DESTINATIONS BEYOND THE LIGHTS SCANDINAVIA LEFT:
A Karelian pasty
RIGHT: Dog
sledding in Sweden
into quaint mountain villages. But if it’s less burning calories and more consuming them that tempts your clients (we wouldn’t blame them), highlight Finland’s food heritage, says Andrea Godfrey, general manager for Regent Holidays. Sweet cardamom-flavoured buns called pulla and karjalanpiirakka, a traditional pasty from Karelia, count among the tempting delicacies they’ll find in the region. There is also a host of culinary experiences available to occupy clients who aren’t blessed with a northern lights display. Among them is Regent
Holidays’ Culture & Cuisine trip, which gives guests the opportunity to cook local specialities – think warm loaves of rye bread and fluffy Finnish cakes – while exploring the picturesque area on hikes and bikes.
w SWEDEN It’s not only in Finland that clients can find a trove of cultural and gastronomic treasures, however. Swedish Lapland offers plenty of opportunities to meet the Sami communities indigenous to the region. Taber Holidays – which is rebranding itself as Scandinavia Only in January – has added a tasting experience at Biergo in
Housed in two igloos, the concerts feature ice violins, ice drums and ice xylophones
Luleå, on Sweden’s northern coast, where guests can learn first-hand about Sami cuisine from the people who produce it. Luleå isn’t just about the food,
of course, and if you thought the Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi was quirky, this town takes things one step further. “Music lovers can revel in an concert, which takes place in a concert hall complete with ice instruments,” says Suzel Taber-Shaw, managing director of Taber Holidays. Housed in two igloos, it
features ice violins, ice drums and ice xylophones carved by artist Tim Linhart. Weekly concerts take place from mid-January until the end of March, with luminescent lights flashing to the beat of the music – a worthy alternative to the aurora borealis. Northern Sweden is also a hotspot for adventure, with the usual Arctic options – including snowshoeing and reindeer
64
travelweekly.co.uk 15 December 2016
sledding – rubbing shoulders with ice fishing and hovercraft sailing on the Luleå archipelago. The Aurora Zone offers the
latter as an add-on to its Brändön Lodge – Aurora Highlights tour, providing travellers with the chance to explore the frozen waters surrounding the 3,000 islands in a unique way, and throwing in a dinner-on-ice experience and husky safari. It doesn’t have to be all about doing things, though. Chris Graham, founder of specialist operator Simply Sweden, recommends heading to a quirky abode such as the new Treehotel, set in the Lule River valley, and taking some time out to relax in the unique surroundings. “Everyone is so keen on going hunting, or on a northern lights chase, or doing other kinds of activities,” he says. “But how about staying right where you are? It’s all about appreciating the silence and atmosphere of the Arctic.”
w NORWAY Sweden’s Nordic neighbour offers the chance to do exactly that thanks to its crystal-blue fjords and mystical snowy peaks, which provide an idyllic backdrop for tranquil boat journeys where
clients can take in the glorious, snow-capped scenery. For a more intense way
of experiencing the fjords, however, suggest a RIB boat tour. Hurtigruten offers one as an optional excursion around Frøya – one of more than 5,000 islets and reefs that pepper the area (from £149 per person). These legendary waters are
also a favourite haunt for whales, so for wildlife aficionados, suggest an orca safari. On The Go Tours’ Arctic Experience combines one with a visit to a reindeer farm and the Polarpark: the most northerly wildlife park in the world, it’s a vast stretch of land home to wolverines, elks, Arctic foxes and plenty more. Norway has plenty to offer when it comes to creature spotting, and eagle-eyed birdwatchers will be especially in their element in the Vega islands, a cluster of more than 6,000 Unesco-listed isles located just south of the Arctic Circle. Hurtigruten’s Vega and the Eider Museum excursion is an excellent option for clients looking to get to know the archipelago. Then, of course, there’s the
country’s cultural side. Trondheim is home to several annual festivals and cultural sites,
PICTURES: GRAEME RICHARDSON/LAPLAND TRAVEL SERVICES; SHUTTERSTOCK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80
