3 elves are cycling from the German town of St. Nikolaus to Finland's Santa Claus Village
Three postal workers set off Saturday on their nearly 3,000-kilometer (1,860-mile) bicycle journey from St. Nikolaus, Germany, to the small town of Rovaniemi, Finland, which is home to Santa Claus Village, according to German news agency dpa.
The cyclists are traveling north to bring letters and Christmas wish lists addressed to Santa Claus from St. Nikolaus, in Germany's Saarland state, to the winter-themed amusement park perched on the edge of the Arctic Circle.
St. Nikolaus himself, with his long purple cape and a tall golden staff, was on hand Saturday to hand over the letters to the three elves. The trip will take roughly two weeks as the three cycle through Germany, Denmark and Sweden en route to Finland, dpa reported.
The group is among the Deutsche Post volunteers who answer letters from children worldwide — more than 30,000 annually — that are addressed to the St. Nikolaus post office, which has its own postal code.
The tradition dates back to 1967, and each reply features a special stamp.
The town of St. Nikolaus is one of seven places in Germany with a Christmas-themed name, all of which receive letters addressed to Santa Claus or Saint Nick.
This year, St. Nikolaus handed over his own wish list to the cyclists, dpa reported.
He's hoping for a reply from Santa Claus in Finland.
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A weekend spent here must include a trip to the beach, the amusement park especially the Blackpool Tower and plenty of fish and chips. Average cost to get there: £112 Average price for week of accommodation: £825 Madrid is the perfect size for a long weekend. There's plenty of tourist hotspots to hit while staying including the Royal Palace, El Retiro Park, Plaza Mayor, and Museo Nacional del Prado. And when you're done with seeing the sites, make sure to squeeze in some time for the famous churros at Chocolateria San Gines. Madrid's tapas scene also needs to be explored and so make sure to stop at Bodega de la Ardosa. Average cost to get there: £46.31 Average price for week of accommodation: £1,015 Another popular UK destination well worth a visit thanks to the stunning scenery. There's no shortage of outdoor activities from walking, to cycling, to kayaking and paddle boarding, you'll likely need more than a weekend to make the trip worth while. 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Frigiliana is top of that list thanks to it's historic old Moorish quarter and stunning white houses that make for quite the view. Average cost to get there: £1o0 Average price for week of accommodation: £671 In the second spot for cheapest trips in Europe, is the capital city of Czech Republic, Prague. Many tourists travel there for the cheap nightlife (a pint is only on average £2.01 after all) but you're sleeping on the city if you just go for the parties. Make sure to include stops to visit the Prague Jewish Museum, St Vitus Cathedral, Charles Bridge and for all the book lovers out there, Strahov Library is a must-see. Average cost to get there: £83 Average price for week of accommodation: £536 And it's official! The top cheapest place for a European break is the city of Budapest in Hungary. A week of accommodation in a three star hotel costs under £550 and travelling around for a one way ticket is less than a pound. When you're there you will be spoilt for choice with things to see and visit including Fisherman's Bastion, Buda Castle, Matthias Church and Gellert Hill. Time to book that trip then? Lydia Venn is Cosmopolitan UK's Senior Entertainment and Lifestyle Writer. She covers everything from TV and film, to the latest celebrity news. She also writes across our work/life section regularly creating quizzes, covering exciting new food releases and sharing the latest interior must-haves. In her role she's interviewed everyone from Margot Robbie to Niall Horan, and her work has appeared on an episode of The Kardashians. After completing a degree in English at the University of Exeter, Lydia moved into fashion journalism, writing for the Daily Express, before working as Features Editor at The Tab, where she spoke on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour and Talk Radio. She has an encyclopedic knowledge of Gilmore Girls and 00s teen movies, and in her free time can be found with a margarita in hand watching the Real Housewives on repeat. Find her on LinkedIn.
