Probably, each of us in childhood dreamed of visiting the homeland of the good wizard Santa Claus. Today it is difficult to say exactly where she is - he has his own house in almost every northern country. But still, historically it turned out that the most "real homeland" is precisely Finnish Lapland. Coming here for the New Year is like plunging into a real fairy tale, believing in magic and, of course, traveling back to distant childhood - no matter how old you were on your last birthday. The streets of Finnish cities are literally saturated with magic. Majestic fir trees, cheerful garlands and sparkling snow - this is how many people imagine the New Year. Tours for the New Year to Finland from Moscow are a great chance to buy the same "ticket to childhood", which are not available at the ticket offices of railway stations. Buy - and find yourself in a real winter fairy tale.
Where to buy a tour
GuruTurizma recommends buying tickets at travelata.ru level.travel.ru and onlinetours.ru. Firstly, only they have a convenient search for offers from all tour operators, and with the help of various filters you can quickly find a suitable offer. So, for example, you can sort tours by type of food, hotel rating, room facilities (heated pool, entertainment for children, babysitting service, Wi-Fi in the room, etc.), distance from the airport. Secondly, there are several options for paying for tours - in cash at the office, online on the website, and you can even arrange an installment plan. Thirdly, both of them offer various pleasant bonuses that can be saved up and used on subsequent reservations, while receiving substantial discounts.
How New Year is celebrated in Finland
New Year's Eve in Finland starts on Christmas Eve. Since mid-January, cities have been changing, numerous fairs have been opened, and solemn organ evenings have been held. On the night of December 23-24, the bells of the Cathedrals are heard, the sounds of the national anthem are heard from everywhere. However, this is where the “noisy” part of the holiday ends - everyone goes home and the evening continues, as a rule, with the family - at a table set in accordance with national traditions. Tourists may be disappointed - neither shops nor other establishments are open that night.
But on New Year's, on the contrary, it is customary to gather in companies - in squares and simply in restaurants - for an international rich dinner. It is believed that the more fun it is to meet on January 1, the better the year will pass. True, it is not customary to give gifts - the Finns limit themselves to small souvenirs, for example, candles, and then only for loved ones. And one more local tradition. If in Russia they make wishes on New Year's Eve, then the Finns let go of all the bad things to the chimes, burning symbolic barrels of tin. And they are guessing on molten tin to find out what the coming year is preparing.
Which city to choose for a trip
One of the most popular New Year cities in Finland is, of course, the birthplace of Santa Claus - Rovaniemi. It is here that the famous village of Santa Claus and the unique arctic zoo of Rauna, which have no analogues in the world, are located. True, you will have to pay a lot to be in a fairy tale. If you want to save money, you can take a closer look at the nearby Levi ski resort. From here, you can easily not only visit Grandpa, but also go to the snowy village of Lainio, famous for its ice sculpture festival.
Both Rovaniemi and Levi are still provinces. If you want to have fun in a bustling city and enjoy all the charm of New Year's lights, then it is best to choose Helsinki or Turku. The main tree of the country is, of course, in the capital - on Senate Square. But Turku is still considered to be the center of New Year's festivities - it received this status back in the 1990s.
What to see and do
If the Finns celebrate Christmas quietly, then the New Year is on a grand scale. What to do depends primarily on where exactly you decided to celebrate this holiday.
In Rovaniemi
The main entertainment in Rovaniemi is, of course, a visit to the kind grandfather Santa Claus. In his village, you can participate in various interactive activities, go reindeer and dog sledding, and visit the nearby Ranua Arctic Zoo. This is not even a zoo, but a nature reserve surrounded by a coniferous forest. If you want an active holiday, you can go to the entertainment complex Snowland - really a land of snow and ice (it is completely made of these materials).
Those who want not only to relax, but also to satisfy their cognitive interest will certainly be interested in the Arctic center Arktikum and a small museum attached to it. Here they study everything related to the north. In the small Siid Museum, you can learn about the distant past of the country and the life of this mysterious people, Siid. And, of course, Rovaniemi is skiing. There is a sports complex Santasport right in the city. Famous ski resorts are nearby. For example, Levy.
In Helsinki
During the New Year holidays, Helsinki is truly transformed beyond recognition. A huge Christmas tree is erected on Senate Square; it also becomes the center of folk festivities on the night of December 31 to January 1. There are fairs everywhere and, of course, numerous lights and lanterns flicker - in order to have as many of them as possible, a so-called festival of light is held. In addition, traditionally New Year's Eve is the only time when fireworks are allowed in the city.
The impromptu show will surely impress even Russians who have seen pyrotechnics more than once. When planning an acquaintance with the Finnish New Year's capital, it should be noted that on December 31, all institutions, including museums, work according to a reduced schedule. The rest of the time, you can order a sightseeing tour of the city or explore the main attractions on your own: Sveaborg Castle, the Cathedral, the quiet, cozy Telle district and many others.
To Turku
The ancient Finnish city of Turku is considered the country's New Year capital. It was here that many centuries ago Christmas traditions were born, which continue to be honored today. Festive festivities in Turku open at the beginning of December, led by Santa Claus with a beautiful colorful procession. Until mid-January, life is in full swing - fairs are open, the Carnival of St. Santa takes place. And, of course, the patron saint of the Christmas city, who lives in the Turku castle, the old dwarf Tomte, does not stand aside. If you want something unusual, really bright and magical, you should definitely go to Turku for the New Year.
Of the sights, you cannot pass by the castle of the same name, the Cathedral and interesting museums, in particular, Living History. And finally, one more point. Having decided to celebrate the New Year in Turku, you should take into account that this is still a port city and the weather can present a variety of surprises. Finland is not a very big country and in a few days you can see, if not all at once, then a lot.
How long to fly from Moscow
Finland is one of our closest neighbors, so it's not so long to get there. There are several daily flights from Moscow airports to Helsinki. Travel time is about 1 hour 40 minutes. If you plan to fly to Rovaniemi, the center of the legendary province of Lappi, you will have to change trains in the same Helsinki. In general, the journey from Moscow will take 3.5-5.5 hours, depending on the waiting time. In addition to the plane, there are alternative ways to get to Helinski.For example, on the branded train "Lev Tolstoy" (departure from Moscow, travel time about 14 hours) or high-speed "Allegro" (departure from St. Petersburg, travel time to Helsinki - 3 hours 40 minutes).
Winter weather
Having decided to celebrate the New Year in Finland, do not forget that this is a northern country and the frosts here are much "stronger" than Russian ones, despite the fact that the temperature may not seem so low. Therefore, for walks, you need to stock up on warm clothes, felt boots and thermal underwear. If we talk about the temperature, then in January on average during the day it drops to minus 10-12 degrees in Helsinki, and 20-25 in Rovaniemi. From precipitation, of course, snow. Although in recent years even the Finns have noticed that it is getting warmer, and they even began to call their favorite holiday "Black Christmas".
Reviews of tourists
New Year's Finland is not a new destination in the Russian tourist market, so there are a lot of reviews from our compatriots about such a vacation. Of course, they are all different, but most of them are enthusiastic. Those who once found themselves in this fabulous country very often return again, recommend such a trip to all friends and acquaintances.
In terms of choosing a place, those who travel with children, of course, choose the province of Lappi and the city of Rovaniemi. Perhaps, there are no tourists for whom a visit to good grandfather Santa Claus did not bring a lot of positive emotions and vivid impressions. In addition to the advertised expensive ones in Rovaniemi, there are also completely free entertainment. So, for example, caring mothers and fathers who have already been there, recommend by all means to look at the Angry Birds site in the city center.
You can save a lot in this city in terms of food. In the morning there is a chance to dine in one of the university canteens: Rotko, Hai Long and others. You can enjoy the splendor of Finnish cuisine, including tasting the legendary venison, at Fransmanni, a mid-range establishment. And finally, one more culinary tip from the seasoned. On the central square of Lordi every morning, fishermen sell fresh and fried fish, the smell of which is simply impossible to resist.
Tourists who are lucky enough to celebrate the New Year in Helsinki, first of all, are advised to visit the Christmas markets - Tuomaan markkinat on Senate Square and Joulumessut in the Old Port. But choosing an institution for celebrating the holiday, if you believe the reviews, is not easy. Firstly, many of them simply do not work on the night of December 31 to January 1. Those that work often close around 01-00. From the fun club type, Molly Malone can be noted - where there will definitely be fun until the morning. Russian tourists speak positively of Zetor and Belge in their restaurants. Of course, New Year's holidays in Finland are not cheap (especially when it comes to accommodation). However, this is exactly the case when the game, in this case the ticket, is “worth the candle”. We hope that with our help you can find your perfect tour to Finland for the New Year and get a lot of positive emotions.
