Tours for the New Year 2021 to Finland from Moscow
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 it is located – he has his own house in almost every northern country. But nevertheless, historically, it turned out that the most “real Motherland” is precisely Finnish Lapland. Coming here for the New Year is like plunging into a real fairy tale, believing in magic and, of course, being transported back to childhood, no matter how old you turned 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 is a great chance to buy the very “ticket to childhood”, which are not available at the box office of railway stations.
Where to buy a tour
tourism.com.de recommends buying tickets on websites and tiqets.com. 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, amenities in the rooms (heated pool, entertainment for children, babysitting services, 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 in installments. Thirdly, both of them offer various nice bonuses that you can save and use on subsequent bookings, receiving significant discounts.travelata.ru level.travel.ru
How is New Year's Eve celebrated in Finland?
New Year holidays begin in Finland on Christmas Eve. Since mid-January, cities have been changing, numerous fairs are opening, solemn organ evenings are being 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, usually with family – at a table laid in accordance with national traditions. Tourists may be in for some disappointment – neither shops nor other establishments work that night.
But on New Year's Eve, on the contrary, it is customary for companies to gather – in the squares and just in restaurants – for an international rich dinner. It is believed that the more fun it is to celebrate January 1, the better the year will go. True, it is not customary to give gifts – the Finns are limited to small souvenirs, for example, candles, and then only for loved ones. And another local tradition. If in Russia they make wishes on New Year's Eve, then the Finns release all the bad things under the chiming clock, burning symbolic barrels of tin. And they guess 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's 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 Rauna Arctic Zoo are located, which have no analogues in the world. True, you will have to pay a lot to be in a fairy tale. If you want to save money, you can look at the nearby ski resorts of Levi. From here you can easily not only get to visit Grandfather, 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 noisy city and enjoy all the charm of New Year's lights, then it's best to choose Helsinki or Turku. The main Christmas tree of the country is, of course, in the capital – on the Senate Square. But the center of New Year's festivities is still considered to be Turku – it received such a status back in the 1990s.
What to see and do
If the Finns celebrate Christmas quietly, then the New Year is celebrated on a grand scale. What to do depends primarily on where exactly you decide to celebrate this holiday.
To 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, ride reindeer and dog sleds, and visit the nearby Ranua Arctic Zoo. This is not even a zoo, but a reserve surrounded by coniferous forest. If you want an active holiday, you can go to the Snowland entertainment complex – really a country 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 that is connected with the north. In the small museum of Siida, you can learn about the distant past of the country and the life of this mysterious people, Siida. And, of course, Rovaniemi is skiing. Right in the city there is a sports complex Santasport. Nearby are famous ski resorts. For example, Levy.
To Helsinki
Helsinki on New Year's holidays really changes beyond recognition. A huge Christmas tree is set up on Senate Square, which also becomes the center of festivities on the night of December 31 to January 1. Fairs work everywhere and, of course, numerous lights and lanterns flicker – in order to have as many of them as possible, the so-called festival of light is held. In addition, traditionally New Year's Eve is the only time when fireworks are allowed to go off in the city.
The impromptu show will surely impress even Russians who have seen pyrotechnics more than once. When planning an acquaintance with the New Year's Finnish capital, it should be noted that on December 31, all institutions, including museums, work on a reduced schedule. The rest of the time, you can book a sightseeing tour of the city or explore the main sights on your own: Sveaborg Castle, the Cathedral, the quiet, cozy Telle area and many others.
To Turku
The ancient Finnish city of Turku is considered the New Year's capital of the country. It was here that many centuries ago, Christmas traditions were born, which continue to be honored today. Festive festivities in Turku open in early December, led by Santa Claus in a beautiful colorful procession. Until mid-January, life is in full swing – fairs work, the carnival of St. Santa takes place. And, of course, the patron of the Christmas city, who lives in 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, one cannot pass by the castle of the same name, the Cathedral and interesting museums, in particular, Living History. And, finally, one more moment. Deciding to celebrate the New Year in Turku, it should be borne in mind 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 everything at once, then a lot.
How long is the flight from Moscow
Finland is one of our closest neighbors, so it's not that long to get there. Several flights depart daily 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 transfer all 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 Lev Tolstoy branded train (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
Deciding to celebrate the New Year in Finland, do not forget that this is a northern country and the frosts here are much “harder” 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 temperature, then in January, on average, during the day it drops to minus 10-12 degrees in Helsinki, and 20-25 in Rovaniemi. 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 direction in the Russian tourist market, so there are a lot of reviews from our compatriots about such a holiday. Of course, they are all different, but for the most part they are enthusiastic. Those who once found themselves in this fabulous country very often come back 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 who did not get a lot of positive emotions and vivid impressions from a visit to the kind grandfather Santa Claus. In addition to the advertised expensive ones, there are completely free entertainment in Rovaniemi. So, for example, caring moms and dads who have already been there recommend that you definitely look at the Angry Birds site in the city center.
You can save a lot of money in this city in terms of food. In the first half of the day there is a chance to have lunch 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 medium-priced restaurant. And finally, one more culinary advice from the experienced. In the central square of Lordi every morning, fishermen sell fresh and fried fish, the smell of which is simply impossible to resist.
Tourists who were lucky enough to celebrate the New Year in Helsinki are first of all advised to visit the Christmas markets – Tuomaan markkinat on Senate Square and Joulumessut in the Old Port. But choosing a place to celebrate a holiday, according to 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 already around 01-00. Of the cheerful club type, Molly Melone can be noted – in where there will definitely be fun until the morning. Russian tourists speak positively about Zetor and Belge in their restaurants. Of course, New Year holidays in Finland are not cheap (especially for 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 will be able to find your perfect tour to Finland for the New Year and get a lot of positive emotions.