Where does Santa Claus live? Ask any, will answer - in Veliky Ustyug. The main New Year's symbol of Russia today has a formal position of registration "Just like Santa Claus, justified in Lapland. But only 19 years ago, our winter grandfather was homeless. He came to the kids, no dignity from where and went nowhere. And envied his Scandinavian A colleague, who and the house was, and the address where the guys sent letters.
For almost two decades ago, when the information just appeared that Santa Claus could settle in Veliky Ustyug, on the instructions of the editorial board, I went to the small town of the Vologda region for exploration. I wanted to see what I was determined by the New Year's hero in Votchin.
Places really turned out to be fabulous. First, we traveled to, as in a fairy tale, "how long they briefly jump." At first, for almost a day, the train was driving to Vologda, then waited when the trailers next to Ustyug would form in a new composition and drag us along a one-bar in distant Dali. Snow-covered spruses restrained by shaggy macushki in the blue sky, the meter drifts in the rays of the low winter sun were sparkled by diamonds, and when our composition rolled up to a small station, which is a pointed leather from the glass, it seemed that I really had Santa Claus somewhere nearby. The great Ustyug was impressed - the central street with old houses, the first floors of which were half drown in the snow, wooden sidewalks, churches with golden domes almost in a row ... there are few people. Life was boiling only in the local Palace of Culture, where on the eve of the presentation of the project "Vasta Claus" the broken guys was preparing the New Year's hero gifts for his fabulous bag. Collected ceramic bunnies and bears, climbing caskets. For the future guests, Santa Claus allocated a whole tourist base: the chopped wooden termes in the pine forest, as it was impossible to suit the New Year Residence. Pupils of artistic schools in our eyes created from transparent cubes of river ice fairy-tale bells, gnomes, snowmen. The premonition of the holiday and New Year's miracle was felt in everything. So that I was an adult and skeptical, and on my return I told a little daughter that now I know exactly where Santa Claus lives ...
Since then, many years have passed. The project "Vastharya Santa Claus" can be considered a considerable and established. To get to the Great Ustyug, now you don't need to jump in the mountains for two days, according to dollars. Before the master of Santa Claus, you can fly by plane. But this pleasure is not cheap - 10,000-11,000 rubles per person. You can also in the old way - by train. To get to Kotlas, and from there 40 minutes by bus. Before Great Ustyug there was only one hotel in the building of the Soviet Sample. Now there are seven more hotels. But on New Year's holidays, the places in them are booking in advance. Therefore, there may be problems with the settlement. Prices - from 1500 to 3000 per room.
The residence of Santa Claus herself during this time also upset and equipped. Now little reminds of its Turbasov past. But the people now here is not an example more. And alas, because of this, from the sacred atmosphere of the New Year's miracle, that we found in the deserted great Ustyug, there are already little left. But it is for adults. In any case, in any case, in any case, the soul and "fairy tale trail" with ice termes and hot fire, around which brothers - months have gathered, and a meeting with the main character himself - loudly Santa Moroza.
Santa Claus one, real estate a lot
And yet the Great Ustyug is quite modest in terms of the sizes of the town. He is unable to accommodate everyone who wants to see Santa Claus before the new year. Therefore, many different residences appeared in Russia, where the New Year's grandfather stops during his trip through the extensive territory of Russia. In Moscow, he has a big manor in Kuzminakh. This is a whole Morozovo compound - with teremes, two-story chopped houses, rolled swings, New Year's fir, indoor roller. By the foundation you can walk for free, and here to get into the termes of Santa Claus and Snow Maiden, you will have to buy a ticket - on New Year's holidays price is 400 rubles - an adult ticket, 300 - children's. At another time tickets are cheaper. Thermal frost is very modest, there are only two rooms in it - a room and a bedroom. The bed with blue bedspreads and a mountain of seven pillows guard two polar bear. The office remarks the New Year's throne on which desires are made. At the Snow Maiden - its separate Terem, in the Svetlitsa whose whole dance of the snowmen. The largest terrace of the estate - Mail of Santa Claus. This is understandable. Letters from the guys coming here apparently invisible. Near the mail - the house of creativity, where various master classes are carried out for the children.
In the Leningrad region, in possession of Santa Claus was given to the ethnuring of Shuvalovka. Before, there was a stylized traditional Russian village with a forge, meerating, gathering courtyard. But in 2009, Santa Claus appeared in Shuvalovka, and since then, since then, the whole world gained a New Year's color. The Ural Residence of Santa Claus is located in Yekaterinburg - in Victory Park. True, it is temporary. His permanent habitat in the Urals capital, Santa Claus has not yet acquired. But in Siberia he has a stationary habitat - next to Kemerovo, in the historical and cultural and natural reserve Tomsk Pisnica. In the Volga region, the Residence of Santa Claus is 60 km from Kazan. True, the New Year's grandfather here is the name of Kysh Babai.
Why the gnomes do not freeze in the residence of Santa
Unlike our Santa Claus, the European Santa Claus settled in the village of Julopucca 9 kilometers from the capital of Finnish Lapland Rovaniemi another 66 years ago - in the distant 1950. Since then, this place has been visited, probably already several million people. But still annually on Christmas Eve and New Year, Lapland is experiencing the invasion of tourists who are thirsty to see the fairy-tale hero.
It must be said that the place for his residence Santa Claus chose amazingly, the primea is beautiful. Here is a coniferous forest, and mountains, rivers and lakes. And a lot of snow. Still, because Rovaniemi is just 8 km from the Polar Circle. Closer to Christmas these places turn into a noisy crowded attraction. In the village of Santa Claus, not only the office and post of the Christmas hero. But also Santa Park and cottages for leaving tourists. Here is a small deer farm - after all Santa moves the world on the sleigh that eight deer pulls. And next to the village is the Amusement Park - "Arctic Winter World". In the village itself, as in the residence of Santa Claus, the entrance is free. And even in Santa's house, you can get without money, but if you want to be photographed, you will have to give a money to Santa's assistants - Dwarfs and Elf. There are many of them here. After all, they help Santa to create Christmas gifts for children and entertain guests. The cost of the excursion package for visiting the village of Santa - with the meeting and transfer - 220 euros per adult, 186 euros for a child. A ride on a deer farm - with a guide, lunch, sled skiing - 75 euros.
You can also book your hotel in Rovaniemi, there is plenty of them here, and already from here ride on different excursions. Let's say to the village of Santa Claus from the center of Rovaniemi, there is a regular bus "Santa's Express", the ticket costs only 3.80 €.
Next to the village of Santa there is another amazing place - Santa Park, the cave of elves. This underground park, which is an extensive network of tunnels inside the cliff, inhabited by elves. Cave people. As can, entertains children: teaches them with calligraphic handwriting to sign New Year's postcards. And Mrs. Claus will teach ginger cookies in his pastry oven. Here you can also visit the kingdom of ice princess with the sculptures of northern animals and ride on the train "Seasons". Here you can taste a delicious lunch in the cafe elves. The entrance to Santa Pare will cost 33 euros for adults and 27 euros - for children under 12 years.
Well, if you want to take a look at the Polar Bells, go to the Zoo "Ranua". It is located 80 km from Rovaniemi. But here you will see polar bears in our usual environment. And you will realize that they are really snow-white, and not yellowish, as in the zoo of the middle strip. In addition to white bears in the zoo, more than 2 different animals and about 30 species of birds live in the zoo. The zoo is located in the forest, so the animals feel here quite freely. A ticket to the zoo costs only 14 euros for adults and 12.5 euros - for children.
In 2007, another fabulous place appeared in Lapland, which immediately liked tourists - this is the magical settlement of the Eulukka, which is also called the "team headquarters" of Santa Claus. It is only 20 km from Rovaniemi. It is believed that it is in this village, subject to deep in the Arctic Forest, elves prepare Christmas gifts. In addition to elves, Trolls also live here. You can get to the secret command item only on a snowmobile or in a deer sledding along the forest path. In the Command Point, the elves show the Children's dispatcher with the remote controller, which watches the movement around the world of reindeers with Santa and gifts, talk about the technology of entering letters with desires. A visit to this magic village will cost an adult at 130 euros, a child is 100 euros.
So happy you and fabulous christmas.