Duration: approx. 5 hours

A treat for the whole family and a chance to bring some early Christmas magic to any passengers travelling with children! Santa Claus is undoubtedly Finland’s most famous resident and this special tour offers a chance to meet him in person. A short coach drive will take you to the Sports Centre Ylläas Haali and suddenly you will experience of being in the North of Finland in “Unique Lapland”. Snowy antics are available in any weather inside this huge sport hall and you will see igloos, ice sculpture and enjoy kick sledges, sliding hills and husky rides. Taste an ice shot (vodka or juice) as you explore this unique venue and look for Santa Claus. On the way back to the port we will enjoy a sightseeing tour of the Finnish capital, passing by the Olympic Stadium, the main street Mannerheimintie where the Parliament House, the National Museum and the new Opera House and Finlandia Hall are located. You will stop at Sibelius Park to take snapshots of the monument of 527 steel pipes before visiting the unique Temppeliaukio church – the Rock Church – blasted into solid rock.

You don’t need to have an expert’s knowledge of Greek history or Cretan civilizations to appreciate the fabulous Minoan Palace of Knossos. More than just a collection of stones or ruins, the Palace structure is still visible and visitors can wander the maze of rooms. The Palace was reconstructed by a British archaeologist, Arthur Evans, who led the excavation of the site in the 1900s. Pictures on the walls help visitors gain a sense of the scale of the Palace – which was originally 20,000 square metres - and an idea of life here during the late Bronze Age. The Palace of Knossos is built on the ruins of a larger Neolithic settlement and of the supposed 1,300 rooms which made up the five-storey Palace, 800 are left today. After the visit we will drive to Heraklion for free time exploring and shopping.