The trip to Finland was, to me, one of the most special trips I have ever experienced in my life. It was also the most challenging because of the freezing cold there, but I enjoyed it very much despite the cold.

I decided to write a detailed post about our whole trip there because we did it independently and not through an organized trip. It is important to me that whoever wants to fly there on his own will understand the advantages and disadvantages of it and will make the considerations according to what he thinks will be more suitable for him.

I will already say that this is not a cheap trip, both as an organized trip and as an independent trip, and the costs of the trip can also vary by thousands of shekels depending on the attractions and accommodation that you choose for your trip.

We did a combination of cheaper and more expensive things, some of which were through collaborations. I will describe the route according to what we did exactly. At the end of the post I’ve organized all the costs neatly. Of course, the prices of flights fluctuate, which also affects the price.

Tips before traveling to Finland

SIM card

This trip was on 2019 I didn’t had an ESIM supported phone. Each of us purchased a Sim card for 7 euros per week at the airport in Helsinki (with unlimited data package). Since then, I personally recommend using an ESIM, which is an electronic SIM, and recommend Airalo. I was very satisfied with their user experience (simple tutorial videos for operating the SIM card) and everything worked without any special problems. I wrote more about them in an extended post on the subject of taking a SIM card abroad and also about other options such as buying a local SIM card.

Blog followers have a 15% discount code for the Airalo company to purchase an ESIM – to redeem the discount, click on this link. The discount code is already included in the link. See it at checkout.

The biggest drawback at the moment is that some devices do not support an electronic SIM. How can you know if your device supports the electronic card? Very simple: go to this link and you can see. Link to which devices support ESIM.

Car rental in Finland

Personally I think this is the most convenient and fun way to travel. Car prices are low and the roads are easy to drive. We didn’t rent a car for this trip, because we had a fully pre-arranged package which included a transportation.

You can search for a car in the search engine Papam Papam. Personally, I really like to search through them because they save me time (instead of going to several websites) and they also have the option of filtering out non-recommended rental companies.

Attractions in Finland

You can get ideas for other cool things you can do on the various attraction sites and even order through them (sometimes at a discounted price). The first attractions site is tiqets the second is Get your guide and  Viator.

Where to stay in Finland

You can search for places to stay in Finland via Booking.

Information about our trip to Finland

Our trip was in late January and early February 2019.

We had an 8-day itinerary and traveled as a couple, Roman and I.

Our route was Helsinki – Saariselka (Lapland) – Rovaniemi (Lapland) – Helsinki

Methods of transport – internal flights, taxis, trains and buses

Helsinki

How did we get to Helsinki?

On a flight from Tel Aviv with a stopover in Amsterdam with KLM

Where we stay in Helsinki?

We slept in a charming Update: this apartment is no longer available on airbnb in a relatively central location (15-minute walk to the train station and the city center). Search for other accommodations.

The cost of the apartment was cheaper than a hotel but if you prefer a hotel then I recommend using the price comparison website.

Tip to reduce the cost of accommodation: After booking a hotel via the internet (with a free cancellation option) I recommend you send the invitation you receive to Provo (link to Provo). If the room rate at the hotel you booked with goes down, they will send you an alert which’ll allow you to cancel the order and re-order at a lower price. And what’s cool is that this service is free.

How long were we in Helsinki?

A day and a half at the beginning of the trip and another half day on the way back (I’d recommend spending 2-3 days there, if possible)

What did we do in Helsinki?

We went on a free tour of the city (Tip based), to a local market, to the rock church, an orthodox cathedral, we were in a gourmet restaurant, in a charming cafe, and worked a little at the library. Here is a detailed post about all the things we did in Helsinki.

For transport: We’ve mostly used the Uber app.

Saariselka

How did we get to Saariselka?

On an internal flight from Helsinki to Ivalo airport in Northern Finland’s Lapland region.

Where did we stay in Saariselka?

The reason for our visit was an invitation to stay at the Northern Lights village, how the most unique places I’ve ever seen in my life.

How long were we there for?

Two nights (3 full days)

What did we do in Saariselka?

We received a two-night package, including a pickup at the airport (There and back), full pension, Husky dogs and deer sleds. Additionally, we visited the saunas and got to see the northern lights!!
I’ve written a full post about our experience at the Northern Lights Village.

Rovaniemi

How did we get to Rovaniemi?

By express bus (A three-and-a-half-hour drive from Saariselka). We ordered tickets through the Matkahuolto busses website.

Where did we stay in Rovaniemi?

At an Update: this apartment is no longer available on airbnb in the town center.
Search for other accommodations.

How long did we stay there?

Three nights

What did we do in Rovaniemi?

On the first day, we arrived in the afternoon and we were just in the mall and shopping at the supermarket, the next day we rode snowmobiles in the mountains, then we went to a good Indian restaurant, Curry Masala, which was close to the snowmobile office. In the evening we planned to do a night tour following the northern glow, but on that day the temperature dropped to minus 30 degrees and we decided to give up. The tour was supposed to be with the Wild about Lapland company.

On the third day we took the train to Kemi to do a cruise on an ice-breaking ship (one of the coolest, most insane attractions we’ve done). I wrote a post with all the information about the icebreaker ship.

There are many other attractions in Rovaniemi such as the Rauna zoo and the Santa Claus village, but due to lack of time, we did not manage to do them as well.

Tip for Rovaniemi: Compared to Helsinki, in Rovaniemi it is very difficult to find taxis and there is no Uber service, so if you need a taxi, make sure to book it in advance. Call the taxi company in advance and tell them where and when to pick you up.

Other Attractions in Rovaniemi

Santa Claus Village Tours and Tickets
Ranua Wildlife Park Tickets
Tours and Tickets to Experience Arktikum

Helsinki

On the last day, in the morning we took a domestic flight to Helsinki. We had a few hours to spend until our flight back to Israel in the evening, so we left our suitcases at item storage (6 euros) at the airport and took a train to the city center.

Trip costs to Finland for an independent trip

Flights

Two-way International flights with KLM from Israel to Helsinki (non-direct flights with stopovers in Amsterdam) Cost of 353 Euros (including one suitcase of 23 kg)

Domestic flights – flight to Saariselka from Helsinki 101 Euros (including one suitcase of 20 kg) with Norwegian Air

Flight from Rovaniemi to Helsinki – 80 Euros (including one suitcase of 20 kg) with Norwegian Air.

Public transportation

A bus from Saariselka to Rovaniemi – 100 Euros

A train from Rovaniemi to Kemi – 52 euros for a two-way ticket

Lodging

Update: this apartment is no longer available on airbnb in Helsinki – Two nights 122 euros

Update: this apartment is no longer available on airbnb in Rovaniemi – Three nights 170 euros

Northern Lights Village – two nights 1500 euros

Attractions

Deer and husky dog sleds – are included in the cost of the Northern Lights Village package

Snowmobiles – 200 Euros

Ice-breaker ship – 720 Euros

Total 3397 euros per couple

With food and taxis included an estimated cost of 5000 Euro~.

I hope my post helped you. If so, I would very much like you to respond here in the comments, and if you have any more questions, then you are also welcome to ask them in the comments or on the blog’s social networks: Facebook and Instagram.

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A month prior to our trip to Finland, I just finished planning our route when I ran into our neighbor. I told her about our trip to Finland and she said they were there last year on an organized trip, and that one of the trip’s highlights was swimming in ice water on an Icebreaker ship.

I got excited right away and decided we had to do that too, if it’s such a great, unique experience. I’ve began researching for a way to book the cruise and found the Experience365 website, belonging to the office of tourism for the town of Kemi. I mailed them and said we’d be glad to join the cruise and share the ice-breaker experience with our followers. To our joy, they loved the idea and so we got to partake in one of the craziest attractions in Finland.

Icebreaker ship in Finland, Lapland

This is a luxury attraction, but something worth doing once in your lifetime.
There’s a three-hour cruise, including swimming in ice water, at the cost of 220-260 euros a person, and then there’s a four-hour cruise which also includes a guided tour of the ship, a buffet meal and swimming in ice water (Or rather, floating on ice water), for the price 340-400 euros a person.

How to reach the icebreaker ship from Rovaniemi, Lapland

Sometimes there are organized rides from Rovaniemi to the ship, but that wasn’t the case when we were there. However, the way is very simple. We took a train from Rovaniemi to the town of Kemi, through the VR website. The train ride was 13 euros a person and lasted about an hour and twenty minutes.
Riding the train was really fun, as we sat in the train’s restaurant the whole ride and had coffee there (There are reserved seats, but we preferred to sit in the restaurant that was both spacious and with hardly any people there).

From the train station we booked a ride to the ship that cost us 40 Euros for both, for a two-way ticket (i.e. from the train to the ship and after the cruise from the ship back to the train).

We arrived an hour early to the train station in Kemi and were happy to discover there was a really good cafe there, where we sat there until our ride arrived.

The Icebreaker ship experience

Our cruise was at one o’clock, it was the four-hour cruise. The bus picked us up at 11:50 from the train station. The ride to the ship was around 15 minutes. On the ride, one of the tour guides told us a little about the town of Kemi and the Lapland area, and then told us a bit about the cruise itself. When we reached the ship area, we went to the reception office to check in. We got the tickets for the ship and the ship’s schedule.

At first, we went into the ship and one of the guides accompanied us to the lounge area. She said that at one-twenty she would come back to give us and two other couples an English-speaking tour of the ship (it turned out that apart from us and the two couples, there were three other organized tours from China and they had a tour in Chinese). We went out to take some pictures (and it was very cold outside, but we were mentally prepared for it) and we waited for the guided tour.

Guided tour of the ship

At first, she told us about the ship itself. For example, how does it break the ice? It turns out this is due to its structure and weight. The ship weighs 5000 ton and actually rises above the ice with the front part and because it weighs a lot, its weight pushes it down and that’s how it breaks the ice. After a bit of history and technical explanations about the ship, we went on a tour. We went through different rooms on the ship like the control room, the engine room, a radio room (which is no longer in use) and the guide showed us where to stand in order to get the best view of how the ship breaks ice and makes its way through it.

The tour lasted about half an hour and it was really interesting. This is a good way to learn more about this special ship. After the tour the guide led us to the dining room.

Buffet lunch on the ship

Lunch was a bit crowded, since the ship was at full capacity, but the crowds let up within a few minutes. On the menu were two soups, one was vegan with carrots and coconut, which was excellent, and the other was a Salmon soup Roman really liked. For mains there was the option of a vegan or meat stew, steamed vegetables, as well as several salads and breads.
The meal was excellent and delicious.

Swimming in ice water

After the meal we had free time on the ship, and we went to get some more pictures and videos, then proceeded to the lounge. At three twenty the shop stopped, and we could go experience swimming. I must admit I was apprehensive from what I was sure would be really tough and that the special suit they give you won’t do much good. But, somehow, it truly gets the job done!!
We went down to put on the special suits. There are employees that help you.

We recorded it all on our go pro, a souvenir from an embarrassing moment in our life, since with the suits on you look like giant, red frogs. They let a couple of people in at a time, but the team there worked quickly and in an organized fashion and so there wasn’t a long line.

We climbed the stairs of the ship and then got off the deck. To get down to the water you sit on the ice and one of the employees there pushes you in. You can be in the water for between 2-4 minutes. I do not know how long I lasted but it felt long enough to me :). I swam a little when I wanted to turn around and go back to the ice so the worker would help me out. This attraction is suitable for anyone above 1.45 m. It’s not scary and the truth is that it’s not that cold and it’s really funny and fun. I was a little stressed before I entered the water but very quickly the fear disappeared because I felt that the suit really well sealed and I didn’t feel cold on my body, except for my hands.

Walking over the sea

After our refreshing swim, we went back to the dressing room and switched back to our regular clothes, then got off the deck again – this time to walk over the sea!! It’s a really exciting feeling to know you’re walking on the sea. Everything is frozen and white (Even the sky) and the ship is the only thing in sight. It was an amazing experience. We had some fun with snow sleds and took a few pictures, until finally the cold prevailed and we went back inside the ship.

Hot drink in the lounge

After we had finished freezing outside, we decided that the best thing to do was go to the bar of the ship to buy a hot alcoholic drink and go enjoy it in the lounge. It was an excellent plan and that’s exactly what we did. I bought hot raspberry juice along with alcohol and Roman bought hot blueberry juice with alcohol and we went to rest in the lounge and relax.

Docking

At five o’clock we docked back at the Kemi port and headed outside. It was snowing hard and before we boarded the ride to the train, we received certificates of appreciation for swimming in the ice.

We had an hour and a half to spend before the train back to Rovaniemi, so we used it at a nice coffee shop at the train station and ordered coffee and toast.

I highly recommend going to this café, as it is really great.

In conclusion,

The icebreaker experience is an extraordinary experience and definitely enjoyable. This is something I never thought I would do, and I feel lucky to have experienced something so special on a trip as magical as this one was.

There is no doubt that the cold we’d experienced on the trip was tough at times and I had moments when I missed the warmth of Israel, but I will always be happy to return to this country full of unusual attractions, super nice people and beauty seemingly out of legends.

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Our trip to Finland was an independent trip. We built the track ourselves and searched for special attractions at every destination.

Prior to the trip we realized that it was worth visiting the city of Rovaniemi (located in Lapland) because it has many winter attractions such as snowmobiles, a zoo, night tours following the northern glow, sledding with husky dogs and more …

Since we knew we were going sledding with deer and dogs at the Northern lights village, we decided to look for a snowmobile attraction.

I searched the Internet for companies that offer snowmobiles and finally chose Arctic Life , which had good reviews online. This company also offers a wide range of attractions for both the winter and the summer.

https://youtu.be/-5DyzkfDUxU

Snowmobiles in the mountains experience

On the day we did the snowmobiles the temperature was of -30 degrees. It was our coldest day on the trip, which made the experience quite extreme for me.

On the day of the attraction we arrived at the company office, located in the city center. We got there at 9:30 and our guide came with a van to pick us up. We were joined by a couple from Switzerland who were also in Finland for the first time. We drove by car up to the mountains, while the guide told us a little about their company and about riding the snowmobiles.

Equipment for snowmobiles

About 20 minutes later we reached the company’s compound in the mountains. We entered a large area with a lot of equipment for snowmobiles. Each of us was given a winter overall, snow boots, wool socks, a wool mask, gloves and a helmet.

After we wore all the clothes and took a few photos, the guide had us sign a statement saying that in the event of an accident that we are responsible for, there is a deductible sum of 1000 euros for the damage caused. There is the possibility of getting insurance if you want (For an additional payment).

Only the one driving the snowmobile must sign. At that point, I was still optimistic and naïve, and thought there would be a stage where I would also be driving, so I also signed the statement.

The route itself

We then went out into the cold and our guide told us about driving the snowmobiles. Basically, operating the snowmobiles is simple and there is no need for prior experience or a special license. Anyone who has a car license can drive them. The challenging part is turning, as you need to make the turn slowly to stay on the snow trail and not stray towards the trees.

I told Roman that he would drive first and then we would switch (hint: it did not happen at any point and the truth was that the girl from Switzerland did not switch with her husband either :)) and I sat behind him. We began the trip through the snowy mountains, among the trees.

The experience itself was special and white. At first, we drove in the snowy forest, and after about half an hour of driving we reached the frozen lake and drove on it.

The view at the lake was incredible, but unfortunately, we couldn’t get a picture of it while driving. Everything was white, it’s an enormous area and it was cool knowing we were driving over a frozen lake. It’s not something you see every day, and definitely a great reason to go for this attraction.

In the middle of driving we took a short break to take some pictures and then we drove a little slower and the guide stopped occasionally to tell us about special trees on the way. At a certain point I got was really cold, and felt as if my face was frozen, and my palms froze despite the gloves we were given.

I have to say that the equipment was really very good and Roman and the couple who were with us did not complain about the cold, but for me personally it was not enough. The guide was also really nice and when he saw how cold I was, he tried to give me tips such as holding the bike handles tightly, as that causes more blood to flow to the hands, which should warm them a bit and he also tried to fix my hat to cover more of my forehead.  The route was circular and finally we reached the starting point where we changed our clothes and returned all of the equipment.

Snowmobile experience summary

The snowmobile attraction is definitely one worth doing in Finland and is a combination of extreme and beautiful views. The Arctic Life company also offers ice-karting.
I’m sure that if it was slightly less cold, I’d have enjoyed it much more, but Roman liked the experience a lo, as did the other couple.

Tips for handling the cold

• If you’re not used to the cold and it’s minus 30 degrees outside, you might not want to go snowmobiling.
• I recommend bringing heating bags and keeping them in your gloves and socks (I’m sure that if I had some, it would have helped out a lot).

*The attraction was as part of a cooperation with the company

Over the last months, I’ve come across incredible pictures of snowy cabins with a transparent roof in Finland on Instagram, and so as soon as we were able to cooperate with Northern Lights village, we booked a ticket to Finland right away – That’s basically how we’ve decided on a winter trip to Finland.

On top of the village, we were in Helsinki and Rovaniemi, but our experience at the village was definitely a once in a lifetime experience, so let’s start at the beginning…

Tips before traveling to the Northern Lights village

SIM card

I personally recommend using an ESIM, which is an electronic SIM, and recommend Airalo. I was very satisfied with their user experience (simple tutorial videos for operating the SIM card) and everything worked without any special problems. I wrote more about them in an extended post on the subject of taking a SIM card abroad and also about other options such as buying a local SIM card.

Blog followers have a 15% discount code for the Airalo company to purchase an ESIM – to redeem the discount, click on this link. The discount code is already included in the link. See it at checkout.

The biggest drawback at the moment is that some devices do not support an electronic SIM. How can you know if your device supports the electronic card? Very simple: go to this link and you can see. Link to which devices support ESIM.

How to reach the Northern Lights village

We flew to Helsinki (With a stop over at Amsterdam) with the KLM company. We stayed in Helsinki for a day and a half, then took a flight to Ivalo airport, in northern Finland’s Lapland region. As part of the cooperation with the village, we received a two-night package which included a pickup at the airport, as well. Upon landing, two guys were already waiting for us with a sign, and we rode to the village in an organized ride (About a 20-minute drive).

Northern Lights Village, Finland, Lapland

As we arrived at the village, we checked in and received a keycard to our room. We were then driven to our cabin. Our cabin was in the first row, on one hand – further away from the dinning room and the reception (It’s only a 5 minute walk, but at -20 degrees Celsius, every second counts), but on the other hand – I think the first row is great, as there are no cabins in front of you, which allows complete privacy (When the transparent roof isn’t covered by snow, it’s possible to see the inside of the cabin from outside).

Anyhow, we arrived at the cabin with our suitcases and felt like we were in a dream! The cabin is basic in terms of furnishing, but honestly you don’t need much more at a place like this. The roof was covered with snow at first, so we didn’t see what was going on outside, but after melting the snow (Using a special button), a magical, white landscape was revealed to us.

The cabin itself

The cabin is heated and very pleasant. Let’s just say that after putting on all your hot clothes, before leaving the cabin, you feel like you’re about to faint. The cabin has a twin bed, two dressers with drawers for equipment, a kettle with cups and a bathroom (The hot water lasts for 10 minutes, then you have to wait for them to heat up again, so don’t plan on any long showers). Otherwise, the feeling you get, seeing the snowy trees and the bright sky while laying on the bed is hard to put into words.

Things to do in the cabin area

So, beyond the fact that the experience of sleeping in the cabin is an attraction in and of itself, the Northern Lights cabins offer a variety of winter attractions such as snowmobiles, sledding with husky dogs, sledding with reindeer, ice fishing, hot saunas and if you’re lucky (as we were) you get to watch the northern lights!!

The two-night package includes a 25-minute sledding experience with reindeers and two hours of sledding with huskies.

The Northern Lights

One of the unforgettable experiences we had in the cabins was that we had the privilege of seeing the northern glow!! I have to say that the chance of seeing the northern glow is not that great, so it’s important not to have too high expectations to see it.

On the first night we did not get to see it (We got a clock from the reception for € 10. The clock rings if the northern glow appears, as it might happen in the middle of the night). On the second evening we went to the dining room for dinner and suddenly it was in front of us. We were ecstatic and despite the cold I took off the gloves, brought the tripod, connected it to the camera and we began filming with great enthusiasm.

Note: You cannot take pictures of the northern glow on a cell phone (It’s possible with certain apps, but the quality wasn’t great). It is necessary to use a good camera on a tripod and take a long exposure picture. Luckily, we had the right equipment to create images that showed the glow as even brighter than it was (in reality the green is less glamorous than what the pictures show, but you can certainly see it, especially if the sky is clear without any clouds.) One of the employees told us we were lucky and saw the clearest glow they had during that season).

Even without the northern glow, our stay at the cabins was amazing, but it was certainly the cherry on top that made the experience something we will remember for life.

Snow sledding with reindeer

The reception has a screen where you can see all the attractions there are every day, which also indicates how many people are listed for each attraction. You need to arrive a quarter hour early for every attraction and wait for pickup at the reception desk (except for the husky dog experience for which you need to arrive half an hour in advance). It turns out the two of us were the only one to sign up for this attraction that day. We waited at reception and a nice man came and took us to the sleds with the reindeer. According to him, the speed of the reindeer can reach 55 miles per hour, but they carried us at a brisk walk, so this attraction is suitable for any age.

The ride was calm and cold, so I recommend bringing really hot clothes when you go to such attractions because sitting without doing something active causes the body to cool more quickly and there is also some wind while riding. The reindeer were so cute, and we patted and fed them. We felt just like Santa Claus, like we were in a fairy tale.

Snow sledding with husky dogs

The place where the Husky dogs are located is relatively far from the cabins and we drove there in about 20 minutes. We were with another, Australian couple. When we got to the dog farm, they ran straight to us and jumped on us and were really cute. We and the other couple split into two sleds. In our sled, I sat while Roman stood in the back as the driver and in the second sled the couple both sat.

Halfway down we changed sleds so that they could drive the sled too. I personally did not want to drive, because I was too cold but in retrospect it may be better to stand up and do some activity to warm up and not just sit down. While riding, I was covered by snow, including even my eyelashes, and it was really cold. My recommendation is to come extra dressed for this attraction because the Husky dogs run faster than the reindeer and there is wind and it is also in an open area.

This is a crazy experience with a landscape that seems to be taken from a movie scene and I really recommend doing it. After about an hour of riding, we went back to the farm, and then our guide lit a fire to warm us up and the employees brought us cookies and hot juice. It took me a while to thaw, but the fire definitely helped, and it was a really cool adventure.

Saunas

There is a dry sauna in the cabin compound and a pool of frozen water outside. Roman somehow collected the courage to go into the icy water after the sauna. I did not dare to do so for fear of dying 🙂 There is a dressing room near the saunas. Entrance to the sauna is at an additional cost (around EUR 10 per person) and there is also the possibility of renting the complex for an hour at a fee of EUR 100.

Food

The two-night package also included full pension. That means that pretty much all day, there is free food, since each meal lasts for a few hours. The meals are served in the form of a buffet and each time there was a different and varied menu and it was really tasty, as well. This is not a chef’s restaurant and the variety isn’t incredible, but I personally prefer a limited variety good food that’s not too greasy, and that’s exactly what there was. In the morning there is a stand for making Belgian waffles, there are vegetables, fruits, yogurts, eggs, sausages, breads, and of course salmon, cheeses, cookies and desserts.

At noon and in the evening, there were two soups each time and alternating dishes such as venison, risotto, fish, stir-fried noodles and more.

There is always a coffee and tea stand and there is also a bar where you can buy alcohol and good coffee, such as a cappuccino or espresso.
In addition, the area itself is very large and there are tables with chairs, as well as seating areas facing a fireplace, where we sat for hours with coffee and wine and it was simply a treat.

What clothes to bring to the cabins in the winter

Our trip took place in late January – early February and in the cabin area the temperature was around -20 degrees. Basically, you do not have to bring too much hot equipment to the cabins themselves, because you can get massive overalls there that are suitable for winter, boots and I think even gloves. But since we arrived as part of a trip to a number of other places besides the village, we came prepared with good boots, thermal shirts and pants, gloves (thin ones for mobile use and thick gloves), a neck warmer, scarf, wool hat and thermal socks. In addition, my tip is to bring heating bags because it really helps. I did wear the overall as well, because I needed another layer, but Roman, for example, did not use the equipment they offered on location.

Additional notes about the Northern Lights Village

At the food compound there is also an ice bar that we personally did not get to visit, because I felt I was cold enough. The area of ​​the cabins is quite isolated but if you want a supermarket or other restaurants, you’ll find them about 15 minutes away by foot (We haven’t gone there).

Accommodation in the cabins is not cheap but I think it’s something that gives you value for money (the package for the dates we were there on was 1500 euros for two nights for a couple,

Including transfers from the airport, full pension, sledding with deer and husky dogs). You can also book accommodation without a package, they sometimes have specials like booking 2 nights + one free night. It’s worth checking what’s more worthwhile – a package deal or a separate booking.

The cabins are new and cozy, and the whole complex of cabins is nicely decorated and of a high standard. This is not a five-star resort but rather a place that gives you an experience you will have anywhere else.

I hope my post helped you. If so, I would very much like you to respond here in the comments, and if you have any more questions, then you are also welcome to ask them in the comments or on the blog’s social networks: Facebook and Instagram. Looking for more information about Lapland ? I have in the blog more posts about Lapland and posts about Finland.

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I began planning our trip to Finland six months in advance. The truth is that I never got to traveled in the winter with snow attractions, and I was very excited by the decision to fly there.

I planned a one-and-a-half-day course in Helsinki for Roman and I, from there on to Saariselka Lapland and Rovaniemi, then back to Helsinki and from there to Israel.

On the way back we had only a few hours in the city and so we stored our suitcases at the Helsinki airport. It is possible to put the suitcase in a locker or luggage storage service and the cost is € 6 per suitcase (for a locker or suitcase storage). This is a very good option for those who want to leave the airport for a few hours and then come back.

Our trip took place in late January and early February. There was cold weather that required advanced preparation, such as warm clothing for the trip. You can also buy clothes and equipment in Helsinki if you’re missing anything.

Tips before traveling to Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital of Finland. It is a compact city that can easily be explored on foot. You will find design, architecture, culture and shopping, and there are things to do there all year long. In the winter it is very magical and in summer you can visit its large parks, forests and lakes.

SIM card

The SIM card surprised us. I was sure it would be expensive because Finland is considered an expensive country, but it was really cheap. The card cost 7 euros per week for unlimited internet. We bought it at a convenience store at the airport before leaving it. If you can use an ESIM, I personally recommend using an ESIM, which is an electronic SIM, and recommend Airalo. I was very satisfied with their user experience (simple tutorial videos for operating the SIM card) and everything worked without any special problems. I wrote more about them in an extended post on the subject of taking a SIM card abroad and also about other options such as buying a local SIM card.

Blog followers have a 15% discount code for the Airalo company to purchase an ESIM – to redeem the discount, click on this link. The discount code is already included in the link. See it at checkout.

The biggest drawback at the moment is that some devices do not support an electronic SIM. How can you know if your device supports the electronic card? Very simple: go to this link and you can see. Link to which devices support ESIM.

Attractions in Helsinki

You can get ideas for other cool things you can do on the various attraction sites and even order through them (sometimes at a discounted price). The first attractions site is tiqets the second is Get your guide and Viator.

Where to stay in Helsinki

We slept in a charming Airbnb apartment in a relatively central location (15 minutes walk to the train station and the city center).

You can search for places to stay in Helsinki via Booking.

How to get to Helsinki

We found a flight with a stopover in Amsterdam with KLM. Note: Do not take a flight with too short a stopover in Amsterdam. It is a large airport and you may miss the connecting flight especially if there is some delay.

Getting from Helsinki Airport to the city center

It’s very simple. There is a direct train from the airport to the city center and it arrives every 10 minutes. In the convenience store where we bought the SIM card, we also purchased a train ticket which costs € 5 and is valid for two hours from the moment you first use it. This means that if you also need a bus after train then you can use the same ticket.

The trip to the city center takes about half an hour.

Transportation in the city

Helsinki is considered a relatively small city and you can walk it by foot, but if it’s a winter and very cold like it was during our trip, we ended up using Uber often (through the Uber app). If it is not too cold, buses can also be taken. Public transport in Helsinki is very well developed and easy to use.

Free tip-based tour in the city

One of the things we like best to do in a new city trip is to take a free tour (based on tips) in order to get to know the city better and learn about the city’s and country’s history. We took the tour through the Free Tour company (Link to tour). We booked it in advance, but you can also just come to the meeting point in the main church 10 minutes prior to the tour (the tour does not take place every day so check the site for dates and times). The day we did the tour on was snowy and we thought we would be the only ones on the tour, but we ended up being a large group of about 30 people. We had a charming guide named Kasper, who spoke about the city in English.

The tour of the city in the snow was not simple but it was certainly interesting and worth the effort (tip: if you do a tour in the snow, I recommend bringing heating bags and putting them in the pockets of your coat, it helps).

The tour lasted just over two hours and Casper also gave us some good tips for restaurants and recommended bars along the way.

Temppeliaukio Church (Rock-cut Church)

After a tour of the city, we stopped at a point 10-minutes away from Temppeliaukio church, called Rock church in English. This is one of the most special churches I have ever seen, and I definitely recommend visiting it. Entrance to the church costs 3 euros. The church’s cavity was hewn in granite bedrock, and the rock walls are 5 to 8 meters high.

The church is very peaceful and there were hardly any people in the background, and soothing music was playing. This is the kind of place you can go to and just sit there without doing anything for a while. Map

Local, roofed food market

Finland is a paradise for salmon lovers and an excellent place to taste the salmon is at the Old Market Hall. In this market there are several stalls where you can find local dishes and try different types of salmon and salmon soup which is considered a famous soup in Finland.

We passed through this market on the tour and after visiting Temppeliaukio we returned to it for a late lunch. I ate a delicious salmon sandwich and Roman tried the salmon soup and loved it very much. There is also a wine shop in the market, a home-baked breads shop and other local produce. Map

Helsinki Cathedral

This is the famous cathedral in Helsinki and there’s no chance you’ll miss it. It is also the meeting point for the tour.

This is one of the most impressive cathedrals I have ever seen. Especially on a snowy day when the sky is almost white, and all the stairs are white. The cathedral’s interior is nothing special, but the exterior is stunning. Dedicate some time for photos 🙂 Map

The Orthodox Cathedral of Uspenski

Another really beautiful cathedral worth seeing. Since we did not have much time in the city, we decided to only visit it for a few minutes and photograph it, but if you have more time in the city, you should allocate more than a few minutes towards it. Map

Gourmet restaurant

Before visiting the city, I’ve done some research on recommended restaurants and found Grön, which had great reviews. We decided to have a luxurious dinner on our evening in Helsinki.
We booked a table in advance (Recommended, as the restaurant was full on a Wednesday night, so I assume it’s packed most evenings). They have a structured dinner menu of 4 dishes costing 60 euros a person. You may add additional dishes at a cost (There are three additional options).

The service was flawless and definitely up to the standard of a gourmet restaurant, and the food was unique and varied. The dishes were all made of seasonal, local ingredients. Our favorites were the scallops and dessert. If you’re looking for a good high-quality restaurant, this is an excellent choice. Map.

Boutique café

On our last day of the trip, we returned to Helsinki from Rovaniemi on a flight and had four hours to pass in the city. I looked for a good cafe to visit and found the La Torrefazione coffee shop which got good reviews.

It is a 10-minute walk from the city’s main train station. We came to a cafe to drink coffee, but we were hungry and finally decided to have lunch first. This is a modern boutique café with an excellent atmosphere. It is popular among locals. I ordered pasta Arrabiata and Roman had risotto with Brizola and the two dishes were excellent, served delicately and deliciously. Then we drank coffee that was also high quality. In short, this is a cafe I highly recommend. Map

The National Library of Finland

After the café, we decided to go work in the library which turned out to be one of the most beautiful libraries and a good place to work. If you are looking for a place to sit with your laptop and work quietly, then this library is only a few minutes away from the main railway station. You’re given a wi-fi password (Upon showing ID), there are lockers for storing things (because you cannot bring bags, coats and food inside), and I’d say it’s worth visiting there just because it really is a beautiful library. Map

Saunas

Finland is known as the Queen of Saunas. There are about 5.5 million people in the country and about 3 million saunas!!! Helsinki has many saunas. Since we spent a relatively short time in the city, we did not get to visit any saunas there, but it is something worth trying. There are saunas that have a separation between men and women, and some that don’t, so make sure to check ahead of time. Here’s a link to a post I found detailing the best saunas in town.

Walking around town

The local market is located near the Baltic Sea (Which is frozen during the winter). I recommend going there at sunset (at least in the winter) because it is a very magical place. In the summer, there are also food stalls (They’re closed during the winter). In addition, the entire central area of the city is full of avenues with cafes, restaurants and shops.

Shopping

On the last day of our trip, we went there to look for clothes for Roman, since he’s very tall and Finland is known as a country with many tall people, so we were optimistic to find clothes that would fit him, and indeed we were proven right. We found a shop at good prices and sizes for tall men :)) Dressmann Shop, Map. Finland is considered an expensive country, but it was during end of season sales, and there were great prices.

The first time I visited Delhi was during a trip after the army. I was there in the summer, which isn’t the recommended season as it gets very hot there – over 40 degrees Celsius. I didn’t realize how bad it gets back then, but now that we went back during the winter, when it’s 25 degrees out during the day (Yes, that’s considered winter over there), it was very pleasant, and I enjoyed exploring the city.
So the first thing I recommend about Delhi is visiting during the winter, between December and March (We went in December).

We flew to India for a two-week trip in cooperation with our friend Noam, who plans private trips to India. The trip was to the Rajasthan, Rishikesh and Delhi areas. The trip included a private driver, different guides at every new destination and great hotels.

About Delhi

Delhi, the capital of India, is one of the craziest cities in India. It is a combination of poverty and luxury, street food and gourmet restaurants, guesthouses and high-class hotels, filth, crazy traffic jams, harsh climate (especially in the summer), eye-catching temples and plenty to see and to do.

Delhi is divided into two areas of Old Delhi and New Delhi. New Delhi is considered the prestigious area where you can also find the luxury hotels. Old Delhi has the largest market in India and is one of the craziest places anywhere. It may cause a bit of a cultural shock to those visiting for the first time.

How to get to Delhi

We arrived on a direct flight from Tel Aviv to Delhi with Air India.

Where to stay in Delhi

We stayed at a crazy five-star hotel with a pool, three restaurants, bar, shops, a café, a spa and excellent service. The Lalit New Delhi Hotel is located in the New Delhi area. A 10-minute walk from a large center with restaurants and shops. There are rickshaws outside the hotel, and you can easily reach anywhere in the city with them (it’s better to take a rickshaw than a taxi because of the many traffic jams). Hotel price comparison.

Things to do in Delhi

Akshardham Temple

This temple is less familiar among tourists and more among locals because it is forbidden to photograph there. There is less awareness of this impressive place, but it is considered one of the most beautiful temples in the world and the truth is that it impressed us greatly. We came there with few expectations, but even standing outside it we grew enthusiastic. On the inside, it is simply breathtaking (It’s surrounded by amazing green gardens with fountains).
I think pictures wouldn’t have been able to do it justice anyway, it is definitely a must when visiting Delhi.

The temple’s size awarded it a prestigious spot in the Guinness book of records, as the largest Indian temple in the world. I recommend visiting close to opening or closing hours, and on a weekday, as it gets rather crowded and there can be long waiting lines. Be aware that it’s prohibited to go in with a camera or cellphone and there are very rigorous security checks at the entrance. Map.

Terraced temple

There are several such around India, for example Chand Baori between Agra and Jaipur, and another in Delhi – Agrasen ki Baoli. We got to visit the one in Delhi, which is smaller and less renowned. It’s not as impressive as Chand Baori, but really beautiful as well and not as crowded (We visited in the morning on a weekday, and there were a few dozen locals and few tourists). It’s about a 10-minute walk from the Lalit New Delhi hotel we were staying at.
This is also a great place for photos, as it’s really special, but beware of the many pigeons, or you may be in for an unpleasant surprise (It’s said that it brings good luck, at least :)) Map.

India’s largest market Chandni Chowk

Chandi Chok Market is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Delhi. This is one great cultural shock. This is a huge area with different markets, where you will find a spice market, clothing market, fabric market and more … This market has existed for around three hundred years and is famous not only in India, but all over the world. We traveled on a rickshaw there, because the truth is that there are so many rickshaws that it’s very hard to get around on foot.

India gate

Built by the British at the end of the First World War in memory of the Indian fallen, a very impressive gateway. The gate leads to the widest street in India, which is used for a military procession and reaches the parliament (which we also visited and is the largest in the world in terms of territory, also built by the British). Map

Gandhi ‘s house

Gandhi Samariti is a museum that was Gandhi‘s home for 114 days when he arrived in Delhi to appease Hindus and Muslims in Delhi and where he was also murdered. His life story is described by puppet shows prepared by school children.

You will see a preserved room there, where Gandhi used to live and the place where he was shot while walking to his speech.

The museum exhibits photographs, sculptures, paintings, murals, inscriptions on rocks and remains from Gandhi’s time. We found the museum very interesting and a great way to learn about Gandhi. It is not obligatory to go there with the instructor because there is a lot of reading material and the puppet show is accompanied by short excerpts.

Lotus Temple

The only Bahai temple in India and in the form of a lotus flower. The truth is that we came to the Temple only to take pictures from the outside. Both because we had a busy schedule and also because we read that it wasn’t particularly special from the inside. However, if you are in the area then it is worth going a visit. Map

Delhi Parliament

The House of Parliament is also known as Sansad Bhawan. It is a magnificent curved structure where representatives of Indian democracy meet. Is the largest democracy office in the world. The diameter of the building is 170 m. The entire Parliament House is surrounded by a red ornamental stone wall. You cannot go inside, only see the buildings from the outside.

I got to visit India twice in the past, once after the army for a three-month trip in the north and two and a half years ago when my husband and I decided to settle in Bangalore for two months after five months of touring the east. We were both really excited about this country and waited for an opportunity to visit it again.

A custom, personalized trip

Due to other commitments, we realized that we had only two weeks to travel in India and we wondered if it would be enough time to truly enjoy it. We tried to figure out what sort of trip we should do, and in the end, we decided to contact our friend Noam, who plans private trips to India (Noam’s email noam.laish@gmail.com), whom we got to know thanks to the blog. We have collaborated with him to plan and arrange our trip, and together we chose the Rajasthan area (December is a great time for a trip in this area) and built a route that fits our style of travel.

The trip lasted for two weeks, of which 12 days were full days and two days with flights. We flew by a direct flight with Air India from Tel Aviv to Delhi. The trip was a combination of luxury and local experience. There was a private driver with us throughout the trip, high-quality hotels of 4-5 stars and guides at every destination, but, we also experienced the colorful India, with traffic jams, endless sirens, filth in the streets, walking in the streets with cows, monkeys, elephants and camels around us, had amazing street food whenever possible and in fact experienced a third world country for better or worse.

During the trip we kept in touch with Noam and even made changes in the route according to our experience there (for example we canceled some of the things we had planned, because we wanted more rest time) and Noam was available for every question and request. We have never experienced a trip planned by someone else and the truth is that we were really pleased. Noam planned the trip in a great way and the whole trip went smoothly and without any problems. (Which in India is not trivial matter :)).

Our India trip itinerary

Landing in Delhi and continuing to Agra

We landed in Delhi in the morning and from there we continued directly to Agra with the driver. There are two sites in Agra that are considered mandatory for those who visit Rajasthan. The first is the Agra fortress. One of the largest fortresses in India and in our opinion one of the most impressive anywhere. The fortress has a very interesting architecture and the place itself is huge and beautiful. Anyone who is looking for a place to take photogenic pictures at, its also a great place to do that (our guide also turned out to have a talent for photography on a cell phone and took a lot of artistic pictures).

The second undisputed site is the Taj Mahal, of course.
For the visit we woke up at six in the morning to arrive at sunrise. Not surprisingly, there were already a lot of people at this hour, but if you wait patiently you can take a picture that looks like there are not many people in the area. At the Taj we hired a private photographer (there are many who wait at the entrance and you can choose one of them). The combination of the photographer and the guide who explained to the photographer what we want and what is important to us helped us take impressive pictures of the Taj Mahal, as well as learn about its history. For a detailed post on the things we did in Agra. In Agra we stayed at the five-star hotel Ramada Plaza Agra.

Agra to Jaipur and from there to Pushkar

From Agra we were supposed to continue to Pushkar, but since it was a long journey of over eight hours, it was decided that we would travel four hours to Jaipur and spend the night there and from there we would continue to Pushkar in the morning. The hotel we stayed at in Jaipur was Alsisar Haveli. In the evening we managed to go to a Bollywood movie theater and in the morning, we continued to Pushkar.

Pushkar is a kind of mini-Israel. A lot of guys come there to settle down for a few months after the army, which is why you can find lots of signs in Hebrew, Israeli food and Indians who know a little Hebrew there. But it is also a holy and calm place. There we stayed at a luxurious boutique hotel, Brahma Horizon Pushkar. We found an amazing local restaurant with high-quality food at crazy prices of NIS 3-4 for a main course. We toured the temple, the market, and the holy lake (which is very beautiful, but people toss the ashes of their loved ones in it, so my feelings for it are ambivalent). For a detailed post on things to do in Pushkar.

Pushkar to Jaipur

From Pushkar we returned to Jaipur to a hotel that looked like a palace Alsisar Haveli, a street food tour (the guide took us to small alleys to specific stalls that we would never find alone and everything was so tasty and successful), we visited the Amber Fortress which is also an impressive fortress with beautiful colored doors, well-tended gardens and fancy wall ornaments, and we also visited an astrological astronomical observatory, which is one of six such places in India. For a detailed post on things to do in Jaipur.

Jaipur to Delhi

From Jaipur we went to Delhi, one of the craziest cities I ever visited. The city is full of traffic, rickshaws, people, markets, temples. A huge dissonance between rich New Delhi and poor old Delhi.

We did a rickshaw tour in the biggest market in India (it could be a cultural shock to those who are visiting a third world country for the first time). We visited a temple that is considered one of the most beautiful in the world (unfortunately I couldn’t take pictures there, but I can tell you that this is a temple that should not be missed if you are in Delhi!)

We visited the place where Gandhi was murdered (this is the house where he spent 114 days when he arrived in Delhi, where he was also murdered during a speech against the violence. The house was turned into a museum that shows Gandhi’s inspirational life story). We visited the gateway of India (A gate which serves as a memorial for the fallen of world war one) and visited the only Bahai temple in India. The hotel we stayed at in Delhi was The Lalit New Delhi. Our detailed post about top things to do in Delhi.

Delhi to Rishikesh

From Delhi we went for a short visit to Rishikesh. It is a holy and spiritual city with a sort of spiritual peace of feel immediately upon arrival.  We climbed the Neer Garh Waterfall (there are places to stop with tables in the water and you can drink coffee), we were in a spiritual ceremony held every day at five o’clock and lit a candle we sent to the river Ganges. The hotel we stayed at is Rishikesh is Divine Resort.

Although it was a short trip in terms of days, we managed to experience a lot and see lots of places and actually get some rest and indulge ourselves at hotels in the process. We chose slightly tougher route, but India is so big that anyone can find the areas that are more his style.

As for the food I know there is a concern sometimes regarding eating the street food there, but the truth is that we prefer to eat it, it is really delicious and also has a high turnover of raw materials as there are lots of people eating at street food stalls every day. However, of course, you do not have to eat street food and you can eat in clean and well-maintained restaurants. This trip left us wanting more and I have no doubt that we will return to explore more areas we have not yet seen.

We flew to India for a two-week trip that was mainly in the Rajasthan area. The trip was planned by our friend Noam (Noam’s website) who works planning private trips to India. We cooperated with Noam because we knew that a two-week period was considered short for a trip to India, and we decided that this trip will be in a different style than we’re used to. We were accompanied by a private driver throughout our entire trip, various guides at each destination we reached and high quality, 4-5-star hotels.

The previous two times I had flown to India I brought a backpack, but this time we traveled with suitcases. No doubt this is a very different trip from a backpacking trip to India, but I can tell you that we had an amazing time – Each kind of trip has its own charm.

Information about Jaipur

Jaipur is the capital of the state of Rajasthan, northwest India, which is located in the eastern part of the country and is the most populous city in Rajasthan. The city was founded in 1727 and is considered a popular tourist destination and commercial center. Jaipur’s famous arts and crafts include jewelry, stone, marble and ivory carving.

How to reach Jaipur?

We came to Jaipur from Agra, with our private driver, and the ride lasted about 5 hours (Including stops). You can take a train from Agra (A 4-hour ride). You can also come from Pushkar (A 2-hour drive). The ride from Delhi is longer and should take around 6-7 hours by car (Including stops).

Where to stay in Jaipur?

We stayed at the beautiful Alsisar Haveli hotel. It was originally built in 1892 as a Christian house. Today, it has been converted to a legacy hotel. It’s a 5-minute walk away from the pink city, with its surrounding wall, and a 2-minute drive from the highway. Its design is very impressive and is reminiscent of a palace.

It has a well-tended backyard and a pool with tanning beds. There’s a varied buffet breakfast and the option for hotel buffet dinner. The hotels disadvantages: We personally felt that the service there wasn’t as good as at the other hotels on our trip and I recommend asking for a room with a double bed, as we were assigned a room with two beds at first which wasn’t as comfortable.
The room we got was on the third floor with no elevator, so if you’re coming there with children or have difficulty going up the stairs, I suggest letting the hotel know in advance so you can have a room on a lower floor.
Hotel price comparison.

Recommended things to do in Jaipur

Unlike Agra and Pushkar, in Jaipur I felt there was the most to see and to do. I recommend staying in it for at least three days.

Amber Castle

Also known as Amer fort, it is one of the main attractions in Jaipur. It was built with white marble and red sandstone and attracts attention from far away. Since it is on a hill it is easy to see from a distance (if there is no fog) and offers a panoramic view of the city. The fortress shows the glory of ancient culture with a mixture of Hindu and Muslim architectural styles.

We arrived there in the morning and there were many people there, but not at a level where you could not walk around. We arrived there by car with the guide, but there is also the possibility of going up to the fortress on an elephant (I’m less in favor of it, as it is an industry abusing animals kept there under harsh conditions), and also on foot, organized tour or rickshaw. Here too I recommend taking a guide because the fortress is large with lots of stories behind every building and room.

City palace

City palace is one of the most beautiful and colorful places in Jaipur. The city palace is the place where you can see fortresses, gardens, palaces, courtyards, etc. This place is an amazing mixture of Mughal architecture and Rajasthan. It is a huge complex built by Sawai Jai Singh II and occupies at least one seventh of the pink city.

We came there with a guide and I recommend you look for a guide or tour there, because this place really is huge, there is a lot to see and tons of interesting history about it.

The royal family now lives there and if the flag is raised – it means that it is there when you visit the palace. There is an area that’s rented out for events and so you may see wedding preparations when you visit there.

There are doors with the most beautiful decorations I have seen. I recommend you come in the morning when it’s less crowded there, so you can take pictures without too many people getting in the way and without having to wait in line. There are also museums that show collections of past dresses and an impressive museum of swords and weapons.

This palace will give you an idea about the time period.

Galtaji temple

I have to admit I got a bit nervous at this temple. It has a ton of monkeys and they fight and run around, which spooked me a bit. The place also has garbage strewn on the floor and isn’t properly maintained, but… Despite its obvious shortcomings, it is also very special and I have never been to such a temple in the past. The colors are very beautiful, and the truth is that we got great pictures there (if you are a photo enthusiast, this is a good destination for pictures). Admission is free, but you have to pay for every cell phone or camera. The cost is symbolic, so it definitely won’t prevent you from photographing there.

The temple is located 10 km away from the city and we got there with our driver. You can take a taxi or a rickshaw there, as well.

This temple is actually a complex of many temples and one of the special attractions there is a natural stream running down the hill during the spring. The fountain water is considered sacred and pilgrims come there specifically for them.

Food tour in Jaipur

One of the things we like most on our trips is trying as much local food as possible and usually we do food tours, as they allow us to taste lots of local food and usually on these tours we go through selected places with really good food. In Jaipur, Noam suggested that we take a food tour and we, of course, were enthusiastic about the idea.

Indian food is one of our favorites and we do not shy away from street food, but rather the opposite, for most of the trip we preferred to eat at street stalls or in local small restaurants rather than at touristic restaurants. When the tour guide arrived, he asked us what we wanted to try, and we told him, “Take us to places with the street food you like best and also, we do not like sweets” and so it was. We passed through lots of stalls on foot and in the car. He took us through hidden alleys and we got to places we never would have found on our own.

We booked the tour through Noam, so I have no information about the guide but if you arrive independently and want to do such a tour, I highly recommend searching for recommendations about a good local guide. It’s important to me that you’ll be aware that such an option exists, and Jaipur is an excellent city for such a tour.

Jantar Mantar

A lookout built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who was a brilliant astrologer that loved to study philosophy, astrology and architecture.

Jantar Mantar is actually a name given to a series of five great lookouts, built in five different cities of India. We visited the observatory in Jaipur which is the largest and was built in the early 18th century. The Observatory is an example of the scientific progress of medieval India and you will find a number of instruments there, used to measure time, azimuth, solar rejection and more. Most of these devices are actually large structures. The reason they are built on such a large scale is to allow accurate readings. Anyone who is interested in this field will surely find this place very fascinating.

Floating Palace Jal Mahal

We did not enter the floating palace but stopped where the palace could be photographed. There are people who sell traditional Indian costumes for photographs in front of the palace because a really nice picture can come out of it. I just came wearing a pretty dress in advance ?

By the way, if you’re in the street food section at this location, there was someone who sold a dish consisting of chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, a lot of spices and lemon juice, and it was a great dish!! So definitely worth a try (map).

Hawa Mahal, palace of winds

Built in 1799, this is a five-story building in the shape of Lord Krishna’s crown, with 953 windows and reminiscent in shape to a honeycomb.
This palace is visually impressive and the truth is that we just photographed it from the outside and did not go in, because our guide said that there is nothing interesting to see inside, and that it looks like a regular building.

You’ll definitely see it, as it’s next to the city palace.

The pink city

Jaipur is known as the Pink City, and when you get there, you will quickly understand the logic behind the name. Every building in the historical center surrounded by the wall is pink. There are only a few exceptions. Don’t expect to see pink in terms of the rose pink we know, but more of a brown orange shade, it is called terracotta pink and in history – this color represented blessing and hospitality. This color is significant in terms of the city’s heritage and is enforced by local law.

I recommend you just go there and explore the city on foot. Keep in mind that it is full of people and the streets are narrow, so you have to be patient and come when you aren’t short on time.

Within the pink city there is the Palace of the City and the Palace of the Winds. There are many street food stands, restaurants and souvenir sellers. In addition, it is a beautiful area for photographs and it attracts many photographers there.

Bollywood movie

In Jaipur we went to a real Bollywood movie. The cinema hall itself was of a high standard and with all sorts of snacks of popcorn, sweet corn and more. The truth is that I was expecting a movie with Indian dancing and singing, but it was an action film. The film was in Hindi but although it was impossible to understand what the people were saying, it was still possible to follow the plot. We got there exhausted after a long day of travel, so we decided to leave at halftime, but this is definitely an experience worth trying during a visit to India.

Having visited India twice for periods of several months, this time we came for a short trip.

Since two weeks are a short time for a trip to a country like India, we decided to go for a different style of trip than we usually do. We cooperated with our friend Noam, who plans private trips to India (a link to Noam’s website) and he planned our trip from A to Z – Including a private driver, guides to every destination and 4-5-star hotels.

We began our trip in Agra, from where we continued to Pushkar, Jaipur, Delhi, and Rishikesh.

Information about Pushkar

Pushkar is a town in Rajasthan which is a holy city for Hindus and is one of the oldest and most central pilgrimage sites in India. It is a relatively small town and what’s nice about it is that you can reach anywhere in the city by foot or rickshaw, meaning there is no need for public transportation or car.

How to get to Pushkar?

We arrived with the driver who was with us throughout the entire trip. We came from Agra. Since it was a long drive from Agra, we made a stop at Jaipur, where we spent the night and continued to Pushkar the next morning. A direct drive from Agra to Pushkar is around 8 hours. Traveling from Agra to Jaipur is around 4-5 hours and then from Jaipur to Pushkar is another 3-hour drive. There is also the possibility of taking a train from Jaipur to Pushkar cutting the trip down to around two hours.

Where to stay in Pushkar?

We slept in a stunning boutique hotel which was one of our favorites on the trip. Brahma Horizon Pushkar Hotel. A hotel with excellent service, a spacious and clean room with a beautiful view, a fun indoor pool with sun beds, room service with delicious food and breakfast with options of Indian or Western food. The hotel is a 10-minute walk from the main street and a 20-minute walk from the market.
Hotel price comparison.

Things to do in Pushkar

There are many Israelis who come to Pushkar and settle there. You can see signs in Hebrew and Indians who understand a little Hebrew. There is not much to do in terms of attractions, but it is a nice place and relatively quiet.

I think it’s a nice place to visit for a few days.

Street market for tourists – Sadar Bazaar

A long market covering about a kilometer of small shops on both sides, you can find absolutely anything there, souvenirs, jewelry (If you happen to love silver jewelry, Pushkar is known for its cheap prices), clothes and more.

Brahma Temple

Pushkar Brahma temple  is the only temple dedicated to Lord Brahma in India, which is why many Indians visit it every year. It commemorates Lord Brahma, who is considered the creator of the universe according to Hinduism. We came there with the guide we had in Pushkar. At first, he took us to a shop by the temple where you can rent a locker and leave your shoes, in case you don’t want to leave them outside the temple (You have to remove your shoes at the entrance, so I recommend you come with shoes and socks and not clogs, to avoid being barefoot inside). The temple itself is relatively simple and not too large, but it is interesting to see the only temple in India dedicated to Brahma that is such a sacred place for the Indians. Map

Lake Pushkar

It is considered one of the most sacred destinations for the Hindus and it turns out that it is in equal status to the Holy River Ganges in India. According to legend, the creator of the universe, Lord Brahma, prayed together with Mata Savitri on the banks of this river. According to Hindu mythology, when lotus flower leaves fell on the earth from Brahma’s hands this lake was created. That’s why you’ll find many Indians who’ll try to sell you lotus flowers for good luck along the way. The lake is very beautiful, but before you think of bathing in it for good luck, it is important to know that Indians throw the ashes of the dead into it. Another important thing to know is that because the lake is sacred, it’s forbidden to walk beside it with shoes on. It is only permissible to be with shoes on the upper stairs that surround it.

We went there with the guide who told us about the legend and why this lake is so important.

Nice café by the lake

If you want a cup of coffee or tea with a view of the lake, then we found a really nice place with a small outdoor table where you can sit and perhaps order a delicious cookie to snack on (Map).

Textile products store

Desert Patch Work & Handicrafts warehouse

The textile at the shop is produced in the desert. Since there is no agriculture in the area, this is the only thing they can make a living from and they work on every product between two months and three years!! The seller there was the most convincing salesman I’ve ever met and so we were tempted into buying an expensive (but high-quality, according to him) bed cover.
Map. The shop is near the café.

Amazing street food restaurant

We really like street food and the truth is that we found it a bit difficult to find restaurants for locals in Pushkar, as it is quite touristic, but somehow, we found an amazing place where we ate twice. There’s someone there who makes food on the spot on a stove by the tables. The food is super delicious and very cheap. If you do not shy away from authentic local restaurants, then I’m sure you’ll be really excited about this place. (Map – adjacent to this stand)

We flew to India for a two-week trip. A trip that’s considered relatively short for a country like India, but we really felt like visiting there again.

Since we had little time to plan the trip, we decided to use the services of our friend Noam, who works planning private trips to India (Noam’s website) and to cooperate with him on the trip. We chose Rajasthan because December is the ideal month to travel there in terms of weather.

We experienced a high standard trip that included a private driver, 4-5 star hotels and guides at every destination we went through.

We started our trip in Agra and from there we continued to Pushkar, Jaipur Delhi and Rishikesh.

Agra

Agra is famous mainly because of one of the most impressive places in India, and in the world in general – the Taj Mahal. We have come to Agra especially for this site, but we also spent the night there and the truth is that if you have time for a trip, I would recommend spending a night or two in the city because beyond Taj Mahal there are several other attractions worth visiting while staying in Agra.

How to get to Agra?

We flew on a direct flight to Delhi with Air India, which took us seven hours. From the airport, the private driver picked us up and we drove directly to Agra. This is a ride of about 5 hours.

When I was traveling in India after the army, I traveled with a friend on a tourist bus from Delhi to Agra to visit only the Taj Mahal.

I personally think it’s better to get there the night before with a private driver / bus / train from Delhi because it’s better to visit the Taj Mahal early in the morning. We got there at a quarter to seven in the morning and it was a different experience than arriving at noon.

Where to stay in Agra?

We slept in the charming Hotel Ramada Plaza Agra, a 5-star hotel. We did not get to enjoy it much, as we were only there for one night, but this is a high-class hotel, with a clean and comfortable room and a varied and tasty breakfast (Indian and Western options).

A drive from the hotel to the Taj Mahal is around 20 minutes by car. You can reach the hotel the day before and take a taxi or a rickshaw to the Taj Mahal in the morning.

If you’re fans of authentic local food (like we are) then outside the hotel are plenty of local restaurants. Note that these restaurants are mainly local, and you will hardly find any westerners there. The food is relatively spicy, but we personally like the spice and prefer eating street food or at simple local restaurants on there trips. Anyway, we sat at a restaurant on the right side of the hotel. Ramada hotel price comparison.

Things to do in Agra

We did not get to do too many things in Agra, but it was still really nice there and it is definitely a city to visit if you are going on a trip to Rajasthan.

Taj Mahal

So, as I mentioned before, the Taj Mahal is one of the most famous places in India and every day tens of thousands of people flock there. Since so many people go there, I personally recommend visiting in the early morning hours.

The Taj Mahal is a marvel of Mughal architecture, with influences of Islamic, Iranian, Persian and Indian styles. It was built between 1631 and 1653. The Taj Mahal was able to survive throughout history without suffering damage, which makes it possible to admire it today just like when it was built.

What you are permitted to bring with you

There are many prohibitions on things that can be brought with you when you visit the site. Since this is a long list of prohibitions, I will focus on what is permitted. A cell phone, a camera, glasses and a wallet are allowed. That’s it! So, if you come directly from the hotel leave everything behind and bring only those things with you. If you have more equipment on you, it’s possible to put things in storage, but this is done before entering the site! It is very important to know this, because if you do enter with things on you – after a long queue, security will discover prohibited items on you, and your only options will be to throw them away or leave the queue and put them away in storage and go back to the end of the line (the queue may be very long and there is a comprehensive personal check).

Photographer at the Taj Mahal

In addition, if you are into photography and want to have nice pictures from your visit to the Taj, then the first thing I would recommend is to invest in the clothes you come with and there is also the possibility of renting a photographer at the entrance.

There are many photographers who offer their services, and they all have the same prices and are on about the same level. I will say that they are not at the highest level, but I suggest looking at pictures of others on Instagram in advance to get inspiration for what photos you want, and even show them to the photographer. In addition, we had a personal guide and he served as a mediator between us and the photographer, which really helped. Hiring a photographer costs around 250 NIS or more (depending on how many pictures you want).

If you really want to have a high-quality photographer with you, then you can look for a photographer in advance, but take into account that the prices are much steeper and there are also charlatans (because you need a license to take pictures at the Taj, which he may not have), so make sure you find a photographer with recommendations.

More info about the Taj Mahal

There is a walk of about 10 minutes between the entrance to the site and the main gate. It is possible to get a rickshaw at the cost of a few shekels or simply walk.

We arrived there with a personal guide, which in my opinion improves the experience, since the history of the Taj Mahal is interesting, and this expands the experience. There is also the option of hiring a guide at the entrance. If you do not come with a guide and want to rent one there, talk to him beforehand and make sure that you understand his English and that you have a good connection with him.

Agra Fort

We went to Agra Fort the day before the Taj Mahal visit and I think this was a good way to round out the experience. From the fortress you can see the Taj Mahal from a distance. The fortress is built of red sandstone and it was built gradually by three rulers of the Mughal Empire. Each ruler had a favorite design style and you will therefore see various styles of architecture and art at the fortress, such as sandstones and colorful tiles, white marble with stone inlays and polished plaster. In 1983 UNESCO granted the citadel the status of a World Heritage Site.

We came to the fortress accompanied by a guide, as well, and again I think it adds to the visit. The fortress is really big and without a guide it is hard to understand what the meaning and the story behind each part of the fortress is.

Local Market

After the visit to Agra Fort we went to a local market. Since we like eating street food, we wanted to try some local dishes. There are also souvenirs, clothes and shoes at the market, but we mostly went around the local food street and tried a few dishes (Map).

Marble Products Store

If you are fans of local art, then this store will surely impress you. This shop makes art pieces and furniture out of marble (Rigorous work in which it takes two people a whole month to make a marble platter the size of one plate, and they import the stones they work with from different places around the world). It is possible to purchase the art there and have them send it to your home. Prices are relatively expensive, but it is a crazy investment in any product and if you are only looking for a souvenir then there are options for smaller items at cheaper prices (Map).