Holiday Destination Ideas to Embrace the Cold
Previously, we shared with you some ideas about where to travel within and outside the USA if you are looking to travel over the Christmas and New Year holidays. Now, we have some more international destinations but these either embrace the cold or are for chasing the Northern Lights. If at any time you feel like you need more help or need more ideas, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Prague, Czech Republic – The Prague Christmas markets are held at the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, with smaller markets at Republic Square and Havel’s market. The markets consist of brightly decorated wooden huts selling traditional handcrafted products such as intricate glassware and jewelry, embroidered lace, wooden toys, beautifully dressed puppets and dolls, Christmas tree ornaments, and an array of other seasonal gifts and treats.
London, England – Make sure to check out London’s spectacular Hyde Park Winter Wonderland with many winter festivities. It runs into January which is a nice change from other markets that end before Christmas. You can also go ice skating, go for an afternoon of high tea, or visit Hogwarts in the snow.
Ireland – Why not take a little holiday to Ireland and stay in a cozy castle? There are several to choose from like the 5-star experience at Ashford Castle to more reasonable accommodations like the Kilkea Castle. If you are brave, you can do the Christmas Day Swim where you pop into the chilly water with nothing but a swimsuit and a Santa hat.
Guided Tour in Iceland – Iceland is an amazing country that is full of beautiful nature, wonderful food, and inspiring art and culture. It is commonly known for its extremes and being “The Land of Fire and Ice”. Not only is it home to more than 200 volcanoes but also several glaciers as well. Iceland has a harsh and stark landscape that is marked with many hot springs and geysers. If it is the Northern Lights that you seek, we highly recommend a guided tour which only takes about 3-4 hours if you depart from the capitol of Reykjavik. Also, if you miss them on your first night out, they generally give you an option to come back again for free so make sure your stay in Iceland is long enough!
Kakslauttanen Resort in Finland – If you want to see the Northern Lights, there’s one way to experience them that may just beat all others: from a glass igloo tucked into the snow at the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort in Finland. The luxurious resort is in a northern region of the country called Finnish Lapland which is about 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Besides gazing at the Northern Lights, you can also go sledding with huskies, ride snow mobiles, go ice fishing or visit reindeer. For a nice upgrade, stay in a Kelo-Glass Igloo which combines the glass igloo with a log cabin and you get the best of both worlds!
Ice Hotel in Sweden – How would you like to sleep in a hotel made from ice? The Ice Hotel in Sweden is both a hotel and art exhibition made of ice and every year it is reincarnated in a brand new design. This is a place to discover silence, northern lights, glistening snow clad forests, reindeer, cloudberries, kettle coffee and much more. They have both warm and cold rooms to sleep in and most people do a combination of both. They also have a new structure where the ice rooms stay cold 365 days per year.
Anywhere But Here Travel handles all the travel details for you, working with our trusted suppliers and vendors to quickly create a trip that matches your holiday travel style. No need to stress over “sold out” destinations and resorts, with our knowledge and experience, we will put together a holiday trip that matches your travel style and desired experience.
UPDATED JUN 21, 2021
