Kemi Snow Castle

If you have foreign visitors to Finland, where do you take them in the winter? Everything is frozen, everything is covered with white.  The daylight is brief and did I mention it's cold?

Kemi, a smallish city by the sea, has turned snow and ice into something special.  Every year they build a Snow Castle at the harbor of the city.  We have never visited it before...so it was about the time to go!  

Kids at the entrance.  The theme for this year is Fantasia. 

We got to the castle in the early evening.  

Dining hall where you can sit on reindeer fur around the table made of ice.  The menu looked good, but the meals need to reserved before hand. 

I especially enjoyed the ice sculptures.

The theme in the restaurant was "Jail".  

We had a cup of hot juice in there. 

Indoor slide for kids..icy and slippery!

The 'SnowHotel' inside the Snow Castle has several rooms for over night guests.  

Each room has individual art on the walls.  The beds are adorned with skins.  You will provided with a thick sleeping bag for the night.  We didn't stay! 

The picture on the left upper corner is from the Chapel.  You can  even get married in there!  

The view from the panorama tower.  I love the old buildings at the Kemi harbor.  We have come here for ice cream and walks in the summer.  

The Snow Castle from outside. The sea (behind) is frozen! 

Kids enjoyed the long slide between the old buildings.  

Quite amazing...everything is made of snow and ice!  But we got little chilly at the end, so have enough clothes on when you go! 

More info and pictures here.