The alternative to Santa’s sleigh

 
22 February 2013

Have you made your list? Checked it twice? Well, if you want to be sure of it reaching Santa Claus this year so that all of your Christmas wishes may come true, there’s no better guarantee than delivering it to the man himself by hand. One of the most exciting ways of doing this could be by making the journey to Old St Nick’s home in the Arctic Circle yourself – by car!

This year a convoy of MINIs will be making the trip to Rovaniemi to take Christmas letters written by hopeful children from across the globe – at the same time attempting to get into the Official Guinness World Record books by creating the longest wish list delivered to Santa.

But going in search of Father Christmas is an adventure your family will never forget either.  And by going it alone you are sure to enjoy some excitement along the way, in a road trip that is sure to take you through some of Europe’s most stunning terrain. Below is our advice as to where to make some pit-stops along the way.

Snowy Stockholm

Sweden’s capital is a bewildering cocktail of old and new that will delight adults and children alike. The old world charm of Gamla Stan is sure to get your family in the festive spirit, and if you’re afraid Santa won’t deliver, the city’s unparalleled shopping experience is the perfect place to pick up a unique Christmas gift or two. And if you’re looking for a break from the cold and a meal to sustain you until your next destination, there’s nothing to beat the winter-warming Swedish meatballs – a culinary classic.

Copenhagen Christmas

In December, the whole of Copenhagen is transformed into a magical winter wonderland. The chocolate-box buildings, dusted with snow, could melt the heart of even the frostiest of scrooges among us. And you can’t beat the Christmassy feeling you’ll get when you visit the legendary Danish Christmas markets, selling traditional Danish treats and unique handicrafts to pick up as gifts for those you left behind.

Arctic adventures

If big cities aren’t your thing, then an arctic adventure could be perfect for you. Your trip will take you through un-spoilt territory, allowing for pit-stops at small villages to enjoy the legendary Nordic hospitality – you’ll feel like you’re in your own Christmas fairy tale! And the snow shouldn’t bother you either, as some great small 4x4 cars now are available to allow you to traverse all terrains with confidence!

And what about a Christmas present for you this year? If a car is at the top of your wish list, fear not – there are tons of new car offers available at the moment, with flexible finance solutions around to suit all pockets – whether you were naughty or nice this year!

To learn more about MINI’s fabulous range of cars to make any road trip one to remember, visit www.mini.co.uk

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in