Just a month before Christmas and Britain can be drizzly, dreary and dull.  Not to mention battling the crowds of shoppers hoping to bag a bargain, queuing for a precious parking spot, getting tied up in sticky tape and string, making endless batches of mince pies and sausage rolls….

So, a well-earned break, away from it all, might seem very attractive. How about flying to either Stockholm or Helsinki and then catching a connecting flight up to the frozen wastes of Lapland within the confines of the Arctic Circle?

It may be cold with temperatures below freezing and snow piled all around but the air is fresh and the light is bright under cloudless, chilly blue skies.  Stay in a romantic log cabin and relax in the evenings in front of a roaring log fire or book a night or two into an ice hotel for a totally unique experience.  For those who are full of energy and prefer activity holidays to rest and relaxation, then  hire skis and try cross country skiing, have a go at dog sledding or simply hike amongst the snow covered hills and mountains, stopping for a hot chocolate and a pastry in a picturesque village cafe.

If you are travelling with young children, then you must look into a trip to Santa’s grotto and visit his reindeer on a reindeer farm! Tourists to Lapland who visit during December to March may also be lucky enough to experience the beauty of the Northern Lights.