3 independent reviews for Helsinki and Rovaniemi Christmas vacation with Santa
Reviews for Helsinki and Rovaniemi Christmas vacation with Santa
Elsa Debono review 6 Jan 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Staying at a guesthouse and a log cabin in Lapland!2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
To take appropriate clothing for snow and very cold temperatures!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Benefitted people yes but not really the other factors!4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
I rate it as one of the most memorable vacations of our family!Gemma O’Sullivan review 2 Jan 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The most memorable part was definitely the husky Safari on Christmas Day - this was truly magical. I was quite nervous about driving the sleigh at the start but once I relaxed it was breath taking and something special that we will always remember. The local workers were also friendly and reassuring and the dogs also lovely for the children to play with at the end. We also thoroughly enjoyed the private trip to see Santa on Christmas Eve in his cottage. The children were enchanted by him and we couldn’t have asked for more to make their dream come true.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
I would recommend booking this tour with families that you are friends with first as you do travel a lot with another family and have to share an apartment with them at one point. I would book early to ensure you get the accommodation in the glass igloos at Rovaneimi as this was special and was in walking distance to the attractions. I would recommend taking lots of thin layers of under clothes and only a few thicker jumpers as there are opportunities to wash clothes at the log cabins and this minimises luggage! Also take very good water proof ski gloves and lots of thermal socks as the temp did reach minus 30. Take a few supplies like milk, tea baths and wine/beer to the log cabins as it’s expensive to buy there as it’s in the middle of nowhere. Research Santa’s village and Santa’s park (incl snowman’s world) before you go so you know where is best to go for your age of children as there is t that much time to explore when you are there.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The tour definitely benefitted locals as we stayed with locals in their family home and did most of the activities far away from the more commercial areas. All the animals used for the sleigh rides looked really well kept and happy; and the local area kept its beauty with sympathetic buildings.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Overall we had a truly special and magical vacation with everything we could have wished for. As we have young children and live in a warm country, we were keen for them to take part in the Santa experience and have fun in the snow; as well as for the whole family to have a good mix of culture and activities for all ages, which we felt this tour gave us. Activities were run by warm, friendly locals who gave us the personal touch at each different location. These included extremely memorable and lengthy reindeer sleigh rides and husky rides; tobogganing; rides on snowmobiles; a private meeting with Santa; fun in Santa’s workshop and elf school at Santa Park; ice-skating and thrill seeking snow-sliding in snowman’s world; as well as sight seeing in Helsinki; a trip to a circus; a taste of the Christmas markets and an opportunity to experience Finnish food and traditions (such as Christmas dinner, roasting sausages on a camp fire in the wilderness and saunas / hot tubs).Christina Chan review 31 Dec 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The whole vacation was simply magical from the husky and reindeer rides to meeting Santa Claus in Lapland. Staying a night in the Snow hotel was also an experience of a lifetime! Finland is beautiful in winter, we spent a day walking in the woods and another skiing to really appreciate the outdoors. We also enjoyed Helsinki with it's beautiful architecture and cosmopolitan feel. Our children particularly enjoyed visiting the Feyzer Chocolate Factory there!2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
We travelled from Helsinki to Rovaniemi by overnight train which was very comfortable and convenient and a good way to travel and not waste a day. We also hired a car in Rovaniemi and drove to our cabin in Yllas. This gave us the freedom to go as we pleased and the vehicles are well equipped for the icy cold conditions so driving is very safe as long as you are sensible. Our tour operator was exceptional, she spent a lot of time planning our vacation to suit our needs and was happy to adapt the tours as we required. Riitta even met us personally on one of our tours in Helsinki. All in all a great experience from booking to the vacation itself!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The Finnish people are extremely pro conservation. Many of the tours we went on were based on cultural conservation and eco-tourism. We noticed in particular how numbers are limited on many activities which ensure conservation of the environment.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
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