Lapland package or no package deal?

mumof2

Anyone travelled to lapland and organised everything themselves from the lift to the airport in Ireland to the hotel in Finland?

I know package deals are great, load off your mind etc, but boy, do they know how to charge!!:eek:I can do the same travel and hotel included for almost 1000 Euro's less!!!!!:cool:

So, aside of having to organise travel insurance, taxi to and from hotel over there, and organising excursions, and hiring all in one suits etc, is there anything ive overlooked?? And no rep of course............

Ive never done package deals, but seeing as this is three different flights to get to one spot with 2 children, I thought id better ask!!:D

Thanks for any advice.

shalom

Hi,
I have never gone myself but I saw a thread in ask about money website and some guy did it himself. So if you do a search there I'm sure you will find it.
www.askaboutmoney.com

hope that is of some help.
S.

mumof2

shalom wrote: »

Hi,
I have never gone myself but I saw a thread in ask about money website and some guy did it himself. So if you do a search there I'm sure you will find it.
www.askaboutmoney.com

hope that is of some help.
S.

Thanks a mil 4 that!!:)

jester77

I've done this myself but I didn't have any kids with me and I was travelling round the whole country. For the Lapland part, I took a flight into Helsinki and an internal flight up to Rovaniemi, rented a car for a week and travelled round. Booked a nice remote cabin (20 mins in car to nearest shop) in the woods that was beside a lake just north of Rovaniemi, really beautiful and peaceful. Kept the car for a week and then travelled by bus further north into Norway.

I presume if you have kids with you that you are visiting Santa's Village and Santa's Post Office at the Arctic Circle. The village was closed when I was there as it was during the Summer but the Post Office was opened and Santa himself was there. Brought out the big kid in me.

I don't see any reason why you can't book it yourself. Accommodation might be tricky if it's peak season there. A car is essential as the Village is outside the city, so that is something to take into account. And everything is expensive is there, but that's to be expected!

mumof2

Hi Jester 77,

Ive noticed you mentioned a car is necessary - is that because the bus situation is worse than here?? ie one every 3 hrs if ur lucky?? Ive tried googling bus services over there without luck, but I reckon a taxi to and from airport wont cost the earth surley............

Appreciate your input very much.

Thanks.

jester77

I suppose it depends on what you are doing. If you are staying around the town and only going out to the Santa Village then I would say you would be OK without a car. It's the biggest tourist attraction so there must be a regular service to it, something to check out with the hotel. I was doing a lot of travelling around and the car was a must for me. I've no idea what the local bus service is like or if taxis are expensive, I picked the car up at the airport. I can't even remember if it was far outside the city either, sorry. Best would be to talk with someone from one of the hotels, everyone I spoke to over there had fluent English so the language shouldn't be a problem.

mcsheehy

Hi There
I would be grateful if you could gve me information on how to do the whole lapland Santa thing without using the tour operators as they are soooooo expensive.
Thanks