Last updated on December 16th, 2024
While Santa gets all the attention, the Tyynelä Elf Village (Tyynelän Tonttukylä) in Larsmo, Finland, offers a whole community of Christmas elves, gnomes, Finnish tonttut, and/or Swedish tomtar for visitors to enjoy. You can even buy one to take home with you!
Each resident of the Tyynelä Elf Village is unique work of art.
Tyynelä Elf Village offers a chance to step back in time at a traditional farmstead inhabited by a festive array of incredible elves. And, like humans, every elf here is unique.
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A traditional farmstad becomes an elf village
The Tyynelä Elf Village includes an array of houses, barns, and sheds. Most (but not all) are older, traditional buildings used to depict scenes from life in times past or Christmas scenes (in December). Others house a workshop and the gift shop/café.
View of the Elf Village from the road.
Several buildings, including the main house, date back to the 18th century. In many ways the site doesn’t look very different from other old farms in the area.
The historic buildings include very rustic structures as well as more elegant ones.
These buildings house a variety of exhibits, including examples of historic rooms and exhibits that range from farm tools and equipment to traditional textiles.
Some buildings had historical exhibits, like this room in a tiny cottage.
There are a variety of exhibits set up around the grounds at Tyynelän Tonttukylä. Some of those may be more interesting for children than to most adults. But most are of interest to adults (and at least one is probably only of interest to adults), so it’s worth taking a look inside any building that is open.
This is the only truly contemporary building on the site. Sadly, it wasn’t open when I visited, but we could see Santa Lucia and animal figures through the windows.
The Elf Manor
During the Christmas holidays, you’ll find most of the elves hanging out in a large 18th-century house that is now the Elf Manor.
A musical group practices their Christmas songs in the Elf Manor.
Elves have a long history in Finland (where they are called tonttu) and Sweden (tomte). Although seldom seen in ordinary circumstances, elves were thought to help people with tasks around the house and farm. In that tradition, each elf at Tyynelän Tonttukylä has a role to play here in the village.
Some will be hard at work when you arrive.
With Christmas coming, someone needs to keep the shop open for the other elves.
But it is almost Christmas. So many of the village’s elves seem to be taking a break from their work to make music, play outdoors, decorate the house, or just gather around the holiday table with friends.
This elf seems to taking a break from decorating to look for the perfect spot for a very tiny tree.
The café and shop
If you are starting to think this is a place only children would enjoy, step into the lovely café for a delicious snack and take a look around while you sip your coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.
There are so many goodies to choose from that it took us a while to make our selections!
The day I visited with my cousin, it seemed as if every woman over the age of 20 for miles around had called her friends, mom/daughters, sisters, grandmother/granddaughters, neighbors, or cousins and invited them to join her for fika at the Tyynelän Tonttukylä café!
And why not? The setting is lovely and the traditional treats were delicious.
A lovely plate of Finnish Christmas star cookies (Joulutorttu).
Of course, some of them were also here to shop. All of the elves can be purchased (along with many other handicrafts), and any one of those elves would be an extraordinary Christmas gift!
Every elf is unique
All of the elves here are the work of one woman: Eija Porkola. She builds each entirely by hand, forming the body, carving and painting the face, and dressing them in handmade clothing. In the process, each develops a unique look and personality and is given an appropriate name and role within the village.
Like humans, each elf is unique.
The Elf Village started with just one elf when Eija didn’t think her antique-filled farmhouse had an elf anymore. And, of course, every old house needs an elf!
She made her own elf when she couldn’t find one that suited her home. But when Eija’s friends saw her elf, they all wanted one too. And soon Eija was in the elf business!
Eija and a few of her elves.
While perhaps not exactly how the elves come to be, this charming video offers one explanation. (In Finnish, but no language needed for most of it.)
See more elves on the Tyynelän Tontut Instagram page.
You can buy and elf for your own home or a loved one
Whether you are a Finnish speaker in love with a charming tonttu, a Swedish speaker who lost their heart to a tomte, or an English speaker with a crush on either an elf or gnome, you don’t have to leave your new love behind.
You might need two of them so you aren’t splitting up a couple!
The elves come in many sizes and any of them can be purchased. Just be prepared for the prices, as each elf is a unique work of art and is priced accordingly. (This is not the place to shop if you are seeking holiday bargains.)
Plan your trip to the Tyynelä Elf Village
While the elves are created throughout the year, the Tyynelän Tontut Elf Village is only open to the public in July and December. (If you are traveling with a group, you may be able to book a visit at other times.) In July the focus is on the toy and wedding museum. And, naturally, December’s focus is Christmas.
Even Santa makes a trip to Tyynelän Tonttukylä at Christmas time!
Where is the Tyynelä Elf Village?
The Elf Village is located in the Eugmo area of Larsmo. This is along the coast in western Finland, north of Vaasa in a Swedish-speaking region called Ostrobothnia.
The nearest gateway cities are Jakobstad (Pietarsaari) and Kokkola (Karleby). The Kruunupyy (Kronoby) Airport (KOK) is located midway between the two.
From Helsinki you usually can fly into KOK in a little over an hour on a direct flight. (This route used to be seasonal, but has been year-round in recent years – but that could change at any time.)
Or you can take a train, which will take about 4 hours and can be done without changing trains. And, while it isn’t the most direct route between Helsinki and the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, it’s usually the quickest land option, as Kokkola is a stop on the line connecting Helsinki and Rovaniemi. (Book your ticket well in advance if traveling in December.)
I’ve traveled to this area by both air and rail. The flight is usually well worth the cost when going directly between Kokkola and the Helsinki airport. (For example, flying into Helsinki on an international flight and then switching to a connecting flight to Kokkola.) That’s because getting to a station on the correct rail line isn’t particularly convenient. However, if you are already in Helsinki or elsewhere in Finland, the train is a good option.
Getting to the Elf Village
Once you are in the area, the easiest way to get to Tyynelän Tonttula is by automobile. The address, Västerbyvägen 238, 68560 Eugmo, comes right up in Google maps. It’s about a half-hour drive from the airport, less from either Jakobstad or Kokkola. Eugmo is a tiny rural village and, once you get there, you’ll easily spot Tyynelän Tonttukylä along the road.
Because this has long been a Swedish-speaking region, usually city names and informational road signs will be in both Swedish and Finnish.
Visiting the Elf Village
The Elf Village has quite a few buildings, but the elves seem to mostly hang out in the 18th century house where the elf manor is located.
2024 entry fees are 15 Euros for adults and 5 Euros for children. This includes access to all of the mini-museums and displays on the entire site.
Most signage is in Finnish, Swedish, and English, and pretty much everyone working there will speak all three languages.
Drop-in visitors are welcome in July and December. However, guided group tours are available throughout the year. Tours may take you into spaces not otherwise open to the public.
Where to stay
The Elf Village is in a rural area. So, you’ll probably want to stay in either Kokkola or Jakobstad, both of which have grown around historic wooden Swedish towns. Both offer a variety of lodging choices, restaurants, and things to see and do.
I have family in this area, so I stay with my cousins in the farmhouse where my grandmother was raised or at their nearby lake cottage. But, if I were looking to book lodging, in the winter I would look for something in the heart of either Jakobstad (Pietarsaari) or Kokkola (Karleby).
- Jakobstad is a little more compact than Kokkola (it’s the smaller of the two cities), so you can stay almost anywhere in the heart of the city and walk to most places. Of the online booking sites, Agoda and Booking.com seem to have the most options (and you can get money back through Rakuten). Unfortunately for visitors, there are few options within the historic Skata area. But there are lots of other lovely and interesting options.
- Kokkola has more options, including a quite few in and around historic Neristan. Both Booking.com and Agoda have a good selection that includes traditional hotel rooms and apartments.
(In both cities, you’ll find more options to stay in or near the historic wooden town districts if you are willing to book directly.)
In summer, consider staying in a seaside village or resort area. There are lots of options, but if you want the full-on summer in Finland tourist experience, consider booking something on Tankar Island. (You can get there by ferry from Kokkola.) But there are lots of other spots on Larsmo and elsewhere along the coast. Keep in mind that, while there are a variety of options, most will need to be booked directly.
Other things to do in this part of Finland
While this part of Finland is a popular summer Finnish vacation spot, it’s not on the tourist trail for visitors from North America. But it should be, as it has an island-studded coastline, forested inland lakes, plenty of art and good food, and several very charming old Swedish sites. It’s really a wonderful area.
Jakobstad (Pietarsaari)
Jakobstad has a lovely, lively town center with many 19th century buildings that merge into the historic 18th century Skata residential area. And you can walk to coastal parks from downtown.
The former tobacco factory (now a museum) has the coolest clock tower.
The historic Jakobstad Church was built in 1731
Beautiful (and peaceful) in summer and winter.
Aspegren’s Garden and Rosenlundbacken is a lovely place to wander at any time of year and hosts a full range of events throughout the year. In winter it’s decorated and beautifully lit at night.
The garden is gorgeous in summer, but it’s also pretty magical in winter.
And the sea is never very far away.
You can walk to the shore from downtown Jakobstad.
Kokkola (Karleby)
Kokkola is larger and feels more spread-out than Jakobstad. But, like Jakobstad, it began as an old wooden Swedish town centered around a harbor. Called Neristan, this mostly historic area seems to have more cafés, shops, and tourist lodging than its counterpart in Jakobstad.
Like Skata in Jakobstad, Kokkola’s Neristan is a delightful place to wander and explore in any season.
However, one of the most popular locations here is well outside the bustling city center on Tankar Island. Here summer visitors can enjoy the sea, hike, bird watch, and admire the lighthouse. Easy to reach from Kokkola by ferry, there are tourist services on the island.
Much farther afield: The Rovaniemi Santa Claus Village
If you are visiting in winter, you are probably also visiting the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi.
Rovaniemi is another 5-6 hours north, whether you are traveling by train or private vehicle. (It’s 8 hours or more by bus.) You don’t need to change trains to get there.
I haven’t been to the Santa Claus Village yet, so can’t tell you if it is really worth the trip – although it looks like it would be lovely in winter.
