To Finland for 1 day or weekendas well as holidays: pampering or practical calculation? Why do people go to Suomi from St. Petersburg and Karelia, Veliky Novgorod and even Moscow ?.
Finland is Russia's closest "western" neighbor. No joke: I drove only 200 kilometers from St. Petersburg and you are abroad. However, 2019 is not 1998, and the opportunity to see "how it is behind the Iron Curtain" is not the prevailing motive of Russians seeking to leave. What is it?
We dare to say that the majority seeks to change the situation, along the way "rolling back the visa." And, which cannot be bought in Russian stores. Cheese and butter produced by the renowned Finnish concern Valio are the most common products that are confiscated by Russian customs officers from domestic tourists.
Also in the trunks in large quantities there are vacuum-packed salted and smoked fish and red caviar. The latter is sometimes Russian-made. Here is such a re-export ...
Documents
Traveling to Finland by car means having more than just a passport with a Schengen visa. But also a driver's license (enough national), a certificate of registration of the vehicle plus the "Green Card" - foreign driver liability insurance.
Regardless of the mode of travel, you must also stock up on travel insurance. We traditionally recommend. Because it is simple, understandable, without the enraging desire to impose a bunch of useless options. You can pay online, and you don't need to print anything - the electronic version of the policy is enough.
1 day
The unheard-of popularity of such border checkpoints as Brusnichnoye and Svetogorsk is based on the desire of the residents of St. Petersburg to “roll back their visa”. In the opinion of the majority, a Finnish visa is issued to everyone and everyone, and therefore it is it that is the ultimate dream of tourists, many of whom are not going to go to Finland as such.
But in view of the current rules of the Schengen Agreement, which state that most of the days a tourist must spend in the country where (well, or at least enter there more times), the visa has to be "rolled back". To then get the opportunity to travel to France or Germany, Spain or Italy.
The principle is simple: you enter Finland for a very short time, for 1 day. And the same evening you go back, having acquired the coveted stamp in your passport. And, of course, with kilograms of cheeses, washing powder and what else is there?
Now you are formally clean before Finnish law. And you can go where you originally intended - for example, to the Canary Islands.
In recent years, things have been complicated by the fact that the Finns have become greedy. And they strive to issue a multivisa for six months, maximum for a year. Why not?
After all, the grounds for refusal can be omitted, and when the stamp expires, Russian tourists will certainly run to issue a new one. What do they need 35 euros (and 25 - for the services of a visa center)? They love to be in our beautiful country so much!
Popular checkpoints
Brusnichnoe is the territorially closest checkpoint for residents of St. Petersburg on the border with Finland. And therefore, traffic jams for a couple of hours and queues of dozens of cars on Saturday morning are a common thing. Then tourists go to and there are overstocked with the necessary (or seemingly such) goods.
About what you need to take with you on a trip. Let's remind about one more absolutely necessary thing in a car trip - a thermos.
- A glass of coffee even at Russian gas stations costs 120-150 rubles in 2018, and in Finland ... in fact, it is not much more expensive. There is an opportunity to save - we save! You can select the required thermos model
Attention! The road that leads to Brusnichnoye winds along the Saimaa Canal. It is narrow, very dangerous in icy conditions, and therefore is nicknamed "Dear Death". The quality of the surface is good, but there is no guarantee that some scumbag will not start overtaking in a closed corner, despite the continuous lane and the limitation of 60 km / h. In addition, the track is not lit at night and a trip along it in the autumn-winter period promises something more pleasure.
The much less busy Svetogorsk checkpoint is used by those who travel to the less popular russian tourists Imatru. It has not only an attraction in the form of a waterfall "singing" to the music of Sibelius, but also a full line of such important supermarkets.
On weekends and holidays
The second most popular incentive for a weekend trip is spending time on Finnish lakes. There are about a million of them in Suomi, they are kept in perfect order, there are usually a couple of well-kept cottages on the shore.
Tourism
As a result, a Russian tourist with money to relax in the bosom of nature, even for 2-3 days, not to mention celebrating the New Year, is expected to choose abroad.
- Where it is expensive (you can rent a cottage, even if you are lucky, from 80 € per day, but basically prices start from the level of 100-120 € - on holidays, of course, more expensive), but you can count on cleanliness, calmness, the absence of third-party drunk companies and in general very worthy pastime
Skis, sledges, a bathhouse, a deafeningly quiet pine forest, walks in the fresh air, a supermarket with a sea of \u200b\u200b(quality?) Products 10 km from the place. Not bad, right?
- The border regions of Finland and, first of all, are the most in demand. Also in demand are the neighborhoods of Rovaniemi, ski resorts Levi and Yllas, Ruka
On holidays, the popularity of large Finnish cities like Helsinki and Turku is slightly behind. The contingent and tasks are different: not gatherings in a "warm" circle, but a family vacation. Children need entertainment in the form of attractions, adults intend to wander and see the sights. There are few of them. But to justify the trip is usually enough ...
Shopping trips
Shopping in shops in Lappeenranta, Imatra and (to a lesser extent) Helsinki, we would put in third place. Transportation of cheeses from beyond the cordon to Russia during the sanctions has become a kind of national sport. “When are you for Oltermani?” - this question often appears on specialized forums.
Also from Finland they bring oil and fish, red caviar - as if there are not enough of it in Russian stores - other dairy products in the form of sour cream and yoghurts, clothes, expensive alcohol from duty-free. And even washing powder - by all accounts, it is much better than domestic counterparts.
Clothes are usually stocked up during the sales period (December and June), although, in principle, you can find things with a big discount in November or May.
In general, the apparel boom has subsided in recent years. Since in Russia prices have dropped to such a level that it makes sense to bring only branded "clothes" from abroad.
- However, this is not entirely true in the case of children's clothing! It is enough to go to “ Child's world"And compare prices with those in Suomi ...
Transit to Europe
Oddly enough, but only in fourth place in our ranking was a trip to Finland with the aim of flying to any other Schengen country. Enterprising people are still looking for and finding last-minute airline deals. For symbolic money, they are ready to transport tourists from Vantaa airport somewhere to Barcelona or Mallorca.
But on the whole, the people are lazy. After all, is it much easier to buy a package tour and go on a trip from Pulkovo or Sheremetyevo? Even though it is more expensive.
All one-day tours to Finland from St. Petersburg are carried out on large international-class buses, with professional drivers and qualified guides with extensive experience in this area. The tour price includes: round trip bus travel.
SPb - Lappeenranta - SPb (tour to Finland for 1 day)
DAILY
in February from 750 rubles
One day tour to Finland in the city of Lappeenranta with shopping and a walk along the promenade. Tourists have the opportunity to independently plan their time.
SPb - Kotka - SPb (tour to Finland for 1 day)
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday
from 850 rubles
One day tour to Finland in the city of Kotka. Small sightseeing tour around the city, visiting the beautiful Sapokka park, with a unique landscape, easy shopping.
SPb - Imatra - SPb (tour to Finland for 1 day)
DAILY
in February from 750 rubles
Great vacation in a one-day tour to Finland in the city of Imatra. Only here you can see the rapids of Vuoksa, the old castle hotel and visit water center with a water park.
SPb - Lahti - SPb (tour to Finland for 1 day)
from Friday to Saturday
from 1350 rubles
Holidays in a one-day tour in Finland in the city of Lahti will be interesting for those who like shopping and relaxing holidays. A large number of shops, as well as a swimming pool will help you to have fun ...
SPb - Helsinki - SPb (tour to Finland for 1 day)
friday to Saturday, Saturday to Sunday
from 1550 rubles
On a one-day tour to Finland in the city of Helsinki, you can walk through boutiques and department stores, visit the waterfront market, sit in a cafe or in a park in the city center.
SPb - Jyvaskyla - SPb (tour to Finland for 1 day)
last Friday (Saturday) of each month
from 1350 rubles
One day tour to Finland in the city of Jyväskylä. During the trip, you will have the opportunity to visit shops, get to the water park or just walk around the city, enjoying the magnificent scenery.
Finland 1 hour (tour to Finland for 1 day)
daily (by a set of groups)
from 950 rubles
Departure to Finland for 1 hour is an opportunity to quickly "roll back" a visa, as well as visit the Laplandia trade warehouse and a fish store. It is too one day tour to Finland.
Please note that in one-day tours to Finland it is possible: cancellation of trips (in case of a shortage of a group), additional trips and transfer of trips to other days, Finland.
Before you travel to Finland for one day, be sure to read customs regulations and rules of conduct for tourists.
"Abis Tour" offers you one-day tours to Finland, as well as one-day and multi-day.
Harsh beauty this country inevitably entails the development of tourism in all its manifestations. This is an interest in nature, people, history, culture, inherent in traditional tourism. This is an active holiday beyond the Arctic Circle in the kingdom of Joulupukki. These are medical tourism, shopping and business tourism. Petersburgers, being only 200 km away. from the Finnish border, quite often go to, choosing the capital of the country, Lappeenranta or Imatra. Our company, as one of the leading bus travel tour operators, offers trips to Finland for 1 day, taking care of all organizational issues.
Tours to Finland from St. Petersburg
We do not buy ready-made tours, but develop our own, taking into account the interests of Petersburgers and the places they want to visit. We carefully study the possibilities of Finnish cities and towns so that in one-day tours from St. Petersburg, Russians not only see or acquire the best, but also love such travel. We always suggest starting with her face and essence - the capital of Suomi. Our tour to Helsinki for 1 day, of course, does not claim to cover everything that the Finnish capital is rich in, but the most important thing, of course, we will show, as well as the main shopping and entertainment centers. Some of the attractions can be visited as additional service in excess of the cost of the trip (1300 rubles).
Only two rounds, but what kind!
Lappeenranta is a city only fifty kilometers from Vyborg, which is interesting for its picturesque landscapes, as well as the whole way to it. Popular tours to Lappeenranta for 1 day are an opportunity to see the beauty of one of the largest lakes in Europe, the Saimaa lakes with a sand castle, an ancient fortress, immerse yourself in history, get acquainted with the canvases of Finnish artists, see temples and churches of the 18th century. There are many attractions here, so our one-day tours to Finland introduce you to it gradually from trip to trip. But Lappeenranta will also present an exciting shopping experience in the Prisma shopping center, Galleria, Iso Kristiina, Armada, Lidl.
Inexpensive (from 800 rubles) tours to Imatra for 1 day mean acquaintance with unusual landscapes, the unique Imatrankoski waterfall and its legend, the evening play of colors and the music of Sibelius. Several interesting churches, a park, excellent and inexpensive shops for shopping and the Imatran KYLPYLA SPA center make Imatra a place of complete relaxation for the whole family. We are sure that any excursion tour to Finland, organized by us, will give you a lot of pleasure!
Description
Finland or, as the Finns themselves call it, Suomi is a country of a thousand lakes in the east of the Scandinavian Peninsula, tours to Finland are wonderful in winter and summer. Beautiful forests and plains, numerous rivers and cozy beaches make this place ideal for outdoor recreation, as well as for fishing and activities. different kinds sports.
Geographical position
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The total area of \u200b\u200bFinland is 338,424 km². Its neighbors are Russia to the south, Norway to the north and Sweden to the west. The shores are washed by the waters of the Gulfs of Finland and Bothnia of the Baltic Sea. The territory is divided into 12 liani (provinces). Finland also includes the Aland Islands - about 6.5 thousand small islands off the southwestern coast of the country.
Climate
The climate in Finland is predominantly continental. The southeastern part of the country has the highest average summer temperature in Scandinavia, and the west coast is one of the sunniest places in Northern Europe... Summer in Finland is quite warm (average temperature +19 + 20 ° С). But winter can be very harsh and the thermometer at this time of the year ranges from -3 ° C to -15 ° C. In June and July, the water in the lakes reaches + 20 ° C, so these months are the most favorable for visiting the country.
Resorts
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital of Finland, where beautiful nature and modern city... The fourth part is various park areas, and the fresh sea breeze is felt in the air. The architecture of the city has its own interesting features and in it you can see both East and West European motives. History Center the city is the Senate Square with majestic buildings Cathedral, University and State Council Palace.
Tampere
Tampere is a stunningly beautiful city that is considered the most attractive city for living in Finland. It has over 20 interesting museumsas well as the Särkänniemi amusement park with attractions, a zoo, an aquarium and an observation tower “Näsinneula”.
Mikkeli
Mikkeli is one of the most important centers active rest and sports in Finland. Place to visit a large number of stunning water parks and swimming pools; and enjoy the many attractions. Among them is the largest wax museum in the country.
Himos
Himos - real paradise for all lovers winter species sports. it perfect place for family vacation... The most popular ski resort countries where, by tradition, a variety of sports and entertainment events are held annually.
Espoo
Beautiful cozy citylocated in the south of the country. Every year attracts a large number of tourists with its mesmerizing nature and a large number of interesting places... Here is the largest water park in Finland - "Serena", the Temple of Mormons and much more.
Lapland
Lapland, considered the birthplace of Santa Claus, lies beyond the Arctic Circle and is considered one of the most amazing places Finland. Not far from its capital, Rovaniemi, in a cave cut in the Suvesenvaara fell, a Christmas themed entertainment Center Santa Park, as well as the fabulous workshops and post office of Santa Claus.
Kitchen
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Finnish cuisine has a lot of peculiarities, the main of which is fish and meat dishes. Among the most famous and widespread fish dishes: salmon (or "suckers" as the Finns call it) freshly salted or hot smoked, the famous fish soup with cream and herbs, red caviar, which the Finns mix with sour cream and finely chopped onions and served with toast as well as rainbow trout or salmon in their own juice.
The main component of meat dishes is game: venison with wild berries, roast with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam, Karelian meat in a pot, poultry dishes. For dessert, they usually serve assorted berries, buns and jelly. Coffee is the preferred beverage. It is also worth trying the products of the famous FAZER confectionery factory, which are offered in specialized cafes. Of alcoholic beverages popular home-made beer, different varieties of vodka ("Koskenkorva-Vinna" and "Finland"), berry liqueurs infused with wild berries and herbs ("Lakkalikyori", "Puolukkalikyori", "Karpalolikeri").
Population
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About 5.3 million people live in Finland: Finns - 93%, Swedes - 6%, Sami and Karelian peoples.
Religion
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About 87% of the inhabitants are adherents of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. It is the state religion along with Orthodoxy (1% of the population).
Time and work schedule
UTC +2
Time difference from Moscow: -1 hour. Daylight saving and winter time carried out simultaneously with Europe. The shops are open from 9:00 to 18:00 on weekdays, on weekends from 9:00 to 14:00. Large stores can be open until 20:00. Banks are open from 9:15 am to 4:15 pm on weekdays. Exchange offices work longer and seven days a week.
Tongue
The official languages \u200b\u200bof Finland are Finnish and Swedish. The tourism sector also speaks English and sometimes Russian.
Currency
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The national currency of Finland is Euro (EUR). Currency can be exchanged at banks (the most favorable rate), specialized points, in hotels, large supermarkets, in air and seaports, at train stations and post offices. You can cash out at ATMs. Plastic cards are accepted everywhere.
Visa regime
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Finland is on the list of Schengen countries, so you need a visa to travel there.
Transport message
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Main international Airport countries - Helsinki-Vantaa. Besides, international flights are accepted by Turku, Tampere-Pirkkala and Rovaniemi. The whole country is entangled in a dense network railways... An alternative to the train for traveling between cities in Finland is the bus. Since the country has a fairly long sea \u200b\u200bcoastas well as a large number of lakes and rivers, it is well developed water transport... All ships run according to a schedule that is strictly observed. There are buses, trams and a subway in Helsinki. Tickets for any of these modes of transport can be purchased at newsagents, at stations, or from the driver. Taxi fares may vary depending on the time of day. Both cash and credit cards are accepted for payment. To rent a car, you need a driver's license, driving experience of at least 1 year, a passport and credit card as collateral.