15 – 16 November 2008

The Chocolate Festival which first took place in Perugia, Italy in 1993 and has since been celebrated in Paris, New York, Barcelona and Stockholm this year arrives in Helsinki for the first time.

The event is to be held in the centre of Helsinki at the premises of Lasipalatsi and Bio Rex on 15 and 16 November 2008.

The festival is aimed at chocolate enthusiasts and restaurant professionals from around the world and aims to demonstrate the versatility of chocolate. There will be lectures and demonstrations covering areas such as the effects on health and well-being, history, production, the varieties and much, much more.

There will be chocolate tasting sessions and opportunities to buy some very special Christmas presents.

Going fast!

The signs are all there that the festive season is fast approaching: the shelves in all the supermarkets are already stocked with jumbo sized packets of sweets and tinsel, children are vying for places in the nativity play and writing their Christmas wish lists. Santa and his elves are already working long hours ensuring that their route maps are precise and everyone is accounted for.

For those wanting to add something extra special to their festive season a visit to meet Santa in Finnish Lapland is a must. Meet Santa, while he rests in the forest to tell him your Christmas wishes and once again at a Christmas party. Warmly dressed in the amazing thermal outer clothing and boots provided you will take part in husky safaris, snowmobiling, ice-fishing, reindeer rides, tobogganing and tandem skiing

At this late stage in the year only a few places remain. They are as follows: 

Hotel Harriniva:  From Gatwick

A friendly family run hotel offering cosy simple accommodation in a wonderful setting. Excellent activities from the door of the hotel.

Availability: 

12 - 16 Dec (A handful of places remain)

16 – 19 Dec

19 – 23 Dec  (A handful of places remain)

23 – 28 Dec (A handful of places remain)

New Year 28 Dec – 02 Jan (A handful of places remain)

Hotel Jeris: From Gatwick

In a stunning setting deep in the forest on the edge of a national park. Accommodation in cabins where you can relax in the private sauna and by fireplace after a day of exhilarating activities.

Availability: 

16 – 19 Dec

23 – 28 Dec (A handful of places remain)

New Year 28 Dec – 02 Jan

Riekonlinna: From Gatwick

In the pretty resort of Saariselka surrounded by rolling fells. A popular, friendly hotel. Excellent safaris.

Availability: 

19 – 23 Dec  (A handful of places remain)

23 – 28 Dec (A handful of places remain)

Holiday Club: From Gatwick

At the heart of Saariselka this hotel has the added benefit of a large spa swimming pool which is free to all guests.

Availability: 

19 – 23 Dec  (A handful of places remain)

Tunturi: From Gatwick

In an excellent location over looking the fells in Saariselka the hotel offers spacious apartment accommodation.

Availability: 

23 – 28 Dec (A handful of places remain)

Syote Keskus: 16-19 Dec from Manchester only, 22-27 Dec from Manchester and Luton.

A firm favourite with our guests this lovely hotel sits in a stunning fell top location. Amazing views and

very freindly welcome.

16 - 19 Dec

22 – 27 Dec (A handful of places remain)

A diverse range of exciting events throughout the year.

Throughout Finland during the summer there are a diverse rang of music festivals to meet all tastes. Many take place in stunning settings making the most of the long Finnish summer days.

They attract visitors from all over the world.

Hetta Music Event                                           5 – 13 April 2009

April Jazz, Espoo                                            22 – 26 April 2009

Naantali Music Festival                                   31 May – 12 June 2009

Ilmajoki Music Festival                                    4 – 15 June 2009

40^th Kuopio Dance Festival                            11 – 17 June 2009

Provinssirock Seinajoki                                   12 – 14 June 2009

Mantta Art Festival                                          14 June – 23 August 2009

Haapavesi Folk Festival                                  22 – 28 June 2009

Sate-Hame Soi Accordian Festival                 22 – 28 June 2009

Midnight Sun Jutajaiset                                   24 – 28 June 2009

Avanti! Summer sounds                                 24 – 28 June 2009

KalottJazz and Blues Festival                       25 – 28 June 2009

Baltic Jazz                                                      3 – 5 July 2009

Savonlinna Opera Festival                              3 July – 01 August 2009

Kaustinen Folk Music Festival                        11 – 19 July 2009

Pori Jazz Festival                                           11 – 19 July 2009

Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival                    12 – 26 July 2009

Full Moon Dance Festival                               21 – 25 July 2009

Festival of Workers Music                              22 – 26 July 2009

Hippalot Arts Festival for Children                  30 July – 02 August 2009

Faces Etno Festival                                        31 July – 2 August 2009

Chamber Music by Lake Tuusula                   2 – 8 August 2009

Turku Music Festival                                       6 – 12 August 2009

Helsinki Festival                                              14 – 30 August 2009

Lahti Subelius Festival                                    10 – 13 September 2009

Book now for the 16-19 Dec 2008 Special offer to visit Santa in Syote.

Book before the by 31 July 2008 and receive a £75 per person discount on the brochure / web prices for the 16-19 December 2008 departures from Manchester and Luton to visit Santa in Northern Finland.

Syöte, which is often called the gateway to Lapland and is located in northern Finland just below the Arctic Circle, and is home to Finland’s southern most fells.

This really is a beautiful, but isolated location, the nearest large village with shops is 35km away, but is a must for those looking for unspoilt nature, open spaces and a wide range of exhilarating activities.

The hotels, Iso-Syote and Syote Keskus, sit on top of these gentle fells and allow easy access to the surrounding nature, excellent tobogganing and a chance to try skiing on the adjacent slopes.

Meet Santa, once, as a family while he rests in a forest cabin and again at the Christmas party on the final evening. Take part in husky and snowmobile safaris. Try your hand at ice fishing, snow shoeing, riding in a reindeer pulled sled and quad biking.

For further details on the 16-19 December holiday to Hotel Iso Syote click here

Experience the new Viking XPRS and the Estonian capital.

This high speed passenger and car ferry has been a huge success since it started service at the start of the summer. It sails daily between Helsinki (Finland) and Tallinn (Estonia) taking just 2 ½ hours.

The brand new vessel can carry 2,500 passengers and cruises at a top speed of 25 knots. It promises to offer comfort, reliability, great onboard service and a short crossing time regardless of weather conditions throughout the year. The ship will be especially popular during winter when the traditional catamaran services are unable to operate due to sea conditions.

Passengers can pass their time on board in the duty free shops, deli, bars and restaurant.

Visitors to Finland wishing to pop across for a taster of Tallinn can choose from two cruise options.

The day cruise that gives visitors 4 hours in Tallinn or a night cruise that includes a night onboard ship and a full day to explore the city.

For further details and prices click here.

In Hämeenlinna Finland 31 July – 03 August 2008.

For the past 30 years the Hippalot Festival has brought a diverse range of art, theatre and drama activities specifically for children.

The festival takes place in Hämeenlinna in Finland, located approximately 100km north of the countries capital, Helsinki.

Each year the festival has a theme and this year they have chosen the circus. The theme will be explored through drama, workshops, visual art, dance, music, circus and encounters with a host of art forms.

 This festival has been a firm favourite with the Finns for many years but as interest grows internationally some English language events have been introduced.

For further details about the festival click here.

London to Helsinki.

The UK based low cost airline, Easyjet, will start a service between London Gatwick and Finland's capital city, Helsinki, on 03 November 2008.

Seats will go on sale on the airlines website this month.

Be a Snow and Ice Princess for a day.

Over the past few years we at Emagine have had the pleasure of arranging many weddings in the far north of Finnish Lapland at Hotel Kakslauttanen.  The couples have always been unique, varying in age, some travelling alone and others with hundreds of guests but the one thing they have all had in common is their dream of a winter wonderland wedding.

At Kakslauttanen they have created the perfect setting. Accommodation is in individual cosy log cabins set in the forest.  All have fireplace and sauna, ideal for those evenings in. Alternatively there is the Queen suite complete with four poster bed and private outdoor hot tub!

Weddings can be arranged in a simple wooden chapel or when conditions allow a stunning Ice Chapel. The most popular method of transport between the cabins and chapel has been reindeer pulled sleighs. Round the day off with celebratory drinks in a glass tepee and a wedding dinner in the hotels pretty log restaurant.

There is something else that adds to this special location…….igloos. You can choose between heated glass igloo’s that allow uninterrupted views of the nights sky and hopefully Aurora Boralis or the may braver choose Ice igloo’s that are created at the start of each winter.  In the Ice igloos you will be provided with cosy sleeping bags and sleeping hats to ward off the cold.

While at Kakslauttanen many of our wedding couples and their guests have headed out on exhilarating husky safaris and explored the beautiful nearby fells on snowmobiles. They certainly come home with pictures of their wedding or honeymoon unlike anyone else’s.

 For further details of weddings at Hotel Kakslauttanen in Finnish Lapland click here.

We would like to thank Mr & Mrs Greensmith for allowing us to use some of their photos of their special day.