to Oulu

Overnight at the hotel.

4 day Oulu - Rovaniemi*

Breakfast in the hotel
RovaniemiSanta Claus Villages

Santa Park

New Year's Eve dinner"Buffet" (included in price)will take place in a cozy restaurant.

5 day

Breakfast in the hotel. Inspection Oulu

Ranua (~150 km), p visit to the Arctic Zoo

In search of the Northern Lights*Attention!). Return to the hotel.

Day 6 Kuopio

Breakfast in the hotel

In the morning transfer (~280 km) toKuopio

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- Riding* on cheesecakes

Climb* on observation tower Puyo ( from €7, payable on site).

Day 7 St. Petersburg

Breakfast in the hotel.

Day 8 Saint Petersburg - Moscow

Departure by night train No. 55 at ~01:15And or by another train. Check the departure/arrival information and carriage number in the section .

Arrival in Moscow at Leningradsky Station at 11:20 or other.

If you purchase tickets on your own, it is important to leave St. Petersburg for your city no earlier than the main group. Availability of a tourist ticket for more early train than that of the main group is not a reason to change the group’s schedule.
1 day St. Petersburg - Helsinki

DEPARTURE ON THE NEXT DAY FROM THE STATED DEPARTURE DATE.

Meeting at 05:30 at the main entrance to the Gallery shopping center..

T transfer by busin Helsinki (~390 km), tour of the city with an accompanying person: Senate Square, Esplanade, Assumption Cathedral, monument to Alexander II, City Hall, monument to Sibelius, Presidential palace, sculpture "Havis Amanda". Free time. Possible visitmuseums* to choose from: Natural History Museum (€15 adults / €7 children under 18 years old), museum visual arts"Ateneum" (€17 adults / children under 18 years old - free), contemporary art gallery "Kiasma" (€15 adults / children under 18 years old - free).

In the evening transfer to Tampere (~180 km).

Overnight at the hotel

Day 2 Tampere - Oulu

Breakfast in the hotel.

Morning tour of Tampere with an accompanying person: Cathedral, Town Hall, Kaleva Church, Art Nouveau architecture, national landscapes of Tammerkoski, etc. The city is located between two I lakes - Nasijärvi and Pyhäjärvi.Free time.

In the afternoon, transfer (~480 km) to Oulu - one of the largest northern cities in the world, located on the shores of the Gulf of Bothnia.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3 Oulu - Rovaniemi*

Breakfast in the hotel
Free time in Oulu or full day trip (~190 km) toRovaniemi* (€60/€54 up to 12 years, transfer + entrance tickets, purchase and payment only with the tour), visit to Santa Claus Village - meeting with the real Santa at his residence, visit to the magic post office, where you can order a “real” letter from Santa at Christmas, the largest center for Christmas-themed souvenirs.

Crossing the Northern Arctic Circle and receiving personalized memory certificates. Excursion to Santa Park- a fabulous elven cave, here you can ride the Christmas train, see the workshop of Santa Claus and his assistants - elves and gnomes, take part in making Christmas gifts with the elves, watch a fairy-tale dance performance, etc. Return to the hotel.

Only for the date 28.12: New Year's Eve in Oulu!
New Year's Eve dinner"Buffet" (included in price)will take place in a cozy restaurant"Torilll" hotelSCANDIC OULU 4* (includes 1 glass of wine*). *alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are ordered and paid additionally on the spot.
The evening's program includes competitions, fiery music and space for dizzying dances...
23:40 departure from the hotel. Celebrating the New Year with a glass of champagne inin the very center of the city near the shopping and pedestrian streets of Rotuaari and Ainola Park. Holiday festivities and fireworks.

4 day Oulu - Ranua (Arctic Zoo)*

Breakfast in the hotel. Inspection Oulu with an accompanying person: Cathedral, library, theater, trade area etc. The market policeman is considered the symbol of Oulu; his statue is located at the entrance to the Kauppatori market.

Free time, for those who wish, a trip* to Ranua (~150 km), p visit to the Arctic Zoo * (€45/€42 up to 14 years old, transfer + tickets, purchase and payment only with the tour) - more than 60 species of rare animals (reindeer, lynx, wolverine, etc.) with demonstration feedings.

In the evening, an excursion is possible* In Search of the Northern Lights (€25/€20 up to 16 years old, transfer + ferry + small picnic;*Attention!It is important to remember that the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, which depends on the whim of nature and cannot be guaranteed). Return to the hotel.

Day 5 Kuopio

Breakfast in the hotel

In the morning transfer (~280 km) toKuopio. Tour of the city with an accompanying person - the Puyo Tower on the mountain of the same name - the symbol of the city, the Cathedral in the neoclassical style, the museum quarter - small wooden houses of the 17th-19th centuries, where the life and crafts of past centuries have been preserved, in the center of the modern city.

At your leisure or for those interested:
- Husky dog sledding* approx. 1 km (€35 adults / €30 children under 13 years old. 10 USD - mandatory non-refundable prepayment for the excursion when purchasing a tour, additional payment on the route);
- Cheesecake ride* (€9 adults - 1 hour, booking and payment when purchasing the tour);

Climb* to the Puyo observation tower ( from €7, payable on site).

In the evening, check into the hotel, relax and visit the swimming pool, sauna and jacuzzi at the hotel.

Day 6 St. Petersburg

Breakfast in the hotel.

In the morning, transfer (~300 km) to the border with a stop for lunch*, if there is time.
Transfer to St. Petersburg (~195 km). Arrival in St. Petersburg after 23:30 pm, to the Gallery shopping center, delays at the border are possible, the time indicated is approximate.
If you arrive early - free time without using the bus, luggage can be left in the storage room at the railway station.