Santa Claus Village Finland: invitation to Joulupukki. New Year New Year in Finland Lapland

• 1 day Moscow - St. 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 at 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 at 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 at 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 at the hotel

  In the morning transfer (~280 km) toKuopio

  
  -
  - Riding* on cheesecakes

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

  Day 7 St. Petersburg

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  Day 8 St. 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. A tourist's ticket for an earlier train than the main group does not constitute grounds for changing 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), Ateneum Museum of Fine Arts (€17 adults / children under 18 years old - free), gallery contemporary art"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 at 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 at 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 in his residence, visit to the magic post office, where you can order a “real” letter from Santa for Christmas, the most big center Christmas-themed souvenirs.

  Crossing the Arctic Circle and receiving personalized certificates as souvenirs. 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.Festive festivities and fireworks.

  4 day Oulu - Ranua (Arctic Zoo)*

  Breakfast at the hotel. Inspection Oulu with an accompanying person: Cathedral, library, theater, shopping 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 natural phenomenon, which depends on the whim of nature and cannot be guaranteed). Return to the hotel.

  Day 5 Kuopio

  Breakfast at the hotel

  In the morning transfer (~280 km) toKuopio. Inspection 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);

  Lift* 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 at 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, you have free time without using the bus; you can leave your luggage in the storage room at the railway station.

Dates and availability

02.01.2020 03.01.2020

Tour program

Day 1: St. Petersburg - Iisalmi
08:30 Departure by bus from St. Petersburg. Departure point: St. m. pl. Vosstaniya, corner of 2nd Sovetskaya and Grechesky lane. Passing the border. Accommodation at the SPA hotel Runni (we recommend taking swimwear with you). Dinner*.

Day 2: Oulu
Breakfast at the hotel.
A short acquaintance with the city of Iisalmi, during which you will see the smallest restaurant in Europe, the Olvi brewery, the Orthodox Cathedral, and also learn the history of the military events of 1809. Time to shop. Departure to Oulu.
~14:00 Arrival in Oulu - the most big city Northern Finland on the shores of the Gulf of Bothnia. Short excursion around Oulu. After 14:00, check-in at the Scandic Oulu hotel. Visit to the Eden water park*.
Dinner at the hotel*.

Day 3: Oulu - Rovaniemi
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:00 departure to Rovaniemi (220 km). A short excursion around Rovaniemi - the capital of Lapland. Then we will go to Santa Claus Village, where you can meet and talk with Santa Claus in his office, take a photo as a souvenir *, send greetings to your friends and family from the Santa Claus Post Office, buy souvenirs and receive a diploma about crossing the Arctic Circle. Free time.
Visit to the Arctic Museum*, where you can see the Northern Lights. Return to the hotel. Dinner at the hotel*.

Day 4: Ranua
Breakfast at the hotel.
Trip to the Arctic Zoo Ranua * (160 km). Close proximity to natural conditions allows animals to behave according to their natural instincts. While walking along the 2.5-kilometer alley of the zoo, we will see more than 200 of its inhabitants and learn about their habits and behavioral characteristics. Those who wish will be able to ride a dog sled * or a reindeer *. After a walk in the fresh and frosty winter air, enjoy a delicious lunch* of traditional Lapland cuisine in the cozy zoo restaurant. We will also be able to visit the store of the famous Fazer chocolate factory and a wine shop made according to home recipes from northern berries. Return to the hotel. Dinner at the hotel*.

Day 5: Oulu - St. Petersburg
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:00 Departure to St. Petersburg.
Stop for lunch*. Passing the border.
~23:00 arrival in St. Petersburg.

*additional fee

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 at 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 is located 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).
Seeing the Northern Lights 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 at 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 at 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 at 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.

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 seats left, 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.

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 of 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 attractions, such as the Giant Snow Globe, Elven Post Office, Elven Toy Factory Gift Shop, Christmas Gingerbread Bakery, Elven Toy Factory Mysteries Show, Santa Park Dance Show (3 times a day), Magic Train "Seasons", Elf Workshop, Calligraphy School, Angry Birds Playground, Elf 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 cafeteria "Kota", you can cross 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 representatives of the wildlife world, of which there are approximately 50 species of Arctic and northern wild animals: white and brown bears, lynxes, wolves, moose, owls, reindeer and other representatives of the northern fauna, whose habitat is as close as possible to their natural habitat. Especially in winter, life changes completely in a wildlife park. For many animals, the Arctic winter is their natural habitat and can be easily observed in the snow-covered 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 fee for entrance ticket(adults~15€, children~12€)
• Upon request, we offer you accommodation in a 4* hotel - ON REQUEST