There where Santa lives
Why should you wait for Santa Claus to appear when it is possible to go to visit him in Lapland? A flight pair of clocks – and here it is, the small snow country, a tiny white point behind a plane window – Rovaniemi, capital of Lapland. You go down from a gangway, and you are met by «honourable delegation» – the gnomes, headed by Santa Claus. Yes-yes, miracles in Lapland begin already at the airport and don’t stop for a minute.
A walk through the village of Santa Claus several steps away from the Polar circle will delight both children, and adults. Cold and sunny day is wonderful! And how many wonders around, how many opening! Santa appears to be the old man modern and business related. He solves all important issues at own office which simultaneously serves also as post office. From here it is possible to send cards and even parcels to friends. Santa Claus will assure their personal signature, and its assistants-gnomes will take care of timely delivery to the addressee. Further our way lies in “Santa-park”. It is that mysterious cave in the heart of a hill of Sjuvjasenvaara with set of entertainments and attractions where there lives Santa Claus himself. Not less pleasures you will get also from driving on «the Christmas roundabout» – the main attraction of “Santa-park”, and flight by «helicopters of Santa Claus», and the wonderful «Mountain crystal». The played appetite satisfy with taste of a Christmas batch in one of local cozy cafes. Then with new energy we go behind new impressions – chat with fantastic characters and visit school of gnomes, by the way, headed by Santa himself. Don’t forget to look at Christmas clock and to learn, how much time there remains till a coming holiday, – after all in “Santa-park” time flies imperceptibly!
Santa Claus-Lapland
Leaving Village of Santa Claus, srop a glance into the tiny shops where it is possible to get set of amusing souvenirs – from candles to national fur caps. Here, in settlement, there are shops best and rich with the goods in all Polar region.
Safari on cervine teams – one of the most well-known winter attractions which are offered by fantastic Lapland. You will visit a cervine farm, will communicate to the present reindeer breeders and can test as “drivers”. In case of successful passage of a line they will even give you the certificate of a deer driver! And afterhaving a walk you will be offered a cup of coffee at a fire or a traditional supper.
However a safari on deer is not a unique sort of entertainment. Test in management of the snowmobile! Fly on freshly covered snow, inhale a full breast the cleanest frosty air, frighten off deer in snow-covered wood and you will come to be in the heart of winter Lapland where the spirit grasps from improbable snow landscapes. Romanticism and only romanticism! In the end of a route will get directly on a farm of the present Finnish hunters where you will be offered one more entertainment – driving on the dog teams. It is more abrupt, than “Formula-1″. Rideable husky very strong and in comparison with deer develop such prompt speed that you will for certain feel yourself Schumacher. In the end of travel you will be served by a cup of hot cranberry juice at a fire. A kickshaw? But so it is pleasant after three hours of races on snow distances.
Take part also in ceremony of crossing of the Polar circle (this special tourist attraction is arranged with the majority of travel agencies). You will bring home the colourful Diploma about this nice event and the photos embodied your rouged frost and excited with your “transition” rouged by a frost of the person against the index «Polar circle».
The zoo of Ranua, the most northern zoo of the world, is remarkable by the fact that northern animals live here under natural conditions – among snow and ices. Your child will by all means be delighted from as if descended with candy wrappers «bears in the north», with amusing polar foxes, terrible lynxes and graceful roes. Figures of these animals can be bought for memory in Santa Clause’s workshop that is in the castle “Murr-Murr”, situated directly opposite to the zoo. Here it is possible to visit an exhibition of dolls on which hundreds exhibits from every corner of the globe, and firm shop of chocolate factory are presented.
«A traditional package» Christmas meetings in Lapland – an ornament of a fur-tree on the eve of a holiday, snow entertainments on sledge or a fascinating motor-safari at midday, the Finnish sauna. And, certainly, a Christmas supper with tasty Finnish kitchen, the phenomenon of Santa Claus in the company of cheerful gnomes, distribution of gifts and celebrations till the morning.
The meeting of New year on the hill of Ounasvaara is truly considered one of the brightest events of the season in Rovaniemi. After a fantastic supper and the entertaining program in hotel in an hour till midnight you will be brought on a hill – there all miracles of a New Year’s eve will begin! Magicians and magicians, foretellers of destinies and wizards, goblins, gnomes and other fantastic brotherhood will involve you in fascinating mystical action. And only peal of bells, champagne and fireworks will return you to reality, announcing the approach of the New year. If to trust a proverb, life comes to you in a mad tuft of the fantastic events, one of which is more cheerful and magic than other.
