To The Capital of Aurora Borealis Murmansk Murmansk is the biggest city within the artic circle amongst others, with about six hundred thousand people resided at the area. With its prime location, it has one of the best chance to observe the aurora, and is the first city that one can see the beautiful and mystical northern light during the season. In fact, in Murmansk, when the weather is clear, and away from the man-made light affect, one can see the aurora for about 180 days a year! 4 5
Murmansk was built in the year of 1916, for the purposes of extracting the mines at the artic circle, by the order of Tsar. As the only non-freezing sea port at the artic region, with ship lines able to transport out to all the ports in the world, Murmansk also plays an important role at the economy and military sectors. During the period of the second world war, Murmansk was the main target for the German Nazis to throw bombs in hope to paralyze the Soviet armies from marching forward to defend its bordering states. People living in Murmansk used to be afraid to look up the sky, as the German war planes will be dropping bombs on them. Now, whenever they look up, they will be greeted with the beautiful northern light. As times progress, Murmansk is fast becoming an important destination for tourism, in addition to its military and shipping industry. Murmansk has many beautiful nature and scenery to entice its visitors. As a winter wonderland, many would travel to the region to have some fun at the snowy open space at the countryside, and of course, for the culture, delicious food, and its fabulous aurora borealis during the seasonal times. Murmansk simply is the place to be, to enjoy the great outdoor with all the fun activities during winter! Murmansk St. Petersburg Moscow (攝影 ) 6 7
MUST SEE IN MURMANSK Naval Museum of the Northern Fleet Naval Museum of the Northern Fleet was opened October 16, 1946 in the building of the House of officers of the city of Murmansk. More than 30 times of the museum work was recognized as the best in the museum network of the country, the Armed Forces and the Navy. Currently, the museum contains materials relating to the history of the development of nuclear submarines, surface ships and naval aviation, as well as the whole of the Northern Fleet as a whole. The exhibits covered the period from 1693 to the present. (攝 影 StevenXu ) Kola Bay Kola Bay or Murmansk Fjord is a 57-km-long fjord of the Barents Sea that cuts into the northern part of the Kola Peninsula. It is up to 7 km wide and has a depth of 200 to 300 metres. The Tuloma and Kola Rivers discharge into the bay. Close to Norway and Finland, they are the only non-freezing harbour that still can provide shipping services during the high of winter season. You can take a boat out on a 2 2.5 hrs cruise along the bay area for its breath-taking view. Not to forget to mention a chance to taste the delicious fresh king crabs that is common delicacy here! Alyosha Monument There are many monuments to commemorate all the fallen heroes in Murmansk, and the city was dubbed The City of Heroes in 1985. Alyosha Monument is a famous landmark and a vintage point at the hilly side of Murm ansk. The gigantic statue was erected to pay tribute and respect to all the young souls that were lost during WW II. The monument provides you with a great vintage point overlooking the entire bay area. In the winter time, when the fog rolls in, it creates a surreal scenery that is worth the visit. Nature & Tradition The Sam i peopl e ar e the abori ginal tri bes living at t he arti c circle in the northern park of Murm ansk. Curr ently t her e ar e about 2, 000 of them and t hey speak Finnish, Norwegian and still practi ce t heir tr adit ion passed down f rom gener ati ons. Most ar e hunters and farmers. 8 9
MUST SEE IN MURMANSK McDonalds In The North! Even though Murmansk located at the northern tip inside the artic circle, as the largest city at the region, there are many food and beverages choices. Of all the international chain stores, the famous one would be McDonalds, as it has become quite the rave among visitors to the city, as it is the farthest McDonalds in the north of the world. During winter time, locals would gather at the town square for the ice sculptures, winter décor that shall heighten your traveling experiences! Sami Village Winter Fun Aside from being one of the international metropolitan cities, Murmansk also preserve its ancient traditional practices and cultures. The Sami tribes are one of them, and they are usually nomads living by the artic circles. When you enter their village, you will get to see their huts made from animal hides, with a firepit in the middle to keep them warm. You will be invited to sample their herbal tea, their local cuisine with reindeer meat, and perhaps, go on the fun trip on a sled pulled by those adorable huskies. The sled pulled by huskies or reindeers are the best way, to enjoy the scenery through the nearby forest that is decorated by snow and icicles! 10 11
Eco - Friendly The newly open Eco Home is built on the highest standards in accordance to eco-friendly rules and regulations. Every single unit is built with the fine quality pine woods, to ensure comfort and warmth. Upon entering the room, you will be welcome by the fresh pine scent, which will be able to relax your senses and leave you feeling at your own home. Each room is fitted with the modern amenities for your comfort stay, and since it is following the eco-friendly and sustainable eco-tourism standards, we hope our guests will save on water and we will not be replacing your towel on daily basis. We had installed big vintage windows for every room, so that you can stay in your room, yet still able to gaze upon the sky for aurora. Must Go In Murmansk Winter Wonderland -Murmansk Eco Home In order for you to observe the ever so mystical and beautiful aurora borealis, often times you have to brave the freezing temperature at the wild, at other northern European countries. At our Eco Home, you can easily enjoy the beautiful northern light at the comfort of your own room. The rustic yet shabby chic design, the eco-friendly materials used, allow you to fully enjoy this winter wonderland, without feeling exhausted from the long wait out at the cold. You can sip on a cup of hot tea or coffee, and once the aurora is visible, you can either sit by your window to observe, or go out to get better shots at the aurora, with the snowy background. 12 13
Customized Itinerary Eco Home is not just a hotel, it is your home away from home. We will ensure your stay with us to be comfortable, with quality services and fun activities to boast. During winter, we can arrange every of your preferred winter fun activities such as snowmobile, ice fishing, reindeer/ husky sleds & etc. In summer time, we can arrange guided hiking tour to the nearby forest for some wild berries, picnic by the lake & etc. We shall based on your interests, to customize your daily activities, so that you can fully enjoy your time at this beautiful natural environment. The best way to really understand the locals, would be to sample their local cuisines. At Eco Home, we shall prepare delicious local meals with all the fresh local produce available by seasons, to entice your taste buds from our appetizers, entrée to desserts. All just to make you feel at home, with a good home cooked meal. A must see would be the famous King Crabs, which is fresh off the sea and onto your dining table. A simple way to cook is enough to bring out the fresh taste from the crabs. Our personalized services rendered will ensure your every needs are met. For the nights that aurora is expected, our service personnel will come to your room, to knock on your doors to remind you not to miss out on the breath taking view right outside your windows. Furthermore, we have stocked up on some supplies and winter clothing like jackets, snow pants, boots, gloves, hats for rent, in case our guests do not bring enough on their own. At Eco Home, we hope you will have a pleasant and enjoyable stay, without worrying about catching the cold. We will keep you warm with fuzzy feelings, when you need us to. 14 15