We are going by car to visit Finnish Santa Claus (Joulupukki). The idea of this trip is far from new, but every parent who respects himself, and especially his children, is simply obliged to take his child to the homeland of all New Year's holidays. fairy-tale heroes. I could write a lot about my attitude towards these “residences of Father Frosts,” but this report can be read by children, I don’t want to disappoint them ahead of time. For many reasons, we did not go at the height of the pilgrimage, but at the end of March. Moreover, they decided to stay not in Rovaniemi, somewhere in a hotel, but in a cottage, in order to save money. According to my calculations, living in a cottage for a week, we spent 2.5-3 times less than if we lived in a hotel. Next moment I will note the stopping points for the night, since the road from St. Petersburg to the destination alone is 900 kilometers and is 11 hours of travel, plus customs, plus rest, plus a snack. So, towards Lapland, we stopped in Mikkeli, and on the way back we stopped for an overnight stay in Joensuu. The full route turned out like this: St. Petersburg – Mikkeli (overnight) – Oulu-Ranua – cottage (Khalkoselka). Departures from the cottage: Ranua Zoo, Snow fortress Lumilinna in Kemi, Santa Claus Park in Rovaniemi. Return route: Cottage – Ranua – Joensuu – St. Petersburg. Total mileage - 2100 km.
St. Petersburg - Mikkeli
You can start along the chosen route immediately after work. Those. after 18.00. Our path lies to the border in the Brusnichnoye area. Together with customs, you should get about 5 hours, unless, of course, you eat at the height of the holidays. Why Mikkeli? If I'm going on a long hike through central Finland, I stay overnight at a simple, self-governing hotel UusiKuu. The asking price is ridiculous, convenient, kitchenette, own entrance, no administration, code instead of a key. Here we will only stop for the night, but if someone is not familiar with this city and decides to stay for a day, you can visit the observation mountain Nakitorni, nearby, at the foot, there are museums historically associated with the main headquarters of Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim during the last war . Those who are interested in architecture and religion can see the cathedral, which looks like a rocket about to take off. In summer, the Visulahti amusement park is open for children.
Mikkeli-Oulu-Ranua
Tietomaa Science Center
Today you need to do the main mileage - 650 kilometers (8 hours of travel), stop in Oulu, visit the Tietomaa scientific and educational center, look at the water park of the Sokos Hotel Eden, meet the owners of the cottage, receive it, buy provisions for a few days , settle in and immediately begin relaxing. Therefore, we don’t sleep for a long time and, after having a quick breakfast, we hit the road.
If you have time, for example an extra day, then you can stay in Kuopio. Many medium-sized cities in Finland are very similar, with streets, houses, shops, but Kuopio, for me personally, is in a special category. I really like this city, I like walking around it, I like the port, Puyo Tower, cafes. You can stay in the suburb of Kuopio - Rauhalahti, inexpensive accommodation, a small water park, there is something to do.
One way or another, our journey continues and we will soon arrive in Oulu. Oulu greeted us with terrible weather, we were reluctant to even take out a camera. Well, since we are here, why not visit the Tietomaa Science and Education Center. The child liked it, but I personally didn’t. This is far from “Eureka”, maybe now something has been updated, but then, in 2011, everything looked a little old, or maybe I was just upset because of the weather and my wife’s unwillingness to swim in the water park. It happens: you visit one city – it’s great, but when you come to the next – it’s a total disaster.
After Oulu, we head towards Ranua. There we buy provisions and meet with the owner of the cottage. The owners were absent for some time, and we had to wait for them. Finally, having waited, we met the owners of the cottage. I have never seen such a cheerful and funny Finn in my life as our “Vasya”. In general, his name is Lasse, but it’s really Vasya.
Cottage in Chalkoselka
So, Vasya said the magic “follow me” and we drove towards the cottage. And again I was surprised, the cottage is 40 kilometers away, in the middle of nowhere. When we arrived, the first thought was “there’s no way to wait for help.” The cottage is typical, nothing special, but no TV. In response to my reasonable question, Vasya was surprised and asked, “Am I sure that I need him?” After thinking for two seconds, I answered no. He solemnly handed me a portable radio and told me that he didn’t even have a TV at home. Okay, now I can talk about the nuances of the house, which is what Vasya did, but looking at me, he decided that he would explain the kitchen to my wife, so he asked to call her. OK. “Yusya,” I called her and immediately realized that I had made a mistake. The fact is that her name is Yulia. But I like Yusya better. Vasya understood everything verbatim and no longer addressed my wife in any other way than Yusya. This amused me terribly, but I got tired of it and, leaving Vasya and Yusya in the kitchen, I went to open a beer.
Vasya left, we discussed him for a long time while we were preparing dinner and unpacking. Now you can take your time, relax and slowly get used to it. We took the dog with us, so she did the same. Having examined and prepared everything, we sat down to dinner.
Fatigue took its toll and we, after not sitting for very long, went to bed. Turning everything off and falling silent, it seemed that the silence was noisy. Ringing silence. The main road is located 200 meters away, but we never heard anyone driving along it during all the nights. We heard wolves a couple of times, but we weren’t in a tent.
In the morning, looking around the area, you pay attention to the footprints around the house and the sauna. Somewhere there are only hares, and somewhere a fox is chasing a hare. You can see how it meanders. The snow is pure, dazzling white, waist-deep snowdrifts. The air is no longer so cold, so we often walked around the area. During the day, a truck drove along the road, it drove back and forth, carrying something, and that’s it, no one else. No, not everyone, we also saw a couple of snowmobiles and a man on skis who was riding on a leash behind a dog. There are still houses in the area, but they only seem to come to life in the summer.
Ranua (Zoo)
After resting for a couple of days, we decided to start exploring Lapland by visiting the northernmost zoo in Finland in the city of Ranua. It is located right within the city limits. In the zoo, animals live and feel at ease. Spacious pens do not restrict their movement. The entire surrounding atmosphere and conditions are as close as possible to natural environment a habitat. There are safari excursions and other service programs. The park is home to approximately 50 species and 200 individual individuals.
The impression from visiting the zoo is very good. The leisurely walk took about two hours, the animals were “alive”, active, and not, as usual, lethargic and either pinned, or not happy with their lives, or simply sleeping. I especially remember a pack of wolves. There seems to be no leader, all young individuals and no one looking after them. They run around to their heart's content, play, bite each other's tails, and are very funny. No, perhaps the funniest ones are polar bears. If you forget for a second that this is a killing machine, they are simply plush. I recommend visiting the zoo, either with or without children.
Kemi (Lumilinna)
The city of Kemi did not interest me at all, so I didn’t even try to capture anything. The Sampo icebreaker amazed me and stopped me with its prices (270 euros per person for a 4-hour walk). Ravings of a madman. For that kind of money you can sail around Alaska for 4 days on a cruise ship with full board. All that remains is Lumilinna “Snow Fortress”, an entertainment not only for children, but for adults too. For adults there is an ice bar and a snow hotel, and everything else is for children.
Everything is made of snow and ice. Beautifully decorated and well lit. We had a great time. On the street, around the castle, you can ride roller coasters and watch the Moomin theater. We were a little cold, so we decided to go to the indoor pool located nearby Uimahalli, where you can swim, warm up in the jacuzzi or sauna, have a water massage, and just relax.
Rovaniemi (Santa Park)
I have already talked about the city itself in the section Tourist-Countries-Finland. For me personally, the city does not have any special attractions. Museumgoers might like Arktikum. For connoisseurs of Alvar Aalto - his buildings. For children - everything related to Joulu Pukki (Santa Claus, Father Frost)
I have long been tormented by the question of the kinship of fairy-tale, New Year's grandfathers. I decided to do some digging, and it turned out that all these characters are united only by the last week of December and only recent years one hundred. Santa Claus has nothing to do with Saint Nicholas, like Santa Claus. They have many differences. Here are some of them: beard, color of clothing, age, fatness, shoes, “transport”, “accompanying”, method of entering the home, method of donation. These are just a few. I only wrote hints, and now you’ll remember exactly how they differ. Joulu Pukki originally lived on Mount Korvatunturi, which is located on the border with Russia. The homonym Pukki also means goat. IN Scandinavian countries The goat is still the personification of Christmas. In Soviet times, the residence of Father Frost was also Lapland, only Soviet, near Pechenga. Yes, a lot of things. Everything was mixed together. Father Frost, Santa Claus, the Christmas goat, Christmas itself and the day of the circumcision of Christ - New Year.
And yet, regarding the Santa Claus parks in Rovaniemi, I can’t resist saying – it’s a scam for money. But... if the children like it, it’s not a pity.
Return to the cottage
I want to say a few words about the roads of Lapland. Distances across desert areas are long and you need to be prepared for various kinds of surprises. The roads are quickly covered up, there is no lighting, cars rarely drive, it’s freezing cold, and even if your phone doesn’t work, help will come not right away. Therefore, riding in cold period, try to do this in daylight. The simple task of changing a tire can turn into a serious ordeal, I strongly recommend checking all the tools for changing and the ease of removing the spare tire. Metal is brittle in the cold and can simply break on the fastener and prevent you from removing the wheel (Jeep mount on the rear door). Please note that all “northerners” attach additional headlights to the front bumper; these are not just “antlers”, but a vital necessity.
So, returning from Rovaniemi to the cottage, we had to cover 100 kilometers. Having driven a third, a snowstorm began, we drove the remaining 70 kilometers for 2 hours, since absolutely nothing was visible except a white wall, the side of the road did not help either, everything was covered with a smooth, white blanket and the signal barriers disappeared, along with the outlines of the road. During the entire time, not a single car passed either towards the meeting or in the same direction. But the experience of night racing along uncharted paths, guided only by a navigator, helped a lot here too. Having turned on the second navigator for confirmation and all-wheel drive, we confidently moved “on the instruments” and only “bitten” a little on the side of the road a couple of times.
Ranua-Joensuu
And then the day came when we had to get ready for the return journey. Oh, this is the most unpleasant thing about the trip. Everything needs to be packed, collected, and not forgotten. Darkness. But what can we do and here we are standing on the threshold of the cottage that greeted us so hospitably, which has already become a little like family. We say goodbye and start home.
It was decided to return overnight to Joensuu. On the way, nothing special happened and nothing special happened. Routine Finnish road, landscape and towns. We arrived in Joensuu in the evening, checked into an apartment near the center and went for an evening walk and dinner.
I had already been to this town a hundred times and I didn’t need anything special from it, but I was not alone and therefore I wandered around idly with everyone else. To be honest, I don’t like this city, as it is associated with memories of constant running around shops and wasting time. For those who are in this city for the first time and are somehow connected with Karelia and/or the city of Sortavala, I advise you to visit the Carelicum Museum, located in the center (yes, just take a look, for general development).
Joensuu - St. Petersburg
In the morning, having had a good night's sleep and breakfast, we left the capital of Finnish Karelia and moved to Imatra, to the border. I can’t say anything interesting about the road. In winter, you are generally allowed to travel 80 km. per hour, and the picturesque views do not wake you up. The ride is very tiring, but, thank God, not very long.
There are several kilometers from the border to Imatra, so those who have not been to this town (do they really still exist) can take a look at the Valtionhotelli hotel or the rapids of Vuoksi - Imatrankoski.
Conclusion
For a change, the trip is not bad at all. Lapland is interesting. You need to come here at the height of “ruska”. Ruska is the two weeks of the peak of the “golden autumn”. The most beautiful time. I had already been to the north of Karelia at this time and the memories remained wonderful, now I want to “climb higher” and return through Murmansk or Norway. I wish you a good trip to fabulous Lapland, take a larger group. There are very, very, very few people there.
Other reports, walks and excursions: Around the Mediterranean on MSC Fantasia A week in Sicily New Year in Finland By car to Lapland By car to the Gulf of Bothnia Traveling by car in Scandinavia By car in the Baltics Traveling by car in Europe. Route 1 Travel by car in Europe. Route 2 Traveling by car in Europe. Route 3 Trip to Sharm el-Sheikh. Egypt. Sinai By car around Lake Ladoga By boat on Lake Ladoga (Part I) By boat on Lake Ladoga (Part II) By car around Lake Onega A trip by car to the region of Kalevala By car in the Arkhangelsk region Kola Peninsula by car. Rybachy. Khibiny By car to Veliky Novgorod and Staraya Russa By car to the cities of the Golden Ring Between Ladoga and Onega Sortavala. City tour of Helsinki. New Year's walk along Katajanokka Valaam. 30 hours on the holy land By car to Kaliningrad Kizhi. 30 hours on the island and next to it Imatra. New Year at Valtionhotelli Norway 2018. Lysefjord area Riga. New Year at Riga Islande Hotel Autumn Valaam or other 72 hours New Year in Moscow
Alpine skiing, reindeer and dog riding in the land of Santa Claus and Moomins
This year's vacation turned out to be very memorable. For the first time after the birth of our child, we went on a long trip to Lapland. Moreover, it was a real adventure, since we traveled by car, which in itself is exciting.
This is a diary in which I would like to describe everything in detail in chronological order. For convenience, it is divided into chapters, some of which can be skipped if the title is not interesting. I will insert selected photographs as the story progresses, and when the selection is ready, I will provide a link to the web album below.
So, first things first.
Booking a hotel
We got ready for the trip unexpectedly and spontaneously - a cheap offer turned up in a good hotel in the Finnish ski resort Levi, and the booking ended in a week. Therefore, having assessed the prospects, we called the hotel. We were told to send a letter with the number of people and the desired apartments. We chose a cottage and sent a letter. In response, a confirmation of the reservation came. They did not require payment in advance and assured that everything was booked. For reference, this is the Sirkantjahti Hotel, located almost next to the main ski mountain of the resort. I will describe all the details in more detail below.
In addition to skiing and various attractions in Lapland, we planned to visit Norway, look at the fjords, return to Finland by ferry and drive back the other way, visiting Moominvalley in the ancient coastal town of Naantali.
In a word, the route turned out to be promising.
Automobile
Although almost 15 years old, Subaru Legacy all-wheel drive allowed me to confidently drive towards winter mountain roads. Before the trip, she was sent for a full diagnosis. A known problem was the engine actively consuming oil, so we took about 10 liters of oil with us, which, according to calculations, should have been enough for 10 thousand kilometers with a planned 6-7 thousand mileage. No other significant problems were found. We only had to rent ski racks for the roof, because, despite the huge trunk in the car, the skis and things for 5 people did not fit in it.
Ski equipment and clothing
I haven’t been skiing for long and until now I used rental equipment. But for such an event I decided to buy my own. The most difficult thing was the choice ski boots, because they must be perfect. I went to Kant in Moscow twice, but I couldn’t find something that I definitely liked at an affordable price, even despite the seasonal sale.
Then, on the advice of friends, I went to the Extreme shopping center on the Rechnoy Vokzal metro station. It consists of small shops, in contrast to the centralized Kant, in which, moreover, all the sellers are constantly busy with customers. There was a greater range of prices but also more offers. In Extreme I was completely lost and confused. But then I found two stores with excellent salespeople, experienced skiers who explained all the pitfalls with boots. It turned out that you need to buy them in the right size, so that your leg is tight, but not painful. They wear half a size up, and a loose boot is not safe for skating. Nowadays, most boots do not adapt to the foot immediately, but only after warming up for at least 10-15 minutes. The leg should not feel too comfortable - this is a sign of a larger size than necessary. It just shouldn’t be too tight in some specific areas of the boot, but the general tightness is just good. Everyone also unanimously said that the stiffness of 40-60 units, inherent in boots for beginners, seems unacceptable after just a few days of riding. Therefore, I had to look at the hardness from 70 and above. The price was no longer what I had originally expected, even taking into account discounts of up to 50 percent on last year’s models. In general, the situation is funny - last year’s model often differs from the current one only in color, and at the same time costs 30-50 percent less. And if you find the year before last, it will be even more profitable.
After much questioning, I settled on the Vento 8 UltraFit model Italian company Technica, the year before last. They cost 8 thousand rubles. They fit my foot perfectly after trying about a dozen options before. I must say that later in Kant I saw these boots even a little cheaper, but on my first visit I was not yet ready to buy an expensive model, so I didn’t look at them.
Before the trip, I didn’t have time to walk around the house in my boots for an hour or two, as the sellers recommended, but, fortunately, no problems appeared during the ride.
I was going to immediately buy skis and poles, but, surprisingly, several sellers dissuaded me from this idea, advising me to try different types of skis at the rental site and then buy the ones I liked best or an analogue with the same length and turning radius after returning. And I did not regret that I followed their advice, which I will discuss below.
We bought warm sportswear at the Decathlon store. It’s not as cool there as in Sportmaster and other well-known stores, but the prices for many things are very low, even if the manufacturers are not so well-known. For example, we managed to buy excellent fleece sweaters for 250-400 rubles. I found ski pants for 850 rubles, having managed to buy the last pair. The only difficulty was the ski suit for my wife, since there was nothing for her height. We found a suitable option later, in the Baon store, but we bought everything else at Decathlon, and didn’t have to go anywhere else. In any case, when looking for sports or travel clothing, I advise you to at least look there.
Yes, I forgot - I wanted to buy hiking boots from Lowa, because... we had a positive experience wearing them. In Moscow they can only be found in the Trial-Sport store. But it turned out that last year’s models for 3.5 thousand were instantly sold out throughout the entire retail chain, and the 2008 model, absolutely the same in quality and shape, already cost about 6 thousand. Even taking into account the 20% discount on the card, I did not dare to buy them and went in city winter boots in the hope that they would not get wet in the deep Lapland snow.
Visa
Finland is a Schengen country, so the visa procedure is standard. There are practically no queues at the Finnish embassy in Moscow - 2-3 people per window. There is probably a queue before the New Year, but I haven’t checked. We got everything accepted on the first try within half an hour, however, before that we went there just to find out the situation and at the same time clarified all the ambiguities with the documents.
List necessary documents and the application form is on the official website of the embassy.
It is worth paying careful attention to correct design children. If only one parent is traveling, then the written consent of the other parent for the child’s departure is required. It is also necessary that the child be included in the passport of at least one of the parents or have his own international passport.
Photos are required for everyone, including infants.
Also don't forget about insurance. Since we were going skiing, we took out more expensive insurance for peace of mind. By the way, there are cars from insurance companies at the approaches to the embassy, so everything can be done on the spot.
And to travel by car you need a green card. By the way, unlike OSAGO, it does not contain a list of drivers allowed to drive, so even if you have OSAGO for one driver, anyone outside of Russia can drive a car, provided they have a driver’s license, of course. And since we’re talking about rights, I want to say that we didn’t have any problems with the usual old-style Russian rights, although, in my opinion, they weren’t even checked anywhere.
The list of documents also contains an item confirming the purpose of the trip. We booked the hotel by phone from Russia. They sent us confirmation by email e-mail in the form of a regular form without any stamps. As it turned out, this was enough for the embassy. I don’t know if we would have been allowed entry without such confirmation, for example, if we were traveling relying on roadside motels.
I had the imprudence to be born in Crimea, so I am not a resident of Russia and live on a residence permit. But this didn't cause any problems. You just need to take a certificate from your place of work to present to the embassy. Just in case, I asked to add annual income to it, although I think this is not necessary. They do not require personal income tax. In this case, border guards must have both a residence permit and a national passport. When applying for a visa, indicate both documents in the application form.
Since the visa is an ordinary Schengen one, it is not forbidden to travel to other European countries. However, it is formally required to indicate the country of primary residence. I don’t know who checks this and how, but the situation with Finland is special. The fact is that it is easier to obtain a Finnish visa in other Schengen countries, especially for residents of St. Petersburg. Therefore, many take advantage of this and, having received a Finnish visa, go, say, to Italy. That’s why Finns are sensitive to such impudence and that’s why they ask to indicate the country of residence. In general, it is better not to abuse it.
In a word, follow the instructions on the website to clarify any unusual situations at the embassy. And it is quite possible to do without intermediaries. After submitting the documents, you must pay for the visa at the specified bank on the same day. Production time - 10 days. Everything was ready without delay.
Way to the border
We weren't in much of a hurry, so on the first day it was planned to get to St. Petersburg and spend the night there. We drove along the Leningrad road (M-10). The road from Moscow to St. Petersburg itself is almost always three-lane with a central overtaking lane, which always alternates for passing and oncoming overtakers. When we were driving to Europe, Leningrad seemed to be a relatively flat road without terrible bumps. Needless to say, going back, I changed my mind.
We made a couple of stops along the way - once to have lunch at a roadside cafe, and then just to warm up a little. The distance is about 650 kilometers. If passengers do not sleep in the car and drivers do not change, then driving longer is already very tiring. After 300-400 kilometers there is a constant desire to go out and walk around the car. This warm-up for half an hour helps. In general, either endure it or really spend 5 minutes per hour stopping. But it’s always a shame to see trucks passing by that you tried so hard to overtake.
We were in St. Petersburg at about 11 pm, and left Moscow at 12. The speed was slightly higher, although the permanent villages along the road were very slow. If it were not for the barbaric project of the new Moscow-St. Petersburg highway with deforestation in Khimki, then I would even be very much in favor of this project. Our average speed in Leningrad was about 70 km/h, if we do not take into account stops.
There are quite a lot of traffic police posts, both stationary and unexpected. Once they stopped me for speeding 85 in a populated area, but immediately let me go after seeing a child in the car. If you don’t get too impudent and don’t fly like crazy, then everything is fine.
One incident happened to us, which partially determined the route already in Europe. As we approached St. Petersburg, in the dark we came across some stump lying on the road, which from a distance looked like a simple newspaper. The car flew up a little, and we received a very noticeable blow to the bottom. At that time, this did not lead to fatal consequences for the car, but a serious problem later emerged at a not very good moment, as discussed below.
We had a Garmin Nuvi 20 navigator with us with a standard map of Russia. He handled the route guidance very well all the way to the border. He only took us through the city a couple of times, when it was possible to take the bypass road, which, by the way, was indicated by the signs. But otherwise, the navigator saves a lot of time, especially in an unfamiliar city.
In St. Petersburg, we had the opportunity to spend the night for free in a friend’s apartment. Therefore, I can’t say anything about the cost of hotels. But I heard that it's not cheap. It may be cheaper to spend the night in motels at the entrance to the city or in rented apartments, but it’s also better to find out this specifically.
The navigator confidently brought us to a house in the city center, and we went to bed. Just in case, we took all the most valuable things with us to the apartment, including skis on the top rack.
The next morning an interesting surprise awaited us. Left in the evening, the clean car was covered with a thick layer of gray dust, which took a long time to wipe off. I don’t know what happens in St. Petersburg at night, but clearly something is incompatible with the environment. Somehow after that I didn’t feel like walking around the city at night.
But in the morning there was bright sun, so we couldn’t resist and drove along Nevsky, along the embankments, over bridges, stopping and taking standard, but never boring, St. Petersburg photographs (I apologize for the quality - I’m not a good photographer).
Passing the border
The day before we were going to get up early to cross the border in the morning, but somehow it didn’t work out quickly to get ready, so we crossed the St. Petersburg ring road at about 12 o’clock. The M-10 highway goes past Vyborg to the Torfyanovka border crossing. This is the largest checkpoint, but also the most popular, including for trucks. Therefore, we decided to go north and go through Svetogorsk. From St. Petersburg to the border there are 200 kilometers. The navigator took us to our destination, and then the map ended. I didn't have time to find good map Finland, but somehow I didn’t want to buy pirated maps of Europe for Garmin for 3,000 rubles. So we continued on the old-fashioned way, with a simple paper map.
Before the border there was the last Russian gas station with unexpectedly high prices - 2 rubles more expensive than in St. Petersburg. But we knew how much gasoline cost in Europe, so we had to refuel here.
The border was completely empty. We arrived at the barrier first, and 2-3 more cars soon appeared behind us. Registration of the car and passengers took about 10 minutes, including the time of filling out the questionnaire. They hardly looked at the car, seeing dozens of bags and bags mixed with ski poles. Then I had to wait another 20 minutes while they checked my residence permit, because this was not a standard situation. But in the end they checked everything, apologized for the delay and wished us a safe journey.
In no man's land, we stopped by a duty-free store and bought a liter of Martini, which, I must say, came in very handy and made us happy all the way. Finnish border guards just looked at the passports and immediately raised the barrier. Apparently, since Russian customs did not find any problems, this certainly means that everything is in order.
First evening and night in Finland
Getting to know the landscape and local customs, impressions of European roads, spending the night on the road
Finland greeted us with an excellent road and a warning sign about observing the speed limit. People of all ages, including quite elderly people, were walking along the snow-covered roadsides along special paths. Some were riding bicycles or carrying sleds in front of them, apparently for stability. Many people used ski poles, although I was never able to figure out their popularity. Perhaps excessive caution in the snow, although the snow is soft almost everywhere, without ice.
Looking around, we got a little lost. I was hoping for the ubiquitous European signs, but there was one problem - everything was in Finnish with no English equivalents. And if the names are still partially similar, then other words are completely impossible to translate without a dictionary. People on the sides somehow quickly disappeared as soon as we moved away from settlement several hundred meters. So we circled around the forks in different sides, trying to spot familiar names. We were afraid to stop because... compliance with the rules here is stricter than in Russia. And, interestingly, there are practically no roadsides anywhere. There are only bus stops and sparse parking along the highways, approximately 5-7 km apart.
Each country has to adapt to local peculiarities. After studying the situation, we realized that the easiest way to navigate in Finland is not by names, but by road numbers. Fortunately, all the numbers were marked on the map. Having found the number we needed, for some time we were not sure that we were moving in the right direction, but then another sign with the name of the city dispelled our doubts. However, I have already regretted the lack of a navigator more than once.
Route 6, heading north through Jounsuu and Kajaani, turned out to be a narrow road with one lane in each direction. And, I must say, this was the case for most of the roads in the country, with the exception of one or two wide highways. We hardly saw any trucks, but passenger cars there was very little traffic, so there was no thought about any traffic jams.
The road surface was perfect everywhere. For some time there were lanterns along the highway, but then they disappeared and were replaced by posts with phosphorescent paint, glowing brightly in the headlights. This makes driving in the dark so much easier that driving is equally comfortable both during the day and at night. In this case, lights are not required, which significantly reduces the cost of roads. The dividing strip on the right and left has special notches on the asphalt, when you hit them, a noticeable vibration begins. This is also an invaluable thing that is sorely lacking in Russia. Even if the paint is on road surface worn out, such notches will not allow you to unnoticeably leave the lane to the side of the road or fly into oncoming traffic. Overtaking is allowed wherever it is safe to do so. Here is a (not very good) example of the road described above.
A trip to Lapland is the most unusual journey. New Year is coming soon, and every person thinks that miracles happen at this time. We all once believed in Father Frost and Santa Claus, but why did we believe? After all, there is a place where he lives and receives guests for the New Year. And he lives right on the Arctic Circle in a town called Rovaniemi, Lapland in Finland. That's where we'll go, to visit Santa Claus. 
Of course, we will go to Finland from St. Petersburg. The distance from St. Petersburg to Rovaniemi is about 1030 kilometers, so anyone who cannot travel such a distance without an overnight stay needs to decide in advance and book a room. You need to go north and many attractions are open to the public only in the summer, so you won’t have to stop or waste much time. Well, we set off from St. Petersburg and head to Vyborg to the Brusnichnoe border crossing point. From St. Petersburg to the border it is about 180 kilometers, and here you will have to kill a couple of hours of time. And here it is Finland.
Next on our way is the city of Lappeenranta, where you can stop and have a snack. And further on the road to Savonlinna via Imatra. Here you can see the main attraction of this town - the medieval Swedish fortress Olavinlinna. Free parking is available nearby. In winter, it is forbidden to enter the fortress camps, but you can go into the fortress itself. Entrance costs about five euros, here you can take a tour in Russian, the tour lasts about an hour. 
East of Savonlinna, 24 kilometers away, is the small town of Kerimäki, where one of the largest wooden churches in the world is located, but, unfortunately, it is only open in summer.
Then from Kerimäki we go to the town of Joensuu. Along the entire route, so-called police officers can often be seen taking photographs, but the further north you go, the fewer and fewer of them there are. Roads in Finland are of excellent quality, regardless of the region of the country. The only drawback- this is that there is bare ice on the roads, you need to be careful.
Joensu is a small and quiet town, although by Finnish standards it is probably still considered large. Here you can go shopping; at every large supermarket, the first two hours of parking are free. And set off further on the journey to Nurmes, and there we set course for Rovaniemi. This is the birthplace of Santa Claus. Along the road you can meet Lapland wild deer, which slowly cross the road in a herd. You need to stop and let the animals pass. 
At the entrance to the city there is the Arktikum local history museum, where you can learn about the life and way of life of the inhabitants of Lapland. Entrance per person costs about 12 euros. In the city center there is a small pedestrian street with souvenir shops. And, of course, the main place for which we all gathered here is Santa Claus Park. Entrance to the park costs about 25 euros per person, but when you go there, you really find yourself in a fairy tale. A kilometer from the park is the village of Santa Claus, where he lives. And in the middle runs the line of the Arctic Circle. 
Most likely, you will reach Rovaniemi late in the evening, so the most good option- This is to stop for the night and have a good rest. And the next day, take a walk around the city and after lunch go to Santa Claus Park and walk there until dark; in the dark it is very beautiful and magical here. 
The next day you can continue on your way to the city of Ranua. This town is home to the Ranua Arctic Zoo or Park Wildlife. This place is really worth a visit. And from Ranua we go further to Ruka, through the city of Kuusamo. Ruka is a ski resort in Finland. You can have a great time here. 
Our trip to Lapland has ended. We return home along the same route, via Joensuu and Lappeenranta. The distance from Lappeenranta to Savonlinna is about 157 kilometers, from Savonlinna to Kerimäki 24 kilometers, from Kerimäki to Joensuu about 120 kilometers, from Joensuu to Rovaniemi about 550 kilometers, from Rovaniemi to Ranua 70 kilometers, from Ranua to Ruka 155 kilometers, from Ruka to St. Petersburg is about 880 kilometers away.
By the way, for those who do not want to book accommodation in different cities of Finland, you can stay in the Ruka ski resort and, from there, go to visit Santa Claus and the Arctic Zoo.
A selection of profitable air tickets through Aviadiscounter (searches like Aviasales + a selection of airline promotions and sales).
| From where to where | departure date | Find a ticket |
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Helsinki → Rovaniemi | ||
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Tallinn → Rovaniemi | ||
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Amsterdam → Rovaniemi | ||
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Kyiv → Rovaniemi | ||
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Stockholm → Rovaniemi | ||
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Toulouse → Rovaniemi | ||
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Riga → Rovaniemi | ||
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Cagliari → Rovaniemi | ||
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Paris → Rovaniemi | ||
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Volgograd → Rovaniemi | ||
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Rome → Rovaniemi | ||
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Chisinau → Rovaniemi | ||
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Tromso → Rovaniemi | ||
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Ufa → Rovaniemi |
Lapland is a country that evokes the feeling of a fairy tale in both children and adults. You can give yourself the gift of magic by going to Lapland, to see the main friend of all kids - Santa Claus (or as they call him in Finland, Joulupukki).
Preparing for the trip
Example of a Schengen visa to Finland
If you live in other cities, you need to clarify whether you have a visa center and how long the visa will be available for receipt (usually the processing period is 10 days, but there is also an urgent visa).
You need to come in person, as the rules have changed since September 14, 2015. In addition to the standard set of documents, filling out a form and medical insurance, there was an additional need to obtain your fingerprints. Everything needs to be taken care of in advance so that your vacation is free of unpleasant surprises. Children under 12 years of age do not undergo fingerprinting.
Important nuances for tourists
If you are finally getting ready to go on a trip, and a visa is a done deal for you, then it’s time to take care of choosing a hotel or house or cottage. And this choice needs to start in the summer. The sooner a decision is made, the more obvious advantages:
Hotel made of snow in Lapland
- You can choose a hotel not only to suit your budget, but also to your taste, since during this period the choice is simply huge. Before the New Year and Christmas, prices skyrocket (regardless of demand), and the quantity free seats close to zero.
- Travel agencies always offer discounts for early booking, so you will benefit in any case.
- The plane ticket also needs to be booked in advance; there is a system of discounts for early booking.
Another important point - don’t forget - is a northern and harsh country. Therefore, you need to think about your uniform in advance: thermal underwear, ski (any warm, waterproof) suits - everything you need for a cozy winter.
Must-sees and things to do in Lapland
When we hear about the northern country, we imagine fabulous landscapes, lush snow and a New Year's atmosphere! A trip to Lapland can give you a lot of impressions, and you don’t need to be a child for this. The main thing is to be in a festive atmosphere, and, of course, to have the opportunity to completely “immerse” yourself in it.
Can anyone really refuse to meet their childhood idol, Santa Claus, and ride in a reindeer or dog sled? Let's start the virtual journey!
Santa Park
Tours to Lapland, as a rule, are not complete without visiting this stunning cave in the Rovaniemi area. Don't you have a New Year's mood, a feeling of celebration? Here it will not just appear, but will burst into your life like a whirlwind!
What's interesting about this place? The very fact that you enter the cave and a fairy-tale town opens before your eyes is a miracle in itself!
Detailed map of Santa Park showing all attractions and attractions
What will make you stay here for a long time and come here the next day:
A visit will cost an adult approximately 33 euros, and for a child from 3 to 12 years old you will need to pay 27.5 euros. So if you still have doubts, cast them aside and go ahead - into a fairy tale!
Santa Claus Village
Not far from Rovaniemi there is a quiet, but full of holidays and twinkling lights, Santa Claus village. A trip to Lapland without this village is impossible: stylized New Year's houses, a symbolic feature of the Arctic Circle (you can get a certificate for crossing it at the information desk for 4.5 euros) - everything glows with bright lights, and an unusually festive atmosphere reigns around.
What will delight the discerning taste of tourists in Santa’s Village:
Santa Claus Village in Lapland
- A visit to Santa will give you delight and a lot of fun memories both in reality and virtually: in photos and videos (issue price - about 40 euros).
- Shopping. Lots of souvenir shops with traditional Finnish ethno-souvenirs. It is worth trying cloudberry jam - an amazingly tasty delicacy.
- Restaurants and cafes serving national Finnish cuisine.
- Ice slides - we ride on cheesecakes and get a lot of positive emotions.
- Reindeer or dog sledding is a pleasure for an additional fee.
