DESTINATIONS — EUROPE
Look lively: the
Lofoten Islands are perfect for hiking
Take me to the breach: Iceland’s whales
Circle of life: explore Arctic Spitsbergen
l SUMMER The Nordic regions may be less feted for their summer activities, but there are plenty of great excuses to visit when temperatures are higher and the days longer. Chris Graham, Simply Sweden
director, says: “We’ve seen a 50% increase in room bookings within the Arctic Circle during the months of the midnight sun, and it looks set to remain a burgeoning favourite.” The operator recommends the
Lofoten Islands in Arctic Norway as a great place to experience the midnight sun, staying in a traditional fisherman’s cottage and exploring the natural delights of this rocky peninsula, with activities from sea kayaking and fishing to cycling and nature hikes. Summer is a better time for a city break, and with stunning options including Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki and Copenhagen, clients have lots to choose from. A tour can take in all of these – Insight
Vacations’ 20-day Gold Luxury Grand Tour of Scandinavia visits all four, and includes cruising in the North Cape and the Norwegian fjords, from £4,075. Reykjavik is great in summer too, with the city sights plus the option to add the famous Golden Circle tour visiting Iceland’s stunning waterfalls and National Parks. Transun’s three-night Whales
and Wonder package makes the most of the midnight sun and packs in whale-watching, a Golden Circle Tour and a visit to the Blue Lagoon, with prices including flights and B&B accommodation from £899 in June. Send wildlife enthusiasts on
Explore’s Brown Bear Weekend, a four-day adventure in Finland. From special hides deep in the forest, guests can observe brown bears in their natural habitat, with nature treks and canoeing on offer too. Running from May to August, the trip starts from £796 including
flights, B&B accommodation, some meals, transfers, guides and drivers. If clients like the bears blonder, send them on Taber Holidays’ new Arctic Wonders tour. First heading to Tromso, guests then fly on to Spitsbergen, the Norwegian island half-way to the North Pole, where they could see polar bears, walruses and puffins. The seven- night trip starts from £1,635 and includes flights, accommodation
with breakfast and two boat trips. A Swedish summer visit can include sightings of moose, beavers, wolves and brown bears – at least if you send clients on Sunvil’s three-night Wildlife Encounters trip to Vastmanland, which explores this area of Sweden by boat, kayak, bicycle and on foot. Prices start at £490 including flights, car hire and B&B accommodation. TW
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travelweekly.co.uk — 16 January 2014
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