Can some experienced travellers help me with my Itinery?

Hi guys, I wondered if some experienced Lapland travellers could help me with my itinery for my trip this Christmas.

So far, all I have booked and confirmed is 5 nights at Ounasvaraan Pirtit log cabins in Rovaniemi between the 15-20th December.

In terms of travel, I have nothing decided yet, but from what I can see the options are

1) Budget flight to Helsinki, then overnight sleeper train to Rovaniemi

2) Charter flight either direct to Rovaniemi or to Kittila, Kuusamo etc

I%26#39;ll start by saying that I%26#39;m not a great flyer, so the thought of an onward flight from Helsinki, however convenient, is not an option! The overnight train is an option, especially as some of the new carriages have en-suite bathrooms and the rooms dont look too different from a budget hotel! Does anyone have any experience of doing this?

The other option is a charter flight to Kittila or Kuusamo, and at the moment this is what I%26#39;m leaning to, as I am happy to hire a car, and would be keen on spending a couple of days in a little village or town around these areas before travelling onto Rovaniemi for the %26#39;main%26#39; holiday. Firstly, does anyone know how easy it is to get places on these charter flights? I know Thomsonfly fly to Kittila from Bristol %26amp; Heathrow, but cant seem to book the flights online....there is a website called charteredflights.co.uk which offers flights, but for my hubby, son and myself it is more than £1200 which seems quite pricey! Secondly, are there any places around Kittila or Kuusamo that anyone could recommend spending a couple of days?

Sorry for the lengthy post, and I hope someone can help!

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%26quot;some of the new carriages have en-suite bathrooms and the rooms dont look too different from a budget hotel!%26quot;

Yep, the new trains are comfortable and you save one night%26#39;s charge of a hotel room.

I think the cheapest flight option is from Stanstead to Tampere by Ryanair. The train goes via Tampere, so no problem there.

%26quot;are there any places around Kittila or Kuusamo that anyone could recommend spending a couple of days?%26quot;

Yep, Levi and Ruka are probly the biggest resorts in Finland. Both far bigger than Ounasvaara.

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Don%26#39;t know anything about the charter flights I%26#39;m afraid.

But we have travelled from Helsinki to Rovaniemi on the sleeper trains a couple of times. Last year (in the summer) we went on one of the old (Russian) sleeper trains. They are perfectly nice and comfortable but not as luxurious (no own shower/toilet) as the new Pendolinos. So - as not all sleepers are the new trains - make sure you check when booking.

You leave Helsinki in the evening, and wake up in Rovaniemi. Simple as that ... really comfortable.

We picked up a Budget rent a car in Rovaniemi, which is about 15 minutes walk from the station. But I%26#39;m sure you can probably pick your car up at the station if you organise yourselves properly!

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Russian?

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%26quot;Last year (in the summer) we went on one of the old (Russian) sleeper trains. They are perfectly nice and comfortable but not as luxurious (no own shower/toilet) as the new Pendolinos.%26quot;

A bit confusing.

Yes, there are old and new sleeper cars from HEL to ROI.

The new red 2-deck sleeper cars however are not (Italian Fiat Ferroviaria/later French Alstom) Pendolinos (type Sm3), they are made by a Finnish company, Transtech in Kajaani (Wagon type Edm) and run as P 265 and P 274 trains.

The elder generation of sleeper cars was also made in Finland, by VR Pasilan konepaja in Helsinki from 1964 to 1986.

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Hi, thanks for your reply everybody....I think my favoured option would be one of the charter flights into Kittila so we could spend a couple of days around there before moving onto Rovaniemi, but I think that all depends on the cost and availability of places on these charter flights

If anyone has past knowledge or experience, I would be grateful to hear it

Thanks!

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hi, we%26#39;ve gone for the chartered flights this year , and ours goes from manchester to helsinki and helsinki to kittila, £358.00 per adult and £298.00 per child, this is with finnair.they will check our baggage right through to kittila and theres only an hour wait at helsinki when we change flights.

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%26quot;I%26#39;ll start by saying that I%26#39;m not a great flyer, so %26quot;the thought of an onward flight from Helsinki, however convenient, is not an option!%26quot;

What do you actually mean by this? Changing flights in Helsnki is actually much easier than changing from airport to a train there.

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%26quot;I%26#39;ll start by saying that I%26#39;m not a great flyer, so the thought of an onward flight from Helsinki, however convenient, is not an option!%26quot;

Read: I%26#39;m afraid to fly

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Yup, scared of flying!

levi chalets

what are the levi chalets like?are they good?

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no no no no and no. we booked one of these last december for a week, and it was plain awful, inghams moved us out after day 3 when i realised how to use the contact numbers to contact them, and they even said they%26#39;d never seen anything like it.

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Hello raindrops

My family and i spent 2 weeks in the levi chalets last december and really liked the accomodation.levi chalets are central,we never had any problems with them and would stay in them again.We are booked to again in december.

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We stayed in the Levi Chalets in 2007 and have booked for this year. They were great, fairly close to the front slopes, well kitted out, very clean and spacious.

I would be interested to know what the previous poster%26#39;s problems were. We have recommended the chalets to other people in the past and they have agreed.

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The problems were from the very beginning, we had to wait outside the chalet on arrival as the cleaners were still in there getting it ready, 30 mins later we were given the keys and went in, the problems were in this apartment 1. a badly blood stained matress upstairs in the mezzaine 2. a broken wash basin that leaked all the water straight onto the floor through the crack, 3. broken glass in the front room sofa bed, 4. rotting food in the fridge, 5. a notice hung on the fire place saying out of use,6.used plasters left in the shower, and in general a very dirty place in need of a lot of work.

i can appreciate this can all be fixed but in all fairness after paying £1,830.00 pound for it it needed to be a hell of a lot better than it was, and once the inghams reps and the owners of the chalet saw it they agreed and moved us out, and we were refunded £400.00 by inghams along with a written apoligy.

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It does sound like you had a very bad experience.

I guess this was a one off as we could not praise the chalet we had high enough.

Sokos Ilves Hotel question

I am staying there next week for 2 nights and want to pack as little as possible. Are the bathrooms equipped with shower gel/shampoo etc?

Thanks in advance

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I haven%26#39;t been to that particular hotel but every other Sokos hotel I%26#39;ve been to has been equipped with these so I wouldn%26#39;t worry.

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You can double-check with them if you like: ilves.tampere@sokoshotels.fi

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It would be astonishing if they weren%26#39;t.

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Yes, that hotel is well equipped in all respects, but cannot confirm if it has the strange item called kettle, so many Britons seem to be fond off.

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Thanks to all your replies. I have never visited Finland before so wasn%26#39;t sure. Disappointed to hear no kettle though %26#39;cos we Brits love our cuppa cha :o)

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You would do well to stick to the excellent coffee. Finns don%26#39;t have a clue about tea.

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Unfortunately I%26#39;m not a coffee fan, but do sometimes drink decaf - is it any good over there?

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%26quot;I%26#39;m not a coffee fan%26quot;

No wonder, I%26#39;ve had coffee in England ;)

%26quot;but do sometimes drink decaf - is it any good over there?%26quot;

Forget it, just take a latte or cappucino instead.

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%26quot;Finns don%26#39;t have a clue about tea.%26quot;

Same could be said of Brits, depending whom you ask - the Chinese or Japanese, for example ;)

The tea sold in Finland is intended to be drunk without milk - you can%26#39;t find the very black tea types that are so common in the UK.

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From the comments above, cappucino sounds favourite. Thanks for taking the trouble to post your comments.

Electrical Plugs

Hey All,

just want to check on what adapter to take with me to Norway and Finland.

I%26#39;m sitting here with 5 adapters, all 2-pin, but slightly diffeent thickness of pin, and distance apart.

I understand that Scandinavia uses the same plugs as Western Europe?

thanks

Andrew

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Hi!

Here%26#39;s a really thourough site with pictures of different plugs and where they are used. http://www.kropla.com/electric.htm

The ones%26#39; used in Finland are the tyoes C and F.

Have a really nice trip!

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An adapter where the output is of type C will also fit into a socket of type F, so a C type (Western European 2-pin) adapter will suffice for both Finland and Norway (and the rest of continental Europe). F type (grounded) plug will not necessarily fit into a socket of type C.

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thanks guys, that%26#39;s a great help.

looking forward to my trip now.

cheers

Andrew

Accomodation in Yllas

I am going to book my holiday for next January this week and cant decide between 2 different accomodations. Ive narrowed it down to either Yllas Saaga apartments or Villa Armas Cabins. Any info you can give me on both, location, size, rooms etc would be great thanks

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yllas has two sides to it, the akas side which is where the village is and the supermarket and then on the other side there is the saaga side, the two sides are separated by the fell that you do your skiing on

if you are there for the skiing then the saaga side will be great as you can just step out of your accommodation to the slopes, however, not much else round there and if you want to go to the supermarket it will cost you 3 euros each way and I believe the bus only goes every 2 hours, taxi is going to be considerably more, if you are round the akas side you have the supermarket, shops, restaurants, bars etc (not that many but at least there are some) but to get to the ski resort you have to take the bus which runs every hour and is free for inghams guests

you really need to look back at the reviews of the saaga side as it may not have enough amenities for you

your other option is to wait on a last min deal and just go where they send you, jan is very quiet as it%26#39;s out of the school hols, plenty of deals around last year and the year before

day trip in helsinki

we will arrive helsinki on july 18 by emerald princess and wil stay there for 8 hrs (10:00 am - 6:00 pm). we would appreciate if someone can help us to make the tour plan in advance, thanks.

a) any idea of the docking port ? lansisatama or hernesaari. I know they are next to each other but have no idea of how big of each dock.

b) is there a local bus 16 from these docking ports to the city center. how long will it take ?

c) since time is limited and a lot of sights are there. so would like to have some suggestions for the places that must see or worth to visit.

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a) Makes no difference (as long as you remember your way back - and every summer I run into people who can%26#39;t).

b) The bus ride is only a few minutes. You won%26#39;t be the only one getting off in the centre, so just follow the crowd.

c) Look back through this forum as you are not the first to ask this question. It depends mainly on whether you want an organized tour or prefer to do your own thing. But briefly:

1. Esplanadi Park (drinky or coffee outside if the weather%26#39;s good), check out design shops/souvenirs.

2. Kauppatori/market square by the sea, flanked by Eastern Orthodox cathedral and modest Presidential Palace.

3. Senaatintori/Senate Square.

4. Either take a water bus to Suomenlinna (quite a bit of walking, time is an issue) or a boat tour from the Kauppatori quay.

If you%26#39;re REALLY organized and energetic you may wish to pack in a little more. But you could do this 1-4 tour in leisurely fashion and still have a memorable day.

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thank you for yr information !

by the way, can you tell where the tourist information centre at the city center as we would like to get a detail local map and do the tour by our own.

also pls advise where we can take the water bus to suomenlinna and what attractions/sightseeing are there, thanks.

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Tourist information? Piece of cake. The street is Pohjoisesplanadi, at the Kauppatori end. It%26#39;s pretty much opposite the Havis Amanda mermaid statue and the Kappeli restaurant (which looks like an enormous birdcage), both good landmarks.

Suomenlinna: the Kauppatori quay is not a very large area and you won%26#39;t have much trouble finding the ferries.

There is an inexpensive city-owned ferry leaving from more or less opposite the Russian eagle monument in the center of the plaza. There are several commercial operations which cost a little more, but I suggest you take one of those going to Kuninkaanportti (King%26#39;s Gate) as this will save you a couple of miles of walking plus precious time.

Things to see: the King%26#39;s Gate itself and the old Russian artillery pieces along the battlements. Have a beer and watch the huge Sweden ferries threading through the narrows between islands.

You can find out more from the city tourist office.

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thanks johnthefinn ! we really appreciate for your advice and information, thanks again.

renting a trailer-bike(bike with a hanger in helsinki

we are spending a few days in helsinki in july and were thinking that seeing the place on a rented bike would be fun. as i understand helsinki is a bike-friendly city, am i correct?

since we have two kids, aged five and six, we%26#39;d need to rent trailer-bikes (the ones where the child%26#39;s bike is trailed to the adult%26#39;s one). do you know if there is a place that rents these? or alternatively bikes with a hanger? could we rent helmets as well? i can%26#39;t seem to find anything on the net.

thank you!

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Biker friendly??? Well I%26#39;m not much of a biker, but I would not plan to tour the city by bike with kids (even with adults I%26#39;d have my doubts).

The public transportation works fine and the central area is so small, that it is easily walkable.

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On this page: www.pyoraillensuomessa.fi/index.php… you can see 4 bike rental shops in Helsinki. By clicking their name you%26#39;ll get their contact info. You%26#39;d better ask directly from the shops what sort of equipment they have for rent (and for what sort of price).

I would not count Helsinki (especially the downtown area) as an especially biker friendly place. On the other hand Oulu is the only city in Finland belonging to the Cities for Cyclists network: http://www.ecf.com/54_1 (the info on that page seem to be %26quot;a bit%26quot; outdated, from 2002. E.g. the number of inhanbitants in Oulu is nowadays 137 000 and there are over 544 km of well-maintained cycle paths in the city!). oulutourism.fi/en/…ulkoilu_ja_liikunta.aspx -%26gt; Biking

Check also this: http://www.hepo.fi/index.php?sivu=in-english

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There is a network of cycle paths in the city centre but the area is small. Polarbear is correct - walking + public transport is the best way to get around Helsinki. Taking a bike on the ferry to Suomenlinna for a day might be a good idea, though, as the little ones may get fed up with all the walking. It%26#39;s a fair-sized island.

I%26#39;m sure helmets will be available for hire from any bike hire company. Finns are a pretty health-conscious lot.

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thank you so much - what a helpful forum this is!

i will contact the different agencies directly; if they have what we need, we%26#39;ll rent a bike just for a day, good idea to take one with us to suomenlinna.

extra trips in Luosto with Canterbury Travel

Hi Off to Luosto for xmas (with wife + 2 kids 9+6) for 5 days any worth while trips I should know about?

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Hi, can%26#39;t remember the name of it but we did an extra excursion that we booked at the Scandic Restuarant. It consisted of a trip into the candle light Forest in a skidoo pulled sledge ( all wrapped up in blankets). We then cooked sausages over a fire with a lovely couple of traditional laplanders and had pancakes too! Then we had a much longer journey back through the forest. It was fabulous and we are going to go on the same one this year. Yes, Luosto was so magical, we are going back again!

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Thanks for that it sounds great, nothing quite like fine dinning! Let%26#39;s just hope there%26#39;s plenty of snow in 5.5 weeks time.

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Hi

Just to say we went on a 5 day Canterbury Travel trip to Luosto a couple of years ago.

It was a brilliant holiday but very tiring. We were glad of our day off mid holiday. You can read my review by clicking on my name.

Have a great time.

Kazkins

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Thanks Kazkins, for taking the time to reply to my %26quot;message%26quot; My only concern is that we%26#39;ll enjoy so much, I%26#39;ll have to find the money to go again next year!!

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Hi,

Wondered what you thought of the Santa? I have written to complain about him being so young and unconvincing with his obvious false beard, lack of character and what looked like a cushion stuffed up his tunic!Our son of 6 years was not convinced and didn%26#39;t believe he was the real one :-(

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Hi GuestBerkshire

We did not have a problem with our Santa. He was old, had a real beard, was naturally cuddly and VERY convincing! My daughter truly believed (and still does) that he was real, she is now nearly 11! My husband and myself were pretty convinced too!

So sorry that you had a poor Santa. Maybe our %26#39;Santa%26#39; has retired or was taking a day off.

I can%26#39;t fault our holiday and still say it was the best one we have ever taken.

Kazkins

pool in levi

can anyone tell me if there is a public swimming pool in levi.and also what is the food like in k5 hotel.which is the best log cabins to stay in .

many thanks paul

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paul

There is a swimming pool at the hotel levetunturi spa which you can use for a fee.Hotel food at the k5 is great for adults but we found there was not a good choice for children or a separate childrens buffet.Immelmokit cabins are great as are the levi logs cabins.Really have not seen or been in any other accomodation in levi that was poor,they are all of good standard.Personally immelmokit cabins are my favourite due to the cabins sizes and the wooded areas.The k5 is the nearest hotel to the immelmokits.

bluny

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I was reading about the plans they have in Levi (the Levi Hotel and Spa):

there will be 9 saunas and 17 pools (by the end of August 2010).

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I think it will be a shame if Levi becomes over developed.

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Why build 17 pools if most of the tour comapanies are pulling out of Finland, who is going to use them ?

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British tour operators are not the only customers in the world, you know.

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Why build 17 pools anyway.It%26#39;s only a small little town,surely that cant be right.

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If they are not careful they will spoil Levi terribly.

Looks like I%26#39;ll have to go to Sarriskelsaasuh or something like that BLUNY .

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Hope they dont spoil levi wally,although i have a feeling there will be a few more changes there by december this year.

It will be interesting to hear just how much though.

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As John says British Tour Operators are not the only tour operators that go to Lapland, also only one Tour operator as pulled out and they only did two years in Lapland.

Seventeen pools does seem a little excessive but I still wouldn%26#39;t call Levi commercialised, when compared to other resorts outside if Finalnd/Lapland.

Back to the original question, I personally didn%26#39;t like the food in K5 at all, it just wasn%26#39;t to my taste.

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I think that Finland does need to expand to be able to cater for the people that go there, I think that it is big enough to be able to cater for everyone but in doing so that does mean that some resorts have to expand whilst others will stay as they are, some people want swimming pools, clubs etc whilst others don%26#39;t and if Finland wants to remain as a tourist attraction then it%26#39;s going to have to cater for them and it%26#39;s doing that and in doing so, those lovely little places that we love are going to change but there will always be other little places for us to go to, it will still have the magic

kyypakaus - necessary and where to buy?

(sorry, if i spelt it wrong, my finish is purely spoken..)

i remember my parents always buying a %26#39;kyypakaus%26#39; (probably a strong antihistamine?) right after arriving in finland, so we%26#39;d have one in our mökki just in case somebody got bitten by a snake.

we, a family with two little ones, will be spending two weeks in the country(side) this summer and i wonder if we%26#39;d need to get one. we%26#39;ll be staying about an hour from jyväskyla, i.e. a doctor/hospital, so we%26#39;d need to be able to give the first medical help ourselves. (apart from the usual precautions against snake bites, of course!).

would i get one at the pharmacy?

thank you!

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Hi!

Kyypakkaus is good to have if you are bitten by a snake. It can also be used if you are bitten by bees or wasps and you get a strong reaction from it.

You can buy it at the pharmacy.

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I%26#39;ve read that they%26#39;re virtually useless. The antihistamine isn%26#39;t strong or it would be on prescription. In any case, the bite of the common adder is no more dangerous than a wasp sting and it%26#39;s much rarer.

You will not be an hour from a doctor if you%26#39;re within 60 minutes of Jyväskylä. It%26#39;s not the dark side of the moon and there are smaller towns around with all the usual services of civilisation.

Still, if it makes you feel happier, by all means get yourself a kyypakkaus. Pharmacies carry these.

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I%26#39;ve spent numerous summers in a cabin. Seen (and killed) a few snakes, but never been bitten by any. In the history of the cabin there are no incidents to any of the visitors. I would say it is quite uncommon to be bitten by a snake. They scare easily and avoid any noice. The one venomous snake we have, %26#39;kyy=viper%26#39; isn%26#39;t in the first place that dangerous.

Save your money and use it wisely to get mosquito repellent, that%26#39;s much more vital when staying in the country side.

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The snake in question is this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipera_berus

Not really dangerous for adults but small children could be seriously affected by a bite.

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%26gt;Not really dangerous for adults but small children could be seriously affected by a bite.

Only in cases of severe allergy or if the bite is in an awkward place such as the tongue (hard to imagine how THAT could happen), in which case the mild antihistamine in Kyypakkaus is not going to be any help.

Saariselka

Last year my husband and I visited Lapland for the first time staying in Yllas. We had a fabulous time and are thinking of booking again for this year.

We are currently think of self catering log cabins in Saariselka but I do not want to spend my week in the snow cooking. Is there a good choice of restaurants around that are easily accessible on foot?

Thanks for your help, any other advice on the area also appreciated.

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Saara is a lot more close knit than yllas so everything is within easy walking distance, apart from the hotels where you can eat out there are also plenty of restaurants too - far more than in Yllas from what we saw

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We went for a week in feb and ate out every night there are some very nice restaurants and everything is within easy walking distance, one of our favourite%26#39;s was opposite siberia(sorry can%26#39;t for the life of me think what it was called think it may of been something like terenpesa) also the restaurant at the top of the fell was very nice for lunch and great fun sledging down afterwards.

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Thank you for all your advice, self catering I think it is.

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As kelly and poe have said there are a good range of restaurants in Saari, can also recommend the restaurant at the top of the fell. You can also eat at any of the hotels, we particulalry liked the bar in the Tunturi hotel ,great service and a good range of local dishes as well as the usual burgers, pizza etc. Siberia is a gourmet restaurant, very expensive but good. At the other end of the spectrum the Scanburger bar next to the petrol station is far superior to McDonalds or Burger King and the seating area is very rustic with a lot of locals in there. The Pizza place in the Siula Building also has local toppings as well as the usual run of the mill ones and has a take away service. There are various mid priced range restaurants around and the supermarket has freshly cooked take away food and chilled/frozen ready meals if you want to save money and eat in without the hassle!

Back from Levi

We have just come back from Levi for the first time there,we stayed in the Crazy Reindeer apartments, it was our best holiday ever, better than a hot one any day. There were five adults, no children.We went to Sweden to the ice hotel, would not bother to go there again, the coach trip was a night mare, but the ice hotel was lovely, glad we have done it. We played in the snow, came down any hill that we could find on our sledges and went out about 10pm to come down the ski slopes on our sledges, we laughed for a whole week, what a great time, cant wait to go next year already booked and counting the days.

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Hi pinkpuff sounds like you had a great time we%26#39;re off this sumday staying at same place and can%26#39;t wait! Did you pay for an organised trip to ice hotel or make your own way? Is it the one in lanio you went to?Also any particular place good for sledging and what was the food like,sorry for all the questions!

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Hi Pinkpuff - we came back from levi on 1st feb and i am missing it sooo much but have already booked again for next year!! Like you we had never been before and had our best holiday ever!! We were also all adults and were continuously on our sledges, also hammering the main slope after lights out! Quality!!!

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Hi egyptgal

We went to the ice hotel in sweden by coach, booked from the reps, it cost about 80 euros each,the best place we found to go out sledging was in the town on the ski slopes after the lights went out, you can go up as high as you want to, but remember you have to come back down, we say we must of reached 50mph coming down but it was fun. I wish i was still out there, the air felt so much cleaner.We also done husky ride, reindeer ride, and skidooing all booked through the reps. If you can go up to the top of the ski slopes by gondalar, it was amazing

Hope you have a great time,

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Thanks for all of your info, we are going to the top in the gondolla and are thinking about the huskies! We%26#39;ve also got a free snowmobile ride included.

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Hi there,

If you%26#39;re staying at either the Crazy Reindeer/White Reindeer, i%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ll all have a fab time. It was my third time staying there and like many others have already booked to go back again for a 4th time next January. I%26#39;m now officially addicted to all things Lapland and can%26#39;t wait !!

Food is great, plenty to choose from, even for the fussiest of eaters. In the evening, dinner is served from 5-9pm. There%26#39;s a salad bar and soup for starters, meat/fish and vegetarian options available for main course along with a variety of fresh veg. Desserts, cake, fruit and biscuits/cheese are available for %26quot;afters%26quot;. An endless pot of tea/coffee/chocolate/water is also included at no extra cost along with home brewn beer. That%26#39;s more of a personal taste though - just try it and you%26#39;ll see what I mean !!!

Breakfast was served in a different restaurant this year, up in the main hotel. Again, plenty to choose from - cereals, toast, jams, fruit, yogurt, cold meats etc etc, but I wasn%26#39;t too keen on the hot breakfast. The %26quot;blokes%26quot; however, thought it was great and couldn%26#39;t wait to get down there each morning !!

I%26#39;m 100% with Pinkpuff on the ice hotel excursion. I%26#39;m glad I did it, it%26#39;s quite amazing inside, but just be prepared for a 3 and a half - 4 hour journey each way, with no comfort or loo break. Bad enough for adults let alone the kids. You leave the hotel at 8am and get home around 8pm just in time for dinner. Cost was 80 euros which also included lunch. They do put a film on each way to pass the time, and try and get everyone to take part in a quiz, but on our coach, the sound system was very loud and even with the low temps outside, the coach inside was very warm, and so like it or not you were both hot and deafened !!

Last year we visited the Snow Hotel at the Lainio Snow Village, and personally I enjoyed that one more. (can%26#39;t comment on this year%26#39;s hotel though). We did that by cab from the resort and it took around 40-45 mins. i know you can also do it by snow-mobile on an organised excursion.

As for sledging, what can I say. It was cheap, fab, and half the time we had the entire front slope (only 5 mins walk from the hotel) to ourselves. My dare devil of a sister-in-law (Pinkpuff) - who i%26#39;ve now learnt doesn%26#39;t have an once of fear in her body -didn%26#39;t stop laughing during the entire week.

We also did a snow-mobile safari, a reindeer sleigh ride, a huskey sledge ride, and the %26quot;blokes%26quot; did ice karting and hired a snowmobile on their own and took it out for a 5hr stint. I think that was the best thing they did all week.

Next year - we%26#39;re gonna get those skis on !!

To all those going soon - I hope you have a really great time. i just love the place - I hope you do too !!!

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Sounds brilliant daisybug, one other question, what time is breakfast served ?.im hoping not too early as planning staying up late sledging and looking for the northern lights! AM IN THE MIDDLE OF TRYING TO PACK AT THE MINUTE and starting to worry if have enough/too much to wear the forecast for sunday is -18 .

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Hi Daisybag

Well i think that you have sumed the whole holiday up very well, couldnt think of a nother thing to say after reading that. I am definately hooked and cannot wait for next years one as we are going to enjoy ourselves even more than we did this year as we have done all of the rides and can concentrate on just playing in the snow, like the big kids that snow brings out in us.

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Hi there daisybag

I must offically thank you from the bottom of my heart for introducing us to Lapland for the first time this year, cant find enough brilliant things to say about the place

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Hi egyptgal,

As far as I can remember, breakfast was served from 7.30-10.00am.

As for packing, I know what you mean, you should have seen the amount of baggage we took with us and half of it came back unworn. Better to take too much than not enough though I reckon, and if the temperature does go down dramatically, then at least you can layer up.

Minus 18 will be fine as long as you wrap up well, and just make sure you%26#39;re prepared for when you step off that plane !!

Hope you get to see the Northern Lights, when they do come out, it%26#39;s an incredible sight. We weren%26#39;t so lucky this year, too much cloud and a hell of a lot of snow. Still, you can%26#39;t you can%26#39;t everything !!

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Thankyou for that pinkpuff, temp has changed again to -24, so keeping a close eye on that and will dress warmly!Just looked at the northern light predictor site sunday night has a low chance and the rest of week is quiet to minimum. week after goes up to level 4 which is good but bad cos looks like going the wrong week!!!!:{ lets hope no clouds on sunday night and can stay awake to have a look as will be up at 4 for plane......not looking promising but fingers crossed x.

One day in Helsinki port

Going to be in Helsinki port only one day (on a Baltic cruise) -

Suggestions what to see there? On how to make the best use of the few hours we will have - itinerary shows docking at 6 AM (is anything open that early?)

Anyone know how far from the ship terminal anything is?

Taxis readily available? Take Euros, right?

Is there a Hop on-hop off type bus and if so is it near?

I just did some research online and have lots of papers to read but thought I%26#39;d drop by here first - Trip Adivsor Forum has been helpful in the past.

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions and information...

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Oops - see others have posted similar question, so will check those out. sorry for the repeat question but...if anyone wants to add their comments and suggestions, I%26#39;d appreciate it.

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You%26#39;ll find Helsinki quiet indeed at 6 AM, stone dead if it%26#39;s a Sunday. On the other hand, the sun will be well up (assuming you%26#39;re arriving in the next month or two) and you will be able to get pictures without herds of tourists obscuring the views.

Personally, I%26#39;d take a leisurely breakfast.

You%26#39;ll find answers to all your other questions in this forum.

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We will be there on 6/18. I didn%26#39;t see the answers to some of my questions and I went back pages and pages.

I believe Euros are the currency of choice in Helsinki, right?

I did find info on the hop on- hop off bus tour.

How long do you think we would need if we wanted to go to Suomenlinna? And if we did, does this mean we%26#39;d miss other things that might be better to see? Your opinion, please.

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sorry - meant to ask you about the weather, which I understand is average of low 60%26#39;s F. I am planning on bringing lightweight, long sleeved shirts with a jacket. Does this sound OK?

thanks.

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Take pictures of what? Will anything be open? Church? Bus?

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If you want to have a sightseeing tour in Helsinki, I%26#39;d stick to the one the cruise company is offering as that will most likely depart directly from the ship as soon as it has arrived. None of the %26quot;publicly available%26quot; sightseeing tours, neither the hop-on-hop-off will be available that early.

Euros is the currency in Finland. However, major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) are widely accepted.

Info on the hop-on-hop-off: stromma.se/en/…

Other sightseeing tours: http://www.helsinkiexpert.fi/sightseeing/

If you could provide us with the name of the ship you will be arriving with, you could get more accurate hints, as the cruise ships can arrive in many ports located in different parts of the city - all more ore less close to downtown.

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Weather can be anything from rainy and chilly to sunny and hot. See www.fmi.fi/weather/local.html?place=Helsinki (NOTE! Temperatures are in Centigrate on that page.)

At http://www.fmi.fi/weather/climate_6.html you can check averages for weather in Helsinki.

The average mean temperature in June is +14.8°C (+58.6°F), average minimum tempereture is +11°C (51.8°F) and maximum +18.7°C (+65.7°F). However, these are daily averages, the daytime temperature may be well above the average while the nighttime temperature is below it. The highest temperature measured in June has been +30.5°C (+86.9°F) and the lowest only +2.1°C (+35.8°F). No-one will be able to tell exactly what the weather will be like in two weeks, so keep the weather forecasts on eye ;-).

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Sorry, should have indicated that we will be arriving on June 18 on the Holland America Line%26#39;s %26quot;Eurodam%26quot; ship.

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Your ship will dock in Hernesaari quay LHB. It%26#39;s number 2 in this map: portofhelsinki.fi/content/…

Some of the main sights are also marked on the map.

Further info on Helsinki%26#39;s sights: www.visithelsinki.fi/In_English/Visitor.iw3

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Thank you so much!

Do you know if we can get a bus near the dock/port? Or will we need a cab? There are 4 of us.

white reindeer family room

HI Everone

got booked into the white reindeer for the week from the 27th decmber,2010 we have been booked into the family room for 2 adults and 2 children ..has anyone been in the family rooms before, what are they like also with it being first choice we are full board ,do they provide soft drinks free for the children at meal times..

ps have read loads about the sledges being taken with some many being bought and hotels letting them be used ..i am sure they have a heap for everyone to use...were are they all going to...ROLL ON DECEMBER have also heard that booking huskie and reindeer trips is best done from tourist info centre...ps they dont reply back to emails ..how sad..

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We went to the same hotel in feb half term and paid for a superior family room 2+2 didnt get the room i thought we would though! It was a room with a room going off with 2 single beds and main room had double we had a balcony which had 2 sleds on and bought 2 more about £7 each. Main gripe was no microwave which brochure said there was and had taken food for daughter who is a vegetarian ,it turned out we had another double room also no microwave! in another block only used it once when cleaners in other room! This aside we had a great holiday the hotel is very cosy we booked our trips with inghams who are based at this hotel as well, trips much cheaper than most other companies .free drinks at meal times were water/milk/beer/hot drinks. A large coke cost about £3.50 our kids happily drank the water untill last few nights as its so pure( no funny chlorine taste)The other type of room has a mezzazine and kitchenette goodness knows which you will get, but i%26#39;m sure you will have a great holiday.

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Thanks very much for the info.. i just get worried that the travel companys mess you about ,but it sounds like we will have a good time. many thanks for taking the time in responding and i wish you all the best fun in the future...

Tram 3T

Does tram 3T make a complete circular route around inner town?

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I%26#39;d call it an 8. It goes way beyond what I call inner town, but yes, basically just sitting there will take you to the place where you left.

|||

There has been some changes with 3T-routing lately, see the latest info here:

aikataulut.ytv.fi/reittiopas/en/line/…

Thre are also small booklets in the tram or at Tourist information about sights along the route.

Have a great tour!

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Thanks for the update!

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Take the beer tram instead - it%26#39;s a bar on wheels. Stops are at Rautatientori (terminus), Linnanmäki (amusement park), National Opera, Aleksanterinkatu and Kauppatori.

Snow time

Dear friends, we plan to travel to Rovaniemi and Lapland in 2009. Can you all plz tell me wen is the best time to visit these places as we wud like to visit wen it snows heavily. I am from India and wud really like to experience snow as it does not snow here. I view the roadcams many times and found the place to be peaceful and beautiful. So, plzz help me in planning mu trip accordingly. ..

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I would go in feb/march - there should be snow from about nov onwards but to get lots of fluffy snow it is probably best to go feb time as you will also get some daylight too

Need a place to stay in Turku during 01 07 - 06 07

Please, help us to find a place to stay in Turku during rock festival. Can be only beds to sleep for 2 guys, for reasonable price.

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Majatalo (hostel) Satama is located in the harbour, between the central Turku and Ruissalo, where Ruisrock is being held. Minimum stay is one week though and the rooms are very basic, but the cost is only 240 euros / week for a room for two people. The name, address and phone number are below, and you can copy and paste the link below to see the hostel (that page is only in Finnish). If you phone them for availability, make sure you mention the hostel name Satama, since the same company has another hostel in a location less convenient for you.

Majatalo Satama, Satamakatu 27, Puh. 233 4484

http://www.turku.fi/Public/download.aspx?ID=43599%26amp;GUID={469DF62F-D3F0-4C94-9248-3DD28634460C}

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...forgot to complete the phone number, when phoning from abroad the number is +358 2 233 4484

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It might be hard to find any place to sleep in Turku during Ruisrock, because all the hostels are full already, I guess. If you could stay in a so called school accommodation (sleeping on a floor in a school building) there could still be some places to find in a reasonable price (12 e /night plus 3 e deposit for a thin madras). I recommend you to mail: majoitus@tuto.fi and ask.

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Thanks a lot for your help! Good price, we%26#39;ll try to find out. Hope, there still some empty rooms. :)

helsinki with children

I am visiting Helsinki for 1 day as part of a cruise with 2 children aged 10 and 12. What would you recommend we see and do?

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Depends slightly on the arrival and departure times, but for kids e.g.

- Linnanmäki Amusement Park http://www.linnanmaki.fi/en/linnanmaki

- Korkeasaari Zoo korkeasaari.fi/services/visitorinformation

- Suomenlinna Sea Fortress http://www.suomenlinna.fi/index.php?lang=eng

See more here: visithelsinki.fi/In_English/Visitor/See/Fami…

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England has better amusement parks and zoos. You%26#39;d be better off taking them to something they can%26#39;t see anywhere else. Suomenlinna is a unique place and there is a small beach there, popular with kids, making a handy site for a picnic. Point out the little islands on the horizon where the combined British and French fleets gathered to bombard the fortress and it might impress them.

One sure-fire treat for kids if the weather%26#39;s fair is Seurasaari, an open-air island museum filled with old houses from around the country. Take some peanuts as the local red squirrels will eat from your hand. A few children find this terrifying, but you know your kids best - decide accordingly. Bus 24 from the Swedish Theatre (round, white building at the end of Esplanadi Park away from the sea - easy to find).

The sea tours operated from Kauppatori quay might be good, but pick a shorter one in case they get bored.

cant find any revues on north star chalet 1 & 2 levi... help

hi anyone...?

my fiance and i have decided to plan our wedding for jan 2011 in levi, finland and i am trying to be organsised and start some planning...

first of all the accomodation we have seen that we think is perfct is the north star chalets 1%26amp;2 in levi which are 2 12person catered chalets which connect together for larger parties, this just seems perfect for what we need as we have a large close family and friends which we can fill the 24spaces.

the thing is i have looked and looked and can not seem to find any revues or pictures of the chalet.

i would be ever so grateful if anyone has anything to say about these as i just want our wedding to be perfect and im just not sure why i cant seem to find much out about this chalet. we can book it through inghams so i cant see that there would be anything awful about it but just need to check it out...

please please please if anyone can be of some help to us it is much appreciated.

thanx. carlie.

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The reason for missing reviews might be that most likely the real name of the chalet might be something else and they use North Star only when they market it/them to British tourists...

I guess they are these: http://www.k5levi.fi/en_12person/

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thanx ever so much for the information you gave me, we are pretty certain that it is the same place and feel better about it now as there are great pictures too.

thanx again. carlie.

booking overnight sleeper train to kolari from helsinki

Hi

We want to travel in mid August. It looks as though we can only book through the online Vr booking system up to 8 weeks before we travel. but I think I read somewhere that sleeper berths can be bookd up to 12months ahead.

Can/should we book our train %26amp; sleeper tickets now %26amp; if this is possible how do we do so, or do we have to wait til 8 weeks before we travel? (we are UK based)

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Why do you want to book so early? I don%26#39;t think the train will be that crowded. The main Finnish holiday season is in July. I would wait until shortly before travelling. I would leave it until the day before, but then again I like to make last minute plans. A week or two would be more than enough time.

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thanks-wasn%26#39;t sure how busy the trains will be in August

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Not very busy in August - however do not leave booking sleeping berths until the last minute. But 2 weeks should be enough at that time of the year. During the skiing season in winter the night trains to Lapland are often very crowded.

Cabin berths can be prebooked 12 months in advance through VR Contact Centre, not through the online shop.

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thanks for the replies. think we%26#39;ll book once on line booking opens

Reting cars in Finland

Hi. I am 20 (will almost bve 21 when I go on a Scandinavian trip with a friend) and want to rent a car to cross some of Finland. I have been on the train from Hummpila near Tampere to Rovaniemi before, but we want to do some of the way by car this time.

1. Can I rent a car aged 20?

2. I have a Turkish driving licence.

3. I will probably have newly gotten my UK driving licence by the time we go

4. Cheaper with local companies or large international companies?

5. Cost and availability of crossing into Sweden with same car and dropping it off somewhere.

Info appreciated!

Roavniemi wedding

Hi,

Myself and my partner and our two children will be flying out to Rovaniemi on the 21st December 2009, we are staying at Winter Wonderland hotel and getting married in the snow igloo ice chapel. We are really excited especially the children who are 7 and 4. First choice who i have booked with have not been overly helpful so far therefore im starting to get stressed about the details of how the day will pan out, photographers, what shoes to wear as ive searched numerous web sites and also looking for a coat or faux bolero but nothing that will swamp me.

Anybody that has been or has any good suggestions please please get back to me would be much appreciated.

helsinki card near west harbour?

I will be traveling with Princess cruise which will be docked at west harbour. Can I buy the Helsinki card near the West Harbour? If yes, where? Thanks,

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helsinkicard.fi/helsinki_card/sales_points

Is this normal for a refund.

I just wondered if any of you know whether 28 days to wait for a refund is normal from first choice. We cancelled our lapland holiday as the company sent a letter saying the hotel had changed our board basis from full board to just bed and breakfast. NOT at all suitable for our needs so we were told we could cancel with no penalties. However as I paid cash I have been told I have to wait up to 28 days for the refund.

I know some of you have experienced cancellation before so just thought I would ask.

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what difference does it make how you paid them?? you paid them they now need to give it back to you - I would question it as they are earning money from your money and if it is normal to wait 28 days I would ask why?

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When we cancelled our first lapland holiday with first choice they said we would have to wait upto 28 days for a cheque to be sent but we got it within a couple of weeks.

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I will have to give them another call as have been waiting now 19 days for a refund. IT%26#39;s over 3 thousand pounds so am keen to get it back asap.

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I would follow up your call with an email just so you have proof that you have contacted them

Unfortunately consumer law is not on your side with this one as such - if you buy over the phone/net/magazine etc this is deemed as distance services and if you buy in this manner then refunds have to be given within 30 days

If you pay for something in cash in the store/travel agent etc then there is no consumer law stating a time scale as to when your refund has to be given by - but - most companies will have their own rules on refunds and as a consumer you can state a reasonable time for your refund, which would be in line with the distance services so 30 days is a reasonable time (not that I personally think it is, that%26#39;s way too long to take to issue refunds)

good luck and just nag them for it

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Thanks for all your replies. I rang them again today and was told the same thing that I should allow 28 working days for the refund.

I was apparently told the wrong thing by the manager when she said they refund in 7-10 days.

Guess I need to be more patient. Not one of my good traits! :)

Lapland help

Can anyone help me. Ideally I am looking for a short break to lapland starting after xmas.So the 26th or 27th dec. Needs to be only 3/4 days due to school.

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Inghams santa breaks only go upto the 16th dec so that option is out, that then leaves you with the santa breaks which can be very expensive so you will need to check them all out, they all have a lot to offer and only you know what you want from the trip, however, you say the children need to be back for school, I think most schools are going back on monday 4th Jan so you could do the week long stay with inghams going on sunday 27th dec, if you go from one of the airports that leave lapland early (such as bristol) you will be back in time for the kids to be settled at home before they go back to school the following day - this week long stay will be better value for money than a shorter santa break but you will need to pay for the activities once you are there, it will still work out cheaper though and the time you have there will be great, it will also be new year so you can celebrate new year too

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Thankyou we have done the santa 4 day break before and it was fab but really looking for something after xmas.other problem is that hubby doesnt want to leave from an airport too far away so that leaves us with bristol airport.

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so the inghams week long stay would be ideal then?

you just need to decide where to go now, personally I would recommend saariselka but I am very biased towards saari as I love it there

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Thankyou have booked to go over xmas again as that way i feel more comfortable about kids being ready to go back to school.

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excellent - so where are you going to etc?

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we are going exactly where we went last time!!!lol

winter wonderland hotel in rovaneimi.it was fantastic last time.i hope there is a bit more snow this time.saying that there was snow but very hard snow,fab for sledging. this time we are keeping it a secret from the kids!!!

levi finland wedding

hi anyone...

myself and my fiance are planning to get married in finland jan/feb 2011, we have found acommodation we like in levi which are advertised as north star chalets in the uk but i found out these are part of the k5.

we have been looking at the lainio snow village to get married...

can anyone give any information on any of the following please, anything will be a great help.

where%26#39;s nicest to actually get married, i like the thought of the ice chapel but have only really seen pics of the wooden one...?

where you would have the meal after, is it so cold that you would have to wear snow suits to have a meal in the ice hotel? the tuikku at top of levi gondala looks nice too but not sure...?

where would you spend your wedding night? glass igloo%26#39;s look a little close together for privacy, the snow villages teepee looks nice...?

would you book the wedding through a tour operator / through the hotel / snow village / or indipendantly?

any contacts for any wedding plans i.e co-ordinators, florist, photographer, car, coach, meal, cake, etc?

if anyone could let me know of the cost for the total wedding over there and what that included?

anyone have fire works?

any info would be grately appreciated

thanx. carlie.

Helsinki with a 5 month old

It looks like I%26#39;ll be coming to Helsinki with my husband and 5 month old daughter in a couple of weeks. My husband will be working during the day so it%26#39;ll just be my daughter and myself and I have a few questions.

How easy is it to get round Helsinki with a pram? Can you use them on trams?

Are there baby changing facilities available in cafes or department stores etc?

Will cafes be happy to warm bottles for me (obviously I%26#39;ll have a coffee or something myself while there)?

Any good tips for places to go with babies? I%26#39;m planning to stick mainly to parks and maybe a boat trip. I%26#39;m off to get a guide book this week.

Thanks

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Hi!

Some trams have a low floor, which means that it%26#39;s easy to get onboard with a pram. There are still also older tram cars where you have to go up a few steps to get into the tram. Most busses have low floors.

If you want to do a bit of sightseeing you can take tram number 3, which will take you around the city. It passes many of the sights and you it goes in a %26quot;circle%26quot;, so you%26#39;ll end up where you started. The trams run quite frequently so you can always wait until one with a low floor arrives.

There are baby changing facilities at department stores and also in many other public toilets e.g. in cafes. The cafes will be happy to warm bottles for you, that shouldn%26#39;t be a problem.

You can for example take a boat to the Suomenlinna sea fortress. It on a beautiful island and there%26#39;s a ferry from the market square. It%26#39;s very nice to stroll around the island.

Have a nice time!

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Thanks for the recommendations.

One more question we%26#39;ll probably need to get a taxi from the airport to the hotel. I%26#39;m hoping not to take the car seat, do any taxis have cra seats available?

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Hi - We visited Finland a few years ago with our son (then 2) and found it to be very child friendly in general. I recall that nearly every public toilet I visited had a child%26#39;s potty and stool to reach the sink (would not find that here in the US). There are several outdoor markets which are pleasant to stroll with babies; one right by the harbor and the Hietalahti flea market (Sunday). I remember having a little difficulty with some cobblestone roads with the stroller, but not too bad. There is a long park, Esplanadi, in the center of Helsinki which leads to the harbor (and the market), which is always popular in the summer and pleasant for people watching. You could sit outside at Kapelli Cafe on the Esplandi for a meal or coffee and watch people if the weather is nice. If it is not so nice out, there is a big shopping mall in Espoo called %26quot;Iso Omena%26quot; (%26quot;Big Apple%26quot;) where you could easily spend several hours. You could Google it and find out about public transport there, it is very close. About cabs, I do not think it likely that they have car seats. Perhaps a private car company going to and from the airport would have them available. I love Helsinki, enjoy your time there!

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Very few taxis have a car seat for children with them. You%26#39;d better order one by calling 0100 7300 once you%26#39;ve arrived. Or go to any information desk and they%26#39;d be able to assist you. There are also some special shuttle services there and they might even be able to help you. All in all I think it%26#39;s best to ask directly after you%26#39;ve arrived and I%26#39;m sure it%26#39;ll sort itself out.

Best "natural landscape" Route to take in Finland in summer?

Best %26quot;natural landscape%26quot; Route to take in Finland in summer?

I%26#39;m not sure if I should explore the interior of Finland on my trip to Scandanavia this summer. I know Finland is a flat country, and I%26#39;m a landscape photographer. I know there are lakes, and forests, but Finland distances are great, and my time in the country is limited to 3-4 weeks, and I want to know Helsinki well. My question is what can I expect to find If I go hitchiking, exploring the heart of Finland?

What route should I take that will lead me back to Umeo, or Stockholm, Sweden (my next destination after Finland)? I%26#39;ve heard the archipelego around Turku is the nicest area of the country. I don%26#39;t have time, resources to go all the way to Lapland, but I heard for example rt. 62 around Pumaala is the nicest area of the country for photography, nature, and untouched wildernesss.

What do you think?

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Koli has been famous (in Finland, anyway) for its striking scenery for well over a century. Check it out with a search on a photo site (Flickr for instance) and you%26#39;ll see why.

Finland is not really flat just because it lacks mountains. Glacial ridges are far more common than flat land.

Actually 3-4 weeks is a fair amount of time, more than most visitors spend here.

For hitching you should do most of your travelling on main roads as it%26#39;s likely to be very slow going anywhere else. This means entering and leaving via Turku.

The Turku Archipelago is strikingly beautiful but I wouldn%26#39;t agree it%26#39;s the most beautiful region in Finland. The waterways and ridges of the lakelands and the wild fells of Lapland have their fans.

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I would not spend too much time in Helsinki. If you got 3-4 weeks, max 1 should be spent in Helsinki.

Definitely you should explore the Lake District, the route you are referring to is The Green Gold Culture Road, finlandexpert.fi/files/343/SuomenMatkailutie… one of the best routes in Finland for scenery.

If you are heading to Sweden, you should take the morning ferry from Turku to Stockholm via Åland, with possibly a 1 to 2 days stop in Åland. This way you%26#39;ll see both the Finnish and Swedish archipelago at their best.

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If you are arriving from Umeå to Vaasa by ferry (or vice versa), you could head to the north less than 100 km and take a look of the coastal road of 7 bridges (the road is about 30 km):

http://www.7siltaa.com/eng/frameset1_eng.php

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Sandia911 just as you have heard, after Lapland, the area around road 62 in Eastern Finland is definitely the most beautiful area of Finland. Gorgeous scenery and beautiful lakes, it does not get more Finnish than that.

The Turku archipelago is beautiful too, but if you have 3-4 weeks, I would definitely recommend renting a car and taking road 62 and visiting the towns there nearby. Visit at least Punkaharju, Puumala, Savonlinna, Imatra and Sulkava while there. In Sulkava, there is a great place for nature photographs called Linnavuori (%26quot;Castle Mountain%26quot;), I recommend a visit. There is a place to grill food there, so take some sausage or other snacks with you. Linnavuori is usually well presented in travel guides, and there are also signs in Sulkava on how to get there.

While taking road 62, it is not even necessary to reserve any lodging, you can also just take lodging on the road. I have done roadtrips like that, and there is always vacancies. Never go to the general camping sites, they are dull and lack personality. Instead choose smaller cabin villages - you can look for these in advance in the internet or on the road (there are signs on the road which show a small cabin, which means lodging available).

In Punkaharju for example, there is a nice horse stable that offers lodging which is way more nice than the general camp site of Punkaharju. Also one place that is a true gem is a place called Sulkavan Oravanpesät (in english %26quot;Sulkava%26#39;s squirrel nest%26quot;) (see http://www.oravanpesat.fi/?q=fi/etusivu) - the page unfortunately is only in Finnish and in Russian. But call them directly. This place is near Sulkava and Linnavuori that I mentioned earlier. They have cabins for rent (and the price is not bad at all), and there is a nice sauna and a river to swim in and they also offer canoes which is really nice). Very charming place, but if you go around the Sulkava Rowing Competition (which is usually the second weekend of July) they are always fully booked.

A week in Eastern Finland is sufficient if you are in a hurry, so you can also consider going to both Eastern Finland and the Turku archipelago. Finland is a small country, so the drives are not long.

Enjoy!

GirlMouse

Tipping

Just wondering what the custom is for tipping in restaurants. Here in the US, 10-15% (before tax) is customary, depending on the service. Servers typically make a very low wage and depend on tips for a decent income.

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Tipping is not customary in Finland. Service is always included in the price (as well as taxes), so the price you see in the price tag - or menu in this case - is the price you pay. Of course if you feel that you have got very good service, you can give the waiter a tip, in which case 10% or rounding up the price to the nearest even sum is sufficient. But as said it is not expected.

Waiting staff gets monthly/hourly salary that has been negotiated between the labour and employers%26#39; unions.

This tipping guideline apply everywhere in Finland, as a general rule Finns do not give tips, so the barbers, hairdressers, taxi drivers etc. do not expect to get anything on top of the displayed price.

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Thank you, zam72. Very interesting. Something that%26#39;s always bothered me about restaurant pricing here is that the price you actually pay can be 20-25% over the price you see on the menu, once you add in tax and tip. Why not just include it so the price is really the price?

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Please DO NOT TIP in Finland. In other countries, tipping is based on the fact that for example waiters are not paid a living wage for their work, so they basically live with the tips. In Finland, however, like someone already wrote, this is not the case, and wages and salaries have been collectively agreed and believe me - this shows in prices already = the prices already include all charges, taxes and tips. DO NOT tip in addition, because it also makes it difficult for us Finnish people - when we go to restaurants, the waiters (who have become used to being tipped by tourists) start to wait for a tip on us Finnish people too. First we pay on service that is included in the price of the food, and then we are expected to tip too? The tipping culture does not fit an economy that includes the service already in the prices.

Tipping in Finland is also questionable from tax point of view, because the waiters pay tax for their salaries and if they get any tips they are obliged to report them to the tax authorities, which no one of couse ever does, so tipping just encourages them to tax evasion.

I know it might seem difficult to let go the tipping habit when in Finland, but I strongly advice to forget it when here, otherwise you%26#39;ll just for no reason pay double for everything.

Bus connections from Tampere Airport to Helsinki

Hi,

Whilst staying in Espoo during July we are thinking of making a trip to Riga with Ryanair from Tampere. Could anyone advise the cheapest ways of geting to and from Tampere. On the outward flight day we wil arrive there early and spend the day in Tampere however on return which will be late evening we will need to travel back to Espoo if at all possible. Any ideas welcome. Thank you

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Going via Tampere much more than doubles the travelling time to Riga from Espoo. They%26#39;d have to be practically giving away the tickets to make it worthwhile. I suggest you check out a few alternative carriers such as Finnair and Air Baltic (http://www.airbaltic.com/public/index.html) which operate from Helsinki-Vantaa. This is within easy bus or taxi range of Espoo, unlike Tampere.

If you%26#39;re hell-bent on going via Tampere, there%26#39;s a bus service leaving from Rautatientori in Helsinki to Tampere airport. You%26#39;ll no doubt find that the cheapest way. I think it%26#39;s about €30 per person (my mate takes it often, I haven%26#39;t). Otherwise it%26#39;s train and then a bus from Tampere station.

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HI, Thanks for your speedy response. I was unaware of Air Baltic%26#39;s existence and have checked out flights from Helsinki and it is much more suitable than travelling over to Tampere. Thank you again for this, I only knew of Finnair, SAS and Blue 1 previously of the Scandinavian airlines so it is extremely helpful!

Kind Regards

Lydia66

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You%26#39;re welcome, ma%26#39;am. (Tips hat.)

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BTW: the direct bus connection from Helsinki to Tampere Airport for Ryanair flights has been discontinued last december! Nowadays there%26#39;s a bus conncection only to downtown Tampere (bus 61) and/or the Tampere Railway Station (%26quot;Ryanair bus%26quot;).

Bus from Kittila to Alta, Norway

Can someone give me info on bus times from Kittila to Alta in Norway, or tell me even if they that far?

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See www.eskelisen-lapinlinjat.com/en/index.php…

So only for 6 weeks this summer between June 27 - August 7.

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Oh dear. Do trains cease to function too for the approach of winter?

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There are no railway tracks at all in Lapland, so the only public transportation available are buses, but bus transportation between Finland and Norway is not that frequent...

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One must remember that Lapland is a very, very sparsely populated area and therefore has very little public transport.

which resort least tranfer time

1st timer to lapland taking my 7yr grandson, any advise to which resort has the least transfer time,we need to fly from bristol or exeter hopeful to doing a 3night stay.who are the most favoured agents to go with

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Levi and Ruka are both near airport.

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I would take a look at espirit,emagine travel and inghams short santa breaks.

Saariselka is also another resort where the transfer time is around 20 minutes if you fly into ivalo with emagine or espirit.

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Also worth taking alook at www.santatrips.co.uk as there seems to be some good deals on there too for shorter lapland breaks.

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Many thanks for advise I will have a look

The 'Public' Bikes

Hi, are there the public bikes in Helsinki (that they have in Paris)? You put say EUR2 in and return the bike somewhere else for s limited period.

Also, will there be a mozzie problem in Helsinki in early August?

Cheers,

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Yes, there are city bikes available. Check this link for more information:

www.hel.fi/wps/portal/HKL_en/Artikkeli…

I recall reading somewhere that the bikes are brand new for this year.

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%26quot;Also, will there be a mozzie problem in Helsinki in early August?%26quot;

I don%26#39;t think mosquitoes are a problem any time of year in the southern cities.

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That%26#39;s right, mozzies tend to favour a rural setting.

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If you camp overnight in a park, mosquitoes might be a problem. That%26#39;s not something I would advise.

The city camping site is mosquito heaven, but the built-up areas are practically mozzy-free.

Hotel Apartment in Helsinki

Which furnished hotel apartments that are nice, safe, with nice surroundings would you recommend for a 5-day stay in or not too far Helsinki city center for a family of 4 with kids?

Price not a factor.

Thanks for feedback and suggestions.

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Hi, I can recommend %26quot;Stay at Helsinki Parliament%26quot;. They have flats right in the city center. Pls check their homepages.

With best regards

Christina

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I can recommend %26quot; kotihotelli %26quot;.

I have used them many times over the last 10 years and have had no problems.

They have a 7 day min stay, however you may be able to work around that . They have assorted size furnished apartments all well located within reasonable walking distance from the city center.

Tipimikke

Pensacola Florida =)

Apartment Rental

Does anyone know of links for apartment rental. We are wishing to stay in Helsinki/Espoo for four weeks in July and would like to rent someone%26#39;s apartment whilst they are on vacation. Are there other sites to check out in addition to Finland Forum. Thanks.

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visithelsinki.fi/In_English/Visitor/Helsinki…

A list of many apartment rental places..take a look.

Good luck !

Tipimikke

Day trips by car from Helsinki

Can anyone suggest possible day trips please - we were thinking of Hanko and Tampere. Any other suggestions welcome. Would the lake district be too far for a day and if so where would you suggest staying overnight. Thank you.

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Porvoo and Turku are also within an easy reach by car. To get a proper glance of the lake district you should stay over night there. Good places could be e.g. Savonlinna and Punkaharju and other places in that area.

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I would recommend Hanko and Porvoo (nice small towns with a lot of nice wooden houses) and Turku (which used to be our capitol long time ago)

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Agree with the other posters about Porvoo.

How about going to the idyllic Fiskars Village to the west from Helsinki? There%26#39;s also Billnäs village near by - another beautiful old ironworks town.

http://www.fiskarsvillage.fi/en/

They both are located in the newly formed city of Raasepori (Rsseborg in Swedish).

http://en.raseborg.fi/service/tourism

Those places can also be visited in combination with Hanko, since it%26#39;s in the same direction, about half way there.

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Thanks for these suggestions. We will have a car for one week so we should be able to get to all these places. We have visited Tampere previously but only by train. We plan to go there next month by car. Any suggestions of other nearby places of scenic interest whilst we are in that area%26gt;

Thanks

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For a trip to the lake district I%26#39;d recommend an over night stay.

You could head to Lappeenranta and Savonlinna, both very scenic by the lake and possibilities for nice tours on a ship.

You could return along The Green Gold Culture Road, finlandexpert.fi/files/343/SuomenMatkailutie…

one of the best routes in Finland for scenery.

Baltic Princess Cruise

My wife and I are taking the 9/09 Baltic Cruise and docking in Helsinki and St. Petersburg.

I would like us however to see Moscow as well aside St.Petersburg and Helsinki. What can you recommend us to do without getting a Russian Visa,using the Ships%26#39;s excursion trip. There is a trip which will show us Helsink,followed by a train ride to Moscow and returning back to St. Petersburg. Will I have enough time to tour the City of Peter upon our return from Moscow. The ships%26#39;s brochure is not clear about it.

Thanks

hosdom

runzambo@yahoo.com

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You%26#39;d be better off asking the cruise operator.

|||

Thanks.

That trip from Helsinki to Moscow and St.Petersburg requires( from reading further their brochure),a Russian Visa which they tell me is difficult to get. I think, much as I would like to see the Red Square/Kremlin and the St. Basil%26#39;s Cathedral, we will stick to St.Petersburg sights. I am sure knowing the options, this is a wiser move.

Furthermore, the Ship%26#39;s brochure does not mention any excursions to the St. Peter%26#39;s area.

Thanks again.

hosodom

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A friend of mine went last year with Red October tours. None of the tours are cheap, but he swears they are the best. The more people, the cheaper the tours. In August , 9 of us have booked with them and we will be able in two days to see all the most important Churches, palaces, etc. Tell Mike that Sam referred you. Check Google for Red October tours.

transport airport-hotel

I need some advise about the best way to get by public transportation from the airport to my hostel located at: Linnankatu 9, Helsinki City.

Thanks!

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Check this:

http://aikataulut.ytv.fi/reittiopas/en/?aa=23103%3At2a2553681a6690120%3AHelsinki-Vantaa+Airport%3A288%3A%26amp;an=%26amp;keya=Helsinki-Vantaa%26amp;keyb=Linnankatu+9%2C+Helsinki%26amp;b=11142%26amp;bn=9%26amp;hour=12%26amp;min=00%26amp;vm=1%26amp;day=29%26amp;month=06%26amp;year=2009%26amp;va=2%26amp;adv=

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I.e. take a public bus from the airport to Helsinki Central Railway Station, change there to the tram #4. The regional ticket costs 4 EUR and will be valid for the entire journey (but not valid on Finnair City Bus). The public buses (615) depart from platform 21 (Terminal 2) and platform 2 (Terminal 1).

Finnair City Bus will cost 5.90 EUR to the Helsinki Central Railway Station and that ticket is valid only for that journey, i.e. you%26#39;d have to buy a separate single ticket for the tram journey. The Finnair City Bus departs from platforms 1 (Terminal 1) and 10 (Terminal 2).

Hotels near to the Metro in Helsinki

Am planning to travel to Helsinki in February. Have noticed the accommodation quite expensive. Can anyone suggest where I might find a map with hotels located near to metro stations. From previous experience I have found that in big cities if you have to stay a little outside the centre of the city it is generally OK if you are located near an underground system. Prefer to use these rather than buses! Thanks all,

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The Helsinki Metro will not really help you in this sense, as there%26#39;s practically only one line and there aren%26#39;t really any hotels along that line that would be that much cheaper that it would make a real difference.

Instead of the metro you could check hotels along the commuter train routes, but they might not be that much cheaper anyhow, but here is at least one:

Sokos Hotel Vantaa (in Tikkurila): www.sokoshotels.fi/en/hotels/vantaa/vantaa/

Check Omena Hotels. They have two centrally located hotels in Helsinki and are economical: http://www.omenahotels.com/frontpage

About Helsinki card?

Hi,

Please suggest shall I buy the Helsinki Card for two days? Is there any worth of that card or a way to con people?

Thanks

Sharat

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You should visit many museums to make the Helsinki Card worthwile: http://www.helsinkicard.fi/

You can also buy a two daily tickets for the public transport separately and then pay the normal admission to museums.

http://www.hel.fi/wps/portal/HKL_en/Artikkeli?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/hkl/en/Tickets/Ticket+types/Tourist+Ticket

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It%26#39;s not a con in that it%26#39;s a convenient package, but you%26#39;re paying over the odds for that convenience. I advise people not to bother with the Helsinki Card as it%26#39;s hard to get your money%26#39;s worth.

Tips for Eastern Finland Holiday with Kids

Hi Everyone,

I am planning a 17 trip to St Petersburg and Finland,

with 10 days or so in StP and the rest in Finland.

Apart from a couple of days sightseeing in Helsinki

I would like to take it easy, maybe rent a cottage

near a lake where we can swim, canoe/rowboat, fish,

etc. Would the Savonlinna/Puntaharju area be the

best place to do this (given that we would be on the

way back from StP)? My boys are 7 and 11, and we

just want to take it easy after a busy week in StP.

We would also like to catch some concerts if possible.

Would like to rely on public transport if possible.

Any advice welcome!

Cheers,

Craig

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How are you planning to come from St. Petersburg? By train, plane or bus? As far as I have understood the trains from St. Petersburg stop only in Vainikkala, Kouvola and Lahti before the Helsinki Metropolitan Area (where they stop in Tikkurila, Pasila and Helsinki Central Railway Station). More info on trains between Finland and Russia: www.vr.fi/eng/ulkomaat/venaja/index.shtml .

In Kouvola you can change to a train going to Lappeenranta and Savonlinna. Between Savonlinna and Lappeenranta you can also travel by a boat (there%26#39;s also a route by boat from Lappeenranta to Helsinki).

Further info: http://www.saimaa.fi/in_english.iw3 and http://gosaimaa.fi/?getLangIDx=en

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Thanks - that%26#39;s great info. We are actually flying in and out of Helsinki, and we were thinking of catching the bus both ways, but the train would be fine too.

Cheers,

Craig

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Not to mention that in Finland train is usually cheaper than bus... And faster, too. ;-)

For foreigners VR (Finnish Railways) has special rail passes, you should check them out: www.vr.fi/eng/junaliput/rail_passes.shtml and summer offers at vr.fi/eng/…index.shtml and www.vr.fi/eng/junaliput/liput/lomapassi.shtml

Levi Cabins

Has anyone got any info on the Levi Cabins with Neilson. Looking to book for Dec 09 but not sure about the distance to Levi.

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From what i can rem they are out by the golf course which is some way out of levi - you will need to get the ski bus or taxi to the centre.

Shell

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I rather like that area Shell.I at fist thought they could be the Levi logs But it says they are 2.5km from the shop!! That will be golf area!

From Viking line port in Turku to Turku station

How I can get to Turku train station from Turku Viking line port?

Thanks in advanced,

Ljilja

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There are trains from the harbour to the station when the ferrys have arrived. The trains will then continue either to Tampere or Helsinki.

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Thanks a lot. Does it mean that I can enter train in harbour and with the same train go to Tampere?

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That%26#39;s right. The trip takes a little under two hours.

You can check timetables here: http://www.vr.fi/eng/

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I am going to buy on-line train tickets but these tickets are with no seat reservation. Is seat reservation nesesary in Finland%26#39;s train? How much is seat reservation?

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%26quot;I am going to buy on-line train tickets but these tickets are with no seat reservation. Is seat reservation nesesary in Finland%26#39;s train? How much is seat reservation?%26quot;

The online tickets will include a seat reservation if the train you select has seats that can be reserved. You will only see the total price on the web page, can%26#39;t actually buy a ticket without a seat reservation. Most if not all tickets to long distance trains will include a reserved seat.

Helsinki nightlife?

Off to Helsinki for a weekend in July on a boys trip and wanted some advice / tips on the best bars / nightspots to visit?

Keep hearing scary rumours about the price of drinks, wondered what the actual truth is?

Look forward to some helpful responses.

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Hi,

Bar A 21 on Annankatu 21 in Helsinki was voted number one among 100 top bars in the world. Don´t miss Zetor in the down town area.

Price on booze depends on the place and time. Bars sometime have happy hours. In the Kallio area prices are less than in the fancy hotel bars.

Cheers!

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The price of beer is still going up in spite of the recession. You can easily find yourself paying over €6 for a measly .4 of a litre, but there are a few places you can fill your beer gut for less than €5 a glass (even a full half-litre) and even in the centre. Look for glitzy places and ignore them.

Fridays (across the street from the railway station, head towards the big round white building: if you can%26#39;t find it, ask a passing pretty girl) was only asking €4 a pint last time I looked in, although that was now quite a few months ago. This place only livens up later in the evening.

There%26#39;s tons of choice anyway, so just exercise your feet till you find a bar that suits you.

Enjoy!

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%26quot;Keep hearing scary rumours about the price of drinks, wondered what the actual truth is?%26quot;

Drinks, esp hard liquor and cocktails are indeed expensive. The more alcohol, the more expensive. Beer, cider and wine are not that bad.

Do like the locals do, get drunk in the comfort of your own home and enter the bar for just a couple of drinks more! Also %26#39;plastic bag beer%26#39; is popular in the parks during the summer.

Seinajoki (Tampere) from Turku?

I must go to Seinajoki (via Tampere) 01.07. after 9 o clokck. Is the train the best solution? Should I bought tickets on-line or I can bought it in the station one houre before departure. Is it the same price? Is returned tickets cheaper?

Thanks in advanced,

Ljilja

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You can buy the tickets either online or at the station. The price is the same. The price will vary depending on if your train is an intercity train or a pendolino train. Pendolino trains cost a few euros more than intercity trains.

There is a pendolino train at 9.05 which will arrive in Seinäjoki at 12.04, you have to change trains in Tampere.

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The train ticket can be bought online in link below:

service.vr.fi/ticket/index.jsp…

Actually if you buy a ticket at ticket machine in Tampere station, then you get 0,50 euro discount.

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Thank you. I find departure from Turku satama, I think satama is harbour, so when I enter train at harbour it is direct train to Tampere?

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Yes, satama is the harbour. So you can get on the train there and that%26#39;s a direct train to Tampere.

The train leaves at 8.36 from the harbour and gets to Seinäjoki at 12.04.

Have a nice trip!

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Thanks!!!!!!!