2024 Nordic Christmas Exploration

Experience A Winter Wonderland Like No Other!

Take a magical journey toward Christmas festivities and the winter wonderland of the Artic North! From the capital cities of Stockholm and Helsinki to the Northern Lapland region of Sweden and Finland, get ready to experience the most magical places for pre-Christmas exploration.  You’ll love the Swedes and Finns, the adventures, the reindeer and Sami people, the dogsleds and snowshoeing, the travel through the countryside, the open spaces, the simplicity of candlelight and hearty warm meals, the quiet of wintry Polar nights, and with luck—a glimpse of the Northern Lights!

Santa Lucia Celebration & Christmas Markets

We start and complete our Nordic Christmas Exploration in the capital cities of Sweden and Finland to discover the enchantment of Nordic Christmas season traditions.  We’ll join locals to witness the Santa Lucia ceremony and service in one of Stockholm’s churches – bringing light to the darkest days of winter.  We’ll visit the enchanting Christmas markets to explore the beautiful hand-crafted items and special holiday foods. There are holiday-season festivities all around to enjoy.  We’ll also spend time touring key attractions in the cities we visit, along with museums that highlight history and culturally significant stories and legends.  There are so many special activities that can only be witnessed during the cold, winter months in Sweden and Finland — including the chance to watch skaters glide down the main river through the city. Doesn’t it sound magical?!?

An Extraordinary Hotel Made of Ice

After a few days of Christmas season festivities in Stockholm, we’ll fly north to Kiruna, Sweden where the world’s original, Icehotel is waiting to be explored, along with a sampling of Swedish outdoor and indoor healing traditions and experiences.  You’ll marvel at the intricate sculpture and ice carvings throughout the Icehotel rooms, especially after we try our hand at ice sculpting during our private workshop. Lucky for us, the professionals have carved the ice bed where we’ll snuggle in with sub-zero sleeping gear and reindeer hides for a night’s sleep you’ll always remember! You’ll love our plans for the next day’s truly unique spa experience as well.

Discover Sami Culture and the Artic Wilderness

Next it’s off to Finland to get out to play and explore in the magnificent, snow-covered hills and woods around the ski resort community of Levi. We’ll learn about the Sami people whose traditions of reindeer herding and honoring nature is the foundation of their indigenous Artic culture. While we’re up in the Artic Circle – fingers crossed that the Northern Lights make an appearance as we journey in to the wilderness to spot them. Learn about life for the husky dogs who will take us off on a safari into the winterscape for a true adventure. Then strap on snowshoes to work up your appetite before a completely unique, wild food cooking workshop.

Final Stop: Helsinki – Finland’s Capital City

We’ll end our Exploration with a flight to Helsinki —the Finnish capital with the potential for more holiday market fun before departing for home.

My 2024 Nordic Christmas Exploration is truly the adventure of a lifetime and I can’t wait to share this extraordinary experience with those lucky few couples who say “yes” and register right away!

Cheers!  Skål!  Kippis!

—Marty