One of the most undiscovered and least traveled areas of the globe is the Arctic Circle. There is no reason that this area should be skipped! The pros heavily outweigh the cons. Since they aren’t major tourism hotspots, the prices to travel to and from and while traveling tend to be significantly cheaper than other areas of the world. As long as you don’t mind a bit of cold weather, then the Arctic Circle is sure to be one of the most memorable holidays that you can have. Here are four great countries that you could choose to visit in this area.
Sweden
One of the draws of Sweden is the beautiful and heartwarming people. The people you run into on holiday can make an experience truly great and this is sure to be the case for the Swedish. But you know what also makes a holiday great? Activities and sights that range from relaxing to energetic. Sweden is home to over 200 ski resorts that can be found all over the country. You can take a snowy safari through the woodlands to look for moose, wolverines, brown bears, lynxes, reindeer and many other exotic cold weather creatures. It also gives you the opportunity to go on your own dogsledding expedition. And of course, while in Sweden you can see the beautiful northern lights.
Finland
Here we have a country full of history and great sites to visit that will leave you wanting more. One of the first things to see in Finland is the Archipelago National Park. The park was created back during the ice age and is filled with rocky inlets, wooded islands, and the Baltic Sea in between it all. You can easily spend a day here traveling the trails of the park, many of which are waterways and require a guide boat. Another great site is the Turku Cathedral. The stained glass work in the small Cathedral is to be marveled, especially when the light hits it just right. Many famous Fins are buried in this Cathedral. If its more of a thrill you seek, try snowmobiling across the open snow at Levi. The open land allows you to pick up speed rather quickly, so hang on!
Norway
On the West Coast of Norway is the fjord country. There is no shortage of beauty and natural excellence here. You can hike anything here from mountains to glaciers like Jostedalsbreen. Between the massive glaciers, mountain side, fjords, lakes, and rock formations, your eyes will never be bored. If you love to be in the outdoors then making a trip to Marmorslottet in Glomadalen will be a great experience for you. Here you can do anything ranging from hiking, ice diving and ice fishing to snowmobiling or rafting. If this sounds awesome but requires to much moving around for you, the more relaxed can take a cruise up and down the coast or island hop to visit small villages.
Iceland
The final place in the White Circle countries and maybe the most underrated is Iceland. Blue Lagoon Tours are something out of this world! Also, this is one of the best places to see the northern lights. The blue, green, pink, and purple curtains that dance through the sky are sure to be one of the most beautiful sights that you could ever see in person. Iceland is also home to Geysir and Stokkur. These are two geysers in the Geysir area that shoot boiling hot water anywhere from 30 to 70 meters into the air. Taking a trip through Landmannalaugar can be just as incredible as the northern lights. If you travel through the Pjorsardaur Valley you will see mountains whose rocks are different colors from chemicals in the lava that created them. This is one aspect that contributed the nickname “The Pearl of the Central Highlands” to the area. Eventually you will come to the Hjalparfoss waterfall which has many warm pools in the area. If you want to take a dip in one just be careful, because some water is very very hot!
