Visiting Huskies: 10 fabulous winter travels
First snow we With a shudder we look forward to the summer, but towards the end of autumn we begin to wait sincerely. Firstly, it is beautiful: whoever saw the Facebook tape on the day of the first snow will never forget it, so one can say that winter precipitation is celebrated at the federal level in Russia, like Japanese cherry blossoms. And from the same moment the weak in body and spirit begin to sail to the seas. We offer more vigorous and open-minded travelers another winter plan.
Transparent igloo and husky in Finland
The famous resorts of Finland are riding huskies or deer in the snow, chapels of snow and ice and admiring the northern lights straight from the sofa in transparent igloo. For example, in the resort of Kakslauttanen, which can be reached by bus from several cities, including Helsinki, - it is located 250 kilometers from Rovaniemi. It is impossible to accurately predict the appearance of the northern lights, but the chances increase in winter. And when the glow becomes visible, the guests are notified by a special gong, which is audible in the resort and inside the igloo. In any case, the area is considered part of Lapland, and this is in itself a reason to fly there for the winter holidays.
Dog Sledding in Karelia
Dog sledding is possible not only in Finland, but also in Karelia, which is closer, cheaper and does not require a visa - tours in the surrounding forests of Petrozavodsk can be easily found on the Internet. And having talked with the man’s blue-eyed friends and having understood the features of the breed, you can ride a snowmobile and how to warm yourself in the bath with health benefits. Gigantic firs in the snow, the blue of the ice of the frozen lakes (on which, by the way, you can skate), cabins surrounded by snow to the waist are real fairy-tale landscapes for playing snowballs and romantic get-togethers with plaids.
Penguins in Argentina
If you have not yet seen penguins in the wild (and you have not seen it), then it is not at all necessary to fly them to the South Pole. For example, the Falkland Islands, now a British colony near Argentina, are famous for their free and flourishing flocks of royal penguins in their natural habitat - but keep in mind that a British visa is needed here. But Argentina itself is visa-free for Russians, and the country has its own island with penguins (it is called Isla Pingüino), but the penguins are Magellan, that is, a little less impressive. You can get to the island by ship, preferably with children, and you need to be ready to order a jeep, grabbing warm scarves and thermoses with Christmas tea. The second miracle in Argentina, which should be visited, is the Perito Moreno Glacier on the border with Chile: sky blue water and white slopes and, by the way, the third largest freshwater supply in the world.
Fields of lava and mosses in Iceland
Travel to Iceland has long and officially can be renamed to pilgrimage. People return from there as if from space, mysteriously silent and look attached to some kind of sect. The presence of such an area on the island as Budir only strengthens suspicions - there, on the ocean coast, are located the hotel, the church and the cemetery. And that's all. There is only eternity around, and looking at it is no less tempting than watching penguins. The picturesque black lava under the yellow dried herbs, the snowy slopes and the ocean are landscapes from a science fiction film, a different magnetic activity of the earth, in general, a paradise nest for unsociable philosophers or ideological heirs of Bjork. Before going to Budir, you should also stay in Reykjavik - ideally, stopping at least for the night at 101 hotel, if the means allow it: enjoy the beautiful interiors and write dreams with a black graphite pencil in a black branded notebook of the hotel.
Dracula's Castle in Romania
The revival of the vampire cult (although there really is an undying interest in this topic) is a good reason to proudly retire from the joyful bustle of Moscow pretzel windows in Transylvania. Of course, the cherry on the cake of this trip should be a cultural visit to Dracula’s castle in Romania. Especially sensitive travelers will be comforted by the fact that the legendary voivode Vlad Tepes, according to historians, did not at all torture his subjects or enemies there, and perhaps he himself fell into the hands of bloodthirsty Turks. But the power of the myth of the ever-young and cold bloodsuckers, combined with the beauty of the castle itself (especially in winter) still attract tourists from all over the world. The official name of the castle is Bran, it is located 30 kilometers from Brasov, and it was here that a number of scenes of the cult Interview with the Vampire were filmed. By the way, the present local delicacy is not even a blood sausage, but delicious cheeses according to a secret family recipe.
Abandoned Observatory in the Carpathians
The castle in Podgortsy recreated in the 17th century or the 14th century Lutsk castle are worthy competitors to the castles of France or Prague. Another argument in favor of a trip here - in the first one they shot episodes of the Soviet film "D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers", and the locks in fog or snow are especially good. The beauty of the Carpathian landscapes attracted the attention of other film crews, such as the authors of the House of Flying Daggers or the Ball of Vampires by Roman Polanski. In addition to landscapes and interiors familiar to the cinephiles, in the Carpathians one can also find the abandoned White Elephant Observatory - the former Polish astronomical station. In addition, there are lots of ski resorts with nice prices. Only in Bukovel, the best place for skiing in Ukraine, at an altitude of 900 meters above sea level, there are more than 60 slopes on which modern lifts are installed. So, the infrastructure of Bukovel is not inferior to many European ski resorts. On the way back, you can drop in to Lviv with its stunning architecture, stay at the Vintage Boutique Hotel with a Michelin-starred restaurant and hunt for the best espresso in the city’s old coffee shops. Coffee there is really good and second only to Italy.
Ski resort in France
For those who have already left far behind the democratic European slopes, mastered St. Moritz in Switzerland, but tries to get around the Courchevel, there is another option. You can slightly turn off the beaten path in the direction of the equally popular ski resort Mezhev, whose history dates back to the early twentieth century, when Baron de Rothschild and his wife built the first luxury hotel in this place. The familiar panorama of Mont Blanc, delicious wine by the fireplace, celebrity stories and delicious cheese are essential ingredients for vacations in these places. As a bonus, wealthy athletes are offered swimming pools, polo and golf on the snow.
New York City Skating Rink
Snow-covered New York, perhaps, looks from the side of the most battered winter fantasy: the lights of Times Square, coffee in the Brooklyn courtyard - that’s all. But if you have never been to America’s most popular city in the winter (or weren’t there at all), it's time to apply for a visa and pack a suitcase. Winter New York, like any other city in the world (except San Francisco), is different from summer. The heroine of "Breakfast at Tiffany" in the neckline and with a croissant, you will not meet there, of course, but the best knitted hats in the world certainly live in closets and on the heads of local residents. The inevitable attack of a tourist shop in a time of crisis can safely replace "window shopping". True, we advise you to admire the assortment of shops from the inside, if only because it is warmer there than on the street. From street entertainment, you can’t miss the Woolman skating rink in Central Park, surrounded by trees and skyscrapers of Manhattan and long canonized by cinema. In the winter months, the legendary skating rink is open daily from 10 am to late evening, except Monday and Tuesday - then you need to have time to roll until half past one in the afternoon.
Snow pines in Japan
Japan is a country where all seasons are good for tourism. Thermal springs, excellent service in hotels, incredible seafood dishes - a drop in the sea of this country's charm. In addition, winter is the best time to go here: the day when Fuji is covered with snow, the whole country is waiting almost as a holiday. Fuji-san's ideal purple cone is the hero of many poetic sketches, as is the region of the five lakes at the foot of the mountain. However, keep in mind that the ascent to the summit itself is closed in winter, so you will not be able to admire the temples located around the crater of the volcano and tread the volcanic ash on this trip.
Kyoto, with its ancient Japanese architecture and celestial beauty gardens, is considered the cultural capital and pearl. Here you can see everything that you read in Basho about pumpkin cracked in the cold, snowy pines and bamboo that was bent in the morning under the weight of snow. Not to mention the mossy black-green stones and heavy large boards in the decoration of houses that excite the minds of designers around the world. Fans of steep slopes can be advised to stop at one of the most prestigious Japanese ski resorts Niseko - during après-ski, you can also find a Japanese investor for your startup.
Parties and fireworks in Berlin
Another way to get out of the usual New Year routine is to go to Berlin. This is probably the only city in Europe where, in the wake of the GDR, the New Year is truly celebrated. Here it is customary to buy fireworks and launch them from their rooftops at midnight, so for half an hour the city sparkles and rumbles, and then until the morning it looks like a huge picturesque garbage dump. But the most interesting thing here is not on the streets, but in clubs. The best sound in the world, of course, in the "Berghayn" at the former nuclear power plant, but there are other options, such as the "Stadtbad" club in the abandoned pool, and a dozen other attractions with the purest sound quality, the latest techno trends and the most beautiful gays in latex. The many bars and cafes of the Kreuzberg district are the very oasis where you can schedule dates for five different applicants from a tinder or grinder, and sneakers are considered the most elegant shoes. In the afternoon, to go for your own, you need to use the most popular drink of Berlin - iced mate tea in glass bottles, and delicious coffee for only 1 euro and numerous Vietnamese cafes in the city (the best on Hermanplatz) will make you forget about the ruble rate to European currency for a while.
Photo: cover image, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 via Shutterstock and Flickr