Oulu

The SnowCastle is situated within walking distance from local hotels and the railway station. Distance from the airport by car 10 minutes.The SnowCastle is a large area with the SnowHotel, the SnowRestaurant and the SnowChapel located inside the walls of the Castle. http://www.visitkemi.fi/en/component/travius/31173

Santa Claus has opened his official port office in Kemi Inner harbor! Santa Claus and his Elves love spending time in Kemi by the sea enjoying the fresh air and the easy living that the city offers. This traditional Sea Lappish cottage is open in both the Summer and Winter. http://www.visitkemi.fi/en/seaside-office

The gemstone gallery offers a large collection of gemstones and minerals with great diversity. The spectacular crown designed for the King of Finland, a replica of the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain, a replica of the lavish 647-diamond necklace of Marie Antoinette and much more. http://www.kemi.fi/english/experience-kemi/attractions/

Located in Vuolijoki is the private Riihipiha Museum with its buildings brought to collect, maintain and exhibit the old courtyards of the Kainuu region, exactly as they were before the use of electricity became common. The collection of the 35 numerized buildings and approximately 4000 items in Riihipiha show us what life was like for the earlier generations in Vuolijoki and the Kainuu region. https://www.visitkajaani.fi/en/products/riihipiha-museum/

The old church for Paltamo congregation, the Paltaniemi Church of Paintings, was built in 1726. Another church in Paltamo was damaged in an earthquake in 1626 and a third one destroyed in the Great Northern War as the Russians robbed and burned it in 1716. A Kalevala memorial stone lies on the steps of the Paltaniemi Church of Paintings, symbolising the connection between Kainuu and Karelia. The wooden Paltaniemi Church of Paintings is decorated by paintings in the ceiling and the walls. The bell tower by the church dates back to 1769. https://www.visitkajaani.fi/en/products/paltaniemi-church-paintings/

Kajaani Art Museum was opened to the public in April 1993. The museum's exhibition rooms are located in the former police house designed by architect Eino Pitkänen. Completed in 1936, the building is an example of pure functionalist style. http://www.kajaani.fi/taxonomy/term/4800

The Kajaani castle was built on the Ämmäkoski island of the Kajaani river in the centre of Kajaani, Finland, in the 17th century. It functioned as a governing centre, a prison, and a refuge for residents during times of persecution. The most famous prisoner in the castle was the historian Johannes Messenius, who was forced to live in the poor conditions of the castle from 1616 to 1635. Construction of the Kajaani castle began in 1604 and was completed in 1619. At first the castle only consisted of a stone wall, two round towers, and wooden buildings in the yard inside the castle. The second phase of construction was ordered by Count Peter Brahe which began in the 1650s and was completed in 1666. Upon completion many of the original wooden structures had been replaced with stone and the castle had become a fortress. During the “Greater Wrath”, Russian forces kept the castle under siege for months, and upon its surrender they blew up much of the fortress, transporting the inhabitants to Russia to be imprisoned. Kajaani Castle is thought to be the smallest stone castle, and the most northernmost, in the world. https://www.discoveringfinland.com/destination/kajaani-castle/

The Kajaani Evangelical Lutheran Church, built in 1897, represents the most decorative Neo-Gothic style of the late 19th century. The wooden church with its rich decorations was designed by Jacob Ahrenberg. The so-called carpenter-style was used on the inner structures and the roof trusses were influenced by the ones in the Westminster Hall in London. The placement of the church tower on the middle axis of the chamber is of German influence. The slender tower also has a touch of Italian Renaissance and Baroque styles. https://www.visitkajaani.fi/en/products/kajaani-evangelical-lutheran-church/

Kainuu Museum is the regional museum of Kainuu. Temporary exhibitions introduce both international and local art and culture to an audience as wide and varied as possible. The museum holds a basic exhibition on the history and culture of the Kainuu region, from prehistoric times to the mid-20th century. Temporary exhibitions can be found upstairs and in the small gallery room downstairs. https://www.visitkajaani.fi/en/products/kainuu-museum/

Welcome to Hertsöträsket! The latest lake in the Luleå area to be stocked with fish is Hertsöträsket, just near the Hertsön housing area. The City of Luleå Department of Recreation has stocked the lake with char and rainbow trout over the past few years. You can also catch perch and pike. There are walking trails around the lake and cabins, wind shelters and picnic areas. The lake is also accessible to disabled visitors in wheelchairs. Fishing permits are available at the following places: The Luleå Tourism Office, the TEAM Sportia shop, the Vildmark shop and Råneå Citizens Office. https://visitlulea.se/en/see-do/destination/hertsoetraesket

The present church in Rovaniemi was completed in 1950. It was designed by the architect Bertil Liljequist. The interior of the church is dominated by a huge fresco behind the altar. It’s called the Source of Life and it was realised by Professor Lennart Segerstråle in 1951. The church seats 850 people and it features a 45-key organ from the Christensen Organ Factory. http://www.visitrovaniemi.fi/see-do/sights-and-attractions/

In addition to hosting concerts by the Lapland Chamber Orchestra and art exhibitions in the Rovaniemi Art Museum, Korundi House of Culture has a wide variety of events and conferences. The building now housing the Korundi House of Culture was originally an old post bus depot dating back to 1933. The modifications and expansion completed in 2009 and 2010 were designed by architect Juhani Pallasmaa. He also had a hand in the design of the Rovaniemi Art Museum, which has been in the old depot since 1986. https://www.discoveringfinland.com/destination/korundi-house-of-culture/

Are you attracted to northern forests? If so, your place is Pilke in Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland near the Arctic Circle. The science centre’s exhibitions will allow you to explore current forest issues, while the Pilke Shop offers forest products that appeal to all of the senses. The Pilke Science Centre is a memorable and interactive place to visit for people of all ages whether the reason for your visit is work, study or vacation. The exhibition at the Science Centre teaches visitors about sustainable use of the northern forests and about the diverse range of products and commodities connected to the forests. Pilke’s life is rooted in the present moment and in the bright future of finding many uses for the forests. https://www.discoveringfinland.com/destination/pilke-science-centre/

Arktikum is a science center and museum that lets you experience northern nature, culture, and history up close. Housing the University of Lapland’s Arctic Center and the Regional Museum of Lapland, Arktikum stimulates thought, encourages debate, and provides a deeper understanding of the Arctic. Arktikum exhibitions lead guests on an adventure through Finnish Lapland and the Arctic region. The review of the history of Finnish Lapland spans from Rovaniemi to Upper Lapland and from prehistory to about the 1970s. The Arctic region is examined in light of the Arctic research of today and that planned for the future. The exhibitions provide a comprehensive overview of the history and culture of Lapland as well as of Arctic knowledge. https://www.discoveringfinland.com/destination/arktikum-museum-arctic-science-centre/

Ounasvaara Ski Resort is located almost close to the centre of Rovaniemi city. From the Northern side of Ounasvaara mountain, you’ll find a modern ski resort where you can downhill ski, snowboard, or ski while enjoying the international atmosphere. Ounasvaara’s slopes are suitable for both beginners and professionals. The resort features two slope areas, Ounashissit and Tottohissi. The latter has the 3 most challenging slopes, including an FIS-competition slope, and it is consequentially favoured by professional and more experienced skiers. It is often used by Finnish athletes as a training area. Ounashissit has four slopes ranging from beginner to expert, and also includes a ‘street’ for snowboarders and freestyle skiers with many numerous jumps, rails, press boxes and a Super Pipe. https://www.discoveringfinland.com/destination/ounasvaara-ski-resort/

Luleå Cathedral is a brick cathedral built in neo-Gothic style. When the church was dedicated in 1893, it was called Oscar Fredrik’s Church, after King Oscar II. In 1904, it was renamed Luleå Cathedral when the Luleå diocese was formed. The architect who designed the cathedral was Adolf Emil Melander from Stockholm. https://visitlulea.se/en/see-do/destination/luleaa-domkyrka

Air Museum F 21 lies just outside the guard of the Norrbotten Air Fleet, F 21. The exhibitions at the Air Museum describe the air defence of Upper Norrland from the early 1940s with the region's often extreme climate. The collections reflect a wide range of different stages in the history of F 21 from 1941 onwards. The service it previously performed, the various aircraft types that the F 21 has provided, and examples of the development of the equipment in the Air Force and in the operations conducted within the F 21 since its inception in 1941. The indoor exhibition shows the development in ten-year intervals, as well as objects and photographs from most of the departments that were on an airline, including air surveillance. The museum has four special exhibitions: 1. F 19, the Swedish Voluntary Air Navy's operations in Finland during the winter war 1939-40. 2. Flight operation The Balch were from Kallax, with American flights, rescued Northern Norway via air transport of troops and equipment. 3. "Emergency landings and crashes in Norrbotten during World War II 1939-1945. 4. On the Cold War and its impact on the air defence and F 21. https://visitlulea.se/sv/se-goera/destination/flygmuseet-f-21-1

Norrbottens museum is located in Luleå center. It is a county museum characterized by the 10 000-year-old history and multicultural environment of Swedish Lapland. You can also visit their café or buy traditional handicraft and literature from the museum shop. https://visitlulea.se/en/see-do/destination/norrbottens-museum

Welcome to Teknikens Hus -a whole world of technology and an exciting place for the curious of all ages. Come make your own paper, navigate the remote-controlled boats through the harbour or launch the rocket right out into space! Daily family workshops, guided planetarium shows and water rocket launches. Open all year round, Tuesday-Sunday 10 am - 4 pm. Activities in the park during summer hours, from Monday after midsummer - mid-August. https://visitlulea.se/en/see-do/destination/teknikens-hus-luleaa-science-center

Santa Park is located in an underground cavern just a few kilometres north of Rovaniemi. Along with Santa Claus, the cavern is home to countless happy and helpful elves, and children are able to spend time in Elf School learning their tricks. There is also a bakery where you can help the elves decorate gingerbread, a restaurant, and an ice bar and gallery. Every 2 hours the elves put on an entertaining show for the children on the stage, and there is a charming train to take you around the different areas of the cavern. Santa Park also provides plenty of outdoor fun for the family, including Husky sledge rides, Reindeer sleighs, Skidoo and mini-Skidoo, and sledging – don’t worry about the cold as SantaPark provides arctic wear for the outdoors activities, and there are several open fires and hot berry juices to keep the chill-out. https://www.discoveringfinland.com/destination/santa-park/

You can meet Santa Claus and cross the magical Arctic Circle every day at the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi in Lapland, Finland. Santa Claus spends his time at Santa Claus Village every day of the year to take care of his mission in life; to enhance the well-being of children and the kindness of grown-ups, as well as spread the message of love and goodwill and the Christmas Spirit across the globe. You can find many programme service companies, souvenir shops as well as Santa’s Main Post Office, and cafes and restaurants in Santa Claus Village. And of course, Santa is there too, in his chamber every day of the year! https://santaclausvillage.info/

The Bothnia Railway Museum is one of the largest railway museums in Sweden. It recreates historic railway environments on the very place where once iron ore was smelted in Luleå Järnverk, surrounded by the village of Karlsvik. Ore and other goods were transported on the privately-owned Gammelstad - Karlsvikshyttans Järnväg (GKJ), now with historic trains, from the mainline Malmbanan, a remarkable railway in many aspects. https://visitlulea.se/en/see-do/destination/norrbottens-jaernvaegsmuseum

The merriest place on the Arctic Circle. Snowman World gives you all the joys of winter in a single location next door to Santa Claus on the Arctic Circle – all with just one ticket. The speedy but safe slide is big fun for grown-ups and children too. You can skate on ice or dive in a snowball pit or go into orbit with a sleigh-go-round. Admire ice sculpture in the ice bar and cafe while we serve kids with raspberry red beverages and adults with icy clear drinks. And the drinking glasses are made out of ice, of course. Around of snow and ice, there is the Snowman World you can meet three happy snowman siblings. Ice Hockey promise Flake is the wildest of the three and you might get him to teach you how to shoot the puck on the ice. You will probably find rock star Frost somewhere playing the air guitar. He believes he can make northern lights appear by finding just the right chords. Aurora, sister to these two rowdy brothers, is a dreamer. She loves poems and artistic ice sculptures but nothing gets her more excited than seeing the beautiful northern lights, Aurora Borealis, of which she has been named after. You might also meet the groundskeeper Snowman who takes care of our guests and watches over the whole world of snowmen. The parents of these siblings will not meet in the Snowman World. They work during winters in the snowball factory in Kaamanen where they store snow to a secret place, in case of the warming of the climate. The snowman siblings spend their winters in the Arctic Circle studying winter sports, ice and snow sculpting and aurora hunting. They will take you to enjoy the arctic outdoors and help you try new things like sliding down the ice hills, ice skating and ice sculpting. https://www.discoveringfinland.com/destination/snowman-world/

Come and experience a real reindeer sleigh ride in wintery nature – right in the backyard of Santa’s house at the Arctic Circle. With our guidance, you can rein the reindeer by yourself or just sit comfortably under warm blankets and enjoy the snowy views. You can choose to have a ride with just one reindeer or several reindeers in a line. After the ride, you can an by the open fire where we serve hot juice and experience the magic of the firelight and a real Lappish atmosphere. Explore the snowy forests with your friends on a reindeer sleigh ride and discover the northern lights. The path leads over frozen marshes and spruce woodlands to a winter hut, where we wait for the Northern Lights. While waiting, savour grilled sausages, drink campfire coffee and mulled wine, and enjoy the tranquillity of the wilderness. At the end of the safari, we are feeding a reindeer herd of up to one hundred in their paddock, where you can capture the moment on camera and feed the reindeer. https://www.discoveringfinland.com/destination/santa-claus-reindeer-reindeer-sleigh-ride/

Experience the atmosphere of authentic Finnish Christmas in Santa Claus Village at the Arctic Circle. Meet Santa Claus in the Christmas House of the Santa Claus Holiday Village, and discover the unique Christmas exhibition, explaining the Christmas traditions around the World. http://www.visitrovaniemi.fi/see-do/sights-and-attractions/

Arcusbadet is a popular outdoor pool area found at First Camp Luleå. It entertains people of all ages! There is an awesome water park with a wave machine and a long water slide. When your stomach starts to rumble, you can visit the grill room which offers burgers and sausages, or the kiosk selling ice cream, candy, drinks and pool toys. If you do not want to swim you can enjoy yourself in the Arcadium, play some volleyball or try the jumping pads. On-site there are changing rooms, toilets and outdoor showers. There is also access to smaller storage boxes for your valuables. The bath is open for everyone and as a guest at First Camp, you get a favourable price on the entry. https://visitlulea.se/en/see-do/destination/arcusbadet

Visit 360 Trampoline Center at Luleås mall center, Storheden, where the park is located right in the middle of the shopping district. The park has 2200 sq meters and the major part is packed with activities. It offers the best and most exciting activities a trampoline park can deliver. Besides attractions, it also offers party rooms and business events as well as a larger section for snacks, lighter meals and coffee in a welcoming atmosphere. The trampoline park is an activity for various occasions and ages. It is an exciting and energy-demanding Entertainment for the entire family, business event, school class activity, the sports team, beginners and advanced acrobat athletes who want to burn off some extra calories while having lots of fun. https://visitlulea.se/en/see-do/destination/360-trampoline-center

The open-air museum Hägnan is a cultural-history open-air museum, a living "in the past" and a wonderful place for group activities all year round. During the summer season, Hägnan is open to the public every day 11-17 and in the farms, populated with time-dressed people, you are moved back in time. Experience how people in rural areas lived in the world before and gladly reflect on the development of society for good and evil! Or simply enjoy the pleasant environment, watch the animals in the gardens, go on stilts or play with the children. https://visitlulea.se/sv/se-goera/destination/friluftsmuseet-haegnan

Gammelstad Church Town was included in UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1996, and is thereby covered by "The Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage". The objects on the World Heritage List all bear unique testimony to the history of the world and mankind. They are invaluable to humanity and must be preserved for posterity. The list contains about 750 cultural and natural environments of which the Great Wall of China, the Great Barrier Reef of Australia and Sveaborg outside Helsinki are among the better known. As well as Gammelstad Church Town, Norrbotten also has the World Heritage Laponia, which is the largest area of wilderness in Europe. Gammelstad is an outstanding example of a Northern Scandinavian church town. More than 400 cottages, which were used on Sundays and during major religious festivals, markets and local courts, are grouped around the late medieval stone church in Gammelstad. The cottages served as an overnight stop for parishioners who lived too far away to make the journey to the church and back in one day. The City of Luleå was founded around the old church in the 17th century. Today Gammelstad consists of a unique assortment of church cottages, year-round dwellings and public buildings. The church cottages are still used in a traditional way. https://visitlulea.se/en/see-do/destination/gammelstads-kyrkstad-vaerldsarv

Balingeberget is an easily accessible nature reserve in the village of Bälinge, located about 1.5 km west of Luleå. When the surface of the earth gradually returned to its shape, one day the peak of Bälingeberget seemed like a small island in the sea. In a few millennia, the island grew into a whole mountain as the waves of the sea hit the mountain. Even today it appears that the rock has been exposed to sea storms. On the way to the summit in the nature reserve, you pass over the remains of pebbles that show the melting of the inland ice, ancient beach walls, large mountain caves, etc. For visitors, Balingeberget feels like a Wilderness area with a rich wildlife and plant life. Here there are plenty of fireplaces with firewood, a rest cottage and about 6km of the hiking trail to go after. A trail goes up to the top of the mountain as well as around the mountain. At the top, there is a nice view of Luleå and the river. Height: 139m above sea level. https://visitlulea.se/sv/se-goera/destination/baelingeberget-1

Melderstein Manor is in a scenic location on Road 760, 12 km from Råneå and the E 4. The communities of Luleå, Boden and Kalix are only 50 km away. The old works environment surrounding Melderstein Manor has a special harmony and atmosphere. http://visitlulea.se/en/besoekare/tellus/377871/Melderstein-Mansion/

There are 23 slopes at Tahko, the biggest ones 1200 meters long and as much as 200 meters high. At Tahko, you can find speedy slopes for active skiers, but the kids and beginners have their own slope, too. Snowboarders will enjoy the proper pipe and the boxes and rails of the street. There are 13 T-bar lifts and two four-person chair lifts taking skiers to the top of Tahko. In addition, there is a lift connection from the slope area to the parking lot, and a safe carpet lift for the youngest skiers. At Tahko, you do not have to leave the slopes when you get hungry. There are five slope restaurants ready to fill your stomach and quench your thirst. Additional slope services include two equipment rental shops and a ski school. https://www.discoveringfinland.com/destination/tahko-ski-resort/

Puijo hill is the famous landmark of Kuopio, and the ridge of Puijo is among the most popular recreation areas of the city. The hill is 150 metres high, has an observation tower on its peak and is situated close to the city centre of Kuopio. Puijo Tower provides you with magnificent Finnish scenery and cuisine – not to mention the best window seats! The revolving tower indulges you with views over Kuopio in the middle of the Lakeland. You can order from á la carte menu all day. Puijo ridge is one of the favourite recreation areas in Kuopio, with its numerous paths and extensive track network. Two nature trails offer a chance to experience the area’s diversity. You can move freely on most of Puijo ridge. Gathering of berries, mushrooms and other plants is also allowed. Movement is restricted to the paths in the nature conservation area and in the deciduous areas that are less resistant to use. http://www.discoveringfinland.com/destination/puijo-and-puijo-tower/