Tallinn, Estonia

Tallinn is a favourite with cruise ships, and a big draw for tourists looking for a mix of old and new. The Old Town, which is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List, is a curious hotchpotch of twisting cobblestone lanes and dramatic spires, framed with old-fashioned iron streetlamps and home to bustling mediaeval markets. The old-fashioned ambience of this beautiful part of the city is juxtaposed by the coffee shops with free Wi-Fi, perfect for a spot of people watching after wandering the Old Town.

Tallinn, Estonia by XisPics

Also part of the Old Town is the Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin and the bell tower, which you can climb if you are up to ascending the steps. It’s well worth it if you do manage the climb; the view across the city is spectacular and it’s absolutely free.

Out of the Old Town, Tallinn has plenty to offer in the autumn. If it’s warm, a wander around the Japanese Garden at Kadriog Park is a must, or a visit to The Estonian Open Air Museum in the Rocca al Mare part of the city, where you’ll find a fascinating chunk of Estonian history complete with thatched cottages and traditional Estonian crafts. It’s also a good place for eating al fresco. If a bit of retail therapy is on the cards, Rocca al Mare also houses a huge shopping mall. Art lovers will love the Kumu Art Museum – don’t expect Old Masters though, as this gallery is more for the modern art connoisseur.

To get around the city and see as much as you can, it’s advisable to invest in a Tallinn Card that gives you access to all of the city’s public transport network; buses, trolleybuses or trams. The card also gives you free entry to many of the city’s attractions, including the Open Air Museum and Tallinn zoo.

Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Autumn and Edinburgh are the perfect combination, offering a period of calm between the frenetic Festival shenanigans and the joyful revelry of Hogmanay. The atmospheric streets of the city lend themselves perfectly to cooler, darker months, and the bounty of pubs and restaurants make Edinburgh the perfect hiding place if the clouds should burst.

Edinburgh, Scotland, UK by a_marga

Edinburgh has no fewer than five Michelin-starred restaurants if you want to indulge your foodie leanings, including Restaurant Martin Wishart in cosmopolitan Leith, which serves beautifully presented and exquisitely tasteful French cuisine… but the prices are eye-watering, so it’s definitely a treat.

When the weather is good, make the most of a walk to Arthur’s Seat and the amazing views across the city. For rainy days, there are galleries galore, or the offbeat shopping streets of Stockbridge, which are perfect for finding one-off boutiques, quirky shops and delis. Grassmarket, in the Old Town, is a great place for anyone looking for vintage clothes or individual fashion shops.

Edinburgh Castle has to be top of everyone’s tourist agenda, with its Stone of Destiny and the Scottish crown jewels to see. If you love your art, take your pick from the Scottish Galleries that offer everything from modern art to old masters.

Not into culture? You don’t have to be! You can play at being a spy and head up to the famous Camera Obscura – see what people are up to down below from the vantage point of the rooftop periscope, which was actually Edinburgh’s first ever official tourist attraction. The Edinburgh Pass will get you admission to the galleries, zoo and many other tours and attractions, from just £30, which is well worth it considering that admission to the Camera Obscura alone is £11.50. When you’ve filled yourself full of sightseeing and you just want to put your feet up with a coffee, the Elephant House is famous for being where J.K. Rowling wrote a rather famous first novel…

Stockholm, Sweden

Another must-see for any autumn tour of Europe worth its salt is Stockholm, ‘The Green and Blue City’. Stockholm is actually 14 islands connected by 57 bridges, a little like a Nordic version of Venice. Wherever you go in Stockholm you’re never too far away from water. Although Sweden starts to cool down after August, early autumn in Stockholm is beautiful; the lush green landscape changes to browns, reds and oranges, and although it can feel chilly, the skies are clear.

Stockholm, Sweden by Mark Doliner

If you’re looking for a culture-infused autumn city break, this one’s for you. Not only is the city packed with world-class museums and attractions, but they are mostly accessible on foot, so you can get around a fair few of them on an average short break. The Stockholm Card is amazing value for money and gives you free admission to 80 of the city’s top attractions, as well as free travel on all public transport.

For one of the best views of the city, head to the City Hall and take one of the scheduled guided tours. The view from the tower is worth the effort of the climb. If you’re in the city at the right time, and love vintage, there’s a vintage street market in Stockholm city every two weeks, and a classically designed hidden gem – the Birger Jarlspassagen – is a haven for designer label aficionados and luxury beauty emporia. Take in the picturesque Old Town too, where you can wander the streets hunting for photo opportunities.

For a taste of Swedish history, it’s almost obligatory to pay a visit to the Swedish Royal Palace in Gamla Stan, close to the Old Town. You might just catch a change of the guard! Take in some of the museums too – the amazing Vasa Museum with its preserved shipwreck, the Nordic Museum, which is a museum of cultural history by day and a centre for music and events by night, or the National Museum of Art.

City breaks in the autumn are perfect if you like to explore without trampling other tourists, or get into attractions without heaving queues. The heat is off and you can tour some of Europe’s loveliest cities at your leisure.

Written by Katharina Kraetzer, a blogger who loves to travel in Europe. This summer she will visit Italy and Slovenia.

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Helsinki for a Weekend | Finland

If you can spend several days in Helsinki, make sure to visit the Helsinki Cathedral and take a photo sitting on its steps, like masses of people do. This beautiful piece of architecture, built in the 19^th century, is an Evangelic Lutheran church, but it is also a symbol of Helsinki, so missing it could make your trip feel incomplete. For the ones interested in military architecture – or for the ones interested in UNESCO World Heritage sites – the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress is something not to be missed. Built to guard the entrance to Helsinki, this fortress dates back to the beginning of the 18^th century and attracts many visitors every year. Finally, if you still have time, try to visit the Seurasaari museum, which is on an island a couple of kilometres outside Helsinki. It is an open-air ethnographic museum with a scenic route leading to it. There are special events at Seurasaari during Christmas, Easter, and Midsummer, so make sure to put it on your list if you happen to be in Helsinki around those times.

Helsinki Orthodox Cathedral, Finland by Adrián Pérez

Destination: Stockholm | Sweden

If you are in Stockholm, Gamla Stan is something that is impossible to miss, and for a good reason. It is one of the biggest and best-preserved city centres in Europe, dating back to medieval times. With narrow streets that are home to lovely shops of handicrafts and souvenirs, cosy bars and cafés, what else can you ask for in a weekend escape? A royal palace, perhaps? The Royal Palace of Stockholm is the official residence of His Majesty the King of Sweden and is open to public. This lovely Italian Baroque-style building has more than 600 rooms and five museums, so you can spend quite some time there admiring the building and its treasures. If you have time left, definitely go to Skansen, the oldest open-air museum in the world, which also has a zoo.

Skansen, Stockholm, Sweden by Jack Torcello

Reykjavik for the Weekend | Iceland

A weekend in Iceland can be one of the most incredible weekends of your life. If you feel like taking a half-day break after your trip, go to the Laugardalslaug Geothermal Pool, which is the largest pool in Iceland. It also has the best facilities, including an outdoor pool, an Olympic-size indoor pool, a steam bath, and even a 86-metre water slide. Enjoy the water temperature, which is kept at a nice 29°C by the volcanic water. After your relaxing time in the pool, definitely hit the museums. There is the National Museum and the Saga Museum, so you can learn more about the Vikings and how people used to live in the older days in the Reykjavik City Museum (Arbaejarsafn), which is the biggest open-air museum in the country.

Reykjavik, Iceland by Daniel

Scandinavia Awaits

With all these attractions waiting, wonder no more. Although perhaps not the sunniest places, these destinations have their charm, and so does the UK city breaks. Ready. Steady. Go.

This is an article written by Lilly Sheperd, a freelance writer and gastro-blogger who shares her experiences on various blogs.

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This guide explains why it has such an outstanding record in auroral activity and gives a travellers introduction to the area.

Northern Lights by Jens Ottoson / Fotolia.com

Location

Abisko, a village with an official population of 81, lies in the northwest part of Swedish Lapland. Located  90 Kilometres from Kiruna, which serves as the arrival airport to the region and 40 kilometres from the Norwegian border, it is located 250 kilometres above the Arctic Circle and is reached by train ( 1.5 hours) or by road  (1 hour) from Kiruna. The train ride runs on the same tracks used to carry the precious iron ore mined beneath Kiruna to the port of Narvik in Norway.

Why is it so good for Northern Lights hunting?

There are three main reasons why Abisko ranks as one of the best places in the word for seeing consistent sightings of the aurora.

1. Being situated well north of the Arctic Circle, the northern auroral oval, where the solar winds are drawn towards the magnetic poles, is directly overhead. This in itself is not unique but is significant.
2. The second reason is due to the Gulf Stream which draws warm water up the Norwegian coast and leads to a more moderate climate. Coastal regions can be foggy which affect sightings.
3. The third and unique factor is to do with Abisko falling within what is known as a precipitation shadow. This is the result of the location and shape of the high mountains that separates the coast of Norway from Abisko.  Precipitation rising off the North Sea releases its snowfall west of Abisko which means that Abisko has much less snow than the region as a whole. Locals refer to the ‘hole in the sky’ but there is no denying the fact that Abisko has the most cloud free nights in Sweden.  So marked is this that Björkliden, only a few kilometers away, has much fewer clear nights per season.

In terms of hard facts for the latest season, these are the latest statistics for nightly sightings as recorded by professional Northern Lights photographer Chad Blakley on his night tours:

• Looking at the whole season, 74% of nights between 01 December and the 31 March had the most Aurora activity.
• The lowest month was January at 65% and highest March at 91%.

Northern Lights by ronnihauks / Fotolia.com

Where to see them from

Literally if the skies are clear then you have exceptional chances on any given night to the see the aurora from anywhere in Abisko. For sheer drama you might like to venture by chairlift to the Aurora Sky Station, situated about 300 metres up Mount Nuolja (cost 750 SEK), or consider having the excellent dinner up there (1995 SEK). But this is by no means a necessary expense for seeing the Aurorae.

Where to Stay

Abisko has two main accommodations. The STF Turiststation in Abisko has its roots as one of the stops on the famous 450 km Kungsleden hiking trail which tracks through the mountains of North West Swedish Lapland. The hotel/ lodge has 104 rooms which have seen some modernisation over the last few years. There is a restaurant and lounging area too.

Alternatively there is Abisko Mountain Lodge which has 16 rooms and is run by the welcoming Mina and Dick Johansson. En suite rooms are simple but the communal area and restaurant are packed with atmosphere. The restaurant serves excellent cuisine based on the best local ingredients and is a definite reason for staying.

What to Do

Nights take care of themselves during the aurora season although there are a few enhancements to any itinerary. Besides a night up at the aurora sky station two of the top aurora photographers in the world run courses during the winter months. Chad Blakley and Peter Rosen are both based in Abisko and are worth spending time with, irrespective of whether you are a professional or amateur photographer!

During the day there are numerous things to do. Bookable in advance by your tour operator are husky and snowmobile day tours, both of which have great appeal to most visitors to the region.

For hardier visitors, how about trying your hand at ice climbing up a frozen waterfall in a canyon in Abisko or alternatively spending some time ice fishing on the majestic Torneträsk Lake? This is home to the ice fishing championships and little fishing huts can be seen along the vast length of this lake.

Daytrips from Abisko can either take you towards Kiruna and its neighbour Jukkasjärvi, home to the original and best IceHotel.  Alternatively you can cross the border and descend through the Norwegian Fjords into Narvik, the small interesting port which saw much naval warfare in World War 2. The fjord is still home to a number of sunken German battleships.

Alternatively, for those wishing to learn about Sami life and indeed the mythology of the Northern Lights, then there are a number of settlements within 30 minutes of Abisko that welcome people on Northern Lights tours or day trips where reindeer safaris can be undertaken.

Finally for late season arrivals, the Abisko region is regarded as the best ski destination in Sweden. The main resorts are at Riksgränsen and Björkliden which offer downhill skiing and snowboarding, cross country and snowshoe trails while Abisko itself is regarded as an excellent base for heli-skiing. Dick Johansson at Abisko Mountain Lodge is the pre-eminent guide in the region for this extreme form of skiing.

Northern Lights by Stefan Senft / Fotolia.com

Best time to Go

February and March when the days are getting longer, the climate is at its best and the aurora are consistently good!

About the Author: Kevin Collins is a seasoned Northern Lights expert, having built up a wealth of knowledge over the years about the natural phenomena through his business Weekend a la Carte – a leading specialist in Abisko Northern Lights trips and other top Aurora-spotting travel destinations.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Jimmy Harris

Romantic places for an evening stroll

Monteliusvägen

Promenade Monteliusvägen runs through the hills of Södermalm. It offers picturesque view of the bay Riddarferden, the island of Kungsholmen, City Hall and the Old Town. A true Mecca for romantic travel fans.

Kina slot

Secluded Chinese Pavilion was built in the Drottningholm Palace park by order of King Adolf Fredrik in the 1750s. All the construction works were kept in secret as this pavilion was meant to be a birthday present to Queen Lovisa Ulrike.

Stadshusets gård

Leave behind the noise of big city and step behind the massive walls of this park. Magnificent garden, sculptures and water views will surely set up a romantic mood.

Sandhamn

A small island with scenic maritime terrain of the outer archipelago. This island is a true romantic hide away thanks to its idyllic village, yacht port and The Sandhamn Sailing Hotel with hot baths at the open air. A perfect place for romantic weekend or at least a romantic day out.

Djurgarden

A romantic green oasis, a must-visit place if you are a fan of slow travel and leisurely strolls. A walk along the canal can be combined with a visit to various museums followed by a relaxation in one of park’s cozy cafeterias.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Mispahn

Restaurants

Cloud Nine

Restaurant is renowned for its exquisite French cuisine. But the best part is that a dinner can be followed by excellent desert in a cozy Cloud Nine desserts and drinks hall, where tables are enclosed by black tulle curtains.

Brasserie Le Rouge

A burlesque-themed café inspired by Amsterdam’s Red District with romantic and a bit ironic atmosphere. Classic French and Italian menu guarantees a great culinary experience.

Gondolen

An elegant restaurant with an exclusive menu of Swedish and international cuisine is situated high above Stockholm’s port and offers breathtaking panoramic views over the Old Town. What could be more romantic? Ensure to book your table in advance as this is an extremely popular place.

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One thing that makes Stockholm so unique is that the large city is actually comprised of 14 separate islands, connected by a network of bridges. There are currently 50 bridges keeping Stockholm’s different areas within easy reach of each other, and many of these are attractions in their own right.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Mispahn

Despite the fact it is made up of islands, Stockholm has an enviably good public transport network, comprising trains, buses and underground subway trains. You can buy day passes that allow you to get around using any combination of these, as with most major European cities.

The climate in Stockholm is surprisingly mild for a Scandinavian country, though you will find that if you visit in December the days are incredibly short, with only 6 hours of daylight on the shortest day. By contrast, there are 18 hours of daylight at the mid point of summer.

There are so many things to see and do in Stockholm’s many thriving districts that there is certainly something for every traveller. You can check out the historical sights in the old town, or shop and socialise in the trendy districts of Norrmalm and Ostermalm. The nightlife is great, but be aware that drinks are very expensive in Sweden.

Stockholm is a truly great European destination for a city break, and with plenty of transport links and hotels it is easy to find a well priced deal for a trip there.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Hunter-Desportes

European E20 route passes through Öresund Bridge as well, which is important connection between Scandinavia and Central and Western Europe. But not only the bridge is interesting here. Another part of this route is a well-built tunnel under the sea that ensures better navigation and transportation network for the ships. The long tunnel permits fleets of large cargo boats, passenger ships and speed boats steer safely through this extended tunnel.

On Öresund Bridge you will pass the borders but thanks to Schengen Agreement there are usually no passport inspections.

View Öresund Bridge – the longest road and rail bridge in Europe – between Sweden and Denmark in a larger map

The Architect of the bridge is Georg Rotne who designed several important bridges throughout the world. Öresund Bridge is 7,845 meters long and up to 23.5 meters wide and today it serves to more than 17,000 road vehicles every day.

If you visit Sweden or Denmark in the future, you have to make a trip by train or car through this unique bridge and tunnel. It is really very impressive!

View Öresund Bridge – the longest road and rail bridge in Europe – between Sweden and Denmark in a larger map

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The national park is popular with hikers and mountaineers, but not suitable for beginners. Sarek National Park has no marked trails, no accommodation possibilities.

Sarek National Park was established in 1909 (in this year the first national parks in Europe have been established) and protects nearly 2000 km2 of wilderness.

Sarek National Park is best reached from Kvikkjokk. Another way is by ship from Ritsema on the north side through the lake Akkajaure. Whether you choose any path you will get into absolute wilderness. You will find here more than 100 peaks that are higher than 1,800 meters and over a hundred glaciers.

View Sarek National Park in Sweden – largest area of unspoilt nature in Europe in a larger map

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Mullsjö Alpine Ski Center offers visitors a total of 6 ski slopes, 2 blue, 2 red, 1 green and 1 black. The resort also offers a training hill for beginners. There is also available the Big Jump for the lovers of snowboarding. Transportation in Mullsjö Alpine resort provides 5 lifts, including a conveyor belt for a child with total carrying capacity of 3900 persons per hour.

The area has a ski school, ski equipment rental, catering, accommodation near the slopes and parking. The slopes are lit because there is also night skiing available. For classical skiing there are 5 and 10 km long circuit.

High season in Mullsjö Alpine lasts from December to April. At that time, the Centre is open daily, from Monday to Friday 9 to 16 pm and weekends 9 to 17 pm. Night skiing is every Wednesday and Friday from 18 to 21:30.

Prices:
ski pass for adults is 220 SEK per day
ski pass for children under the age of 16 is 180 SEK
ski pass for children under 7 years 90 SEK
Weekly pass for adults is 860 SEK
Weekly pass for children under the age of 16 is 680 SEK
Weekly pass for children under 7 years is 310 SEK

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Storforsen rapids are located at the River Pite. The rapids area is approx. 5 km in length and decreasing by 82 meters. The most interesting point is that at the last 600 m, the water is falling 50 meters down. During the biggest flows in the spring there are 1000 m3 of water passing per second. During the floods in 1995, it was 1200 m3 of water per second.

The history of Storforsen rapids is quite long – several thousands years. Approx. 8500 years ago there was the sea, but it gradually receded and 7000 years ago it grew into massive mouth, which created the Storforsen rapids.

More than 150 000 people visit Storforsen rapids each year.

View Storforsen rapids – the biggest rapids in Europe Sweden in a larger map

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The palace was built by John III of Sweden in 1580 for his queen, Catherine Jagellon. The Queen Dowager Regent Hedwig Eleonora, widow of Charles X Gustav, bought the castle in 1661. She gave the command to rebuild a site in 1662.

Until today there are still 30 of the original props and decorations in the unique Baroque theater, built in 1766 in the Palace. The summer is still issued here with operas and theatrical performances. For safety reasons, the interior of the theater was designed with special electric lamps, instead of candles.

The entire complex is strongly inspired by Versailles and the surrounding beautiful park with symmetrical and architectural features are worth the walk. On the way to large garden complex are seen two ponds, canals, bridges, large open grassy areas, trees standing in groups or arranged in an alley, plenty of fountains, the Chinese pavilion dating from 1753 and many statues .. Most of the ancient marble sculptures were purchased by Gustav III in Italy, but here you find the Mannerist sculptures by Adrian de Vries from the Wallenstein Garden in Mala Strana, Prague, which was taken as war booty by the Swedish soldiers in the Thirty Years War.

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