As the summer holidays approach and temperatures rise, those who aren’t jet-setting for sandy toes and tan lines should look ahead to winter trips and the enchanting spell of the Northern Lights.
If a once-in-a-lifetime holiday to Lapland is at the top of your Christmas list, now’s the time to book – the sell-out spot is at its most popular during the December festivities as children flock to meet Santa and grown-ups soak up midday sauna sessions.
From Rovaniemi’s Santa Claus Village to the warm aura of Kiruna, winter sunlight hours may be short during the polar night with temperatures often dipping below -9C, but Lapland days remain packed with unique activities and novel stays in ice palaces, glass igloos and tree houses.
With so many all-inclusive stays, snow sports tours and holiday options in the Santa-centric land, here’s The Independent’s pick of packages to transport you to the magic of the Arctic Circle this Christmas season.
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Best for: Luxury breaks
Swedish Lapland Experience
Take the chance to be a ‘musher’ in control of your own team of dogs
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Lapland crosses the utmost northern borders of Finland, Norway and Sweden’s dense forests, but the rural Scandinavian landscape is not without its luxuries. Tailored tours, wood-fired hot tubs and private chefs bring home comforts to the wilderness for travellers willing to splash the cash stress-free on a Christmas fairytale holiday.
Off the Map Travel provides a four-night Swedish Lapland Experience for a unique luxury stay in the heart of Arctic Sweden, including accommodation in the Icehotel and Treehotel, transfers, excursions and half-board meals. From £1,699pp guests can enjoy ice sculpting or husky sledging in Kiruna and Lulea, and spend the night in a cosy Aurora Hideaway – the perfect vantage point to see the natural phenomenon of the Northern Lights while indulging in traditional Swedish dishes.
Best for: Northern Lights hunters
Arctic Aurora Activity Holiday in Finnish Lapland
Search for the colourful waltz of the Aurora Borealis in Finland
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Viewing the Northern Lights is one of the most popular adventures to top a travel bucket list – after all, the natural world puts on few more spectacular shows. Travellers can hunt the aurora in chilling temperatures from paths off the…
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