Always wondered where the ‘real’ Santa Claus lives? How you can go about meeting him in person?
Here is everything you need to know about where he lives, and how to go about meeting him!
From being a kid, you get taught how Santa lives up at the North Pole. The truth is, he doesn’t, he actually lives in the Finnish Lapland! He lives in the City of Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland and the one and only city in the world which is located on the Article Circle!
Getting There
The easiest way to get to Rovaniemi is by plane. If you are flying from the UK, you probably have to change planes in Helsinki, Finland’s capital, and get an internal flight up to Rovaniemi.
The other option is to do what we did. We visited as part of our ski holiday. We were staying up north in the ski resort, Yllas. We hired a car and went on a little road trip for the day. We drove from Yllas all the way to Rovaniemi, taking us just over 2 hours to get there, just over 100 miles (164km) in distance.
Where To Stay
If you are after the whole, truly magical experience, the best place to stay, is actually in the Santa Claus Village. However, accommodation isn’t cheap! If you are after something a bit more on a budget, I recommend staying somewhere in the city of Rovaniemi.
What To Expect
As magical as the place is, the Santa Claus Village is a very busy, commercial place. It’s full of gift shops, places to eat, and places to stay the night. You can do all the talked-about Lapland activities here; go inside an ice hotel, go on a reindeer safari or a husky safari, and have a go on some snowmobiles. If you are feeling adventurous with your appetite, you can order yourself a reindeer burger for dinner. If you are lucky, you might even get a chance to see the Northern Lights dance away into the night!
While you’re staying in Santa Claus Village, you can write Santa Claus a Christmas list, send a postcard back home with the North Pole stamp on, or get served in the gift shop by Santa’s Elves. If you’re interested in the history of Santa and his workshop, there’s a great walkthrough with models, photos, and writing, explaining everything.
Of course, there’s the one most important thing to do, meet Santa Claus! It does cost, but it’s an experience of a lifetime!
For more information about the Santa Claus Village, what there is to do, and costs, please visit their website: https://santaclausvillage.info/
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Further Reading
My book, How I Tamed the Wolf, Living with Lupus is available on Amazon via this link:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09M73X2JQ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MWAF58981F0VVMNRV1WN
Other travel guides you may like:
Skiing in Yllas – Skiing in Yllas
Staying in a Glass Igloo – Glass Igloo
