Santa Claus Village in Finland: How to Find it, What to See
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From this article you will learn where the Santa Claus holiday Village in Finland is located — an entertainment complex in the north of the country, which annually attracts millions of tourists from around the world.
We have prepared information about Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, what attractions are worth visiting in his village, where to eat and stay for the night. You will also learn about the cost of such a vacation.
Where is the Santa Claus Village
The official residence of Santa (in Finnish his name sounds as "Joulupukki") is located in Lapland, near the town of Rovaniemi, close to the Arctic Circle. Life in Santa's Village is bustling all year round and every season is good in its own way.
Santa's Village dates back to 1950, when Eleanor Roosevelt wanted to meet the legendary Santa during her visit to Finland. To please the dignitary, the Finns built a wooden cottage, decorated it and invited actors.
Not only Mrs. Roosevelt liked the new entertainment location, but also the Finns. They decided to keep it, and eventually built a whole village around the cottage. Hundreds of thousands of tourists come to Finland every year to plunge into the atmosphere of holiday and magic.
Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi: what to see
Santa does not live in the village alone, but with his spouse and assistants — little elves. All decorations here look like they have fallen off the pages of a Christmas fairy tale. Read on to learn what you should see in Rovaniemi if you are going to visit Santa.
1. Santa's House
Santa's main residence is located in the center of the village. Visitors are welcome during certain hours and the entrance is free. If you wish, you can get a photo or a video of the moment of meeting Santa (the service costs about €40). Any child will get unforgettable impressions and a gift from Santa's hands.
It is better to plan the day in advance: arrive in the morning, when there are no queues, take tickets to meet Santa and all the attractions you want to visit.
2. Post Office
Santa Claus holiday Village in Finland is the place where letters from children from all over the world come. Santa reads all the correspondence and tries to fulfill wishes of his little fans. Also you can send a postcard from here — you can do it right away or ask the little elves to send it to the addressee closer to the holiday. A set (stamp + postcard) will cost €3-5. The postcard is stamped with a special Lapland stamp with the address of the post office: Santa Claus, Santa Claus's Main Post Office, 96930 Napapiiri, Finland.
3. Reindeer Farm
Santa rides a reindeer sled. Just behind his house there is a farm where real reindeer live, the fast-footed beautiful reindeer that help Santa deliver presents all around the world. You can see the reindeer up close, pet them, ride in a reindeer sled or go for a ride. It is especially pleasant to do this during the aurora borealis, which can be seen from August to April in these latitudes.
4. Mrs. Claus's house
There is another interesting location in Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi — a wooden cottage near the reindeer farm that belongs to Mrs. Claus. Together with elves, her assistants, she bakes amazing gingerbread and ginger cookies. Younger guests can participate in the action — they can help to make, decorate and then eat the goodies.
The program lasts 30 minutes on average. Mrs. Claus' house can be rented for a private party.
5. Husky Safari
This is actually a dog kennel with real sled dogs — Siberian Huskies. Here you can play with cute fluffy puppies, observe the life of adult dogs in their natural habitat. For lovers of speed there is a safari — real sleigh rides. During the ride there are stops for tea and hot lunch when you can also fry sausages.
A ride lasting 2-3 hours will cost €150-200. Stream, post holiday videos and photos of cool walks in Santa's Village on your social networks. Thanks to the services of Yesim provider, you will have high quality internet on your smartphone even in the far north of Europe.
6. Santa Park
Santa Claus holiday Village in Finland boasts one of the newest amusement parks in the country. Santa Park is located in an underground cave close to the village. Visitors arrive at the park on a special train. The main theme of the attraction is Christmas. Elves demonstrate their skills, hold master classes on making Christmas toys. On the territory of the park there is a kitchen of "Gingerbread Men", and the aroma of cinnamon soars in the air.
7. Moomi-Troll Castle
A large snow castle is constructed every year with the onset of winter in the large parking lot area. In Santa’s Village, Finland has also brought its symbols to life — the little mummy trolls. You can see many snow and ice figures of the fairy tale characters here. In the castle you can take pictures in the numerous photo zones, ride down the slide and have a snack in the local cafe.
8. World of Snowmen
A large territory with all kinds of winter attractions — skis, skates, tubing. This complex has an ice hotel and a restaurant with an ice bar and sculptures, where national cuisine and delicious drinks are served. Extreme fans can rent a real ice room that looks like an igloo, they are called Igloo rooms
9. Snowmobile Park
Where is Santa Claus Village in Finland? These are vast plains of Lapland which are perfect for high-speed snowmobile rides. Younger fans of fast riding will be instructed by a trainer how to ride snowmobiles for children. Routes of rides pass through snow-covered fields, forests and rivers. Snacks and hot drinks are waiting for tourists at rest stops. In the winter season there is an exhibition of rare snowmobiles, where you can take photos.
Read more: Mobile Internet in Europe: how to choose and connect the best option
10. Kotahovi Restaurant
A Lapland-style restaurant owned by the Körkkö family. It got its name from Kota (the name of the Sami hut, Finland’s indigenous people). The rich interior of the place is a sightseeing site itself. The restaurant can accommodate up to 50 people at a time. Sami cuisine includes traditional salmon, pork, venison and local mushroom dishes.
Rovaniemi: Santa Claus Village in summer
Visiting Lapland during the warm season is also a great idea! Santa Claus Village in summer welcomes guests without Christmas decorations, but is as warm and welcoming as in winter. Almost all entertainment is available, except purely winter activities (ice slides, sleigh rides). Numerous stores and shops are open.
What to do in Santa Claus Village in summer:
- visit Santa and his spouse;
- send mail surprises from Lapland to family and friends;
- check in at the Arctic Circle and receive a certificate;
- see the Roosevelt Cottage, the very cottage that started the history of the park;
- see and feed reindeer and other animals;
- ride a wheeled dog sled;
- pick mushrooms and berries in the forest, where the air is incredibly clean;
- visit Lapland cuisine restaurants.
If you travel by car, don't forget to visit the Sjuvasenvaara Fell Lookout, a two-minute drive from the village. It offers beautiful views of the forests and part of Rovaniemi city.
How to get to Santa Claus Village in Finland and where to stay
Santa's Village is located 2 km from Rovaniemi Airport and 800 km from Helsinki.
There are regular bus and train services from Helsinki to the city of Rovaniemi. From its center, you can get to Santa's Village by local bus number 8 or the special Santa Express. It takes about 15 minutes.
Traveling from Helsinki to Rovaniemi by car will take about 13 hours.
Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi offers many options for accommodation, including those with children. There is a good selection of hostels, hotels, apartments and flats. There is also a special parking lot for campers and trailers.
Recommended hotels:
- Guesthouse Outa: €90 per night;
- Santasport Resort: €90-110 per night;
- Arctic City Hotel: €115 per night;
- Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna Rovaniemi: €227 per night;
- Villa Lapintiira: villa rental €330 per night.
It is more profitable to travel with a company — apartments for several people can be found from €90.
Read also: How to book a hotel on your own: full instructions
To avoid wasting time looking for and buying local SIM cards, use a virtual eSIM card on your smartphone. A fast connection to Yesim's mobile internet provider will allow you to stay connected while traveling 24/7.
Frequently asked questions about where in Finland is Santa Claus Village
Where can I meet Santa in Rovaniemi Village?
Santa welcomes visitors in his Christmas residence, which is located in the center of Rovaniemi village.
Where is the best place to stay — in Santa Claus Village or in Rovaniemi?
Rovaniemi offers more accommodation options than Santa's Village. The atmosphere at Christmas in the city is just as festive as in the village itself.
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