Finland is Russia's northern neighbor. This state is very popular among tourists for many reasons. The country is distinguished by the most beautiful nature. Read the article about which resorts are considered the most visited.
Why is Finland so popular in winter?
There are many reasons why many tourists choose to rest in this state. So here they are:
- Beautiful landscape. The relief of Finland is characterized by the presence of hills, mountains covered with snow.
- Skiing. The landscape allows you to take part in various competitions in snowboarding and other winter sports. So, everyone can go skiing or cheesecakes. If you are brave enough, you can take part in a snow safari on sleds, snowmobiles or quad bikes. Winter fishing is another fun.
- Long duration of the snow season. Holidays in Finland in winter are chosen by many tourists, because the winters here are quite warm.
- Developed infrastructure. This country has a huge number of museums and parks.entertainment. Everyone can visit the spa. Holidays in Finland in winter are very popular for another reason. Local hotels and tourist bases are considered very good. The service here is good.
- The opportunity to travel around the country. Everyone can visit such Finnish cities as Helsinki and Tampere, and this is only a small part of the local tourist "capitals". And, of course, do not forget about Lapland - a resort where you will get the most New Year's mood.
Vuokatti
The journey from St. Petersburg to this resort takes only one day by car or an hour by plane. This popular tourist town is designed for family holidays in Finland in winter. Ski slopes and ski lifts are located here. Especially for children, the Magic Carpet was created - a belt lift, the length of which reaches 50 meters. Throughout the year, tunnels are open in Finland for snowboarding and skiing. Various slides, bridges, climbing routes - this is an incomplete list of where you can spend time in this resort.
Accommodation
Vuokatti is one of those resorts that are suitable for lovers of comfortable rest. So, on its territory there is a spa hotel Holiday Club Katinkulta. This hotel complex is equipped with a water park, a bathhouse, saunas. Golf lovers can visit it in summer. Tennis courts, a gym and badminton courts are open all year round. Many tourists choose this hotel forholidays in Finland in winter. Reviews of this hotel are positive.
Khimos
This resort area is very popular with Russians for several reasons. Firstly, Russian-speaking instructors work here, and secondly, beginners can use four lifts at once. Local mountains are considered the longest and highest in southern Finland.
Tourists can stay in hotels, apartments or cottages located one kilometer from the best ski slopes. All places of residence are equipped with electrical appliances, running water, fireplaces and a sauna. For a fee, you can ride a snowmobile or dog sled, swim in wetsuits or go fishing.
Iso-Syuote
The hotel, surrounded by a considerable number of cottages, is located on top of a hill. The resort is framed by a fabulously beautiful forest. From the windows of the rooms offer picturesque views of the local nature. In their reviews, tourists who lived in this hotel note that the landscapes of this resort are very beautiful. Plus, if you're lucky, you might be able to see the Northern Lights.
What to do?
The ski slope is very close to the hotel. If you decide to bring your personal equipment with you, you do not have to use transport. Inexperienced skiers, as well as children, should get to the gentle slopes by bus so as not to get injured while skiing. The smallest skiers can enjoysports in the Lumimaa complex, equipped especially for children.
Levi
The "Best Places to Stay in Finland in Winter" category includes a ski center called "Levi". It is equipped with 45 pistes and 27 lifts. Children can play in the sports town or visit the entertainment center.
What are the most popular accommodation options at Levi? These are hotels, cottages and even apartments. A free shuttle runs daily from the hotels to the slopes. On the territory of the ski center there are restaurants, a mini-water park, as well as a sports and fitness complex.
Hand
One of the most visited ski resorts in Lapland is located 30 minutes drive from the city of Kuusamo. The tourist season starts in October and ends in June. The resort is especially popular among snowboarders, as well as freestyle lovers. The main lift is located very close to the village called Ruka. Other ski lifts are nearby. There are 21 in total. Children under the age of 6 ride here for free.
The resort has a ski school with at least 200 instructors. This is one of the reasons why people choose a city called Ruka for their holidays in Finland in winter. Reviews of tourists about this resort contain information that everyone has the opportunity not only to try themselves in winter sports, but also to watch international competitions.
Yllas Resort
The largest Finnish ski resort is located above the Arctic Circle. There are at least 1000 comfortable cottages and hotels. Tourists who have chosen local hotels to stay in their reviews note the high professionalism of the staff, as well as the friendliness and responsibility of the workers.
Fans of skiing will be able to ride on special tracks, equipped in the best possible way. You can try your hand at 63 slopes of varying difficulty. The largest of them has a huge height, reaching 718 meters. The length of the longest descent is 3 kilometers. Russian-speaking specialists are constantly working at the resort, who can help you in solving various issues.
If you want to try something exotic, you can visit the open-air jacuzzi, located on top of the hill. The sauna here is also unusual. She is in the cable car.
Snow Village
What other recreation centers in Finland are very popular in winter? Of course, this is the "Snow Village". This resort is considered northern exotic because it is located beyond the Arctic Circle. But this is not the only reason why the "Snow Village" is increasingly chosen for recreation.
Chinese masters come here every year at the beginning of the tourist season. Together with their colleagues from Finland, they create snowy masterpieces that decorate the resort throughout the winter.
At a local hotel you cansleep in rooms with beds made of ice. To keep you warm, you will be given special sleeping bags. All rooms are originally decorated. However, there is a downside to the local hotel. This is the lack of toilets, showers and other amenities in the rooms, which, of course, is noted in the reviews of tourists. However, the picturesque views and the beauty of the local nature completely cover this small drawback of hotels located in the "Snow Village".
Holidays in Finland in the winter at this base are organized in the best possible way. So, in order for tourists not to freeze, the hotel has a bar. In addition to warming up, you can try new drinks, such as blueberry vodka, and national Lappish cuisine.
Santa Village
Many families prefer winter holidays in Finland with their children. Reviews of local entertainment centers designed for young travelers are only positive. Especially popular is the Santa Claus Village, which impresses all tourists. There is a huge Christmas tree and figures made of ice. The local museum tells about the Arctic nature and the indigenous people of the north.
Santa's Office is another attraction of Santa's Village. In the office, the guys are met by gnomes and elves. For a fee, you can take a photo with Santa Claus and get souvenirs. Wonderful mail works here too. So, directly from Finland, you can send greeting cards with Santa Claus stamps to your family and friends. Everyone can ride in a reindeer sleigh.
Which would you prefer?
In Finland there are a huge number of resorts, in each of which tourists can choose the most convenient way of accommodation. Some travelers prefer comfortable hotels with picturesque views of the snow-covered forest.
However, there is another option where you can stay during your holidays in Finland in the winter with or without children. These are cottages located right in the middle of the forest. Spacious houses, consisting of one or two floors, are equipped very modernly. Guests have at their disposal spacious rooms with a sauna, a fully equipped kitchen, and several bedrooms. The living rooms have fireplaces where you can spend time with your family or friends. Of course, not all cottages are located in the forest. If you wish, you can find an excellent house located on the territory of the resort village.
Weather conditions
Finland is located in the north of Europe, a third of the state is located above the Arctic Circle. The duration of the day is several hours, from 10.00 am to 15.00 pm. The influence of the Gulf Stream affects the temperature, but Finnish winters cannot be said to be cold. They are moderate. The average temperature of the coldest month is -14 to -12 degrees Celsius in the northernmost points of the country.
The air in Finland is dry, so the cold is easily tolerated. The formation of snow cover begins in December and lasts until April in the southern regions of the state. In the northern part, snow lies until May. Since holidays in Finland in winter are oftenaccompanied by westerly winds, windproof models should be preferred when choosing outerwear.
How to get there
There are several ways to get to Finland.
- By plane. To get to this state, you should make a flight on the route "St. Petersburg - Helsinki" or "Moscow - Helsinki". On average, a ticket costs 3600 rubles. If you book in advance, about a month before departure, they will cost 2700 rubles.
- By train or ferry. For example, the Leo Tolstoy express train runs from Moscow.
- By bus. For only 500 rubles you can get from St. Petersburg to Helsinki.
There is a very developed transport system inside the country, so there are usually no problems with moving around the state. Most often, bus routes are preferred, although the main cities are connected by rail.
