Feel the magic of Christmas in Lapland with Santa Claus
If you are looking for the most authentic spot on Earth to spend this winter holidays, you have to try to spend Christmas in Lapland. This is a country with 56,789 inhabitants, 34,567 reindeer, 749 hills, possibly 6 or 9 elves and of course 1 Santa Claus. Let us present to you the land of magic!
Index
Winter Wonderland, the main reason to spend Christmas in Lapland
Finnish Lapland is probably the closest thing to the Winter Wonderland. The contrasts are a key factor in the power of attraction of Lapland. Here the twenty-four hours of sunlight of summer precede the dark days of winter when the tranquillity of nature reigns and everything is silent.
Lapland is the last wild land in Europe. Its beautiful, barren natural landscape has an irresistible charm and the passing of the seasons is much most evident at the northern end of the Arctic Circle. Lapland (also called Sápmi area) is a geographical region of Northern Europe, divided among Norway, Russia, Sweden, and Finland. Actually, Lapland is the country of magic, home of Santa Claus, where he enjoys an exotic place of an exceptional nature.
Adventurous Christmas in Lapland
The most adventurous and those who like to experiment and get out of the usual ways will love to sleep in an ice igloo. Samis build them every winter and they melt with the arrival of spring. You can also sign up to an exciting safari of sledges, pulled by dogs or reindeers. Or go even further and take an icebreaker boat cruise, or ride a horse across the Oulanka National Park and live in a forest cabin for a while. If you like salmon fishing, you can catch up to twenty kilos on the Kymi river and the Langinkoski rapids, which were the favorite fishing spots of Tsar Alexander III. Lapland is one of the most popular areas for canoeing.
Careful with the weather!
The average temperatures in Lapland during the winter can scare the naked eye. However, we must clarify that the cold is very dry and therefore, with the right clothes, it is comfortably supported. So, don´t be scared by this and let us keep telling you why you need to spend Christmas in Poland. The idea is to wrap around several layers to create air pockets between them. They will act as thermal insulation while you wait for Santa to come with your presence.
One of the questions that usually arouses more doubts are the predictable few hours of sunlight from the sub-arctic areas during the winter. In this season, the snow, the moon, and the distant horizon compensate for the lack of sun. The Arctic light floods all of Lapland and its inhabitants and tourists just live on as if the sun was shining. As the winter months progress, the daily hours of sunlight also grow. In January we can find ourselves with about four hours of light a day, and at the end of March, we can have up to twelve hours. We are talking about the Arctic Circle. This, of course, makes sense. Santa needs a very long time to run all his errands and deliver all the toys to the good kids!
Northern lights, the most beautiful Christmas decorations
When traveling to Lapland you can discover the mysterious northern lights, near the secret mountain of Korvatunturi, a place where elves can listen to children and know if they are behaving well. You will be able to enjoy a spectacular luminosity, breathtaking landscapes, a different climate and all sorts of activities in the Arctic Circle.
The emotion of witnessing the Northern Lights is a unique experience in life. Finland is one of the best places on Earth to observe northern lights. They appear in more than two hundred nights a year in Finnish Lapland. Folklore and legends on the sidelines, the physical phenomenon of the auroras Borealis occurs when the particles of positive charge (ions) that the sun gives off and travel through space at speeds of up to 1200 km/sec, collide with the earth. Some of these particles get trapped in the Earth’s magnetic field and move to the ionosphere. It is then when colliding against the gases of this terrestrial layer when the phenomenon of light and movement are known as boreal auroras (North) or austral auroras (South) occurs. The range of colors spreads from red to green, through blue and violet. In order to see the aurora at its peak, it is necessary to find ourselves on a cloudless night, with temperatures below 0ºC and a good dose of luck. Moving away from the cities and their artificial lights is also usually recommended.
Book a trip to Finland and spend a magical Christmas in Lapland. You might not see Santa Claus, but you will for sure have one of the best holidays ever. And, remember, you will be real close to another Legend… The land of the Vikings.
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