Discover the World of wildlife at Alexandra Palace

Discover the World is thrilled to be exhibiting at the inaugral Wildlife Xpo this coming Friday and Saturday at Alexandra Palace. 

The wonderful backdrop of Alexandra Palace is hosting a remarkable series of wildlife seminars and lectures as well as an excellent exhibition of everything to do with wildlife.  We are especially thrilled to be part of this show as so many of our destinations feature wildlife and natural beauty.

Meet our very own Nikki Rickett, who last austral summer worked for the Antarctic Heritage Trust as Base Leader at the historic Port Lockroy on the Antarctic Peninsula, for her talk on Friday at 1330 in the Palace Suite as she shares her exploits "Living with Penguins…and other Antarctic wildlife". Join Nikki to find out more about this captivating wildlife destination.

Join us and Cathy Harlow for her talk on Saturday at 1015 in the Londesborough suite to learn about the ultimate whale watching opportunities to be enjoyed around the world - including killer whales in Iceland and belugas in Canada’s Hudson Bay, to sperm whales in New Zealand and humpbacks in Antarctica.

Do visit us at the exhibition on Stand 93 in the Westhall to find out about our other wildlife destinations, New Zealand, Canada, Finland, Australia and the Polar regions.

 See you at the Wildlife Xpo!

Super Jeep rolls into the Scan Show this weekend

If you have ever wondered why the Icelanders are so obsessed with their superjeeps then why not visit the Scandinavia Show at Earls Court this weekend to see this magnificent vehicle for yourself.

Our Managing Director, Clive Stacey, had great fun driving this beast via the Faroe Islands, via a ferry or two and through Denmark to the UK for its debut at Earls Court this weekend - some fascinating stares along the way and that was just on the small tyres!

So do come visit us on stand 135 at the Scandinavia Show which is open on Saturday 8th October 10-6.30pm and Sunday 9th October from 10 - 5pm.

Cathy Harlow, author of a fantastic guidebook Iceland, by Landmark publishers will be giving a talk on the Northern Lights on Saturday at 1.30pm and Emma Puttnam and Lorraine Silvester will be giving a talk on Sunday at 1030 on A Year in Scandinavia - so do come along and meet our experts and pick up your Northern Lights pack on the stand 135.

Kate Bush and 50 Words for Snow!

Kate Bush announced on the 13th September that she is launching a much awaited new album which is themed all around snow! The album is called "50 Words for Snow" and will be released in November.  The cover of the album features a sculpture made of ice. Some of the new tracks are SNOWFLAKES, 50 WORDS FOR SNOW and AMONG ANGELS.

The Sami people of Lapland don't just have 50 words for snow they have 300!  Following the reindeer east to west, and back again the whole Sami culture is built around these incredible animals and living in the winter wonderland of Lapand.  In order to work in the harsh conditions they have studied every aspect of snow hence their 300 words to describe in great detail each type of snow.

 

Skåne in Sweden proudly hosts the world's largest picture made of apples!

The town of Kivik, in Skåne southern Sweden,  hosts the amazing Kivik Apple market, a 2 day festival each September to celebrate the humble apple.  Join 20,000 visitors and witness the incredible, huge picture made entirely of apples, of every shade and hue, whilst being royally entertained by the many major artists who come  to this corner of Sweden to celebrate the harvest in music and song.  This year's festival takes place on 24th and 25th September.

When you visit Skåne, it soon becomes apparent that this is a wonderful place to relax and absorb the calm surroundings.  It is a very popular area for both Swedish and Danish nationals who enjoy this region.  Whether you choose to explore by bicycle or by car on a self-drive itinerary - in  Skåne it is easy to unwind as it is to fill your days with as much activity as you please. 

It is possible to visit the Apple Market and Kivik on our Discovering Skane itinerary which takes in Kivik on day 4 as you journey between Ystad to Kristianstad along the pretty coastal route. 

Abisko is the place to be this winter...

Hear from one of our clients Ms Turner, who visited this stunning part of Europe last winter.

Last winter I was very excited to be able to visit the Abisko National Park in the northern part of Sweden, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle.

I had been told that Abisko is one of the best places to see the northern lights, due to it’s predominantly cloud free skies and not only that, the Aurora Sky Station, high up on Mt Nuolja, provides an excellent place for viewing the magical northern lights, well away from the light pollution of the village below.

The 20-minute chairlift ride took us to the Aurora Sky Station just in time for a 3-course a la carte dinner. It was still a little early for the northern lights to appear, so we just sat back and enjoyed the beautiful meal with a view over the Lake Tornetrask and the twinkling towns and villages in the distance.  

After the meal we wandered out to the darkness and what really hit me first was the stars galore. The whole group was soon competing, seeing how many stars and constellations everyone could recognise, but the stars were soon forgotten when the first green light flickered across the sky. An eerie silence of anticipation followed and we were all willing for the northern lights to come back and not to leave us so quickly. Half an hour later our patience was rewarded and the aurora was back with a vengeance. The strong green lights danced across the sky, rapidly changing in shape and colour. We were all totally encased in this magical experience and when the lights suddenly came to an abrupt end, we just stood there completely speechless.  

After a while some of us decided to take the chairlift back down to the Mountain Station where we were staying overnight. What had not occurred to me on the way up, having faced the mountain, was that on the way down, you have the full view of the amazing night time scenery. That on it’s own was breathtaking, but when the northern lights suddenly came back, shrouding us once again in it’s playful display, we would have happily stopped the chairlift to stay with the aurora a little longer. It was disappointing to descend back down to ‘earth’, although we all felt privileged to have been able to be part of this magical nature’s phenomena that only a few have experienced.

Walking back to the hotel, the northern lights continued their display high above us, reassuringly lighting our way, all the way back to the hotel!

A slice of Swedish hospitality

Megan, from our Nordic team, enjoys Swedish hospitality during her trip to Skane

During my trip around spectacular southern Sweden, I was lucky enough to be invited to spend an evening, away from our hotel and the bustling city, enjoying traditional Swedish hospitality! Anna, a dedicated member of Malmo tourism, invited me and my colleagues to spend the evening at her home, just 30 minutes outside Malmo city.

Anna drove us out into the countryside to a picturesque village, pointing out their local church and other parts of the village before we pulled into her driveway. As we stepped through her gate we were wowed by her lovely garden, the rolling fields it backed onto and the peace and quiet, creating a truly beautiful place to live.  

We were offered drinks and home-made canapés to enjoy whilst watching the sunset from the garden. Anna's husband lit the barbecue and a glimpse of the delicious meal to come whet our appetites!

Once the food was cooked we took our seats in their conservatory which also had beautiful views across the fields. Our hosts had cooked us the most scrumptious meal - chicken, chorizo sausage and salad. We all loved it and were then spoilt even more with a traditional Swedish pudding of chocolate mousse and cream, the perfect ending!

We learnt that night that in Sweden most friends and families congregate at regular dinner parties and enjoy home-cooked meals together. I can see why after our wonderful night!

We were were so lucky to spend a night with such lovely people and their hospitality and kindness was very special.

To experience Swedish hospitality for yourself and start organising your own memorable holiday, click here.

Scenery, seals and sea kayaks

One of our energetic Nordic team members, Alex, tries his hand at kayaking in West Sweden

Kayaking is a popular request from our clients so I was thrilled to give it a go and see what it’s all about, in the stunning region of West Sweden…

I had kayaked once before in California and something I found notably different between the two was how experienced our Swedish guides were; from equipping us with everything we needed to wear to their expert instruction in using a kayak - how to hold the oars and paddle the right way (use your back not your arms!) and how to deal with the possible incident of your kayak rolling over ("I would be very impressed if you managed to do this" smiled our instructor - not an invitation to try but an additional sense of safety before we set off).

The kayaks are mainly two man - the person in front are the eyes, the person behind assisting with steering. Getting used to this is fun and slightly manic as everyone gets over excited and paddles in all directions getting to grips with the steering and trying not bounce into one another, much to the amusement of the guides, but before you know it everyone is happily facing the right way and paddling in sync with faint mumblings of “left right, left right”.

Feeling confident we set off along the channels, surrounded by lush green jaw-dropping scenery, birdlife and a seal who popped up to say hello. Being so close to the water we felt very much at one with nature. A couple of hours, and a good test of my fitness later, we arrived on the beach - an huge sense of achievement as we headed for a warm shower and a well deserved beer!

There is a whole range of kayaking options, suitable for all standards and available through all seasons – how about husky sledging followed by kayaking for a real thrill?!

I highly recommend kayaking to anyone who wants to see how beautiful Sweden is from a different perspective. To experience it for yourself check out our Secret Archipelago itinerary and start planning your own amazing trip.

Johnny discovers Malmo by bike

One of Discover The World’s Nordic specialists, Johnny, has recently visited the province of Skane in southern Sweden and recounts his experience of exploring the beautiful city of Malmo on two wheels.

I was told that the best way to see the city of Malmo was on a cycle tour. Having not ridden a bike since I was 10 years old I was feeling both apprehensive and excited, but the bikes looked comfortable enough…

My colleagues seemed fine getting used to them, but I was having some issues with balance! One of our guides could see I was clearly not a seasoned rider and took me on a separate tour from the others. This was perfect - not only did I have my own tour guide, but I could enjoy cycling at my own pace!

We set off from our hotel in the centre, pedalling down the streets for a few minutes before reaching Slottsparken. Malmo is known as the ‘garden city’ and this fantastic park is one of many in the city. The park is huge, surrounded by trees, with lakes linked by bridges and home to plenty of ducks. I was very lucky to have amazing weather that day; sunny and warm with many locals out and about enjoying the early summer weather.

Stopping on one of the lake bridges, I was glad to have a break and enjoy the view over the continental city. In the distance I could see the famous Turning Torso building, which is much bigger than I imagined. When this residential building was first built apparently the locals weren’t at all impressed, but how things have changed - it is now one of the city’s most prestigious addresses!

I continued riding along the many cycle routes, enjoying the Swedish summer atmosphere, to a crazy golf course where I met my colleagues for a quick round. I came third, not a bad end to a great day!

Whatever your cycling ability, the cycle routes really do make pedal power the best way to get around and see the sights of Malmo.

Fun, fun, fun in the Northern European sun

Today marks the day of Midsummer, a festivity originating from Sweden but is also very important to other Northern European countries such as Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania and Latvia.

This celebration is one of Sweden’s most prominent events of the calendar year and is about welcoming summertime and the season of fertility. It is the longest and lightest day of the year and the party will continue long into the night. In Sweden, a common sight is young girls with flowers in their hair or dancing around Midsummer poles and traditional dishes consumed include pickled herring, smoked salmon and Akvavit, which is a Swedish spirit flavoured with caraway seeds.

A fantastic area to visit this summer, to take advantage of the long days is by visiting Malmo and Southern Skane. For more information on what there is to see and do there, click here.

Other destinations where the sun barely dips below the horizon, is Iceland and Norway. Whether you want to experience whale and bird watching in Iceland - or take in the dramatic landscapes of Lofoten in the far north of Norway with its endless labyrinth of fjords, there are so many options to make the most of this summer.

 

Midsummer's dream...

Put on your flip-flop’s and get out the sunscreen because today the 21^st of June, is officially the first day of summer! It is the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest day in the Southern Hemisphere.

Interestingly, the first day of summer is known to many as ‘Midsummer’ even though the temperatures are not at their hottest! Throughout the world, Midsummer is interpreted in different ways – some recognising it as a national holiday, cultural gathering or fertility ritual.

It is also known as Summer Solstice, which occurs when the earth and the moon’s axial tilt is at its most inclined towards the sun. In the Arctic regions you can enjoy continuous sunlight during the summer months of the year - just remember to go to bed!