About New Year’s tales for tourists big and small
New Year is traditionally a family holiday, and tourists often expect to visit their children “visiting a fairy tale” for the winter holidays. For those planning a trip like this, TURPROM offers instructions on a fairytale map of Russia: how to go to visit Santa Claus? Where is the Snow Maiden’s tower located? And what other New Year’s fun await parents with children in Russian open spaces?
The main New Year wizard
As you know, for almost twenty years, since 1999, the country’s main New Year wizard has been living in the city of Veliky Ustyug. The idea to settle Santa Claus in the Vologda forests was very successful. It is the efforts of this “brand” that the attendance of the region has grown to 300 thousand tourists a year, as a result, the city makes far-reaching plans – up to the reconstruction of the airport, and also plans to expand the territory of the Fatherland of Santa Claus.
Fatherland of Santa Claus However, the practical side is as follows: you can visit the Patrimony as an organized tour – mainly with a “delivery” by train, or on your own. It should be borne in mind that due to the popularity and bandwidth of the Votchiny, tour operators warn that places will quickly end. At the same time, traveling around Votchin with the finished program as a whole is both easier and less costly. Typically, such a tour includes a trip to the estate of Santa Claus, as well as a tour of the sights of Ustyug, a visit to the House of Santa Claus in the city itself, as well as an entertaining interactive New Year’s program in the estate of Santa Claus, 11 km away from the city – of course, with presents. By the way, here you can pick up a professional guide in Veliky Ustyug.
Among the attractions in Votchina itself are contests and winter entertainments on the Tale Trail, where little tourists will be met at the House of Twelve months, entertained by the Leshiy and the Wise Owl, the fabulous Mikhailo Potapych and other familiar fairy tale characters will be released. The final usually turns out to be Santa Claus’s tower and a meeting with the New Year Wizard. In addition, the program includes a winter zoo, workshops of Santa Claus, skiing from the mountains and on magic stoves and the like.
Speaking about adult problems, it is worth saying that the programs in Votchin last from November to March, so if you want, you can avoid the New Year crowds. For tourists who prefer independent travel – an electronic ticket can be purchased directly on the website of the Votchina. The pleasure, which includes excursions along the path of fairy tales and to the House of Santa Claus, as well as a visit to the carpentry workshop, New Year’s master class and a couple of game programs, will cost 1’210 rubles.
As for accommodation, there are several options. There are hotels in the fiefdom – the hotel complex of the same name includes nine cottages of various comforts, there are hotels in Ustyug itself. In addition, tour operators offer accommodation in boarding houses located “in the vicinity”. Prices are different, probable passing entertainments – too. For example, in Votchin from the Glacier of Santa Claus to the bath. Again, it should be borne in mind that in general the “hotel capacity” of the city is not so great.
It is worth noting that although the “main” residence of the New Year’s wizard was “determined” in the Vologda forests, the New Year’s grandfather opens his representations in many cities and does not refuse to call on guests. You don’t have to travel far at all – the New Year’s wizard’s estate — with the House of Santa Claus, the Terem of Creativity, the House of Ice Magic and other entertainments — is located directly in Moscow, on the territory of Kuzminki Park. And you can go the other way – and visit a foreign country for which you do not need a visa, as well as the house of the Belarusian New Year sorcerer in Belovezhskaya Pushcha.
Terem Snegurochki
Grandfather Frost’s granddaughter has her own “place of residence”: her tower is located in the city of Kostroma, and is happy to welcome tourists for the New Year holidays. True, those who just thought to visit it will have to adjust the program, because there are not so many places in the tower, as the creators of the tale warn, and all the programs have already been planned for the races from January 1 to 8. Nevertheless, in any season professional guides in Kostroma can be found here.
Terem Snegurochki Among the entertainment that Terem Snegurochka offers is an interactive tour with “funny house and cat Bayun,” where tourists have to learn “Berendey legends and traditions”, young guests will be shown a puppet tale about Snegurochka, and they will also be introduced to the winter sorceress. Another suggestion of the tower is an excursion to the Ice Room, where, as the organizers of the tower say, “you have to walk in zipuns and felt boots even in the summer.” At the same time, the fee for excursions is feasible – New Year’s prices are 250 per adult and 200 per child for an alternative excursion, for the ice room –350 for adults and 175 for children, and the price includes refreshments – a “snow cocktail” for children, and for adult tourists – “Original drinks from ice piles.”
