According to Country Explorer, Lapland is one of the most exotic places in Finland. High class tourist service. Santa Claus (Father Frost) you can see in his own house, with the workshop of Santa Claus and the Central Post Office on the Arctic Circle, at any time of the year. There are many boutiques selling souvenirs and products made by Lappish craftsmen. Large national parks – Lemmenjoki, Pallas-Ounastunturi, Oulanka have preserved the unique dark coniferous forests of ancient Europe.
Rovaniemi – this is the most famous Arctic city, located on the Arctic Circle. The city is considered the capital of the Finnish part of Lapland and not far from it (7 km) is the residence and post office of Santa Claus. In the city itself there are many museums and there is a ski center.
The Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle is the main local attraction. In the office of Santa Claus, you can take a picture with him by the fireplace for 30 euros. According to legend, Santa lives in a hut on the Korvatunturi hill near the border with Russia.
Santa Claus Central Post Office Address:
Joulupukin Pajakyla, 96930 Napapiiri, Finland
( Santa Claus Workshop, 96930 Arctic Circle, Finland )
tel./fax: +358 16 356 2096
Dog sled or snowmobile safaris, ski trips. Reindeer sledding and snowshoeing seem to be the most incredible.
Good-natured semi-domestic big-eyed deer are the most popular Lapland animals, and reindeer herding has been and remains the most traditional craft in Lapland today. Among the many tours offered in the north of Finland, there are programs that include a visit to a reindeer farm.
You can learn how to drive a reindeer sled and pass a driving test to go on a reindeer snow safari. Depending on your curiosity and the availability of free time, the trip is chosen to a remote farm, such as Vuotso or Inari for a day trip, where in two hours you will be warmed by a fire with hot coffee, taught to throw a lasso, harness and manage a team. If you pass the exam for the right to drive a sled, it’s worth riding reindeer. It all depends on your desire – if you want, go for half an hour, if you want – for a day.
Reindeer farms are best combined in one tour with another local activity – snowshoe skiing (very short oval-shaped skis made in the form of a net so as not to fall into the snow). Once upon a time, snowshoes were used to move beyond the Arctic Circle without straining. Now it is rather a tribute to fashion and a tourist attraction. Unusually pleasant and not at all tiring: after a little training, you first go on a hike for three hours – in any sports center, even in Himos. Having practiced, you can go farther, spending the night in a Sami village and relaxing in a sauna – the most exotic adventures only benefit from the combination with the delights of civilization.
Interesting facts
Archaeologists claim that the first settlements in Finland appeared at the end of the ice age (about 8500 BC).
Among the natural monuments of Finland, we recommend Mount Aavasaksa, located near the Arctic Circle.
Everyone who has a TV at home is required to pay a tax for using the TV – this is about 250 euros per year.
Not surprisingly, in a country with more than 180,000 lakes, a lot of fish are consumed, especially salmon, rainbow trout, whitefish, vendace, pike, as well as perch and a variety of small cod – muikku. Meat dishes, with the exception of venison and game, reflect the influence of European (mainly French) cuisine.
As for desserts, dishes from northern berries and fruits predominate – cranberries, cloudberries, and polyberries. Baked goods are very popular.
Breakfast in Finland is early – at 7 o’clock in the morning. Breakfast is usually light: some people prefer porridge or muesli in milk, but mostly they limit themselves to a cup of tea, coffee or a glass of milk with sandwiches. At 11-12 o’clock there is a lunch break. In small towns, people go home to dine, and in the capital – to a restaurant or cafe. For lunch, as a rule, they eat one dish – either the first or the second. Most often, it is a thick soup or potatoes with meat. At dinner they eat bread and butter and drink milk. At 14 o’clock they drink tea. The working day ends at 16-17, and the Finns have dinner at 17-18. Dinner is similar to lunch, just the opposite – if there was a liquid dish for lunch, then in the evening they cook, for example, a casserole.
The most popular drinks in Finland are beer and coffee. If beer is appropriate for evenings or weekends, coffee is drunk at any time of the day. In every office or home, a coffee maker is always ready. A business meeting or negotiation begins with a cup of coffee. The Finns brew it a little stronger than the Americans, but much weaker than the Italians, so if you want really strong coffee, order an espresso. Coffee is always served with milk or cream, sugar and some pastries, in the evening they offer cognac or brandy.
To apply for a visa, you need:
– A foreign passport, valid for more than 3 months after the end of the trip
– 2 photos 3.5 x 4.6 cm on a blue background
– Questionnaire
