Europe Winter Itinerary
 

I'm looking for some advice on our proposed itinerary for our honegmoon, arriving in Paris on 20th December and we don't know where to fly out from! Very open to ideas and suggestions. Thanks!

Day 1 20th: Arrive in Paris- Train to Stratsbourg
Day 2 21st: Stratsbourg
Day 3 22nd: Stratsbourg
Day 4 23rd: Train to Paris
Day 5 24th: Paris
Day 6 25th: Paris
Day 7 26th: Paris
Day 8 27th: Paris
Day 9 28th: Paris
Day 10 29th: Paris
Day 11 30th: Arrive in London
Day 12 31st: London
Day 13 1st: London
Day 14 2nd: London
Day 15 3rd: London
Day 16 4th: London
Day 17 5th: fly to Ivalo- bus to Saariselka
Day 18 6th: Saariselka
Day 19 7th: Saariselka
Day 20 8th: Travel to Rovaniemi
Day 21 9th: Rovaniemi
Day 22 10th: Rovaniemi
Day 23 11th: Fly to....
Day 24 12th:
Day 25 13th:
Day 26 14th:
Day 27 15th:
Day 28 16th: Fly home!!!

Helsinki? Stockholm? Since you are that far north, you might want to stick to places around the Baltic Sea, although in a few hours you could also fly to warmer areas.

What are your interests? You do know it will be cold, damp and dark in northern Europe in December? London is pretty festive over Christmas, not so much in January. Don't know how much shuts down in Paris for Christmas Eve/Day.

You have another thread going w/ lots of responses

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-honeymoon.cfm

. . . to find all your activity, click on your name or on the little image at the top right corner and then 'View Profile'

Thanks I wasn't sure how to go directly to the threads I have posted. Thanks for the help.

If you plan to go to the fireworks in London on New Year's Eve be sure you get tickets as it is now a ticketed entrance

https://www.london.gov.uk/get-involv...ion-london-new

For trains book early for discounts on Eurostar and Paris to Strasbourg and back - www.eurostar.com and www.voyages-sncf.com respectively. For lots on trains check www.seat61.com (great info on discounted tickets); www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

As for where to fly to -how about some place warm like Rome or Venice and fly out of Italy?

You have relatives to visit in northern Scandinavia? If not why are you going to near total darkness for several days? Just curious.

No we don't have relatives. We are going for the experience? Hoping to see northern lights, stay in ice igloo, husky rides etc, the Christmas festivities of Santa Claus village... i have always wanted to visit these places in Finland.. is it not going to be a nice experience?

is it not going to be a nice experience?>

sound super now that you exlain it-something different for sure and aweing in its own right.

Would I spend December there -no way Jose - different strokes for different folks - total or near total darkness and cold don't do that much for me -get enough of that in Northern Michigan except we see some daylight (if rarely the sun in Dec). Sounds like you know and have researched what you want to do - sounds great!

Hahs yes it is going to be a massive shock for us I think in that sense. But yeah done hundreds of hours of research and people on here are sooo helpful! We will be there in January and it's really the only time we can go so we will have to make sure we are prepared for the cold :)

Can I ask where you live and how much experience you have had with real winter weather? I suspect that you may be romanticizing the true winter experience. Perhaps I am wrong.

No you may be right. I am from Australia and haven't had any real winter experience. I have wanted to do this for ages! All I know is from researching, reading blogs of people who have visited at that time, and all the forums on here! So you could be right. But how am I to know with our trying! I am so excited! I'm still researching and asking people for advice so I can prepare for it the best I can :) and if all else fails I will drink wine from inside my glass igloo and watch winter from the warmth of my bed lol

You'll be fine. If you go out with the Huskies they fit you out with real cold weather clothes because the wind chill factor can really hurt, similar with skidoo hire.

If you get a lot of wind (unlikely) they you just don't go ut without the right clothes. Normal temps will be -15 to -5C and you need some basic stuff to survive in that, so walking boots, thick socks, basic lined trousers (not jeans) and multiple layers for the top with a coat outside, gloves and hat. Light reflection can be an issue, but unless you get very strange light conditions normal oz shades will do for walking about.

xross country skiing generates a lot of heat so you need wicing underlayers. I tend to find below -15 my skull tries to change shape (well it feels like it), and the general darkness/low light can alter depth/distance perception. But the finns around you know what to do, a mate of mine was dragged into a bar once, because he did not have a hat, and they managed to save his ears from frost bite.

Thanks so much! So when we book tours, like the husky safari, they have all the equipment/clothes needed there for hire hey?

Yes, they should provide you with full outerlayer. To be honest I can't remember what happens at the boot and glove layer, but they know that customers are not used to the activity and want people to come back so they don't want people with frozen limbs going on line, so you will be safe.

Seriously good fun, you get either 3 or 4 dogs and a light sledge, you tend to just follow a queue of other sledges but the dogs are so excited and there is nothing else out there apart from the back of the guy ahead you will not mind. I still remember being pulled through a pile of snow up to my neck by the things. :-) :-) :-)

But they will assume you will be wearing walk-about clothes (not T shirts and shorts) :-)

Ok thanks so much for all your help! I might make sure I buy some appropriate shoes then. And make sure I have all the layers needed...no shorts and shirts haha.

I am a skeptic about this entire adventure because I live in a city where the weather average for January is only a teeny bit warmer (perhaps 3 or 4 degrees F) than your desired visit in Finland/Lapland. You are also aware, I assume, of the fact that there will only be about 2 hours of real daylight during your trip. A clear, sunny day in snowy weather can be marvelous, but once it darkens most people's only desire is to be shut inside a warm, cozy place. I suspect you'll be spending a lot of time in your igloo with your wine. But, on a honeymoon that may not be all bad. OTOH, how warm will it be in your igloo?

Good luck with your trip.

I have read reviews and the glass igloos are nice and warm and are well equipped. Yes I am aware that there will not be much daylight! More chance of seeing the northern lights with no day light though! And yes you are righht, it is our honeymoon which is why we have gone all out with beautiful accommodation so we can just relax when we want to! Many of the tours/activities can be done in the dark so I'm really not fussed on lack of Day light hours :) we can just make the most of the couple of hours of day light scenery we get.