Depthint: In the country of Saamov – all samoy!

As you know, in Lapland, the land of Saamov, live a fictional snow queen and quite real Santa Claus. According to Finns, it "The only birthplace of the real Christmas Santa Claus". And if the Cold Fury from the famous Tappy Andersen does not cause special emotions from the residents of Lapland, then the respectable Lapland Santa Claus – the figure is significant and universal respect. Like marquise Karabas from "Cat in boots", In this part of Finland, almost all santolaus – even the airport in Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland, is called The Offichial Airport Of Santa Claus. That is "Santa Claus Airport". And meet the two terrible six-meter snowmen. Like Security.

But the airport, of course, is not limited to. About nine kilometers from Rovaniemi is the mail of Santa Claus, as well as his workshops and "office", where he takes visitors and where the polar circle passes. However, the service – the service, but also forget about the farm, it is not worthwhile – the indigenous Laplander cannot do without the herd of personal deer. Santa Claus they have too. In a word, the real Finnish Santa Claus is not a couple of Velikostuyzhsky Promoter, he is solid, wealthy, and family, besides. The legal spouse lives in the village of Savoukoski, whereas Santa Claus himself lives on the hill of Corvatunturi, quite not far from the Russian border. But separate accommodation is not a fear of family relations – the locals argue that in Savoukoski, the cold Lapland spouse spends almost half of personal time.

Of course, nothing in life is given in vain. Christmas Santa Claus – Great Worker. Judge yourself – you need to have time and mail to disassemble (approximately 700.000 letters per year), and in souvenir workshops work work, and visitors to accept, and take a look at the deer, and visit the spouse. In addition, in November last year, Santa Park opened, underground mini-disneyland in three kilometers from the capital of Lapland. It is located in a huge cave droved right in the hill of Svetinvaara.

True, Santa Park is visited by Santa Claus not always, but how will you have – it all depends on the influx of visitors. The entrance ticket is worth an adult 95 Finnish brands ($ 19), for a child up to 11 years old – 65 grades, children under 4 years old are launched in the underground palace for free. In the fabulous flickering space of Santa Park, the best attraction is the monorail road, leading to the kingdom of gnomes, the debt and other unclean, which in an unimaginable number surrounds a slow moving wagon. All this audience eats, drinks, rubit, sawing, master, branded on musical instruments, plays with animals and what only does not do. The act of action is accompanied by magical, it can be said, psychedelic music – right, Gogol "Christmas Eve". Interestingly and children and adults.

If you are lucky, then for a fee in Santa Park you can shake your hand and Santa Claus himself. But God forbid you to remember the Luzhkovsky impostor. In general, Russian tourists traveling in Finland can be given one advice – the Finns are hospitable, polite and perfectly belong to everyone without exception, but all sorts of Russian-Finnish comparisons are better left with them, even if it concerns the sport. But if you know several Finnish words or at least one – the simplest kiitos (thanks), then on any Finn it will produce an indelible pleasant impression.

Of course, not Santa Claus one alive Rovaniemi. In addition to all sorts of Deadmorosovskiy rides in its surroundings, there is also an Arctic center (throne, 4), combined under a glass roof with a provincial Museum of Lapland. The Arctic Center representing nature, the animal world and the population of the Arctic, was recognized as the best Finnish tourist facility in 1994. There are quite close to other attractions, such as a restaurant and souvenir shop in Arctical Circle Center.

Saham North Light

And yet not only northern exotic and local trains are interesting in Lapland. Maybe the most important her own property is the special aura of the original nature and hiding the ancient Sami spirit who feels every traveler in this campaign. True, Saamov, indigenous residents of Lapland, are now a little left – only 6 thousand of almost two hundred thousand people in this part of Finland, while Lapland itself ranks third of all Finnish territory. Laplandians themselves, the remaining Finns are considered calm, open, cheerful people, prone to the traditional settlement of life (in the Brockhaus dictionary and the end of the last century, the blades, one of the names of the Sami, is defined as the people "Smrey, honest, cheerful, hospitable, meek in family life, respectful to seniors"). Laplanders will hear philosophers and contemplates for which time is much less than for the concerned residents of Helsinki. "Today or tomorrow – what’s the difference?" – Laplanders arguing about the other Finns. And it is possible to believe in it, the time in Lapland really flows slowly and leisurely.

But the unity with nature and the quiet, quiet life does not prevent the Lampland to develop business and actively participate in the tourist development of their small homeland. In 80 kilometers from the Arctic Center, there is a Family Farm of Visatuup, located on the shore of a small lake. Full range of services (skis, sauna, motorbish, breakfast, dinner), communication with nature and stay in a house on four will cost you 300-500 brands a day (60-100 dollars), counting a margin of travel agency. For deer safari will have to pay separately.

Family business in Lapland is very common. In Keliyarve, for example, in the Commune Sodankule (do not be afraid, "commune" – This unit of territorial division in Finland) is about the same family as on the Farm of Visatuup, for twenty years already organizes Taiga-Tours – Safari on dog sledding (husky-safari). Reception of tourists is limited – the principle prefers on the farm "less yes better". But it costs this pleasure, respectively – you will be able to be a dog charter, no less than 400 brands a day. Just ride – much cheaper. As Jucca Hondkipartti assures, the owner and the guide of this dog kingdom, it is best to manage a dog harness, carrying with a rigorous speed on snow bumps, it turns out that Russians. Perhaps Russian roads work well.

To join the animal world of Lapland can not only privately. 13 kilometers from Salla, town in the east of Lapland, located the famous deer Park, which occupies the territory of 200 hectares. On the territory of the park there are special hunting trails, walking paths and even two lakes and the Lapland village, consisting of chumbies. In the room of the Central Building of the Reindeer Park there is a constantly acting chuckle exhibition "Deer and predators", showing with decorating soul details how hard lives northern herbivore to the creation of a national park. Only three episodes: deer, just born trot, elk, tormented by Wolverine, and deer, pursued by wolves. Everything is very natural and blood. You will surely regret the poor deer and go to the nearby park to feed them to the Yaghelem. For 50 Finnish brands – adults, for 25 – children. Riding on deer sleds – 50 Finnish brands for 300 meters. And another wonderful park offers tourists a colossal spectrum of a wide variety of services, starting with coffee on a fire, fishing and ending with a trip to the motorcycle.

In addition to a calm and secluded relaxation on family farms, dynamic safari on dogs or deer and dating with animal peace Lapland can please the visitors to the tourist with various woundings. First of all it is, of course, amethyst mine near Luosto. The stone of happiness, he is an amulet against drunkenness, they get here for only a few years, and Finns are unusually proud that their mine is the only acting in Europe.

Local Amethyst Manager assures that if a piece of amethyst put on hot corners in the sauna, he will immediately correct your health and from the sauna you will be completely updated – the main thing is not to overdo it with the size of the stone, – someone suits a small amethyst, and someone – More. Tourists usually believe convincing and detailed Finns and buy amethyst in a local souvenir shop with large and small wreckage, like lump sugar. I discovered on the tour, the right is given to throw off a piece of mine amethyst yourself, for memory. The same, such a wonderful variety of quartz sold in jewelry – a small silver suspension in the Samsky style will cost you in 400-500 Finnish brands. So for beauty, health and happiness have to pay three times.

It would be strange if practical laplanders bypassed such a romantic phenomenon as the Northern Light and did not show it a tourist. Even if it is currently no – Northern Lights is observed in the north of Lapland 200 times a year, mostly in spring and autumn. But if you are not lucky and the clouds prevented you alive to watch Aurora Borealis – not trouble. Arctic Academy will show you this natural phenomenon with any weather and at any time of the day. In the northern radiance house in Pokhidyan, the crook (commune of Sodankule) excursions are accepted year-round. 45 minutes and 80 brands, expert specialist will tell you about the radiance absolutely everything and will even show slides under relaxing music. And most importantly, with great pleasure and truly Finnish good nature will demonstrate toy plush fox – according to the Sami animistic ideas, it is the tail of this red animal running around the hills, and creates famous white-green and yellow flashes in the sky. So you will spend your $ 16 not in vain – an amazing combination of fun ethnography with a learned lecture worth it.

The most large restaurant

How thinly noticed in the directory "All Finland": "With the entry of the country in the EU changed and the country’s attitude to alcohol. The consumption of strong drinks has decreased, and consumption of weak". Of course, this is the case, but the fact, for example, is the most coffee in the world in Finland, and local beer is a nationwide national drink (as a mandatory application to the sauna), it does not interfere with the vodka to be a favorite alcoholic beverage near Lapland. Those who love pouch, prefer the sixty-perventh Austrian rum "Stroh" (however, it is drinking and strongly diluted as medicine). It is said that some of the local population sometimes consumes a 70-80 degree local drink (based on wood alcohol), but it is not particularly accepted about it. Yes, and try this alcohol exotic, too, do not advise – from you will carry the Christmas tree. Of course, prices for strong alcohol in Finland are high, but from local drinks, the tourist is best to try tincture on cloudberries, cranberries and other berries, let the world market liqueurs and more popular. And, completing a conversation about drinking, travelers in Lapland can be advised by wonderful local kisins and kvass prepared on the same berries.

To be in Lapland and do not try local cuisine – just frightly. Roast deer with potato mashed potatoes and brushing jam, cucumbers with honey and homemade cheese made from milk just a hot cow, local pancakes and, of course, baked salmon and sig – all this homemade food can not do not like and gourmet, and just an amateur Eat. The main thing is to choose the right restaurant, since some desire for Europeanization does not always go local cuisine for. You can recommend, for example, a very pretty and cozy establishment – "Kerttuli" in Luoto, which is part of the prestigious chain of restaurants Chaine des Rotisseurs. Hot prices – from 80 to 120 Finnish brands.

Betting on local traditions, life and local cuisine – also a business card of the popular hotel system "Scandik" in Luosto. It is with it that the world’s largest restaurant collected from logs. At least, the Laplandians themselves say so. From the same "Dead" Gray Forest, in accordance with the ancient traditions, is the majority of cottages decorated in folk style outside and from the inside – with long wooden remedies and a large fireplace from local stones. Surgo and expressive. Prices are high enough, but the place is very romantic. Next to the hotel, on the hill, – ski slopes, skiing "Buranah" and other pleasures.

In general, lovers of traditional winter holidays have, where to turn around in Lapland. Popular ski resorts in Luosto and Salla (takes 2.500 clients) and others are open until May, the peak of the season falls on February-March, but if you turn to solid travel agencies, the places can be booked at this time – and the Finns never violate the agreement. With all hotels, hotels and resorts, skiing and ski sloping, rides on the motorcycle, dogs, deer, fishing (including underwater), visits to national parks and other excursions, including extreme tours, are still a polar circle. And get to Rovaniemi from Helsinki, as well as in Helsinki from Moscow, very convenient to the local airline FINNAIR – the difference between flights of forty minutes, and after 4 hours you are in "Beating heart of Lapland".

And the last. Of course, Lapland – the country is not cheap, even compared to the south of Finland. But charm of primitive nature, the Sami flavor and her "Main Treasure – Silence", As the Hozyan Farm in Keliyarwe put, – expensive.