EXCURSIONS

Helsinki Excursions

Santa Claus Village

It's Christmas every day of the year in the rather commercialised (but quaint) 'Santa's secret hideaway' in Lapland, northern Finland, where the redoubtable Mr Claus spends his time preparing gifts for the world's children, and meeting and greeting an estimated 500,000 delighted visitors a year. Co-incidentally the valley inside the Arctic Circle where Santa's Village is set is shaped like an ear, so, it is said, Santa can listen to all the children of the world. At the village all sorts of activities are on offer at Santa's office, the reindeer park and the SantaPark theme park, and of course you can use Santa's personal post office to mail a letter or card home with the coveted postmark. The highlight of any visit, though, is of course meeting the great man himself, and whispering your wishes into his friendly ear. Santa's Village and SantaPark are located just a mile from the international airport of Rovaniemi (capital of Lapland), and is also easily accessible by bus or car from Helsinki.

Website: www.santaclausvillage.info; Telephone: Village: (0)16 356 2096; SantaPark: (0)16 333 0000; Opening time: Village: daily 9am to 7pm (June to 28 August, and 24 November to 7 January); 10am to 5pm (1 September to 23 November, and 8 January to 31 May). SantaPark: Opens on 22 November Tuesday to Sunday; Admission: SantaPark: �20 (adults), �15 (children)