In Finland, even Santa prefers to relax on lakes in summer
Traveler Eduard Surzhyk visited Finland – a northern European country where Santa Claus lives. And he shared with our readers his impressions of the main attractions of this fairy-tale land.
1. Turku Archipelago
In the southwest of the country, all the antiquities of Finland are gathered. The sea, islands and ancient history – all this is concentrated here. Turku is an archipelago considered one of the main local attractions. 20,000 islands covered with greenery, rocky islands and reefs are called nothing less than a pearl necklace.
Turku is a city that was once the capital of the country. The archipelago stretches from it. There is no other archipelago like this on Earth; it is one of a kind. The nature of the archipelago is unique and different from that on the mainland.
2. Finnish Moomin Valley
This attraction is ideal for tourists with children. It is located on Kailo Island, which is connected to the mainland by a pedestrian bridge. The Moomin Valley was created based on the stories of the storyteller Tove Jansson. Preschool children will be delighted to find themselves here. There are magical huts, caves, bathhouses, and a fairy-tale forest.
You can visit the Valley in summer, as the Moomins sleep in winter. However, sometimes during winter holidays, the fairy-tale characters receive little visitors on their island.
3. Santa's Village
Many tourists go to Finland with a single goal – to visit the home of the real Father Frost, or rather, Santa Claus. It is interesting not only for children but also for adults, even those who have long stopped believing in the existence of this winter wizard. Here you can find his village and Santa Park. Look for the ancient one at: Lapland province, 8 km from the city of Rovaniemi, Santa's Village.
The Finnish name for Father Frost is Joulupukki. The village appeared here for a reason. Once, Santa was visited by the wife of Roosevelt, the US president. For her arrival, Santa's hut was built, which still stands. Since then, tourists and Finns have been coming to the village to see what the main New Year's wizard looks like and where he lives.
According to local myths, the real Santa with his wife, elves, and magical reindeer lived in a cave. So that tourists would not find their real home, they moved closer to the people, to Lapland. Since then, the fairy-tale, and perhaps real, characters have been receiving all comers from all corners of the planet.
Traveler Eduard Surzhyk.