In 2016 we went to Lapland. Lapland is what we call the northern parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland. (I think it's called Sápmi in English.) It is the cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Sámi people. In about two weeks we travelled through Lapland with our starting point in Luleå, Sweden.
Day 1: Luleå
We flew from Brussels Airport to Stockholm and then from Stockholm to Luleå, a city in the northeast of Sweden. For the car enthusiasts out there: In Brussels Airport they always have a couple of cars on display and back in 2016 they had a nice BMW i8 in the Belgian colours (black, yellow and red).
When we arrived in Luleå, we did some sightseeing. They have a beautiful church and a big technology university. We didn't stay there very long, because we had lots of nice things planned for the next days.
Day 2: Gammelstad Church Town
Our first stop was just 10 minutes from Luleå by car. Gammelstad Church Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with lots of beautiful red cottages. At its centre is the 15th-century Nederluleå Church. This town is a perfect start of a lovely trip through Lapland.
After a couple of hours exploring Gammelstad Church Town, we continued to our next destination. On the way, we stopped at the most northern IKEA and ate Köttbullar (Swedish meatballs). If you haven't tried them yet, you should!
After quite a long drive, we arrived in Rovaniemi, Finland. We stayed at the Chalet Hotel. After a walk in the area we went to bed early, because we had something exciting planned for the next day.
Places to visit: Gammelstad Church Town, Luleå
Hotel: Chalet Hotel, Rovaniemi
Day 3: Santa Claus Village
We started the day with a visit to Santa Claus Village. We were there in the summer, but you could already send yourself and others a Christmas card that would be delivered in December. We also met Santa Claus there! The pictures are quite expensive (€40) and you can't take pictures of your own, but they are taken by a professional photography so the quality is really good.
In the village, you can also find the Napapiiri or the Arctic Circle. You can walk, run or jump over it, but don't forget to take a picture!
We drove through Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park and saw lots of reindeer. We arrived at our hotel Harriniva in the evening.
Places to visit: Santa Claus Village, Rovaniemi
Hotel: Harriniva Hotels and Safaris, Muonio
Day 4: Harriniva Husky Farm
In 2016 I was totally obsessed with huskies. I have always loved dogs, but never had the chance to have one at home. You can imagine how happy I was to visit these pups and cuddle with them. At the Harriniva Husky Farm a guide will tell you about the huskies’ life and how they train them. There is a wall where all the names of the deceased dogs are written on and I think it's really nice how they remember them.
There are so much activities to do in the summer and in the winter, so please take your time to look for the activities that you would love to do. I didn't have the chance to go on a husky safari, but I would love to go on one next time. You can also go aurora hunting on horseback or in a reindeer sled.
Although it was really nice to go to Lapland in the summer, I would love to go back in the winter. I would also recommend going in the winter, because snow gives everything a magical touch. Lots of activities, like the reindeer sled are only possible in winter.
After a picknick in the sun by a beautiful river, we drove to Norway.
Places to visit: Harriniva Husky Farm, Muonio
Day 5: Nordkapp
One of the places you have to visit in Norway is Nordkapp or the North Cape. In the past Nordkapp was difficult to reach, but modern transportation has made this legendary cliff a popular destination. It's only 2093 kilometers to the North Pole from here. This cliff marks the end point of the European mainland, which also makes it an awesome place to see the northern lights. (Again, this is best in the winter months, so from late September to late March.)
Places to visit: Nordkapp
We made a short stop in Honningsvag, a lovely Norwegian city. If you have time, visit the Artico Icebar. It's a special experience for a fair price in my opinion.
Places to visit: Artico Icebar, Honningsvag
Day 6: Rock art of Alta
After a three hour drive we arrived in Alta. In and around Alta, you can find lots of rock art. The largest locality contains thousands of carvings and has been turned into an open-air museum. The site was placed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites and is Norway's only prehistoric World Heritage Site. It's really worth a visit, because the carvings are so special and beautiful.
We took a long walk through the park and then we made our way to the ferry, which brought us to Tromsø.
Places to visit: Rock art of Alta
Day 7: Tromsø
We spent the whole day exploring Tromsø. The library is a very special building and is open for residents and visitors. It contains collections spread over four floors, including the city archives. The Arctic Cathedral is also an eye-catcher as it's a large building that towers high above the others.
The cable car or Fjellheisen is one of the most popular things to do in Tromsø. The trip up takes just four minutes and from the large outdoor terrace, you can enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of Tromsø.
Just outside the center is Polaria. Polaria has an arctic aquarium and a panoramic cinema. You can also watch seal feeding and training at fixed times.
Apart from all these busy tourist attractions, Tromsø has some typical red cottages and an amazing view over a big lake.
At the end of the day we made a stop in Senja. As you may already know, a troll is a being in Scandinavian folklore. Senja was home to the largest troll sculpture in the world called Senjatrollet or the Senja Troll. Unfortunately, it was completely destroyed in a fire on March 28, 2019.
Places to visit: Library, Arctic Cathedral, Fjellheisen, Polaria
To be continued...
Comments
Post a Comment