A Breathe Of Fresh Air At Christmas Tour
Enjoy Stockholm’s traditional and cosy atmosphere at Christmas plus the unique experience of heading out to the exotic archipelago and breathing the fresh sea air and enjoying the wild nature.
TRIP LENGTH: 5 Days
FULL ITINERARY
Day 1: Stockholm
‘A BREATHE OF FRESH AIR AT CHRISTMAS’ starts in Stockholm where we meet at your accommodation for a welcome drink and trip briefing. You then have a free evening to visit Gamla Stan’s very own Christmas market with its cosy Christmas lights and lingering scents of mulled wine and gingerbread biscuits. After a mug of mulled wine, continue onto to one of Stockholm’s most established restaurants, famous for its Swedish meatballs and other local fare. Stockholm itself is unquestionably a unique and beautiful city all year round, not only due to its location on 14 islands with its infinite presence of water, but also because of its combination of nature, colourful architecture and ancient history. And you need never walk far to appreciate the impressive views stretching across the Baltic water as it winds past the city walls. Furthermore, a stroll through Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s charming old town, is guaranteed to take you a step back in time.
Accommodation: Stockholm, Hotel
Meals: Welcome drink
Day 2: Stockholm
Today you have the day to enjoy the Christmas festivities that Stockholm has to offer you. Sweden is a country that loves to celebrate Christmas, and Stockholm is the perfect setting to put you in a Christmas mood. Gamla
Stan takes you back to the 13th century and you cannot help but feel its medieval atmosphere as you wander through its cobblestone streets past narrow, colourful houses of yesteryear. Today you can soak in the atmosphere by making a visit to Stockholm’s open air museum, Skansen, which is famous for its Nordic Zoo and living history exhibition; over the years about 150 historical buildings have been moved here from nearly every part of Sweden. During the Christmas period, Skansen puts on a traditional Christmas market dating back to 1903 where you can wander in the cosy atmosphere and admire the Christmas foods and handicrafts on offer. This evening, a visit to the extraordinary Absolut Ice Bar is included – built entirely of ice from Lapland! Enjoy an Absolut Vodka cocktail in these unusual surroundings!
Note 1: Additional warm clothing provided
Note 2: A max of 45 mins is allowed in the ice bar
Accommodation: Stockholm, Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Ice Bar vodka cocktail
Day 3: Stockholm → Grinda
This morning you head down to the harbour and hop on a sightseeing boat that takes you around delightful Djurgården, a part of Stockholm’s unique Ekopark, the world’s first national city park. Leaving the inner city behind, we appreciate the city’s nature as we enter the peaceful Djurgården canal. When we head home, a fabulous view of the Stockholm skyline opens up – only to be seen from the water! We then take a walk in the fresh air and find a quiet spot to enjoy a warming picnic lunch together. You then have a free afternoon to visit one of the many museums located on or close by Djurgården. Alternatively head into town and discover Stockholm’s shopping scene.
Early evening you head to the harbour again and take the boat out into Stockholm’s wonderful archipelago. Sail through this world famous 24,000 island archipelago to the island of Grinda. Grinda is a popular island throughout the year because of its proximity to the centre and its feeling of calm and tranquillity. This evening you will have the chance to experience a typical Swedish Christmas custom – the Julbord. This is the Christmas dinner that Swedes enjoy at Christmas time and includes a full smörgåsbord of delicious Christmas food including, fresh and smoked salmons, herring, a variety of seafood, cooked and cold meats, roasted pork and much more! There is also the option of having a wood fired floating sauna – a heart warming experience on a cold winter night.
Tonight you stay in a charming archipelago hotel on the island of Grinda. This art-deco hotel has been newly renovated and is today a well respected hotel offering exquisite cuisine, high standards of accommodation, comfort and charm in beautiful and relaxed surroundings, a perfect escape from the Christmas rush!
Accommodation: Grinda, Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Boat trip: Stockholm → Grinda, 1 ½ hrs
Optional Activities: Floating sauna (note dependent on numbers)
Day 4: Grinda → Stockholm
This morning, you have time to enjoy the peace and quiet that the archipelago is so appreciated for. Stroll along
the paths crisscrossing the island and enjoy the winter views and the fresh archipelago air. We will be arranging a short ‘team walk quiz’ around the island during which you seek out archipelago related questions dotted around the island. Back at the hotel, lunch and a hot cup of coffee in front of an open fire will more than prepare you for your return boat journey back to the mainland and the buzz of the city.
Back in town, you have the option of taking part in an evening ‘Ghost Tour’, during which your guide will lead through the Old Town and recount genuine stories of ghosts, murders, myth, mystery, disease & legend from your experienced Ghost Guide. You will never look at Stockholm the same way again!
Tonight we recommend a visit to a restaurant reminiscent of the year 1435 with traditional medieval fare and atmosphere.
Accommodation: Stockholm, Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & lunch
Boat trip: Grinda → Stockholm, 1 ½ hrs
Optional Activities: Ghost tour
Day 5: Stockholm
Today you are free to enjoy Stockholm on your last day. Recommended is a visit to the famous Vasa Museum as a visit to Stockholm is not complete without seeing it. The Vasa ship sank on its maiden voyage on 1628 and was salvaged from the depths of Stockholm’s harbour in 1961. Despite over 300 years lying at the bottom of the Baltic, the Vasa is extremely well preserved thanks to the Baltic’s brackish waters.
Alternatively, explore the trendy clothing and design shops that Stockholm is becoming so respected for or take to the waters again and visit one of the remaining 24,000 islands lying on your doorstep!
Meals: Breakfast
TRIP COST INCLUDES
Rates and conditions here.
Assistance from our English guide.
Accommodation:
Hotel x 4
Activities:
Gamla Stan Christmas Market
Skansen Open Air Museum and Christmas Market
Ice Bar
Djurgården Sightseeing by boat
and on foot
Grinda archipelago island
Christmas Table / Julbord
‘Team walk quiz’