В гостях у сказки!!! :) Visiting a fairy tale!!! :)

For the winter holidays, I decided to give the child a fairy tale! The gift turned out to be for two, because in winter Lapland everyone gets into a fairy tale, both adults and children! : ) We chose the Ruka resort, because everything is at hand here, and fabulous nature, and outdoor activities: skis, sleds, snowboards, snowmobiles (all this is right next to the entrance to the hotel), and it’s not a problem to go on all excursions, and cafes, restaurants There are enough shops for every taste.
The main thing is that getting there is not a problem. From Kyiv there is a direct charter to Kuusamo, a bus meets there and in 20 minutes you are at the hotel. Kuusamo is a regional center, and Ruka is a village on a mountain. 10-15 is warmer than below in Kuusamo. We arrived, it was -27 at the airport, and we got to the hotel, we saw -17 on the thermometer : )
If you are not a professional skier, then the first day can be spent getting to know the village: Where? What? How much? And why? : )

If you have problems with English, then I want to suggest that several restaurants have a Russian menu (in Colorado, opposite the hotel, there is also a Russian-speaking waiter, and the food is very tasty). , but don't be lazy, it's worth it!! ! : ) The Russian menu is also there. In other cafes and restaurants you will always find a menu in English, so there will be no problems with food. In the grocery and alcohol supermarket, sellers speak English.
Be sure to take the child and yourself to the dacha to Santa. To say that this is a trip to a fairy tale is to say nothing! After this meeting, children again believe in Santa (I am 14 years old, my eyes burned so that it is impossible to convey). And adults begin to believe in human kindness and disinterestedness : ) After this trip, an excursion to Rovaniemi (the official residence of Santa), just a breed for something : )) I liked those who have children under 5 years old : )
You should definitely visit the husky farm and drive the team.
There may be a slight disappointment from the zoo, which they advertise like that. Those who have visited different zoos in the world will find Ranua faded. But we were lucky with the weather, there was a little sun and a temperature of -5, so we took a walk, breathed clean air, enjoyed nature. Near the zoo there is a Fazer branded Finnish chocolate shop, be sure to go there, there is a large selection and factory prices!
Regarding the sun: daylight hours at this time of the year last 3 hours, if it is a sunny day, then the sun hangs above the horizon from 11 am to 3 pm. Enjoy the illumination the rest of the time!
Regarding the northern lights : ) Do not believe the guides who invite you on a safari to see the northern lights! Firstly, the season for this phenomenon is the end of November-beginning of December and the end of February-beginning of March. The second and main condition for this phenomenon is weather conditions - there should be clear windless weather for a day or more, that is, the sun should shine without clouds during the day and clouds, and in the evening and at night it should not snow.
We were lucky, on the first evening we saw the faded greenish northern lights (the day was really clear before that, the evening was quiet without wind and snowstorms). There was no more such weather during our stay : (
We advise everyone to travel to Finland in winter! Get an unforgettable experience!! !