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Week 28: Scandinavian Adventure. What to Pack for a Winter Vacation or a Ski Resort?

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Going to Sweden, Denmark, Norway and exploring the Arctic Circle in winter was quite a bold decision, and I am sure I wouldn't be able to enjoy myself if I didn't pack wisely. I still had a couple of days, where even though I was bundled up and had layers of clothes on me, I was shivering and freezing. I learnt a lot of what works and keeps me warm, and what I should never bother taking with me on a vacation with extremely cold weather conditions.

I have created this little What To Take To A Very Cold Destination list for you, and hope it will be helpful. I wish I read something like this before we flew to Scandinavia!

 

 

1. UNIQLO HEATTECH

I think I spent two hours trying to find heattech pants and tees in my size in the UNIQLO store. XS was simply sold out everywhere, and S was way too big on me. At the end I managed to find two XS tees, and had to buy a sample heattech leggings they give you to try in the fitting room! Yes, they were that good!

There are three types of Heattech: Normal, Extra Warm and Ultra Warm. I have tried Extra Warm, but nothing compares to soft, super warm Ultra Warm heattech. I have been wearing my heattech tees almost all my trip in January, and they were warmer and more comfortable to wear than any layered sweaters. 

They are super cheap, so if you find Ultra Warm heattech in your size, grab it before it's gone. I even wore my heattech set in the Ice Hotel (read our review here!) to sleep on bed made of ice in sub-zero, and felt almost (I said almost) cozy and warm :)

My impression is that UNIQLO runs large, so take a size smaller if, you like me, like your clothes a little bit snug.

 

2. Protect your hair

Usually people never forget to protect their hair from the sun, and wear cute straw hats or snapbacks and spray their locks with an SPF hair protecter. But not a lot of people think of that icy weather can damage their hair!

After our first night on the Arctic Circle, my hair, that was getting wet from snow, and then getting frozen right after, was a total mess. It was hard to touch, and afterwards I could feel how easily my hair started to break. 

The moment we flew to Norway, I purchased a bottle of an argan oil for my hair, and always wore my hat when outside.

3. Don't get cold feet

Please don't pack suede boots like I did. It was a stupid decision! I wore them only once for a New Years celebration to a restaurant, but most of the time I was wearing my snow boots and warm booties. I also wore warm Oroblu tights, and wool socks to keep my feet "safe".

4. Moisturise

Your skin will get dry, so buy a little body lotion or a hand cream to carry around all day.

5. Sweater Dresses

On our vacations with my hubby, I love wearing gowns, and sexy dresses, however I had a very limited choice in Scandinavia due to severe weather! I did have a few sweater dress, but I think next time I will try to find more warm dresses for the evenings in "Winter Wonderland"

6. Pockets

When it's so cold outside, but you still want to take a beautiful photograph of some sightseeing, you need to have a coat with big pockets! 

What I did is that I had my phone in one of the pockets, and when I wanted to take a photo, I would take off my gloves, quickly shove them in another pocket, take a shot, and quickly put away my phone again, and wear gloves. Fast and easy! When it is so freezing, that your fingers start hurting and getting icy blue after only 30 seconds of being bare, you will appreciate my pocket tip. :)

7. Few of my favourite things...

And here are some other things you would love to take with you on a Winter Vacation!

Week 28: Scandinavian Adventure. Raden A50 Set review.

Ben and I travel quite often and last year I hopped from one plane to another almost every weekend. It wasn't always for fun and vacations (although we had our fair share of those too!), but often for family matters and work. Regardless of the purpose, it is important for me to have stylish, comfortable and spacious luggage.

As my suitcases (I had this one for years!) got destroyed by our frequent flying schedule, I was excited to get a new Raden A50 luggage set in a sleek, matte black color for our Scandinavian trip. The set includes the A22 Carry-On and the A28 Check suitcase. To be honest I really wanted a pink and white combo (they have so many colors to pick from!), however many colors were sold out before Christmas. Luckily, I checked their website just now and seems like they have everything back in stock!

 

What is so special about this luggage set? Well, the best feature is that every suitcase has a built-in scale. You simply download the Raden app and lift the handle and an internal scale will determine how heavy your bag is, displaying the weight in the app. Moreover, the app can tell you where your luggage is within 100 feet as there is a Bluetooth receiver inside the case.

There are also two charging ports on both suitcases that allows you to charge your device. My iPhone is always low on battery, so this is quite a handy feature.

Both suitcases are light and roll easily without me having to push or drag them.

Now, of course there are also some down sides that I just have to talk about. Even though the Raden set is gorgeous, and looked so sophisticated out of the box, it got scratched very easily on our first flight. I am not sure if it's an issue with the black cases or the material used. Despite the scratched surface, the content of my bag was 100% protected, which is important when you travel with expensive camera equipment, heeled shoes and makeup all packed together :)

Overall, I do recommend the Raden luggage set if you can ignore a few scratches on the surface. You will appreciate the functionality and protection these suitcases provide.

MY LOOK:

Leather shearling jacket - Walter Baker | White bodysuit - Oroblu | Boots - Hush Puppies (in black)

Photographs were taken in Skeppsholmen Hotel, Stockholm.

In the next post, I am going to share some of my Cold Vacation Essentials and help you pack for your vacations in sub-zero weather and ski resorts!

Week 28: Scandinavian Adventure. Ice Hotel in Kiruna review.

North by North North - The Ice Hotel

by Benjamin

When most people think of the Arctic Circle, they imagine a cold, white wasteland devoid of even the smallest signs of life.

Good news!

The frozen north has a plethora of life (human and otherwise) and is quite manageable if you have a sense for adventure. Ulia and I decided to make the trek up to Kiruna, Sweden which is about 90 miles north of the Arctic Circle and Sweden’s northernmost city. There, resides the original Ice Hotel (Jukkasjärvi): a resort situated on the frozen banks of the Torne River that boasts the world’s first and most famous hotel made of ice.

The hotel is divided into three types of rooms, grouped into three separate structures. The first is the warm, which is, well, warm, as in not made of ice. The second is the newly-opened (November 2016) 365 building which houses a series of rooms that are maintained year-round at -5ºC. The third, and most renowned, is the original Ice Hotel; a building comprised of massive blocks of ice harvested straight from the Torne River but a hundred meters away.

Now, for those of you who are wondering why anyone would go that far north to stay in what essentially amounts to an oversized igloo, let me enlighten ye with the top five coolest things you can do at The Ice Hotel.

 

1. Airport Transfers

At this point, you have read the heading and are probably wondering what lavish or outlandish vehicle could possibly pick you up from the airport in Kiruna and drop you off at the Ice Hotel. A hummer? A snowmobile? Some Swedish cross-country skiers? Alas, no. But you can have a team of adorable huskies come pick you and three friends up for a dogsled transfer to the hotel!

The dogsled airport transfer is not cheap, but it is an experience unto itself and should definitely be considered if you want a very original method of getting from A to B or have a thing for dogs, sleds, snow and adventure.

 

2. The Ice Bar

For those of you who drink, you are in luck. The Ice Hotel crafts an awesome bar made of sheer ice every year and serves all of its mixed drinks in glasses made of ice, cut straight from the Torne River. For the hypochondriacs (I’ll save you the google: people who are scared of germs) in the crowd, the ice has been tested and verified bacterium-free before it is cut into the glasses you drink out of. The bar itself has a mascot named Mr. Fuzzy who happens to be the portrait of a lion that overseas the goings on in the bar area. There is comfy seating adorned with animal hides (probably reindeer, I did not get a proper look) and plenty of space and music for both personality types.

Pro-tip:

Ask for the off-menu drinks and make sure you keep your glass so you can break it later (for fun of course!)

3. Lingonberry Juice

Yeah, yeah: "oh this sounds so boring! ’Tis but juice!". Well, guess what? The idiom: 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do', is very applicable here. Backstory: in Sweden, there is a concept known as "allemansrätten" or 'Everyman’s Right" which essentially grants anyone the freedom to roam the land, sail the water, camp, and forage for food, pretty much anywhere in Sweden (this custom exists in many nordic countries). This centuries’s old edict is still just as strong today and as Lingonberries grow quite commonly all over Sweden, consuming them in various forms is a part of life. The Ice Hotel is no exception and makes it a habit of providing hot Lingonberry juice at opportune moments throughout your stay; from your first arrival to your morning wake up call, Lingonberries will be in your face and I recommend you be Roman.

A Song of Ice and Fire? 

4. The Ice Hotel Art Suites

Every year, ice artists and sculptors (from the cold parts of the world), descend on the Ice Hotel to showcase their woks in the form of exquisitely detailed suites made entirely of ice and snow. Each room has its own theme, ranging from the instantly recognizable 'Casablanca' with its Moroccan geometric embellishments, to the more subtle (and frankly unsettling) 'Faces' room which contains a 3m tall face staring at your bed while another ten faces gaze down at you from the ceiling, judging your dreams and snickering at your snores. The Ice Hotel commissions thirty five unique suites every season and offers one of the few places in the world where you can essentially sleep inside a sculpture.

 

5. The Northern Lights

The Sámi people have inhabited the northern portion of Scandinavia for a millennia and developed their own belief system, much like any other people, around their environment (think :sun gods, weather gods, ocean gods, etc). In this case, the Sámi people believe that the Northern Lights are the sparks flung from the tail of a fox as it bolts across the sky and represent the souls of fallen relatives. 

At this point you may be scratching your head over how we just went from a solar particle phenomenon to foxes, but just bear with me and I will connect the dots! The Sámi people stem from the northernmost portions of Scandinavia which, as some of you geography buffs are aware of, contains a little country called Finland. Now here’s the line between the dots: The Finnish word for 'Northern Lights' is 'Revontulet’ which literally translates as 'fire fox'. Voila! Pretty cool, right? Anyway, this is the main event at the Ice Hotel, this is the once-in-a-lifetime experience you drag your loved ones with you to see. Our guide advised us that it needs to be cold, clear and dark to experience the revontulet at its finest, so bundle up, be patient and keep your eyes on the sky.

Side bar:

The Northern Lights experience at the Ice Hotel comprises three arctic adventures rolled into one. First off, you take a snowmobile on a 2.5 hour journey from the hotel to a secluded wilderness camp with Finnish style cottages. Secondly, your guide will prepare dinner for you and talk about the history and culture of the area. Last but not least: The Revontulet will hopefully make an appearance (I still have a lawsuit pending with the Swedes over the clouds that ruined our chances but I doubt I will hear back from them).

 

Until next time - BAP

Week 28: Scandinavian Adventure. Nordic Shop!

Whether you are planning your visit to Scandinavia, or just love everything Nordic, my curated selection of items will make you feel cozy and warm inside and out!

Check out our SHOP to see more curated themed shops!

Week 28: Scandinavian Adventures. Stockholm Travel Guide

We got back from Northern Europe two weeks ago, but I only now finally sat down to write and edit the ‘Scandinavian Adventures’ guide. I will also share a trip video my husband made, so stay tuned and enjoy the plunge into the land of Vikings!

Ben and I flew to Stockholm via Moscow right after Christmas. The flight was long, so when we got to Stockholm, all I wanted to do was unpack and sleep. However, the freezing air of Skeppsholmen Island where we were staying (did you know that Stockholm is an archipelago and consists of 14 islands?) and delicious coffee in a pretty mug brought me back to life.

Ok, I am lying, because what really woke me right up when my husband said we need to check out a few boutiques so I can pick out a new bag for myself :)

There are a few nice boutiques at Birger Jarlsgatan, including Louis Vuitton and Gucci. If you live in the USA, you will definitely want to buy something in these boutiques as prices are lower and you will get a VAT return (just don’t forget to ask for a Tax Refund form!).

Our first days in Stockholm were cold, but quite manageable. I did expect Scandinavian countries to be much colder in winter than they actually were to be honest, so I was pleasantly surprised with the mild temperatures and absence of snow in the capital cities of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Of course I did pack wisely, and brought a very warm wardrobe that saved me from freezing, but I will talk about it in one of the next posts!

Stockholm

is an undeniably beautiful city, stunningly decorated around Christmas and New Years. I could talk a lot about its narrow colourful streets, breathtaking castles, little cafes with delicious, sweet pastries and hot chocolates, but you probably read that many times before in other travel guides. Therefore, I will focus on just best places Ben and I visited and share some photographs I took on our journey.

1. Skansen Museum

I absolutely fell in love with Skansen! Apparently it is the world’s first open-air museum, and was founded in 1891. The museum territory is huge and has many different, interesting parts covering five centuries of Swedish history. There are churches and houses, shops, bakeries and farmsteads, all authentic to the period each depicts. 

Skansen is a remarkable ‘immersive experience’ place. While you walk around the historical buildings or a beautifully decorated merchant’s house from the 19th century, you can easily stumble across actors/characters in period dresses who will answer all your questions. 

The museums also have a zoo with wild bears, reindeer, wolves and other beautiful animals.

2. Wienercaféet

There are many cafes with delicious deserts and traditional Swedish food around Stockholm, but my favourite one was Wienercaféet. Their smorgasbords with salmon and avocado were amazing, and I liked their pastries so much, that I had to take two pieces of cake to our hotel and devour them in bed while watching Vikings.

 

3. Hotel Skeppsholmen

By the way, speaking of hotels! Ben and I were staying at the Skeppsholmen which is situated on the beautiful and very quiet island of Skeppsholmen. Our room had a great Scandinavian minimalist design, big shower and in the mornings we were ate a very, very tasty breakfast with various choices of food.

The hotel has a very colourful history and is a government listed historic building. To read more about hotel’s history click here.  

4. Gamla Stan

Probably the most photographed area of Sweden, Gamla Stan or ‘Old Town’, is one of the largest and most gorgeous medieval city centres in Europe. Come here for charming little streets, churches, pictures in front of colourful buildings, souvenirs, cafes, museums and old-fashioned romance. The Royal Palace is also located in Gamla Stan, and you surely don’t want to miss it!

5. The Royal Palace

Kungliga slottet, the Royal Palace is one of the largest and most lavish palaces in the world with its 608 rooms. Although the Swedish Royal family, the House of Bernadotte, reside in the much smaller and modest Drottinghom Palace, the king and the queen still hold audiences and host some official ceremonies in Kungliga slottet.

6. Djugarden

The island of Djugarden, once a royal hunting ground, doesn’t only have Skansen. The Nordiska Museum, Junibacken (which is a museum dedicated to fictional characters from Astrid Lindgren’s creations, e.g. Karlsson-on-the-Roof), The Abba Museum, Vasa Museum with its massive warship, Vasa that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628, and other smaller museums and galleries.

I think Djugarden was my favourite island in Stockholm, and I would definitely love to explore it in summer next time.

7. Fartygsmagasinet i Stockholm AB

I LOVE antique stores, and Fartygsmagasinet immediately caught my attention when we were walking around Gamla Stan. This antique store specialises in nautical antiques and maritime interiors, and has a large selection of unique pieces you just want to peruse. 

 

Next, I will share my Lapland and Ice Hotel review, and also my Copenhagen guide, so stay tuned!