When life brings it differently…
In 2019 I decided to travel to Finland, which was the only Scandinavian country that I had never been, for professional reasons. But, sometimes, things don’t always go our way. Having enough time, I decided to visit Santa Claus village, in Rovaniemi.
The beginning…..
I woke up very early, I had a cup of French coffee and I got ready for my trip. I was at Tikkurila station, in Vantaa region, which is 15 km away from Helsinki. I couldn’t wait to begin my trip. I got on the VR train, the round trip ticket cost 160€. A friendly reminder, from my experience, when you are about to travel for long hours, you should always have some food and 2 bottles of water, since the kiosks are too expensive. This way you can save money and you have the opportunity to do many different activities, especially when traveling to expensive destinations.
The arrival….
I woke up at about 7:00, I was very tired, since it was a long and tiring trip. I got off the train, it was still dark, as the sun rises at about 9:30, the cold was at -4℃ and there was 100% humidity… I went to the station and I had a hot coffee while I was waiting to visit Santa Claus village.
Visiting Santa’s Village
Continuing my journey, I arrived at Santa’s village, at 10:00. I was really impatient to explore it! In that moment I realized something… I was really lucky, a few months back I was in Miami, sunbathing and now I am in Rovaniemi… What a difference! I kept exploring the place and I came across some really old buildings, called Kotta. Next, I visited Santa’s house. Christmas melodies, wrapped up presents everywhere… I felt like I was a little kid again. Then I met Santa.. we talked a little and took a reminiscing photo! Then I went outside, I met an Irish family, they even gave me some marshmallows. Next stop, Santa’s Park!
Visiting Santa’s Park
Arriving at the park, I was excited as I had read the best reviews about it. It wasn’t that cold. I was surprised by the lights and the sound of the elves and I realized that the fairytale that every child believes in, is real! There were a lot of activities for everyone. A lot of children were writing a letter to Santa. There was a place, like an igloo, in which everything was made with ice (the temperature in there was at -10℃). Then, I visited the elves’ place, where you could find Christmas ornaments, sweets, cookies and you could even make your own. I met the park’s Santa, chatted a bit and went off to explore. There was a train that was traveling through the whole presents’ preparation procedure. Also there was a restaurant where you could eat and watch a play.
The end of the trip
There are a lot of differences between the Santa’s village and the park. I personally prefer the village, as it is more traditional. Both places are equally beautiful! The next day I returned to Helsinki and I got ready to return to Greece. Through this trip I realized that you had better spend your holidays with family and friends, because some moments are unique and precious! And something else, “Travel! Your money will return! Your time won’t!”.
