One of the food we normally associate with Christmas dates are ginger cookies. Along with rice pudding is one of the most typical christmas desserts that never miss in a table in Norway. Kids enjoy helping mothers to prepare cookies to eat them as a dessert with all the family.

Though the cookies with Gingerbread Man's shape –also known as Gingy- are the most popular, the true is that there are no limits when preparing these sweet creations made of ginger and aromatized with cinnamon or honey: they may be oven cooked like Santa Claus, christmas tree or even you may build up a whole city of them.

In Bergen they know this fact quite well. From Christmas in 1991, the city center -Torgallmenningen- becomes the sweetest place in the world with the creation of Pepperkakebyen- the Ginger cookie's biggest town in the world-. They create tiny little houses, trains, cars and ships made of ginger bread, candy canes and they use glass sugar to stick all together.

Everybody helps to make this ginger town grow up, from kindergarden children to school kids that contribute with their own creations. That is why every year Pepperkakebyen is visited by thousands of tourists attracted by its magic and who want to be wrapped with the christmas spirit. It will be open the whole month of December.

Makes you want to go, right? Do it! Check out our prices here!

If you're looking for a destination in December for that last getaway of the year, here is a bit of inspiration!

The Nuremberg trials and the paintings by Dürer have made the German city of Nuremberg famous worldwide . The Palace of Justice is still there to remember where the members of Hitler’s political party were judged as well as Albert Dürer’s house, the most important painter in Germany, but there are other reasons to visit Nuremberg beyond the usual past related to the justice and their illustrious painter.

Let me tell you about five things born in Nuremberg and so will never be remembered, though its value is incalculable. Shall we begin?

1 – Christmas Cookies

In Nuremberg the first Christmas cookies known as Lebkuchen were invented in the XIIIth century. Sure you can try these traditional Christmas sweets in German markets such as the Nuremberg Christmas market. Do not worry if you are traveling when it is not Christmas as HauptMarket‘s activity lasts throughout the year. A must for curious travelers and lovers of good living market.

2 – the MP3

Here it was invented the famous audio file compression standardized as mp3 in 1995. It was in the laboratories of Fraunhofer IIS in Erlangen-Nuremberg University. Visit the university may not have much interest to music lovers who have mp3 support a way of listening to as much music as ever they had imagined but it is interesting to visit the record store Artphoenix Vinyl, they boast of having one of the best record collections vinyl world.

3 – Sweets against cough

The German chemist Dr. Carl Sodan developed in 1899 in his Nuremberg’s pharmacy the first recipes for sweets for dry throat and cough suppressants based eucalyptus and menthol. In 1923 Sodan produces the now famous candies Em-Eukal sold, today, in more than 20 countries. Approaching a pharmacy is not the main attraction of a city like Nuremberg but visiting one of the most important commercial areas of the city itself is. In Breite Gasse, plus pharmacies that sell these candies, you’ll find a thousand and one ideas for a gift back home. Breite Gasse is Nuremberg’s commercial center and you may find from smaller surfaces to famous trademarks stores.

4 – The first clarinet

Johann Christoph Denner built in 1700 the first clarinet. Who was going to tell Woody Allen that this German guy was going to give him many pleasures in life thanks to this instrument?

Keep calm. We will not recommend you visit a clarinets factory or visit where Denner was born in Nuremberg. We recommend that you pay a visit to Jazzstudio, one of the first live jazz venues in Germany. Founded in 1954, the jazz club on Planierplastz street has seen playing on its stage young talents, regional stars and big international names. Concerts are usually at 20:00 and 21:00 on Friday and Saturday.

5 – The globe

Did you know that in 1492 another resident of Nuremberg, Martin Behaim constructed the first globe? As built in 1492, the American continent does not appear yet. You can see it in the Germanic National Museum, along with other curiosities such as the Brothers Grimm‘s desktop and other Cultural and Heritage jewels. And since you are in the museum you will see works by Dürer because one can not leave the German city without seeing Dürer.

1- Hauptmarket: Hauptmarkt 18, 90403 Nuremberg, Germany, +49 911 23360, L-S 9:00 a 18:00

2- ArtPhoenix: Irrerstrasse 18, 90403 Nuremberg, Germany +49 911 96048765

3- Breite Gasse

4- Jazzstudio: Paniersplatz 27, 90403 Nuremberg, Germany +49 911 364297

5 – Museo Nacional Germano: +49 91113310 M-D 10 a 18 h.

So you feel like visiting Nuremberg, do you? Book your flights here!

But, what and where is Lapland? This is a tough question. This territory, above the Artic circle is divided between Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia. However, officially Lapland is where the Sami live. Generally, people refers to Lapland in Finland or Sweden, neither Norway or Russia refer to their territory under this name, and usually Lapland (or Laponian region) is the name used to the union of the Swedish and Finnish areas.

For the matter of this post, we should go to the north of Finland, in the Finnish Lapland. The capital is Rovaniemi, an iconic place in which the line of the Artic circle passes across. This is an area to start wild adventures, among thick forests and wooden houses (mökki) there is the highest mountain in the country, some of its fjords and one of the best places in Finland to see Northern lights and enjoy the amazing view of the sun at midnight.

This area is known for being Santa Claus hometown (Santa in Finnish is Joulupukki). The translation is quite confusing: “Joulu” means Christmas, all right, but “pukki” means, literally, deer or goat. Years ago, people was afraid of him and nobody knows when, eventually, he became the charming elder he is now. The tradition of Joulupukki is from the beginning of the 19th century, even most of the Finnish tradition was lost after the story of Santa Claus was Americanized.

Thousands of letters are sent to the postal code of this town with tones of Christmas whises. They are collected and arranged by Santa’s hard-working assistants, the elfs. Attention! The address is: Santa Claus, 96930 Polar Circle, Finland. When Santa Claus gets to people’s houses he asks "Onkos täällä kilttejä lapsia?" (There are well-behaved kids here?), and kids should answer a convincing yes to receive the gifts.

It’s not only Santa Claus who makes Rovaniemi one of the most visited places in Finland. Around his figure and Christmas traditions, Santa Claus village was built, about 8 kilometers northeast from Rovaniemi. This is a theme park to do some shopping, participate in gifts workshops or simply enjoy a great variety of activities.

You can also visit Joulukka, the place where elves prepare the trip for Santa Claus. You will find out how elves live, you’ll be able to help them bake ginger cookies with Christmas decoration and they will guide you to meet Santa Clause.

Do you want to see what is Santa Claus doing right now? Easy! Santa is so updated on new technologies and he has cameras streaming live his daily work. One camera is outside the office and the other is inside to watch how he gets ready for this special day.

A good option to go from Helsinki to Rovaniemi is taking the high-speed train, which takes only 10 hours. You’ll feel like the main character in the animation movie “Polar Express” who takes this train on Christmas Eve to meet Santa.

But, besides the visit to the land of Santa Clause, there are many other things to do while you are in Helsinki for your winter trip.

Even Finnish people use the sauna all the year, the contrast with the freezing cold outside is the best way to enjoy a hot sauna to get over the cold. Or, for those looking for unforgettable experiences, you should try avantouinti. What is that? There a clubs in Finland to practice ice swimming. They make a hole in the ice of a lake (the hole is called ‘avanto’) and they get in the freezing water after the sauna. They state it has beneficial effects for your health but be careful or you’ll get a cold.

The winter in Finland is the greatest time to take stunning nature photos. The snowy landscapes are unforgettable memories from your trip and the whole country is covered in white most of the winder. Take advantage to the opportunity of practicing winter sports too. Skiing or skating over iced lakes is such a unique experience.

Pictures by Tarja Ryhannen

A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.