I know of wearied travellers who eschew the experience because it’s highly touristy and everything’s ridiculously overpriced and to be perfectly honest, I do not disagree with any of that. Personally if I were from a neighbouring Nordic country with the same reindeer and the same snow and the same subzero temperatures, I would probably be rolling my eyes at the entire spectacle myself. However, as fate would have it, I am seated on another line on the globe altogether- more specifically, the Equator Line- so you can imagine how (and why) all this was truly a Heaven-on-Earth moment for me. I am so personally deeply obsessed with Christmas so I cannot even begin to wonder just how to break down this place to you without bias. I love how vast the Village is (like, it is literally a village) made up of all these little shoppes and log cabins and park trails; and I definitely love the giant trees and fairy lights and campfires and its very festive spirit all round. Every tree’s a Christmas tree, and every day’s Christmas; and it all gets twice more magical once the snow starts to fall. Here the line is marked, and you can literally cross in (or out) of the Arctic Circle and get a certificate for it too (for a fee, of course). You can also virtually tick off your entire Rovaniemi check list from within the confines of these grounds, starting from accommodation in its cabins and igloos, to your more standard Arctic Circle laundry list including reindeer sleds, husky rides, Northern Lights, ice castles, snowbiling, and more. The one thing you can do here that you cannot do anywhere else though, is write a letter to your loved ones (or even yourself) and post it back via the North Pole post. There’s one that mails out immediately, and one that holds your post until closer to Christmas. It’s all very immersive and whimsical.

If you dont have kids, this place has limited appeal. Visiting the Santa is "free", but no pictures are allowed inside and then they want to charge €30+ for a picture, €45 if you want it digital. The Arctic Circle line is cool though.

We spent the weekend in a lodge,snow overnight and then a fantastic day visiting Santa 🎅🏻 and his pets . Including reindeer of course. Toasted marshmallows. Tried everything in Santaland, elves training,gingerbread decoration,watching a superb show. My grandsons were enchanted.

not that much to do here if you're a poor student like us. The whole village and seeing Santa is free but only after waiting for 45mins (if you're here out of season) you learn you can't take photos with him - they take it for u and it's 30€/photo. Santa's pets (a zoo) is 15€, the reindeer and other anaimals are lovely. Otherwise not much to see if your budget is low; a 4 hour visit is definitely enough.

Lovely village ☃️😍 It was such a pleasure to meet Santa and his adorable pets. The atmosphere is magical and full of Christmas spirit! I’ll get back for sure!

Meeting Santa Claus excited everyone regardless of age. We were looking forward to it. I don't want to believe that you can enjoy talking to Santa so much. He can even thank you in Polish. Despite the visit to the village at 27 degrees ( July), I remember my stay exceptionally. The photo with Santa is one of the most valuable in my photographic collection of memories. Accommodation is very comfortable. I hope to visit the village in winter someday. Friends had a surprise - they received Christmas greeting letters from Santa Claus himself. It's a brilliant idea. I'm glad I was able to give them such pleasure. Unforgettable and interesting memories and souvenirs. Poor Santa Claus.. I had a high fever later that day, I hope I didn't get infected with anything.

A must go place if you are ever in Rovaniemi unless perhaps you're a resident!! In any case, you visit Rovaniemi because of Santa Claus Village right? We went there on a freezing day when the temperature dips to minus 4.. Freezingly cold ❄️ and we ended up running from one indoor attraction to another indoor place to enjoy the warming.. Outdoor activities are really for those willing to brave the cold. Reindeer rides, husky carriages, horses and snow sports. Nice place overall. Lots of souvenir shops all with similar items but prices can be different so be smart. Must do - standing at the Arctic circle line and seeing yourself on YouTube.

We visited the Santa Claus Office in the summer, with temperatures into the low 30s, and unfortunately left disappointed. Aside from a few overpriced souvenir shops and cafes, there wasn’t much to see. We genuinely wanted to enjoy the experience, but it felt like a major money grab. Charging €40 for a single photo with Santa, plus an extra €55 for digital downloads, is excessive. The visit itself was rushed — less than five minutes — and Santa didn’t even ask what we wanted for Christmas. The facilities also looked tired and in need of maintenance. Sadly, the magic just wasn’t there.

We had a really special visit to Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi with our two kids (8 and 9). We went twice—once on a Thursday and again on Sunday in late November. Thursday was definitely the quieter day, but no matter whether it was light or dark, the whole place felt magical. We did the husky ride, which cost €220 for the four of us for about 15 minutes. We booked it through Bearhill in advance, and it was absolutely worth it—such a lovely experience. We also tried the reindeer ride. It was €100 for a short 400-meter loop. It was fine, but there was quite a long wait for something so quick, and you definitely don’t need to book that one ahead. Meeting Santa was the big highlight. Even though we had booked, there was still about a 40-minute wait, but the line moved through a corridor filled with little details the kids really enjoyed. They loved peeking through keyholes and “spying” on elves at work. Santa himself was wonderful—gentle, warm, and incredibly authentic. There were a lot of adults in the queue ahead of us, but when it was our turn, he genuinely lit up seeing the kids. You can choose between buying the video and digital photo or just the printed picture. The whole place is full of great photo spots, and it ended up being a really memorable experience for our children.

I would not have the patience to stand in long lines during Christmas but it was a fun and quick thing to do in the summer. Santa had a kind conversation with us and then they took our picture—it’s 50 euros to buy 😂 thanks but no thanks. They have made the area where you wait look like Santa’s workshop, which would be fun for young children. Suggest getting there before it opens if this is a must do for your family in December

Unhappy... they proposed the digital package for 55eur. Then they claimed that there was additional photos for additional 25 eur... we accepted believing that there were 3 or 4 photos, at the end it was only 1... so overall, 4 pictures + the whole video was 55 eur. A photo more 25 eur... when asked to reimburse they refused. Strong recommendation: check for the details to avoid what happened.

The Real Santa..... brilliant! Quite a qué but great themed rooms as you approach the big man in red. 🎅. Photos and video digital and printed at 90Euros for the package.

This is where you can meet Santa Claus and have a photo taken for remembrance. There's also a shop selling all kinds of Christmas stuff.

Today this remarkable event happened. To say that I was surprised would be an understatement. Such a huge number of people is hardly enjoyable, and I truly do not understand why the majority are adults. There were not that many families with children. Special thanks to the elf who understood our situation and helped us reduce the waiting time. While I was standing in the queue, I remembered that Santa Claus — Joulupukki — has an amazing gift: he can clone himself and be in different places at the same time. Now I have a question for the organisers: is it really impossible to “clone” the Santas so they can welcome people in different rooms? These queues are unbelievable. And what if a child has special needs and physically cannot wait? Only the elf was able to help us. Once again, thank you to him.

We visited the Santa Park on 1 November 2025 and can't recommend this place highly enough for kids young and old who want to truly experience a magical Christmas experience in Lapland. We absolutely loved every second of it. Santa was so warm and friendly, the elves were super friendly and interacted with everyone, the train was magical, the elf school was surreal, the cookie decorating was like something out of a storybook and the elf show was heartwarming. We couldn't fault anything. It was our second trip to Rovaniemi to visit Santa with our four children and our first time visiting the Santa Park. It was the highlight of our time in Lapland. We can't wait to go back. Even the walk there through the forest from our apartment was magical. Well worth visiting!

We visited Santa park 5th November, just before the tourist season & Christmas rush it was as simply perfect. Family of 5, two adults 3 kids (14,12 and 5) everyone of them loved it & so so we 10/10 the elves are all amazing.. they make it extra special for the kids the atmosphere is magical. Santa visit was the highlight of our trip…. Amazing

The most magical place from beginning to end. Everything you could possibly wish for and more. Santa was spectacular and spent so much time with the children and even took their letters and read them. Would highly recommend Santa park for anyone travelling to Rovaniemi. We will definitely be back again.

This is where dreams come true and made off, a wonderful magical experience. The Elves were so cute and loved seeing Santa and the Gingerbread cook 🧑🏼‍🍳, the Elves show was spectacular ! The train ride is full of Christmas magic, highly recommend!

Great place to visit , lots to do from visiting Santa 🎅 , art activities ,show, elf academy and games for children to do and for us adults it keeps the magic alive ⛄️🎄

Magical.... my 3 and 5 year old were taken away to the magical Christmas land with Elves and got to meet the real santa. The staff are extremely welcoming, the show is awesome and the food pretty good. We had the VEP package and we thought it was worth the extra cost. Highly recommended!

Kids had the best day here. They are 8 & 10 and really enjoyed the park. We did the Elf School, cookie decoration, Christmas decoration & met Santa. They also enjoyed the Elf Show & went in the Santa train 3 times. Spent about 4 hours there it was really lovely. My kids are picky so I brought some snacks as they didn't like the food at the restaurant

We had a good few hours here & learnt a lot about Finlands history & interesting Arctic exhibits. I also recommend this area as a good spot to see the Aurora if the conditions are good. Walk down to the lakes edge & although there is light pollution we still saw some great Aurora activity.

I was looking for something to fill up our last day in Rovaniemi and fortunately saw this museum. We spent a few hours in two exhibits. The science area had so many hands on things to do. I had to drag my preteen out because we were running out of times it was such a great time, and I liked how they blended culture, geography, science and more into a seamless Arctic exhibit. Then we went to the more historical exhibit and my son was less in. No big deal… we had spent so much time in the science area 🤷‍♀️ I highly recommend this museum! We even tried to build an igloo

Fantastic museum filled with information on the Arctic environment, history of Finland, Sami culture and much more. It is packed with exhibits allow at least 2 hours. Very nice selection at gift shop and cafe and also attached arboretum.

Arktikum is a must see. We spent over 2 hours there. There are interactive displays on the Arctic region, snow & ice, northern lights, Sami people and culture. We learnt a lot about the planet and its northern people and animals. If you have time then buy the 7 day cultural pass that gives you unlimited entry to 3 museums and art gallery.

Artikum is full of information! My family and I learnt so much about Finland when we visited it. We spent 4 hours absorbing as much information as we could. It has some interactive sections which was fun. The building is beautiful with its high glass ceiling, clean interior and it also houses Artikum Cafe which served pretty decent food. Note: We visited in March 2025, but I forgot to put in the review until now.

Amazing digital-interactive and can-touch exposition abut the polar circle and its life and nature. Part of it, is a year-round cinema and aurora borealis show (for those vising in summer, when daylight lasts 20hrs and there is no real night). You can build igloo, paint your own aurora borealis. Highly recommended inteligent amusement. Way-way better than nearby Santa-visit over-commercial attraction.

The museum is not so big as expected, or so interactive But definitely interesting, with a lot of info to gain, nothing boring, also appropriate for kids. The store is very nice, obviously expensive, nothing found to be with the allergy label available... And above all, the ticket Culture pass allows you to see all 3 museums with the same ticket.

It a square in central Rovaniemi, Finland. Next to the square are located a shopping centre called Sampokeskus and a small boulevard. There are also various restaurant and cafes located here. The square is especially popular as a venue for various events. There is also a official Santa office located here. Entrance is free but one need to pay for taking photo with Santa. I went there around Christmas and there is a Christmas market selling various Christmas themed items. There is also a skating ring for kids can have fun.

Nice city center square of Rovaniemi. It’s easy to park and get around, a few decent f&b options around this shopping and hotel area.

Main Square of Rovaniemi, Some great shops, restaurants and cafes here, also a small shopping centre, Looked stunning at night with the lights and snow, great location for photos.

Great place to visit, especially if you have Hard rock and Eurovision! And Finland!

This place is like the "main square" of Rovaniemi, situated in the middle of the main pedestrian streets in the town. It's surrounded by shopping centres and different shops, and sometimes hosts events and markets here. Highly recommend a stroll around here in good weather, as part of the Rovaniemi experience.

City centre. With shops, restaurants, supermarket and hotels in this area.

We spent a few hours here and my kids learnt to ice skate. Recommended

An extraordinary experience with ice floating, walking on ice and a very friendly staff, we had an interesting tour around the vessel and a diploma at the end. Unforgettable moments!

A once in a lifetime experience aboard the Sampo Icebreaker in Finland! The views were incredible! Watching the massive ship churn through thick ice was mesmerizing! Our plan was a tour of the ship, lunch, and then the famous polar plunge. The ship tour was fascinating. It was so neat to see all the rooms and learn about the ship’s operations up close. Lunch was a surprising delight! They offered a delicious buffet with plenty of options. Normally, I dread buffets, so it was a great surprise to enjoy. The Icebreaker bar was a fun stop. We were given a complimentary shot served in a glass made out of ice which made for memorable toast! Then came the polar plunge! They suit you up in these giant survival suits that basically turn you into a human buoy. Watching everyone floating around in the icy water was hilarious and unforgettable! If you don't want to suit up, you can also walk on the frozen glacier, which was equally amazing. My visit was a perfect mix of adventure, comedy, and gorgeous scenery I will never forget!

The experience on the SAMPA Icebreaker was absolutely incredible! From the moment we boarded, we were amazed by the breathtaking views and the unique energy of the Arctic landscapes. Sailing through the vast ice fields and feeling like we were in a frozen wonderland was extraordinary, like a dream come true. The part where we went out onto the ice and into the water with the special NASA-designed suits was unforgettable—a sense of safety combined with an unparalleled adventure. A big thank you to the professional and friendly crew who took care of every detail and made this experience one of the most memorable ones for us. Highly recommended for anyone looking to feel the Arctic magic up close!

Incredible trip! Recommend to book early. It was such a once a lifetime kinda thing to do. Seeing the Sampo break through the ice with the breathtaking view was so therapeutic. The buffet lunch was tasty. Walking on the frozen sea was interesting.And last but not least the Swimming was fun!

It's an experience. Thought we could like do swimming with the suit but too bad, NO, you can only lie down, not even like on the standing position. That's why I don't feel very comfortable. Lunch served was so-so to me. Maybe I'm not used to it. Staffs are all friendly and nice.

The experience of floating was not as it appears in videos. They just make a very small congested space to float. and allow for a minute may be. Not really like too much. Not too much worth. Cruise was okay, food was okay and staff was cooperative.

An amazing experience!! You will see the frozen lake cracks, float in the ice water, and take some amazing pictures. The latte in the coffee stand is great !!

I visited The SnowCastle of Kemi in Finland toward the end of the season, and it was an awesome experience! Some of the sculptures had started to melt sadly (a few missing arms and smaller details), but it didn’t take away from how incredible the whole setup was! They had an awesome ice slide that both the kids and adults were overjoyed with sliding down! It was definitely a highlight to see all the happy faces! The merchandise shop was impressive too, with lots of great souvenirs including clothing and home items. A great variety! They also have a cafe offering drinks and snacks. I almost missed the actual SnowCastle! It’s a short walk across the parking lot from the main building (easy to overlook if not paying attention because it looks like a warehouse). The driveway was very slippery with black ice when we visited, and there were several buses coming in and out. I made sure to tread extra slow. Thankfully, I wore some really good snow boots! Overall, it was a really cool experience! Unique, fun, and worth the visit!

So disappointed with our visit, the snow castle was just a pile of snow you could enter… my four year old daughter liked the slides but the slides in a normal park is for free. The ice part is ok but small, if you gonna mark yourself as a snow castle, go big or just stop. Look at my pictures and you are really not missing anything.

The SnowCastle of Kemi can be part of your winter wonderland experience. The intricate ice sculptures were fascinating to see, each one a masterpiece of artistry and craftsmanship. The highlight was definitely the giant ice slide, which was incredibly fun and added a playful touch to the enchanting atmosphere. A truly unique and memorable experience.

SnowCastle is a giant ice room.Inside you find sculpters on all kind of sfuff made of ice. Worth to visit absolutely . On the other side of building there is a restaurant , the Best food in the whole town !

Great food, live music, and in the winter it looks like an awesome place to see the northern lights. People of Kemi are really welcoming and the restaurant here has the best views of the water and landscape. Food was fresh and the service was top tier. Loved the once in a lifetime look into the hand sculpted ice room. Loved my time here. Will come back again.

The building includes a restaurant, a café, bathrooms, and souvenir shops, in addition to a castle snow 365 experienc. The experience is beautiful; everything there is made of snow, and you can try the ice slide. However, I find the price exaggerated as the ticket is 18 euros, usually covering the snow experience and snow garden. Despite the snow garden being closed, and we only saw the small snow castle, they charged the full ticket price. I believe there should be a discount when the service or the offer is not complete. Besides that, the staff is courteous and friendly.

Nice employees, but there is no snow or ice castle for 5 years here. There is an ice sculpture, jewlleries, etc exposition.

Shallow swimming area, you will have to walk quite a distance to swim in deeper water. Sandy beach. There are rocks at the water's edge, followed by a sandy bottom. Very beautiful sunsets in the evenings. There are changing rooms, bicycle parking, and a fenced-in playground nearby.

Large, clean beach. Public transportation connection by bus, although one has to walk quite far, around 15 minutes to reach the bus stop. Was a life guard, a small amusement park for children, mini golf and restaurants.

I went to this place in winter and had an amazing experience walking on the frozen sea. It was an out of the world feel. People have been walking, running, skiing, skating and ice fishing on the frozen sea. The first experiences are one of the best experiences and this was one such for me. Lovely landscape, completely white all around and a peaceful surrounding. In summer this would be another best spot to swim, camp and spend some quality time outdoor

Good place to watch the sunset. A place to be if u visit Oulu, but don't expect crystal clear water 😅

Beautiful beach (Clean and less crowded) I was staying in Radisson Blue and took a Cycle from the Hotel . Its 3.5 KM from the Hotel and you will really enjoy the way to this Beach. Never ever miss to go to this beach by cycle (if you don't know how to skate :) ). The scenic beauty is awesome.

Beautiful view but the beach stinks awfully which was unpleasant. Surprised to see anyone in the water as I read it was heavily polluted as it is Baltic water.

Lovely day at the beach in Olou with the St: Clara Church from Sweden Stockholm

The food was very good. Sitting inside ist not my preferred option but sitting outside is very nice especially when the sun is not that hot!

Absolutely brilliant. The restaurand was recommended by the staff at the hotel. I went there the evening and ordered the Mushroom dip, which was already very good. Following then by the Salmon steak with Beetroot risotto. An amazing combo and incredibly tasty. The restaurant staff were also very nice there. Thank you very much!

Excellent service, delicious food and awesome company. I really enjoyed my dinner here.

Food was amazing, the place was amazing, recommended to reserve before going

A disappointing place. Food wasn’t really tasting good. Not a cheap place though. Main course was not tasting well. Rosti not good with the perch, sauce funny taste, too salty, too spicy - chicken was un-tastefull (no feta?!) - more like food from a takeaway grill. Mayo on the reindeer carpaccio was a mistake. Apple crumble un-interesting. House wine poor. Cook did not do a good job. Waited 20 min just to order (not busy at that time). Banana flies at our table!

Food was just fine, french fries 🍟 are not home made, burger 🍔 is served with a super spice pepper 🌶️. Service was fast. The place is nice, you can go only for a drink here.

Very nice food, tasty and well presented. Lovely service

The food was very good. Sitting inside ist not my preferred option but sitting outside is very nice especially when the sun is not that hot!

Absolutely brilliant. The restaurand was recommended by the staff at the hotel. I went there the evening and ordered the Mushroom dip, which was already very good. Following then by the Salmon steak with Beetroot risotto. An amazing combo and incredibly tasty. The restaurant staff were also very nice there. Thank you very much!

Excellent service, delicious food and awesome company. I really enjoyed my dinner here.

Food was amazing, the place was amazing, recommended to reserve before going

A disappointing place. Food wasn’t really tasting good. Not a cheap place though. Main course was not tasting well. Rosti not good with the perch, sauce funny taste, too salty, too spicy - chicken was un-tastefull (no feta?!) - more like food from a takeaway grill. Mayo on the reindeer carpaccio was a mistake. Apple crumble un-interesting. House wine poor. Cook did not do a good job. Waited 20 min just to order (not busy at that time). Banana flies at our table!

Food was just fine, french fries 🍟 are not home made, burger 🍔 is served with a super spice pepper 🌶️. Service was fast. The place is nice, you can go only for a drink here.

Very nice food, tasty and well presented. Lovely service

i havent been before like amazing exhibiton , it is really good time travel. I recommend it to everybody who likes the plane and the history

Beautiful collections of military devices especially the old planes is very interesting

Great place to visit with kids – fun and educational! Located close to Jyväskylä with easy access via the highway, it's a convenient spot for a family outing. The place offers interesting learning experiences for children and adults alike. Parking is available, making the visit even more hassle-free.

One of the best aviation museums I've ever visited. The aircraft are amazingly well preserved, many in their original paint, rather than being restored with new parts. There are 4 cockpits you can sit in, with many parts still working. The cafe and gift shop are small. I was impressed to see a selection of relevant aircraft kits and decals in the shop.

This is a great museum offering detailed information about the history and development of the FInnish airforce. Owing to its location, it is best to get here by car. However, bus number 22 from the Jyvaskyla public transport takes you here. From the downtown of Jyvaskyla to the museum , the bus ride takes around 30 minutes.

Very cool museum with 40+ aircraft of all uses and sizes. This is accompanied ons of models and also very informative panels about the history of Finnish aviation including interesting backstories of the blue swastika and home-made planes Tiira. Another cool feature is that you can sit in real cockpits of two real fighter jets (just the cockpit part present in this case). Part of the exhibits are outside but most of the museum is hosted indoors.

Awesome place for the aviation nerd 🤣 Got two and a half SAAB J35 Drakens... the half being a front with a cockpit that you may sit inside (along MiG-21 too, so you can compare the east vs. west experience). The exposition is focused on Finnish air forces alone, and is very rich, extensive and well organised. Time very well spent!

Very nice guided tour in this wonderful 250+ years old wooden church made by local farmers

Just one area to visit but very interesting. Had an English tour that was pretty detailed. Amazing how a wooden structure is intact and well preserved. Easy to reach and don't lose the cemetery around the church.

It's a site worth seeing but the fee is 8 euro just to go inside. We choose to walk the grounds and view the exterior for free.

One of the best wooden churches I have been to - very quaint, simple, unique & well-preserved! A must visit if you are in Jyvaskala.

Beautiful old church with informative tour in the summer

The church is really nice, something that you rarely would see somewhere else as it is entirly made with wood. The church is small, but it's really interesting both for the architecture and for the history. If you're visiting it in winter remember to wear warm clothes as the church is not heated.

lovely old church. the guide let us in 15 minutes before opening time because we were already there!

Another amazing museum in Finland you have to visit. It’s beautifully made and arranged.

A must see museum if you travel to Jyväskylä, birth place of Alvar Aalto and Aino Aalto, legendary Finnish Architects!

Small but pretty informative, next to the Museum of Central Finland - one price to visit both.

Very comprehensive museum about Alvar Aalto ´s work. Could do with more information about Aino ´s and Elissa ´s work. The information about his works in the city are poorly indicated Highly recommend to attend the guided tour of the experimental house

Very interesting and nice museum if you want to know more about the great Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto. It also has other exhibitions like the history of Central Finland and Jyväskylä.

We were lucky enough to go the the Aalto museum on the opening day. This was an amazing experience with the new additions being a welcome connection. It was great to see all of the hand drawings and original works.

It's a museum dedicated to Alvar Aalto, and to be frank, I was maybe not interested enough to find this super exciting. However, if you are interested in architecture this is most probably something for You.

A visitor a couple of times in winter. There are slopes for beginners and extreme skiers. Two snowparks. I recommend trying them!

Alright ski experience and worth a visit if you are in a 3 hour radius. Most slopes are more suited to intermediate and advanced skiers. 👍 LIKE 🔸️ Easy drive, 3+ hours from Helsinki or Turku 🔸️ Decent artificial snow that holes up under plus temperature and and hot sun 🔸️ Number of slopes and snow parks 🔸️ Sufficiently challenging red & black slopes 🔸️ Fun kids' / Entertainment park with toboggan and snow racers 🔸️ Many lifts 🔸️ Short wait in lift queues 🔸️ Lifts are functioning 🔸️ Large beginners' area with travelator. 🔸️ Large parking area 🔸️ Simple but functional ski shop 😔 DISLIKE 🔸️ No warm room and hard to find a common area for free storage for bags and shoes 🔸️ Food costs too much, not good quality. Limited to mostly fast food 🔸️ Overcrowded entrance, ski rental 🔸️ Limited toilets 🔸️ Too few blue and green slopes 🔸️ Too long stretches of flat areas to travess between lifts 🔸️ Almost impossible to find a table outdoors at meal times 🔸️ Although there are a number of slopes, there is little variation to the ski experience

Had a great time at Himos Ski Resort! The rental service was smooth and efficient, with friendly staff who got us geared up quickly. The slopes were surprisingly good—well-maintained, with a nice variety for different skill levels. Even on a weekend, it didn’t feel overcrowded, which made the experience even better. Everything was well organized, from lift operations to signage, making it easy to navigate. Definitely a solid choice for skiing in Finland! Also, as lifelong snowboarder, this was a good place to try skiing.

Usually we love Himos and come here every year, but this weekend the ski slopes are in horrible state. When coming of off a lift then you have to start walking through snow to get to the slopes. Sadly it seems that the slopes are not taken care of. Very disappointed….. Hopefully the resort will do something about it, because it’s a very nice resort otherwise.

This is best ski resort in Southern Finland. Just 2,5h from Helsinki without coffee breaks. There is plenty of cottages for rent in the village around Himos even on the hill. Have been here only in winter but there is also golf courses for a swings to take at summer time. Many other outdoor and indoor activities available around the year like snowmobile and fatbike rides, cross-country skiing, concerts and festivals. Little city of Jämsä is very near and has lots of good size grocery stores.

A small ski resort that has almost everything. It certainly cannot compete with Levi but the close proximity to Tampere and Helsinki makes it an ideal weekend trip destination. With sufficient snow, the resort offers small hills for beginners, plenty of red and black tracks for more experienced winter sports(wo)men and a jump&fun park. The tracks are illuminated and allow skiing long after the sun went down. Some of the lifts are a bit old but new ones are under construction. Plenty of free parking, service people, and possibilities to eat. However, prices for food and drinks are high and the (evening) ski pass could be cheaper too, especially when not all tracks are open. I visit the ski arena around five or six times per year but certainly miss longer tracks. At least the waiting time for the lifts are usually very short.

Today is perfect. -10, perfect snow conditions, sunshine and lots of fun. What else would you need. Higher and longer slopes but that's northern Finland. This is as good as it gets in the "south". Two hours away from Helsinki 😎

That's just a great place for all kind of sport and recreational activities. In a walking distance you have all you need. Running indoors and outdoor, cross-country skiing, widr range of tracks for beginners and pros. Would wish that tracks are clean, I got bad scratches on my skis. Tried gym and circuit training area, running loop, swimming pool. Classes for students are good and modern. Conference rooms are good. Restaurants are good quality both cheaper and more pricy. Good pub for evening. Sleep in Fennada is of good quality. Room service need improvement, towels not changed, coffee mugs were dirty when arrived. But generally clean, has a drying locker.

Visited during autumn holiday. Finding the activities was horrendous. Web pages partly wrong, no signs, nobody to ask. The coaches were nice but they had absolutely no idea on customer value basics, and no willingness to receive feedback. Example: archery. We were told to come to a lobby of a certain building where the instructor would fetch us. Name of the building was wrong in the net and there were several lobbies. At one minute to due time nobody around. They had the participant list so they knew whom to expect. Finally found the group in a dark building 15 min late. After the class the instructor ran away to avoid feedback. You really need to work on this!

Good place to plan few days holiday for sport events. A lot of different options for all aged people throughout the year. I had been for 1 summer day and it became memorable one. Good for large groups and families. Resort offers food services according to the requirements. Its 132km far from Helsinki but really close to the nature. I recommend it.

Very good crosscountryski ( Loipe) trails ( difficult with hills, middle, easy. every morning fresh made...huge sledge hill🛷, a lot of other sportactivities possible :swimming, gym,skating, in Summer Golf, a lot of Tenniscourts outside, walking at the lakes, beachsauna, climbing Trail , and and.... Our holidayhouse had a fireplace, Sauna, barbeque Grill outside...we were happy there....we ate sometimes in the Restaurant Puhti Buffet next to the Hotel Fennada in Vierumäki.

Nice place to enjoy wintersports, although it is quite expensive overall. We had a nice cottage, fully equipped, sports facilities top notch. Rental prices for equipment are fair depending on the sports you choose. Curling for example is very expensive. Discovered new sports of Padel and used snow shoes for the first time. Everyone will find something they will enjoy here. Food on the premises is also of very high quality. Lunches in the cafe are very price worthy.

The best sport institute in Finland or the whole world. Everything within walking distance. For example, two ice rinks, two golf courses, soccer court, tennis courts, padel, gym, functional gym, courts for many indoor sports, plenty of outdoor sports, beach volleyball, frisbee golf, swimming hall and spa, premium hotel and other accommodation options, great restaurants, great staff and much more.

Large and incredible sport Village whee you can find all kind of sports! There restaurants, bars, and hotels. It is surrounded by forests and lakes! Just a paradise

Nice place, the service not so much. From the first restaurant we were sent downstairs and there they wanted to send us back up. You gotta serve yourself and it's very overpriced

The must-visit, located near Kouvola. You will not find a museum here in the traditional sense, but it is very cool to walk around the historical territory of the plant and the trails around. There are several barbecue areas, you can rent a house and enjoy the local nature. In summer you can use free hanging tents

Great UNESCO World Heritage Site. Museum is running by Finnish stock exchange company UPM.

A lovely place for a family day trip. 100% buy tickets for the tour to see and hear about the mill. This includes (and is the only way to) see the inside spaces with all the original machinery and equipments!! Even a short film showing the mill in use, filmed during the last years of production. There is also a lot to see outside; with the power damn, nature, and all the other buildings associated with production. There is a good cafe and toilets. The whole place is very well maintained.

Grounwood and board mill museum in Verla is absolutely worth visiting! You can explore the interiors of mill buildings only on guided tours, which start on the hour sharp. The guide explains each stage of technology of converting spruces into cardboards. You get an idea how the old machines were used. There is also a very informative, 10 min long film at the end of the guided tour. However, if you arrive outside the opening hours, the place is still worth visiting due to it's amazing location. There are many information boards outside the buildings that explain the history and technology of the mill. There is a beautifull garden with impressive villa. Cafeteria offers delicious buns. There are also shops that sell genuine handicrafts.

Verla Ironworks is a beautiful, traditional industrial area with well-preserved buildings, museum and cafés. It's a good spot to stop for lunch or coffee or just to admire the beautiful surroundings. Check also out the old rock paintings next to the ironworks area.

An important and a vital part of industrial history. And a really nice and beatiful place to visit with excellent cafe. And the wine shop. Taste their calvados style verla xo. Be surprised. Easily one day visit and even three, two nice forest trails and many cottages to choose for overnight stays. Budget friendly pricing. Really worth visiting.

I gotta say, it surely is a cute little collection of mostly well kept bikes, but. What I'm struggling with, is the price of such a small collection, and with very little information about their history. I would appreciate more informative signs to read. It really isn't worth of the current price (12€) Maybe a bit cheaper ticket would also encourage people to try it out?

Very small, but well kept museum. Two rooms + one exhibition room (for Honda bikes for the time being). Enjoyed it even for a pretty hefty price (14e).

Visited 5 years ago, and decided to return again, an excellent collection of motorcycles in a beautifully laid out and thoughtful arrangement, to anyone with the slightest interest please go! In addition the food was excellent!

Very nice place. Yearly changing exhibitions. About 100 bikes, this year Honda 120. Staff also friendly.

The bikes are unique, but an entrance fee of 12 Euros makes it somewhat questionable. It's not out of this world and staff mimics American culture. Good music.

Very good place with rare motorcycles. At the entrance we were welcomed by the collection owner!

Very interesting museum with several rare bikes + super friendly owner and staff and nice cup of coffee in museum cafe. Highly recommended!

Great music hall with superb acoustics and relatively cheap café.

Wonderful place, professional staff, wonderful food and a breath taking view of this magnificent wooden construction. We had a wonderful time.

This is the official venue of the annual Sibelius music festival held at Lahti Finland

nice place for car meeting

Beautiful theatre. Staff were lovely and clockroom and drinks all decently priced.

This is the most magnificent concert hall in the world and the Lahti Symphony Orchestra are HIGHLY underrated. A beautiful setting on the docks at Lake Vesijarvi in Lahti City, Finland. The only other concert hall with perhaps as good a setting is the Sydney Opera House in Sydney Harbour Australia, but I prefer Sibelius Hall. This was the view from the steps outside the hall on the evening of Thursday 17th May 2018.

Impressive timber structure for contemporary architecture.

Small musem that gets out everything of the different ski sports thats possible. Nice exhibitions through the history of cross-country, biathlon, ski-jumping or snowboarding and a ski-jumping simulator and laser pistol and biatlon riffle shooting also included. Worth to see when you are at the sports centre in Lahti!

Interesting but quite small place. Aimed at people of all ages. Lots of interaction and games for kids and like minded people. Just wishes there were more sports memorabilia.

Very interesting place about the ski history of Finland. On of the most interesting part is activities such as virtual ski jumping and biathlon shooting (I really wanted to just to stay there :)) It would be great if audio guide will be added to the first floor as well. And the audio guide on the basement would be a bit shorter, because it's a bit difficult to consume such amount of information

Best place in Europe to watch ski jumping. Hills put completely in nature ever so close to city center.

Nice place. Great to be for Ski events. Places to visit with kids. Skijumpsimulator! Funny. Have fire place to grill!

Place with Wintersport history - we stopped there for lunch which was served as buffet and was delicious.

Very Modern museum, giving some history about skiing in general and of cause the finish sports. And a bit of fun in the ski jump simulator and shooting Simulator, nice idee. But from my point of view the entrance fee is a bit to high for the size of the museum, maybe for somebody who is more into Finnish winter sports legends it is more worth it.

Big shopping center with all you might need near Kouvola. Good variety of restaurant and cafes and cinema as well. Weekend mornings might be more busy than usual.

In my opinion, one of the best shopping center in Finland. You can find restaurants, clothes, cafes, toys and other things there! If you have never been there, you should go and have a look.

Just the ordinary mall with movie theater and restaurants but the only thing what is bat that it's too far from the town. And there is not a public transport which goes there. You need have a car to visit this mall. But if you are an old person or a person without a driving license it's too damn difficult to go there. It's outside frome town. Location is bad.

A typical Finnish shopping mall, has many small stores varying from clothing to jewellery to beauty products, cafes, restaurants, department stores and a movie theater. Only downside is that it is quite far from central Kouvola, but there are a few bus lines that do go there.

The mall has a good variety of shops and caffes. They also have a very nice playgrounds for children and also feeding rooms which is great for family visit and spending good amount of time. I would definitely recommend this place!

Largest mall in the area, with the most common cafeteria and shop chains present. The place has an adequate parking space, both in front and back of the building, several toilet facilities, kiddy-park, info-desk and other standard mall services. There's also a movie theater with 3D option.

New (therefore clean) and a decent choice of stores., for Finland at least. Also has large food store and builders merchant. Cinema complex to the rear

Welcome to the 80s, there is an accident waiting to happen. Don't get me wrong, kids (6&9yrs) had time of their lives during our visit. That's the good news. Problem is that the tickets for a family of four cost 124€. What did we get for the price: dirty toilets, unhappy employees, broken rides, rundown park area and a water park that was just in disgusting shape. We arrived during the first opening hour and toilets were not cleaned, great way to start the day. We didn't get a single hello from the staff. When we thanked them, we got back grunts. If the measurement is that kids have fun, great, that was achieved. With 124€ I expect more. Where is the money from the tickets put into? Not in maintenance, employees or cleaning. We spend 0€ to anything else during our visit just because everything was over priced so badly. Margins for basic ice cream must be around 85%. The whole place is a total rip off. My last visit was in the early 90s and I have to say that nostalgia was real, nothing had changed and the park was in way worse condition that I remembered. Water park side was just as run down. Black mold on the walls. Dead bugs, food and feathers from local wild birds in the water yet all staff were just on "life guard duty". Why not clean the pools while watching the pools? Why everything was covered in brown stains? There were not too many people and I understand why. You can't be asking this kind of price and keep the park in such state. This is greed in it's purest form. One star because the kids had fun, one star because there was no queues and parking was free.

Quite dated activity park for kids; has bit of a russian feel to it. Nice bang for the buck however. Really cold water in pools even on a hot day. Hard to get to without a car: from Riihimäki train station take a bus to Tervakoski and walk 1km. They go every 2-4 hours or so and only during weekdays. Very incompetent summer staff when we visited.

A bit worn out but still super fun! Definitely will come again earlier to have enough time for all the activities. Recommend to buy the return ticket too.

It was a trip down the memory lane for me. Seeing the place after tens of years with my own kids was awesome. It is good since there are a lot of activities that kids can actually do.

Lots of things that you can do here with kids. Price is not bad at all. Super kind and friendly workers, too. Were really having fun here. The best thing was puuhamaa grilli customer service. Recommending 😊

Very good place to spend a hot day with kids. Rides become lame after 1-2 times, but the water park doesn’t disappoint. The bad: food is crappy and expensive.

Went with a 4 year old and a 14 year old. We were there for opening at 10:00 and kept active until almost 19:00. Plenty to do. It was pretty quiet but well staffed. Didn't have to wait at all for anything. Plenty of sitting space while waiting for kids on every ride. Water park was clean and safe, with good slides for kids of all ages. We had a great day.

On the 30th of April we drove here to see the floral forest with wooden art. After we paid the tickets we chose the longest path. Little did we know that we actually came too early in the season, beacause all plants and flowers were yet to open up. Since the main reason for visiting was to see the flowers and plants, it was very unfortunate that we didn't get informed by the staff. Because, where did we pay for in the end? We've been fooled, but finished the walk through te ordinary forest. At least we enjoyed the nice weather and wooden sculptures.

Great variety of rare tree species and other plants. Beautiful sceneries too. There is a cafeteria where you can have lunch, coffee, sweets and ice cream. You can also buy tree saplings of many different species.

There is no nicer future gift to the next generations than someone planting a tree ... and this is exactly what the Mustila Arboretum is about as we are enjoying many such trees today that were planted slightly over a century ago. One of the key features are the rhododendrons and the azaleas ... plan your visit between the 20th of May and the 20th June for the perfect flowering time. Another key feature are the acer ... aim for the "ruska" time in early fall. This is a perfect outing on a nice day!!!

Absolutely stunning azalea season this year. Not too managed, the entire area retains a wild-like character. Worth visiting from early spring to late autumn.

Returning second time. Weather was BAD. Still the best time to come when Azaleas and Rhododendron flower. Very nice arboretum.

Calm place with a lot of blooming plants. Perfect place for a walks

Beautiful azaleas and rhododendron blooming. Peaceful paths. Coffee and buns at the little cafe. Gorgeous trees.

Great view over the history of the Finnish railways. Many old locomotives to see. There's also a cafe outside with a possibility to hop on a small train that rides around the park area during the summer time and when it is dry.

Great half-day trip from Helsinki! The Finnish Railway Museum is perfect for families with kids. The miniature train ride in the garden is a highlight. There’s also a fun indoor play area with wooden train sets, drawing corners, and even a real locomotive they can climb into. The museum is just a 10-minute walk from Hyvinkää train station, making it super easy to reach from Helsinki. The museum grounds are spacious, with well-preserved station buildings and outdoor displays that feel like walking through a piece of history. A most to-do if you’re in Uusimaa.

Great museum with unexpectedly beautiful and nice renovated trains. The condition of the locomotives are very good and during my visit there was some outdoor event as well with some modern trains and a running locomotive. It was great to visit and just around the corner from where I was living.

Great collection of historic trains. Several free entrance days, worth watching out for. Some days in the summer of steam trains running... But many more days a diesel is running. The park "ride on" train is nice, a 3min lap of the grounds for 1euro each. (Only runs in the summer)

The museum located in an old locomotive depot. A lot of rare trains as steam locomotive's. Very nice place!

I really enjoyed my visit thanks to the plurality of trains exhibited there. Despite the fact that the big hall is not heated, it was really pleasant being able to go really close to all sort of trains, and even to take look into the inside from the windows. The only negative point is that a big part of the presentation signs are only written in finnish and not translated.

One of the most interesting museums in Finland. The Uusimaa area is full of quirky modern art museums so it’s exciting to visit a history themed one that provides insight into the development of not only railway but also technology and the entire country as a whole. The museum’s premise is large, with many things to see and experience.

Please with this. The garden is beautiful and the place itself is a walk into a history book. The building itself is stunning and the rooms nicely kept. You can see a lot of the old ornaments and catch a glimpse of the of how people lived during this period. The garden is stunning and well kept. The cafe is also a nice place to hang out and walk around.

Very interesting home museum of the Finnish national composer Jean Sibelius.

After seen Sibelius Monument in Helsinki, it's just natural that one wants to see Ainola, the home of Jean and Aino Sibelius where they lived some half a century and which is now open for visitors as a home museum. The ticket price is 16 euro (summer25) which sounds a bit expensive if we think that the entrance costs to Kiasma, Ateneum and other big museums in Helsinki some 20 euroa. But maybe the ticket price doesn't matter so much if one is really interested in life of Finland's most famous composer.

A visit to Ainola had long been on my bucket list, so I arrived with high expectations. It's easy to see how the last 20 years or so of Sibalius' productive career, could have been influenced by such a stunning place. Today, the environment is a little spoiled by the proximity of a trunk road. But the house and gardens are unchanged since those days past, and you will appreciate the beauty and calm they install within you.

Beautiful house and gardens. Highly recommend taking the time to visit the 'temple', the route is absolutely stunning.

Really nice buildings and park. The interior and art collection are great. And the sauna! Worth visiting even if Sibelius is not your thing!

Home of Jean and Aino Sibelius, a very interesting history. A real home, did they say 99 ashtrays....he smoked cigars.

Small and boring town 🤷‍♂️

Beautiful church but we weren't able to visit inside. Maybe it's not open for public or is open only on specific occasions or we couldn't find the right door 😅

Huge church

Wet paint on the seats..

Beautiful architecture

Ok

Nice

A stunning location and a truly wonderful wooden house. The view to the lake is just fantastic. Very disappointed though to find that inside the house they did not have many works of Halonen on display but instead lots of paintings and works from other Finnish artists painted whilst they had been in France. I visited hoping to specifically see and learn about the person who had lived in the house. I am not sure if I would have wished to pay the rather expensive entrance fee to see works from artists who are already on display in large museums in Helsinki.

Amazing place on the lake Tuusula. If you looking for some peace and quiet, extraordinary views - you can find it here!

A superb artist house museum that contains all the original furnishing (unlike Ahola). The changing exhibition was filled with stars and great artworka.

It is a great museum with fantastic paintings and views. Worth to visit

Beautiful place, wouldn't have minded staying a bit longer. Great artworks and architecture. It was very hot inside though due to sun all day and the house being black 😁.

Lovely piece of Finnish history. Pekka Halonen’s atelier home is gorgeus and offers art exhibitions with different themes fron Finnish Art Golden Age 1880-1930 throughout the year.

I need to visit this place every summer. A cozy, lovely place , makes one never want to leave.

Located in the heart of Porvoo, this small cathedral features simple architecture and a calm atmosphere. The second floor is closed to visitors, yet the main hall still feels welcoming. At the entrance you can pick up postcards and other souvenirs, selecting the design or author you like, with an offer of your choice. I suggest visiting at least once.

Built in the 15th century with some parts from the 13th century, this is a small church in a quaint town with lots of history. If you're staying in Helsinki, I'm not sure it's worth the drive, but I am glad I went and got to see Porvoo.

A great 13th century rustic cathedral serving both the locsl Sw3dish and Finnisjh communities, with a commanding view of the surrounding settlement in Porvoo, about an hr from Helsinki central, overlooking a nice small river

The five stars are mostly for the great lecture we got from one of the volunteers. The lecture/tour seems to happen every hour or so at request. Strongly recommend doing it as it reveals so many interesting aspects of this historic building.

The church was probably finished in 1418, altough this is speculative. Making in One of the nations oldest, located in the heart of Old Porvoo.

Was closed for renovations, but outside was fantastic

Quaint church on top of a hill. Built in the 15th century with some parts from the 13th century. The church is small. There's a small table with souvenirs on the honor system.

Charming bed and breakfast spot in Porvoo. A shame we only stayed one night but the accomodations were cozy and inviting. The room we stayed in had a kitchen as well as a spacious living room. The living room had a nice view of the river. It was in the center of the town and easily accessible to the old and newer areas of Povoo. This would be a nice place for summer trip with the family.

Very cute B&B along the river in Porvoo, Finland. I stayed in the Star Room, which is a bit separated from the main property. Owner knocked on the door as I arrived. He apparently also owns the nearby restaurant Ranta-aitta, which had its commissary and bathrooms across from the property. Be aware this property and its windows all face an alley that will have fairly heavy foot traffic in the afternoon/evening hours because of the restaurant. I immediately drew all the blinds when I entered the unit. Other than that privacy inconvenience, the location is fantastic, right on the main strip of the old town of Porvoo. Inside the unit you have a nicely functional kitchen and washer/dryer (which I used and was very convenient). There's two bathrooms, one with a shower and one without. Shower is a bit small and confining, but solid. The chairs in the kitchen were not super comfortable and the wifi didn't reach the bedroom very well, so if you need to do something online for a decent amount of time the unit isn't the most ergonomic solution for this situation. There is a piano in the unit! I did not play or know if it was actually encouraged but it's something to consider. There is access to a sauna that's across the street from the main property, which I used. Its heat doesn't get much higher than 60-70ºC but with plentiful water you can get enough steam for a good sweat. Breakfast was solid.

We (two adults) stayed at Ida-Maria in Jan/2021 for two nights in ”Pieni huoneisto, puutarhanäkymä”. The room was lovely, cozy and clean. Delicious breakfast and very good service! All of this in the heart of Porvoo Old Town. Would absolutely recommend to anyone.

Beautiful river view from our bedroom. Fantastic breakfast in the red historic houses on the river. We had a great time, thank you!

If you like old-fashioned Finnish places, this is just perfect. Nice clean place to stay. Excellent service.

Everything is pretty good here! Only the pillow is a bit uncomfortable. But the location is great. My favorite is breakfast and sauna. Definitely recommended.

Peaceful place to stay overnight in the old city center, simple yet very good breakfast, small garden where you can eat breakfast and enjoy blossoming plants.

I shouldn't go here because I always find something to buy. Their chocolate and licorice are very tasty and good.

Very delicious, the mousse inside the chocolate is very special.

This chocolate shop sits right in the center of Porvoo and showcases the town’s own local brand. Inside you will find a huge range of options, from single bars to large mixed boxes perfect for gifts. The variety makes it easy to pick up something for yourself or bring a few treats home for friends. A must-stop for chocolate lovers visiting Porvoo.

Awesome chocolate products. Some pralines you can taste before you purchase any, which is great! Always crowded and busy but that's fine.

Delicious chocolate store with lots of samples and gluten free, lactose free, sugar free vegan chocolate

Nice chocolate shop. Very old. Not too big. But nothing is too big in Porvoo. Quiet village. Prices standard for northern countries (little bit expensive).

Better than promised. Wide variety of delicious and smooth chocolate. Orange is wonderful.

While the check-in service worked very well, the poor marks are actually motivated by the lack of cleanliness of the boat in general and the cabins particularly. We are travelling with a dog and there is a premium charge for this which I suppose should translate in some extra cleaning service. While it is still acceptable for the passage not to be 100%, a customer can expect to find a clean cabin ... Ours was still having a strong dog smell, the floor was sticky, the shower cabin had still previous dog spoor on the floor, there was even a used ear cotton bud on the floor ... glasses in the cabins are missing ... The ferry services are expensive enough for Finnlines to provide its customers a hygienic hospitality. We travel at least once a year and this year saw a deterioration in comparison with previous years. Time to do something about it I think 🤔.

Excellent service, very professional

Smooth and easy check-in procedure

Great crew at the office for tickets and on board the ferry. Large rooms with bathrooms and beds, Sauna, Jacuzzi, Internet, Gym, Library, Shops, Excellent food and alcohol. I really recommend !!! 👍👍👍👌👌👌

Be prepared that they will shave you heavy - you would need to pay for even water (hot) on board. Air is yet for free.

Terrible service. Took a booking and then canceled a ticket, even they new in advance it will be no sailing, because they planned ship maintenance on that day. No compensation for hotels,no even a cabin upgrade for inconvenience.

Easy to access, waiting can be a bit tedious but very efficient service when boarding starts.