Wintery Finland & Lapland

About the destination: Helsinki is situated on a little peninsula on the southern tip of Finland. Approach Helsinki from the sea and you’ll see neoclassical buildings of elegant lines and pastel colours, and a marketplace overflowing with strawberries and salmon. The city has grown with attention to harmony. In summer many residents abandon urban tranquillity for their country cottages, but in winter the capital comes alive with theatre, political institutes and over 20,000 university students. Architecture buffs will love Helsinki. The handsome neoclassical buildings surrounding Senate Square were designed almost singlehandedly by German architect Carl Ludwig Engel in the early 19th century, just after Helsinki replaced Turku as Finland’s capital. The crowning piece is the Lutheran Cathedral, which has recently been refurbished and looks better than ever, with the 12 apostles on the roof once again looking down at the world below. Elsewhere in the city, the bold, simple creations of the city’s great 20th century architects, notably Aalto and Saarinen, blend with the clean neoclassical lines. The stunning Jean Sibelius Monument, dedicated to Finland’s most famous composer, consists of hundreds of steel pipes sculpted by Elia Hiltunen. The monument is in Sibelius Park. The Kansallimuseo, National Museum, has wonderful displays of Finnish culture. The exhibits of the City Museum illustrates the history of the city. The islands surrounding Helsinki make excellent daytrips. The sandy beaches and smooth rocks of Pihlajasaari make it a popular summer spot for tanning Finns. Every summer there are many free outdoor concerts in one of the city’s numerous parks. Afternoons, all kinds of music resound on the leafy Esplanadi. Helsinki is a small city if you compare it to those gigantic cities around the world but the spirit is still quite cosmopolitan. Helsinki is a beautiful city, especially in the summer. The streets are clean and you can always find a peaceful spot, in case you need one. Some say that Helsinki is "the biggest village in the world" and it is a great place for tourism, history, museums, galleries, theatre, music, shopping, restaurants, clubs, etc. all environmentally friendly, free of pollution and traffic congestion.

About the destination: Lying just south of the Arctic Circle, Rovaniemi is the Finnish capital of Lapland. It is located at the confluence of Lapland's mighty rivers Kemijoki and Ounasjoki. Beautiful colours all year round, relatively warm summers, real snowy winters, Santa Claus, many sport resorts, great hotels and services, for all this and more Rovaniemi is an obligatory northern stop. Moreover, it is a good place to explore the Lapland region and to observe the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. The Lumberjack Candle Bridge, Jätkänkynttilä, has become a symbol of Rovaniemi. The bridge has a high pylon with bright yellow light on top and a massive bronze lumberjack statue. The Arktikum museum is a one-stop cultural centre for all things Arctic, it is dedicated to exhibits relating to Lapland's geology, climate, plants, animal life and cultures. Aside from the exhibits, the Arktikum's highlight is definitely its long glass corridor with its views on the river behind the building. Outside Arktikum there's a garden of arctic plants. Rovaniemi is, of course, Santa Claus hometown. At Santa Claus Village you can meet Santa Claus, send friends and relatives greetings from the Arctic Circle at the Santa Claus Post Office and visit the Christmas Exhibition, which explains some of the Christmas traditions from around the world. Rovaniemi is the best place to make a Christmas wishlist and to experience awe-inspiring wilderness, traditional Sámi culture, and enjoy a range of different activities surrounded by a wonderful natural landscape.