Nordic Winter Holidays : Arctic Circle Holidays

Winter holidays are now almost as popular and as essential as summer holidays. People look forward to spending a few days amongst crisp, clean snow, enjoying a full range of outdoor activities and overlooking landscapes that are Just as beautiful and breathtaking with their winter blanket as they are when green and gushing.

Not all winter holidays are just about skiing, in fact our selection offers little to the committed skier but plenty for those interested in alternatives: how about a husky dog safari driving your own dog team or as a passenger sitting, wrapped warmly on the sled; a slightly faster paced snow-scooter safari on the mountain plains', a whale safari from the beautiful and mystical Lofoten Islands or how about spending the night in a purpose built hotel made from snow and ice? Of course, you could just relax in the sauna with the Finns before taking a dip in an ice hole for the ultimate 'wake up' - they are, after all, the world's experts on this particular activity!

Our selection of featured tours are primarily located in the area of Scandinavia known as Lapland. Lapland stretches across northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia and the people indigenous to this region are the Sami (Lapp) people who have herded their reindeer here for generations. Learn something of their way of life, their food, their |yoiking' (chanting) and their warm welcome.

Alta & Igloo hotel 3 nights. From £986pp. The village of Alta is situated in the county of Finnmark, the region of Norway often referred to as 'Lapland', and has a marvellous location with the Altafjorden on one side and the Finnmarksvidda, a magnificent vast mountain plateau on the other.	Kirkenes & the Snow hotel 3 nights. From £971pp. The former mining town and port of Kirkenes is situated in the region of Sør Varanger in the county of Finnmark, Norway. The town is a mere 10 kms from the Russian border lying alongside the Bøkfjord, an arm of the Barents Sea, 240 miles north of the Arctic Circle. The sheltered little port provides the last stop and turning point for the Coastal Steamer (Hurtigruten) which arrives daily every morning.

Jukkasjärvi and the Icehotel 3 nights. From £1005pp. Every year the world’s largest igloo, Icehotel, is built by the side of the Torneälven river during mid November where it stands throughout the winter until temperatures rise above zero and it melts away back into the river.	The Polar Express to Lapland 5 nights. From £1937pp. This wonderful holiday begins in Sweden's lovely capital city, Stockholm, with plenty of time to explore Gamla Stan ('old town') and the city's more modern shopping centre - both packed with cafes, bars and restaurants. The tour then continues by overnight rail journey crossing the Arctic Circle into Swedish Lapland and the small town of Kiruna.

Luleå and the Treehotel 3 nights. From £1050pp. The Swedish city of Luleå enjoys a magnificent location on a peninsula where the Lule Bay meets the Gulf of Bothnia. The peninsula itself overlooks a vast archipelago of over 17,000 islands and skerries most of which are uninhabited and unexploited.	Reykjavik & Northern Lights 3 nights. From £640pp. Reykjavik, the world’s most northerly capital, with a population of only 120,000 is beautifully positioned amidst fjords and mountain ranges.