Hey, welcome to watchmojo.com. I’m your host Leila. If winter activities are your thing like driving into an ice breaker or staying in a snow castle, then you want to experience this once in a lifetime adventures in Kemi, Finland.

The city’s claimed to fame is the magnificent snow castle and mammoth snow hotel in Kemi, the biggest in the world. It is rebuilt every winter with the different architecture. In 1996, this first snow castle endured no fewer than 300,000 visitors. The area covered by the castle has varied from almost 140,000 to over 215,000 square feet. Despite these varying configurations, the snow castle has a few recurring elements, a chapel, a restaurant and a hotel. This fairy tale castle offers 15 double rooms, two group rooms for 8 people and the honeymoon suit. Guest rooms are creatively and whimsically decorated by local artist using local materials.

Another unique tourist throughout Kemi is the world’s only tourist ice breaker, the Sampo. Built in 1961 to pass through ice covered water the Sampo uses its great momentum and power to drive its bow up unto the ice breaking the ice under the immense of the ship.

For a ship to be considered an ice breaker it requires three components, a straightened hall and ice clearing shape and the power to push through, None of which are possessed by most normal ships. The Sampo serves more than 30 years as an ice breaker before retiring and offering day excursions to tourist and the golf of Botnia from the port of Kemi.

The Sampo now sails from the middle of December to the end of April although ice in the region can melt as late as June. The day excursion lasts four hours. On the open sea the ship can achieve a maximum speed of 16 knots. The 3,540 ton vessel sails surprisingly evenly, ice of less than three feet thick is crushed almost imperceptibly. On reaching the packed ice, the speed is increased an even ice over 25 feet thick surrenders with the crushed.

In the middle of the largest ice field in Europe, the bolder tourists can try ice swimming in the black water dress in the water0tight thermo suit. Of course he will be warm survival suit.

After this unique experience, the ships captain presents all with the certificate. Tourist may visit the engine room, stand on the bridge and finish off on deck admiring the arctic sea escape. Depending on the tourist’s choice, the journey after the cruise may continue by dog teams, snow mobile or helicopter.

On an ice safari, you have the choice of visiting either a Lap tepee or a forest cab.