You have probably heard that Santa Claus comes from Finland. But where exactly does he live in Finland?
The answer is: Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi! That’s right, Santa Claus has his own village. It’s located in a city in Lapland, called Rovaniemi, which is the official hometown of Santa Claus.
Open every day of the year
The Santa Claus Village is a magical place, where you get to meet Santa Claus himself – every day of the year! You also get to cross the Arctic Circle there, as it runs through the village. It’s a fun experience! The line of the Arctic Circle is clearly marked, and you can even get a certificate for crossing it! How cool is that?
Christmas season is the best time to visit the Santa Claus Village, as Santa himself declares the season officially begun a month before Christmas. The village is a highlight for many people who want to experience the true magic of Christmas!
Santa’s Post Office
There’s plenty of things to do in the village, besides just meeting Santa Claus and hopping across the Arctic Circle. As you might already know, millions of children – and even adults – send letters to Santa Claus. Since 1985, people from 199 countries have sent Santa Claus over 18 million letters! That’s why Santa established the Santa Claus Main Post Office, which makes it a must-visit. There you are able to see postal elves that are happy to help you send a letter to your loved ones and friends. It’s an actual postal office, and if you send a letter from there, it gets an exclusive Arctic Circle postmark. What an unique thing to do!
The village is also home to around 50 restaurants, cafes and shops, so you definitely won’t get bored there! There’s also plenty of places to look for special souvenirs and gifts for your family and friends. A great way to have a lasting memory of your visit to Santa’s home!
Plenty of Activities to Explore
However, this is not all there is. You can experience lots of different kinds of winter and other year-round activities in the Santa Claus Village as well! These include:
- A Snowmobile Park, where you get to drive around in the magical winter forests with a cool snowmobile
- An Arctic Circle Husky Park, which is home to many Siberian Huskies! You can pet around a 100 huskies in there and go on a husky sled ride.
- Elf’s Farm Yard Zoo! Depending on the season, you can do activities such as snow sliding and cross-country skiing + more. You also get to meet plenty of domestic animals like alpacas, reindeer, sheep, rabbits and much more.
- Santa Claus Reindeer – You get to go on reindeer rides right next to Santa’s office!
- Aurora Hunting – One of the most memorable things you can experience in Rovaniemi, is to see the amazing Northern Lights!
Whatever you decide to do in Rovaniemi and in the incredible Santa Claus Village, you’re sure to make lasting memories! Now that we are in the holiday spirit, make sure to check our other blog post about how Christmas is traditionally spent in Finland.
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