Archive for the ‘Scandanavia’ Category

Baltic Sea Cruises - Check out a list of Must Do’s

Posted in Cruises, Scandanavia, baltic region | by Amy
March 24th, 2011

When it comes to cruising, an increasing number of travelers are trading sandy beaches for a trip to the renowned Hermitage Museum. Nowadays, baby boomers are looking for exclusive travel experiences and sails to the world-famous Baltic Sea region. Other unusual offshore tours during these cruises include Copenhagen Stockholm, the momentous Russian port town of St. Petersburg and a lot more. While there are plenty of places to explore and enjoy the vacations, here is a list of Must Do’s over the Baltic Sea cruises.

The Scandinavian Fjords:

Considered to be one of the most uncommon and striking sights seen over the globe, the Scandinavian Fjords is a real visual retreat for tour aficionados. The inland waterways give ways to sailboats abound and the scenic towns and hamlets you will come across are like a way to the fairy tale land. A myriad of yachts only augments this unforgettable sight.

Visit the most renowned Ice Bar

Stockholm is a multi-ethnic city, like Copenhagen and Moscow, and is very attractive, pristine and historical. A number of visitors take a tour to the Ice Bar, where customers are indebted to don parkas prior to entering the premise. Made entirely of huge blocks of ice is the bar with varieties of drinks served in diminutive glasses that is also carved from ice. Among the juvenile Swedish set, this is the real place to be explored.

img credit : hungryblank

Visit Tivoli Gardens

Tivoli – Walt Disney’s greatest inspiration for Disneyland includes an assortment of attractions including buildings in the style of Orient, a primitive scenic railway, a theatre, mechanical amusement rides, restaurants and cafes and beautiful gardens.

The Yussupov Palace

Welcoming you at the entrance of the Palace doors are ladies-in-waiting and gentleman in flamboyant costumes. Right from the museum of classical sculpture and furniture, the notorious Grigori Rasputin, the Music Room to the Yussupov theatre, the options are endless here.

img credit : smudgeboy

Moscow in a day

Guests are taken directly to the Kremlin to enjoy the famous Russian artifacts stored throughout the centuries. The trip as well includes visits to the famous St. Basel’s, an exclusive reflection of Ottoman architecture, lunch at the Alexandr Pushkin restaurant, visits to the renowned Red Square, shopping at the G.U.M store and a lot more. Visitors would certainly appreciate that this cosmopolitan city is outstandingly clean and breathtaking.

img credit : isik5

Hermitage Museum – an insight into opulent history

The world-famous Gold Rooms of Hermitage museum are surreptitiously opened for Regent invitees only. Considered as the most remarkable museums in Europe, the Hermitage Museum boasts 2.7 million objects of glorious art, including masterworks of Monet, da Vinci, Van Dyck, Raphael, Rubens and Titian.

Five of the Best Baltic Ports for Cruises

Posted in Cruises, Estonia, Finland, Russia, Scandanavia, sweden | by admin
September 8th, 2010

Cruise ships offer visitors to the Baltic region a chance to see the incredible shorelines, fjords and islands that you can only admire from the sea. Of the 28 ports from which cruise ships regularly depart, here are the five ports of call where you can find fascinating places to explore on shore before and after your journey:

1. Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki is a part of most cruise ship itineraries and offers some interesting areas to explore. You can take a short ferry ride across the bay to stomp around the Soumenlinna Fortress, an 18th century fort that you can explore on your own or sign up for guided tour.

Soumenlinna Fortress, Helsinki(img credit: Bronnski)

The ferry departs from Market Square, an open-air market that supplies local food, crafts and souvenirs — even reindeer sausages and smoked herring. If you are in town for while, consider visiting the many Helsinki museums and climbing to the top of the Olympic tower.

2. Tallinn, Estonia

Tallinn(img credit: Jurvetson)

As the capital of Estonia, this is the largest city in this tiny country and dates back over 1000 years. This charming locale is one of the best preserved medieval towns in all of Europe, although it does have a “modern” section. The Old Town Square is lined with outdoor cafes, picturesque homes and gothic civic buildings.

The cathedral boast the tallest tower in Europe, and you can climb to the top for a spectacular view of the city and harbor. Just a 2-hour ride across the bay from Helsinki, the towers and walls of Tallinn’s castles and churches border cobblestone streets that wind through this picturesque city, so bring sturdy walking shoes.

3. Stockholm, Sweden

The Old Town section in this Swedish city is called Gamla Stan and is home to the Royal Palace and City Hall — which also has a tower you can climb for a bird’s eye view of the area.

The christmas market in gamla stan (old town), stockholm. (img credit: Coulson)

Wander down the narrow winding cobblestone streets and explore the galleries, cafes, museums and shops along the way. Check out the Vasa museum which is housed in a warship that is adorned with sculptures elaborately carved in the 1600s when this boat was launched. Fully restored in the 20th century, the custom exhibition building that houses this Nordic treasure is open to visitors.

4. Copenhagen, Denmark

This cosmopolitan Danish town has many fascinating wonders within walking distance of the port — including the Tivoli Gardens, a popular destination for families during the day and romantic couples in the evening.

Tivoli Gardens(img credit: Nygaard)

At night, 100,000 lanterns are lit to create a magical ambiance that concludes with a dazzling fireworks show. Jump aboard a canal taxi to sail along the Nyhavn canal which is lined with colorful old buildings and sidewalk cafes. You can even visit the Little Mermaid statue who sits on the rock gazing out to sea waiting for her Prince Charming to return.

5. Saint Petersburg

Last but certainly not least is the Russian city that has impressed the world for centuries with its magnificent art, incredible architecture and fascinating history. Near the harbor is the Winter Palace, where you will find the Hermitage Museum, an incredible art institution that should not be missed.

Hermitage Museum, Russia(img credit: Marie-ll)

Visit the Palace Square and the Russian Museum of National Art or hire a boat and glide through the canals of Saint Petersburg, especially during the midsummer White Nights celebrations.

Best Places to See Whales in Scandinavia

Posted in Iceland, Norway, Scandanavia | by admin
September 8th, 2010

The seas around Scandinavia are home to a huge variety of whales, including Orcas, pilot whales, humpback whales, sperm whales, blue whales and even the rare northern bottlenose whales. The ideal time to spot whales is during the warm summer months, especially during June and August.

Dolphin/whale outside family cabin along a fjord in Northern Norway.(img credit: flurdy)

Professional tours steer clear of the controversial whale hunting grounds and provide information on how concerned visitors can help stop commercial whaling.  On the average, 94% of the boats that go out to view whales succeed, and although there are no guarantees, most  tour companies will give you free pass to try again another day if the whales don’t appear.

Quite often while on a whale watch boat, you have the chance to see other interesting Icelandic marine wildlife, like harbor porpoises and white-beaked dolphins.  Some tours pass by Puffin Island to catch a glimpse of this rare arctic bird’s nesting grounds.

Iceland

Whales start moving past the Icelandic coasts as early as April and some don’t leave until as late as October. The parade of majestic creatures — given away by their water spouts and habit of ” breaching” — can be spotted from many spots along the coastline as they pass by on their yearly migration to the warmer waters outside the arctic circle.

Schooner converted for whale watching trips.(img credit: Plassen)

Husavik is considered the “hot spot” for whale spotting from the shoreline.

Most professional whale watch safaris embark from the port city of Reykjavik, although small family-run expeditions — some with luxury accommodations — are available from various ports.

Vesteralen Islands

Fluke of a diving sperm whale in Norway(img credit: Nijenhuis)

In Andenes (Vesteralen), the continental shelf drops to depths of 3000 feet, creating a perfect habitat for the massive male sperm whales who come to feed from May to September.

Since Whale Watching here has become so popular, especially in the Lofoten Islands, the Norwegian authorities have setup a special “Whale Route” that uses car ferries to link the various islands in the area.

Norway

An orca whale in the waters of Northern Norway(img credit: Cabby)

Northern Norway is a great place to spot the Orca “killer” whales up close and personal. Tours depart from many port cities including Tysfjord, Vestfjord and Ofotfjord in Nordland.

Five Baltic Ice Hotels

Posted in Scandanavia, baltic region | by admin
August 13th, 2010

When visiting Scandinavia between January and April, consider staying in a ice hotel that is built entirely of a mixture of ice and packed snow — known as snice — from scratch each year. Below are five ice ice hotels that you might want to consider staying in for a night or two for a truly Arctic experience.

1) ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi

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The ICEHOTEL is located in the small village of Jukkasjärvi, which is 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle in Lapland. Known as the hotel that “never stands still,” it shifts from frozen solid to free-flowing river and back again during the course of the year — but the ice is present even in the summer.

The staff at the ICEHOTEL have planned for every occasion and offer their guests a wide range of activities and a wonderful meeting place where they can mingle with the Sami people of the village and travelers from all over the world. Amenities include a chapel, a sauna, an exhibit hall and cinema made, of course, entirely of snice! The Absolut Ice Bar is world famous and has been mentioned in Newsweek as one of the world’s most stunning bars.

2) Kirkenes Snow Hotel

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Established during the winter of 2006/2007, this spectacular 20 room hotel is the easternmost town in Norway located near the Russian border. Ice artists from Finland and Japan decorate the rooms and create the largest snow dome in Norway that measures 18 m high. Dinner for guest of the snow hotel is prepared in front of an open fire, and a sauna is a typical way to begin and end your stay. Also located in the hotel area is a park that houses reindeer and a husky farm that raises dogs for sled teams.

3) Bjorli Ice Lodge


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This spectacular ice creation is nestled among the beautiful alpine scenery of the Geirangerfjord region, an hour-and-a-half drive up the mountains from Molde.

Spacious ice suites are accented with beautiful light designs shimmering through ice art. A “gamma” or a traditional circular Norwegian wooden hut is created around a central wood fire to make a cozy meeting place to share tales of the day’s adventures along with some warm drinks.

4) Lainio Snow Village

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Located near theYlläs and Levi ski-resorts, this unique snow village is easy to reach from the Kittilä International Airport. Over 1500 tonnes of snow and 300 tonnes of crystal clear ice are used as construction materials to create the 3000 square foot covered indoor space.

Over 30 rooms each have a unique architectural design with a theme that varies from year to year. Guest can visit the la carte restaurant and have drinks at ice carved tables at the bar. Beautifully illuminated sculptures of ice art are available for viewing and the Ice Gallery.

5) Bâlea Lake Ice Hotel

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Deep in the heart of Romania, at an altitude of 2034 m, this ice hotel is only accessible via cable car.  Located on the shores of picturesque  Balea Lake –whose ice is used to create it — this small ice hotel has only 10 rooms and an adjacent ice church. Bedding, furs and sleeping bags are provided and restroom facilities are nearby.

Snow biking, heliskiing, and sledging are some of the winter sports you can enjoy as guest of this ice hotel.


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Five Unusual Sports in Scandinavia

Posted in Holiday Tips, Scandanavia | by admin
August 6th, 2010

Residents in Scandinavia have embraced many sports that are rather unusual and have a distinctly “Nordic” flair to them.  Consider spending a fascinating day either participating in or watching some of these  unusual events.

Ice Yacht Races

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Since 1901, the Stockholm Ice Yacht Club of Sweden has been fast racing ice yachts across a frozen lakes and fjords. Originally, this sport simply used kites to pull around skaters across the ice. Modern day ice yachts are sleek, well-designed craft can achieve astounding speeds and give riders a real bone-chilling thrill. Some contemporary yachts can carry up to six or seven crew and passengers that are distributed around the boat to create the delicate balance needed to maintain top speeds without tipping over.

Underwater Rugby

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Began in Germany in the 1970s as a physical fitness training exercise, underwater rugby has become a huge hit in Scandinavia. Teams in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland have regular competitions that even include underwater balls and social mixers. These events are held in the shallow end of swimming pools with balls that are filled with saltwater to keep them from floating to the surface. Underwater rugby has become an even more popular spectator sport with the advent of underwater cameras and big screens so viewers can see the action up close.

Wife Carrying

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This unusual sport originated in Sonkajarvi, Finland, where the World Championships of wife carrying have been held since 1997. This rather humorous activity is supposedly reminiscent of of the time when Finnish men courted their women by running into their village, picking them up and carrying them off to their village. The sport is, as you would imagine, rather simple. The goal is for a man to carry his wife across an obstacle course in the fastest time. Often the wife’s weight is measured in beer and the prizes are determined by weight categories. Over 40 couples have to competed at one time in these events and the popularity is spreading around the world.

Paragliding

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Although not necessarily an unusual sport, paraglideing over the frozen tundra, summertime mountains, or the Baltic Sea is a fascinating way to get a bird’s eye view of Scandinavia. In Finland, you can paraglide across an alpine lake or in Poland you can soar over the slopes of Zar mountain. The Oslo Paraglider club offers nine day intensive courses in Hemsedal for beginners as well as longtime enthusiasts of the sport.

Rink Bandy

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Also known as a rinkball, the sport began in Sweden in the 1950s and is played on the ice hockey rink. There are over 1000 rinkball teams in Finland alone and over 200 associations and almost 300 teams currently participate in the Finnish Rinkball Federation Playoffs. Rinkball games are less risky than normal bandy because the playing areas are smaller so fewer players are required and the dangerous practice of “checking” is prohibited.