NOTE: I’m a teenager so I’m still working my way through my “wish list” of travel destinations. This blog post was written by one of my featured bloggers, Kelli Walsh (aka Mom).
Overall, it’s an Arctic wonderland of serene whites blended with lush summertime colors and bursting with Abba joy.
Where I went:
Stockholm (The King’s Garden Hotel)
Arctic Circle (Abisko Mountain Lodge, Angels Suite at the Ice Hotel)
What I wore:
In the winter, I chose a monochromatic look of skinny jeans, Isabel Marant Nowles boots, my grandmother’s vintage fur coat, and many layers of ski gear. Plus, lots and lots of hand warmers!
What I did:
Arctic Circle
The goal of visiting the Arctic Circle was to see the Northern Lights, and they put on quite a show of brilliant greens painting the starlit sky. To add to the adventure, I went snowmobiling and dogsledding (both booked through Lights Over Lapland).
Don’t worry about being too cold. Many of the operators provide additional winter protective gear and warm drinks to keep you comfortable.
To get the best views of the Northern Lights, I also booked a dinner at the Aurora Sky Station. The experience of being surrounded by a haunting silence and blankets of white snow at the top of the world was an otherworldly experience. Truly awe-inspiring—an almost religious experience.
My final Arctic stop was the Ice Hotel. Wow—just wow! An entire hotel rebuilt each year from ice and designed by artists from around the world.
It’s visually stunning, and well worth the visit. The hotel hosts a number of activities, and I indulged in a Northern Lights photography tour.
Stockholm
My winter trip to Stockholm coincided with the annual Lucia celebration in honor of St. Lucy, which involves white gowns, stars, candles and singing children. I attended a Lucia event at Storkyrkan, which is a Stockholm Cathedral built in 1279. Since I’m an alumna of St. Lucy’s Priory High School in Southern California, it felt like an appropriate return to my own childhood memories—but in a different language. Speaking of different languages, the only way I could figure out how to order tickets to the event was through Swedish Ticketmaster (front row center!). I could not be more grateful for Google translate:)
And I couldn’t visit Stockholm in December without plenty of holiday shopping and a trip to the Gamla Stan Christmas market.
Speaking of Gamla Stan, it is also a perfect place to explore during the summer months, full of colorful architecture, Scandinavian cuisine, and unique shopping. And don’t skip a visit to the Abba and Pippi Longstocking Museums. Kitschy childhood fun!
What I ate/drank:
Swedish cuisine is a delicious blend of contemporary techniques highlighting traditional ingredients. It’s much more than IKEA Swedish meatballs (although they are amazing!). There are a number of high-end restaurants and an abundance of fresh fish, but don’t miss the opportunity to try reindeer with lingonberry jam!
The drinking age in Sweden is 18, and the country is in the Vodka belt. If you’re there in the winter, warm up with some Glögg.
Social media musts:
Sweden is blessed with some amazing natural scenery and charming traditional architecture. It creates stunning backdrops. And try to get that shot of the elusive Northern Lights!
My travel playlist of Swedish Artists:
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