See more than just Aurora Borealis in Finland – you can visit Santa Claus’ official hometown
Photos: Shutterstock
With the Northern Lights dimming for the next few years, it’s no wonder travellers are flocking to the Nordic and Scandinavian regions. But Finland in particular has been gaining massive popularity with locals.
The country, which borders Sweden, Norway and Russia, has been spotlighted for its gorgeous Arctic Lapland province, an area of pristine wilderness, national parks and ski resorts with an uninterrupted view of the Aurora Borealis.
But that’s not the only stuff of legends and magic that Finland has to offer. It was recently revealed that the town of Rovaniemi is the official hometown of Santa Claus, whom you can meet every day of the year without waiting for Christmas. He resides in the Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle, at the SantaPark deep underground.
What else makes Finland special as compared to other areas in Scandinavia? According to the Mayor of Rovaniemi, Esko Lotvonen, it’s “the easiest to access from Asia”, and the Lapland is “totally different” in scenery and tourist-friendly facilities.
Of course, Santa is a key attraction too. Rovaniemi has multiple train services direct from Helsinki, said Lotvonen.
This was shared at a Finland tour seminar and workshop organised by travel agency EU Holidays last weekend, when representatives from Finland and Rovaniemi – including the ‘original’ Santa himself – offered tips and information to more than 1,000 travellers in attendance.
For 41-year-old Leng Fong Meng, Finland is a land of magic and discovery. “The Santa Claus village is something interesting you won’t get to see anywhere else,” said Leng, who attended the Finland workshop with her colleagues from the banking industry. “[The year-end] is a good time to go because it’s snowing – it really creates the mood.”
Finnair also recently launched direct flights from Singapore to the Finnish capital of Helsinki, proclaiming its flight duration of 11 hours and 3o minutes as Singapore’s fastest flight to Europe.
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