The Artisan Blog

Despite having travelled to Finland several times by myself, I had never given my parents the chance to experience its wonders for themselves. However, in January they got to experience a holiday to Torassieppi in Finnish Lapland for the first time. Read on to find out what they made of their experience to the Arctic North!

Day Three:

To say we were apprehensive about going on a 25km Snowmobile safari is a drastic understatement.  The closer to the activity we got the quieter Jorie and I became. However, when it was time for the activity we went along, watched the briefing video and before long we were being swept along on a snowmobile!

As part of our commitment to responsible tourism, we are always trying to make sure that all our holidays are as good for the environment and the local people as they are for you our clients!

We were therefore absolutely delighted (but not really surprised) to hear that one of our favourite destinations, the island of Gozo has won a prize for being the most sustainable destination in the Mediterranean!

We recently caught up with Laura from our marketing team to find out about her experience of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. Here’s what she had to say:

Despite being a fairly seasoned traveller to Finland myself, my parents had never experienced the delights of the Arctic North. However, in January they got to experience a holiday to Torassieppi in Finnish Lapland for themselves. Read on to find out how they got on! 

Day One:

Flying into Finland, we could see the vast spread of snow, frozen lakes and trees reaching out across the horizon and only as the plane touched down did we see just how deep the snow was on each side of the runway. An early flight meant that we landed in Kittilä around lunchtime, but it was on the drive to Torassieppi that we began to grasp the immensity of the wilderness in this fabulous country.

When winter comes around and the weather becomes more bitter, all I crave is cosiness and comfort in order to get me through the short grey days. This is why, when I read about ‘hygge’, my mindset on how to spend these potentially dreary months changed completely.

In case you haven’t heard of this revelation which is taking the likes of Pinterest and Instagram by storm, ‘hygge’, pronounced ‘hooga’, is a Danish word which has no direct translation in English.  It does not describe anything tangible, but rather that warm, fuzzy feeling that comes with truly enjoying life’s simple pleasures, particularly during the colder months.

I caught up with Laura from our Marketing Team to chat about her experience of Madeira. Here is what she had to say:

So, what I imagine when I think of visiting ‘gardens’ is long afternoons spent wandering round protected stately homes, battered flowers and mowed lawns, but you can think again when it comes to the gardens of Madeira;  they’re something entirely different!

Cold, dreary weather, post-festive season torpor, and back-to-work blues; welcome to the joys of January. How do we recommend you cure your mood?

Start planning your 2018 adventures of course!

We have a vast variety of bucket list holidays all around the world, skilfully designed by our Travel Experts with you in mind. We'll take you from the wilds of Finland to the sun-drenched island of Gozo; the fjords of Iceland and Norway to the volcanic paradise of the Azores.

Now I'm hardly known as a petrol-head amongst my friends and I have never been interested in motorbikes, but who hasn't been attracted to the thrills and glamour associated with the snowmobile?

Ever since I was I younger I can remember watching Sean and Roger in old Bond movies and daydreaming of cruising over crisp white snow, a trail of powder in my wake as I power over frozen Arctic landscapes escaping some imagined team of henchmen in hot pursuit.

The ICEHOTEL© has opened its door for another year and we believe that it is more impressive than ever. 

Founded in 1989, the ICEHOTEL© has developed into an internationally recognised brand, especially known for its incredible artwork. Each year at the start of winter the hotel is designed and built from scratch from thousands of huge ice blocks harvested from the Torne River which is then carefully sculpted into an amazing architectural building.

If you're anything like us, you’ll have been cancelling your Sunday night plans to spend it in the comfort of your own sofa watching David Attenborough’s latest masterpiece, Blue Planet II. Whether it is marvelling at the scenery, or wondering how anything can live in the depths of the ocean, we're sure you’ll have been on the edge of your seat and wanting to head out and explore the wonders of the ocean for yourself.

With that in mind, here are three holidays to help you experience the depths of the underwater world.