It’s popular in winter, but Scandinavia can do spring and summer holidays too – think city breaks, nature and extreme sports. Janine Kelso reports
Scandinavia’s dramatic scenery and stylish cities make it ideal for a short break in spring or summer. Many operators have introduced the destination to their spring and summer programmes for 2008.
Sunvil is set to add Sweden and Norway to its brochure for the first time in May. It will feature flydrives, multi-centre and city breaks to Gothenburg, Stockholm, Lapland and the island of Gotland in Sweden, plus the fjords, Bergen, Ålesund, Oslo and the Lofoten Islands in Norway.
Sunvil product manager Rachel Jelley said: “Norway and Sweden are just a two-hour flight from the UK and they have some of the best preserved wildernesses in Europe. The fjords in Norway are spectacular and easily rival those in New Zealand, but they’re much closer to home.”
Keith Prowse Attraction Tickets recently launched sightseeing tours in Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. These tours include an evening cruise on a fjord aboard a traditional wooden ship in Oslo and a tour of Stockholm and the surrounding countryside.
Cruise operator Hurtigruten is offering free flights to customers on all bookings from now until September. Sales manager Maxine Dunsdon said: “Customers who travel in the spring will discover the Norwegian coastline at a quieter time of year.
“Agents can push cruises that coincide with Norwegian National Day on May 17, when locals dress in national costume and festivals are held across the country.”
For further inspiration on how to make the most of Scandinavia during spring and summer, check out the suggestions below.
Trekking
Hiking is the best way to appreciate Scandinavia’s dramatic scenery. The east of Finland is awash with 180,000 lakes, which can be explored by an extensive network
of walking trails ranging from one hour to a full day.
Scenery varies from unspoilt wilderness to wooded hills, flush with wildlife. For mountain hikes with rugged green landscapes, take a trip to the Faroe Islands, which sit between Norway, Iceland and Scotland. In Norway, walking trails offer sweeping views of the dramatic fjords.
Sample package: Crystal offers the eight-night Lakeland discovery tour for £689 in May, including flights, half-board four-star accommodation and car hire.
City breaks
Scandinavia has a raft of hip cities with buzzing nightlife and fascinating history. Sweden’s stylish capital Stockholm has a lively cafe culture and a sophisticated clubbing scene.
Built on 14 islands, Stockholm is a great looking city with a colourful medieval-style old town perfect for strolling. Take a small ferry to see the main attractions, such as Skansen, the world’s oldest open-air museum.
For culture and charm, visit Copenhagen, the former home of famed storyteller Hans Christian Andersen. Helsinki in Finland makes a great weekend break thanks to its broad boulevards lined with boutiques and cafes.
Visit during summer to enjoy free open-air music concerts and outdoor drinking in the pubs and clubs.
Sample package: Kirker offers three nights’ bed and breakfast at the four-star First Reisen hotel in Stockholm for £593 per person, including flights and transfers.
Adrenalin sports
Snowmobiling, dog sledding and icebreaker cruising are popular winter activities in Scandinavia, but what can you do when the weather heats up?
Explore offers a summer tour which includes biking, canoeing and fishing in Norway, Sweden and Finnish Lapland. Alternatively, try sea kayaking in the Norwegian fjords.
Sales manager Greg Thurston said: “In winter it would be too cold for most of these activities and excursions, or to camp outdoors. The warmer summer temperatures mean campsites become littered with pretty carpets of Arctic flowers.”
He added: “You’ll also see millions of migratory seabirds which bring the cliffs alive, including puffins.”
Daredevils can visit the Norwegian town of Voss to try one of the world’s most dangerous sports – base jumping. With a parachute strapped on, participants jump from the 350-metre-high Nebbet Cliff towards the fjord below. It’s a craze encouraged during Extreme Sport Week, held in the town in June.
Sample package: Explore offers a 15-day Above the Arctic Circle tour for £1,200 per person between June and August, including nine nights’ camping, flights, transfers, most meals, local payment and a tour leader.
