Depart on a scheduled carrier to Copenhagen (direct flights from most major U.S. gateways).
Arrive in the morning in Copenhagen. You will be picked-up from the airport with a
private transfer to your traditional, centrally located hotel. The remainder of
the day is at your leisure to relax and recover from the trip.
After breakfast you will be picked-up for a guided city sightseeing tour
including the Tivoli, Nyhavn, the little Mermaid, and the Amalienborg Palace.
Spend the afternoon strolling through "Str
oget", still among the world's
longest pedestrian streets. In the evening enjoy the atmosphere of one of the many
traditional seafood restaurants. Optional: Tickets to a cultural event
(opera, concert). Overnight.
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Day 4 |
COPENHAGEN - KIRUNA |
Enjoy half of the day in Copenhagen before being transferred to the airport
to catch the flight from Copenhagen to Kiruna. Your guide will meet you upon
arrival in Kiruna Airport. Separate luggage transportation to the Icehotel is
included, as is warm outer clothing for the snowmobile tour. You will have
a sandwich & something to drink either before you set off, or en route.
You will arrive in Jukkasjarvi approximately 1 1/2 hours later. Check into
the Chalet House for your first night in Northern Lapland.
Enjoy a rich Lapland breakfast at the Chalet house as you get ready for the
1 1/2 hour "Dogsled tour" at 9:30 am. After getting settled comfortably on
the dogsled, a quick pull will send you on your way. You will have a short stop
to eat some cake and enjoy wonderful coffee boiled over an open fire as you take
in the breathtaking scenery.
The Icehotel Jukkasjärvi would not be complete without offering a steaming
hot Ice Sauna. It goes without saying that the sauna and bathing facilities
are impressive. They are guaranteed to leave no one with a chill. After a deep
cleansing session in the sauna you might like to relax in a warm bath. Picture
yourself in a large bathtub with a view! The sky above may entertain you with
a spectacular show of the northern lights. The Arctic sky at night is endless
and fascinating. Or why not try a bath in the Ice-cold Torne River? The sauna
building is a part of the local heritage and was once the first inn in the
area. After this unique experience, get prepared for the coldest night of
your life! Imagine a hotel built from thousands of tons of snow and ice, and
re-built every winter! This is the Icehotel, where you are going to get
tonight's rest.
Building starts on the unique Icehotel in November. In December the doors
are opened to the winter season's visitors. Soon the spring sunshine of May
will do its work and the Icehotel will slowly but surely make way for summer
and its run back into the River Torne. The spring season will bring the
Icehotel to a close, but of course, when exactly this will happen all
depends on the weather gods.
Wake up and continue the day the Lapland-way...
At 9:30 am take a traditional tour in reindeer sleds for approximately 1
hour to the Sami camp in the wilderness where you will have a glimpse into
the rich Sami culture. Eat a traditional Sami meal in the "Lavvo" tent by the open
fire before setting back for a 2:00pm arrival in Jukkasjärvi. The reminder of the day is at you leisure before you
transfering to Kiruna. Fly from Kiruna to Stockholm. Upon arrival you will be picked up in the arrivals hall and
transferred to your downtown hotel. Overnight in Stockholm.
This morning, learn the difference between a Swedish and Northern Lapland
breakfast. Afterward, your friendly driver will pick you up for a 3 hour
guided city tour of Stockholm. You will see the Town Hall (venue for the annual Nobel
Prize dinner), the Vasa museum, the Royal Palace, and the changing of the
guards. The afternoon is free for you to stroll through the cobblestone
streets of Gamla Stan (the old part of the town) with its medieval atmosphere.
Overnight in Stockholm.
Spend another day in Scandinavia under your own arrangements. Take the
opportunity to visit the Skansen, the world's oldest open-air museum. See its
collection of old buildings brought here from all over Sweden. While in
Djurgarden, why not walk over to Junibacken, with its settings and characters
taken from works of the famous Swedish children's author, Astrid Lindgren
("Pipi Longstocking").
Another possibility would be to take a closer look at the Vasa Museum,
the National Museum of Art, or the Modern Art Museum which houses the most
important collection of Modern Art in the world!
After breakfast, transfer to the airport and return flight back to the U.S.
