For their honeymoon, Robb and Mette are heading off to the ski slopes, and appropriately have chosen one of Scandinavia's most beautiful resorts, Levi, in Finnish-Lapland as their destination.
Levi is some 200kms north of the Arctic Circle, which means that it is guaranteed fantastic snow conditions from November to May. The skiing in Levi is excellent for first or second time skiers, and also has some more challenging runs for those with a little more experience - this means that Robb and Mette should find the terrain suits them perfectly. Even at the busiest times of year, the slopes are un-crowded and the ski area offers a variety of wide-open, friendly slopes which are just ideal for cruising around.
Of course, being Scandinavia, if Robb and Mette want a break from downhill skiing, they can swap their equipment and head off on the langlauf 'loipen' to try their hand at cross-country skiing instead. Cross-country skiing is an obsession in Finland and the flatter terrain around the resort is just perfect for heading out into the forests, where the only sound you hear is the swish of the snow underneath your skis.
By travelling this far north in February, Robb and Mette will find the days quite short, but the early onset of darkness doesn't stop visitors and locals from enjoying themselves - huskies see almost as well in the dark as they do in the light, so a husky safari is always a popular option, as is a visit to one of the local Lappish reindeer farms or taking a snow-mobile trip out into the wilds. Given the deep darkness and often crystal clear skies at night, February is also a great time of year for trying to see the famous, and mysterious Northern Lights.
Whereas we Brits tend to shy away from ice and snow, the Finns embrace it, live with it and use it. This is seen to its best effects during a visit to the Snow Village, which is only a short drive from Levi. 1.5 million kilos of snow and 300000 kilos of natural ice are turned into a complete community including sculptures and buildings covering more than 20000 square metres. Mette and Robb could sit at their ice-carved table enjoying a beer served in a glass made from solid ice before having dinner in the biggest ice dome in Europe, where there are also regular discos and illuminated displays of ice-art. If they really fancy something different, then they could even overnight in the SnowHotel !
Whatever their plans, Robb and Mette will be assured of a warm welcome at their hotel, where they will be well-looked after with great food, and if things are cold and un-hospitable outside, they can always seek refuge in their private en-suite sauna !!! Sadly, they can only be away for a week, but if other travellers to Lapland are anything to go by, it probably wont be their last visit.
If you would like to make a donation to the costs of Robb and Mette's honeymoon, then please download and complete the General Contribution Form and return this to us. However, if you would like to make them a specific gift of an activity, then please download and complete the Wedding Gift Contribution Form and send this back to us.
