Bite Autumn 2012

bite travel

THE NORTHERN LIGHTS ARE ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST WONDERS. HIDDEN IN THE MYSTICAL WILDERNESS OF THE ARCTIC CIRCLE, SWEDISH LAPLAND IS ONE OF THE BEST LOCATIONS TO WITNESS THE NATURAL PHENOMENON. FROM A SNOWMOBILE TOUR TO HORSE TREKKING, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO EXPERIENCE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN ONE OF WINTER’S MOST SPECTACULAR HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS. CORRINE MCCONNACHIE DISCOVERS WHAT MAKES SWEDEN’S NORTHERN LIGHTS SPECIAL.

months you can experience the amazing Aurora Borealis in its true glory as it lights up the night sky across the region. PLACESTO STAY: THE ICEHOTEL For a true winter wonderland experience, the world famous ICEHOTEL situated in Jukkasjärvi is the place to stay. Providing a wide variety of holiday packages including an amazing range of activities, there is no other place to experience the Northern Lights quite like the ICEHOTEL. In addition to the magnificent ice art interior, the ICEHOTEL offers many facilities including a silver service restaurant, champagne bar and ICEbar decorated with ice furniture.

Holiday packages at the ICEHOTEL start at £870 and you can get full value for money in both cold and warm accommodation from a selection of hotel rooms and chalets. For those feeling brave there are 50 impressive snow and ice rooms and suites, designed by globally renowned artists. Despite cold temperatures, the beds made of ice and snow each includes a reindeer skin mattress and thermal sleeping bag.

the log fire lounge. The restaurant, which offers a dinner buffet and à la carte menu, provides a panoramic view over the Lake Torneträsk and the mountains beyond. Hotel guests can also get a chair-lift ride up the mountain to the Aurora Sky Station viewing platform where you can visit the aurora exhibit, have a hot drink in the café and, hopefully, witness the Northern Lights. Hidden deep in the Boreal Forest of Swedish Lapland is the Treehotel, winner of the ‘GrandTourism Prize’ in the Swedish Travel andTourismAwards 2011. For those seeking something different, the Treehotel is perfect. Living in a place surrounded by natural beauty, the Treehotel was built TheTreehotel

TheAbisko Mountain Station Hotel

The en suite accommodation at theAbisko Mountain Station is perfect for those desperately seeking the Northern Lights. Situated 195km north of the Arctic Circle, you can look for the Northern Lights comfortably from the huge windows of