There is a place in the far northern Scandinavian hinterlands where elves impart there secrets to wide-eyed youngsters, a princess reigns over her crystalline abode and anyone who believes in the yuletide season’s magic can meet the CEO of Christmas himself!
Known as the “official home of Santa Claus”, Santa Park Arctic World is a Christmas-theme fun park located in the town of Rovaniemi in Finland’s Lapland region at the doorstep of the planet’s frigid Northern Temperate Zone.
All of the park’s attractions are built underground in a kind of giant freezer, with a collection of icy-fun attractions like frozen artworks and below-zero abodes where some of the cast of characters are said to live.
No visit to a place with the word ‘Santa’ in its name would be complete without meeting the Chief Elf himself, Mr. S. Claus! That’s right, kids can visit Santa’s Office where they can ask questions, feel his beard and even catch a glimpse of that famous naughty and nice list. You can even see the navigational equipment he uses to plot his annual gift delivery route across the globe.
Girls and boys with a penchant for creative snack design will enjoy Cookie decorating at Mrs Gingerbread’s House. Take a seat amid the festive décor and decorate that heart-shaped biscuit till your heart’s content using frosting and sprinkles for a yummy DIY Christmas treat.
Guests can stop in at the underground Ice Cave and meet her Highness The Ice Princess, who greets visitors to her icy underground realm with warm jackets to fend off the — 10 degrees Celsius temperature. Among the attractions are amazing ice sculptures of winter animals, and ice chairs where families can have a chilly seat and enjoy a refreshing drink served in a glass made of ice! (Cheers, brrrrrr!)
Lending credibility to its claim of being home to ‘Santa HQ’, the park lies at a latitude of 65.6°N, right at the edge of the Arctic Circle, and one rally ‘cool’ park attraction gives guests a chance to cross over the actual geographic demarcation line of the of the polar cap region. Everyone making this unique “journey’ gets a certificate commemorating the event.
Parents who want their children to have a well-rounded education can send them to Elf School, where they will learn the finer points of the art of ‘elfing’. The curriculum includes some songs, magic tricks and even safety tips on water recreation, which is very popular in the region, while each graduate (no one flunks out) gets a nifty elf diploma suitable for framing and a souvenir Santa hat, while lessons are available in Finnish and English.
The Magic Train Christmas Ride is an old-timey locomotive that travels through park’s stunning Arctic wilderness. Along the way, passengers will meet elves, reindeer, huskies and other denizens of this winter wonder-scape. It’s also a unique cultural experience, with displays that include ‘wigwam’ tents and characters dressed in traditional costumes of the Sami people–Europe’s only surviving indigenous culture–who occupy the surrounding Lapland region.
The Yuletide fun continues with the Magic of Christmas stage show, taking place in the spacious Santa Park restaurant. The intricately staged programmed blends acrobatics and visual storytelling—all performed in mime. And for the ultimate Christmas souvenir, visitors Santa’s Post Office. And because it’s an actual branch of Finland’s postal service, each piece of mail is stamped with an ‘Arctic Circle/Santa’ postmark.
A number of Arts and Crafts stations provide kids with wholesome, hands-on creative fun. Using all kinds of safe, everyday materials, youngsters can make cute take-home curious like wooden holiday decorations, clay figures and Christmas cards.
Located right next door to Santa Park (and run by the same company), the Arctic Treehouse Hotel offers among the finest accommodation in the region, with rustic-luxury décor and large windows proving views of the stunning winter-forest landscape and the famed Norther Lights.
Winter-season admission rates are about 1,250 baht per adult and 1,060 per child, with better-value family passes starting at around 4,050 baht. (Prices shown are subject to seasonal adjustment and exchange rate fluctuation.)
For more information, visit https://santaparkarcticworld.com/santapark.
