A Sustainable, Festive Winter Season in The Nordics

by TravelPulse Staff
Last updated: 8:00 PM ET, Mon October 16, 2023

Here’s a look at some of the many incredible travel opportunities in the Nordics that are available to visitors in the winter months ahead.

Denmark

December 13 will be a magical day in the capital of Copenhagen. In celebration of Santa Lucia, festive kayaks—decorated with string lights—parade along the city’s canals. You can snuggle up on the quayside around Copenhagen with a hot cocoa as the kayakers sing Christmas carols. This special floating parade only happens once a year.

Take the road less traveled and explore Denmark’s second city, Aarhus. Experience the open-air “Old Town Museum” and follow the Christmas route, for a fascinating and illuminating journey through 400 years of Danish Christmas.

Enjoy the festive season at the most magical Christmas market in Denmark, Tivoli Gardens. The historic park is a literal beacon, with thousands of twinkling lights and more than a thousand decorated Christmas trees. There are 60 stalls as well as the Christmas aromas of warm gløgg and freshly baked goods.

Faroe Islands

Christmas here is focused on spending time with family and friends—over good food and inspiring hikes. There are numerous activities (especially in the capital) with a focus on Christmas markets and pop-up shops that sell locally made handicrafts. It’s as far from the big-city hectic Christmas as you can get.

Finland

Helsinki Christmas Market is celebrated at the Senate Square from December 1-22. The market, which is committed to sustainability, monitors all environmental impacts. Restaurants use only biodegradable dishes, waste is minimized and sorted, and the stalls and carousel are powered with renewable energy sources.

Visitors here can cross-country ski from guesthouse to guesthouse. In fact, daily skiing tours operate in the magnificent landscapes of North Karelia; they are between 10-25 km in length, and include breaks. The journeys last for up to six hours—and sandwiches and hot drinks are part of the fun at each break!

The testament of Finnish endurance and strength is known as ‘sisu.’ So why not test one’s own sisu in the gentle company of the locals in the sauna capital of the world, Tampere? Hot and cold therapy is widely available in winter and summer time, allowing for the blissful experience of swimming under the Midnight Sun.

Greenland

Christmas in Greenland is about slow living, family time, and local food and handicrafts—a holiday paradise that many families only dream about. One of the best places to visit is Nuuk. Travelers will find plenty of winter activities such as hiking in the snow, tobogganning and skiing. Visitor can also tuck into some cocoa with marshmallows, coffee or cakes at a local coffee shop. Greenland cake is sugared bread with almonds, raisins and candied peel or palannguit, which are small balls of fried dough.

There are local Christmas markets to buy gifts for friends and family back home. Popular items are handmade mittens, ceramic cups and baked goods. New Year is also a special time in Nuuk. Enjoy freshly caught fish and shellfish and then celebrate outside with a view of the fjord for a dazzling fireworks celebration.

Iceland

During the winter season in Iceland, there’s a focus on outdoor sports, art events, and cultural activities. Some specific inspiration includes:

There are outdoor winter snow activities for beginners and professionals, including alpine skiing and snowboardin, off-piste skiing, cross country skiing, heliskiing and more.https://www.visiticeland.com/article/winter-sports

Iceland is also an ideal place to see the Northern Lights and, the cold doesn't keep anyone inside with a roster of fun winter festivals and events, such as the Christmas Village and a New Year's Eve Run.

Norway

Here, you can sleep in the world’s largest gingerbread house, experience a white Christmas with cheerful markets, and visit Father Christmas himself. Discover some of the best places to celebrate Christmas in Norway are here.

Wintertime is a fun time to visit Norway! Although the days are shorter, visitors can ski or try other fun outdoor activities. In the Arctic, whale safaris and northern lights adventures await. The “Viking season” gives you an opportunity to experience the fjords without the crowds.

Sweden

Usher in the festive season by visiting a Swedish Christmas market, with quality handmade products, tasty food, and fun activities. The markets are located in larger cities and small towns alike.

The open-air museum Skansen, located in Stockholm’s city park, is a major attraction. Its Christmas market has been a calendar highlight since 1903. You can stroll past the stalls and stock up on traditional Christmas food and local handicrafts. Kids will love all that Skansen has to offer—from meeting resident animals to craft workshops.

Liseberg Amusement Park, in Gothenburg, hosts Sweden’s largest Christmas market. Millions of twinkling lights and more than a thousand Christmas trees set the tone. If you’d like to try the Swedish Christmas food experience, Liseberg's ‘julbord’ is a buffet-style smorgasbord with dishes hot and cold.

Kosta, part of the Kingdom of Crystal (‘Glasriket’) in the southern province of Småland, is home to one of Sweden's most famous glassworks, Kosta Boda. It puts on one of the country’s major Christmas markets, brimming with six million Christmas lights and Santa’s magical wish list machine.

More holiday season inspiration here.

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