Sweden & Finland: A Luxury Summer Escape to Lakeland & Lapland

On this unique eight-night Scandinavian adventure you’ll discover chic capitals, outlying archipelagos and dense woodlands as you indulge in a touch of the great outdoors. Start off in Helsinki, where you’ll immerse yourself in neoclassical architecture before escaping it all on the tranquil banks of Finnish Lakeland. You’ll then hop across the border to the home of Scandi drama in Stockholm where you’ll see the city from an alternative perspective as you take to the waters of the archipelago with your very own yacht, skipper and crew to take you wherever you want to go. Dust it all off amid the wilderness of Swedish Lapland where you’ll canoe with beavers and spend a night in a bear hide as you get acquainted with the Lappish lifestyle. Splendidly wild yet all the while oozing elegance and contemporary flair, spend a summer in Scandinavia and you’ll never want to leave.

Hello Helsinki

Your Scandi escape begins in hip Helsinki where you’ll spend your first night resting up at the stylist Hotel St. George. A historic building from the outside, discover a space that is thoroughly contemporary on the inside with soft mint and pearl-grey tones punctuated by abstract art. With so little time to explore the city, we suggest getting straight out there on a city tour. Starting on your doorstep, you’ll head off to neoclassical Senate Square, overlooked by Helsinki Cathedral as you get a sense for Helsinki’s history. From there, Sederholm House, Finlandia House and the Jean Sibelius monument all await – but so too do the independent shops and local restaurants that it would be rude to miss out on.

Sopranos on Lake Saimaa

From Helsinki, it’s then just an hour north to the peaceful surrounds of Finnish Lakeland where you’ll spend two nights in the cutting-edge contemporary villas of Anttolanhovi. Drop your bags before heading straight off for a traditional smoke sauna, an old form of sauna that has become quite rare in recent years, it is believed to bring about a mystical sense of deep relaxation through the combination of heat, steam and atmosphere. Overheating? Then, you need only step outside and dive into the cooling waters of Lake Saima.

Spend the evening raising a glass to the summer over a ‘clean’ dinner inspired by South Savo food culture. Placing importance on local, seasonal ingredients, it’s a little taste of Finland. The next morning, you’ll set sail across the vast expanse of Lake Saimaa to explore its winding waterways and a few of the 14,000 islands that dot its waters. Join your skipper in plotting a course for the day into the quietest and most spectacular spots, all the while keeping your eyes peeled for the endangered Saimaa ringed seal. In the evening, why not head off to the Savonlinna Opera Festival? Held annually in the month of July, it’s a truly idyllic setting set within a medieval castle amid this land of lakes, islands and forests.

Stopover in Stockholm

The next morning, you’ll be driven back to Helsinki from where it’s then just a quick flight across the border and into Stockholm. Here, you’ll spend two nights at the cutting-edge Lydmar Hotel from where you’ll be perfectly poised to explore the city’s boutiques and hip hangouts with our expert guides who’ll show you a few hidden gems along the way. A city that is sure to impress, from its museums and quirky art galleries to its exquisite assortment of restaurants and bars, we’ll map out the major city highlights, but make sure to visit the artsy Södermalm district for that much-needed retail therapy, before sampling some traditional smoked fish, accompanied with a glass of ‘Akvavit’. For those looking to see Stockholm from a different perspective, tomorrow we’ll whisk you off in a private yacht to explore the archipelago that frames the city. Navigate out of the quays and discover islands with all manner of personalities, from rocky cliffs to sandy beaches and lush forests. Stop off on Fjaderholmarna for a delicious lunch in the sun before sailing back to the city.

Canoe with Beavers & Sleep with Bears in Lapland

From Stockholm, it’s straight into the wilderness as you travel north to Lulea in the heart of Swedish Lapland. Here, you’ll make your home at the luxurious Arctic Retreat. An authentic Lappish lodge, the log cabins perch over the edge of a river amid dense forest yet open up to reveal signature Scandi design. Before going much further, you’ll be whisked off to the Rane River Valley where you’ll pick up a paddle as you embark on a canoeing adventure in the company of beavers. Notoriously elusive, you’ll paddle quietly through the river’s more remote corners in an attempt to get up close and personal with these industrious creatures. Refuel in the evening in the company of the Arctic Retreat chefs who will take you through Arctic food culture in a meal served fireside and beneath the stars.

From one wildlife experience to another, you’ll then spend the next day in the company of something altogether bigger as you head off with an expert naturalist guide into a hide from where you’ll then go on the watch for brown bears. Summer gives you the best chances with the bears now out of hibernation, however, to really maximise your chances, we can even arrange for you to spend the night in the hide. You’ll have the whole of the next day at leisure, with plenty of time to hit the spa, so why not embark on one last adventure we say. After a last good night’s sleep at this peaceful nature haven, sadly we’ll have to tear you away from the serenity of a Scandi summer as it’s homeward bound.