The variety of accommodation, away from bland corporate hotels and international chains, is fascinating. Accommodation is available in chic, boutique city centre hotels, traditional fishermen's cottages (rorbu) and elegant manor houses



As a "must" in Sweden, you can visit Stockholm and its archipelago of over 24,000 islands. You can tour Oslo in Norway with its wealth of museums and parkland. Join the local people in one of the many waterfront restaurants and sample a whole range of tempting, mouthwatering delicacies - oysters, salmon, crayfish, cod, reindeer, kottbuller (meat balls) to name but a few.

In summer, you have the Sweden's hundreds of miles of beaches to choose your ideal spot. Particularly fine arethose on the west coast, where there were 96,000 lakes at the last count!. There are many waterskiing and windsurfing centres on the coast and lakes, ideal hunting ground for those looking for activity and exercise, and to indulge their passion for the water.

Also available to the active sportsperson, there are superb facilities around the country for skating, tobogganing, snowmobiling, ice climbing and even dog sled driving/riding. A host of nature based activities are available. This includes hiking, canoeing, bird watching, midnight sun cruises and crayfish, lobster and oyster safaris in the summer months. In the winter, in addition to the husky dog sledding, snowmobile tours and ice fishing, there is also the fantastic spectacle of the and northern lights.

Sweden also has over 400 golf courses: and there is even one north of the Arctic Circle enjoys with 24-hour daylight during the summer months, for those who simply cannot get enough golf in their lives!

Or how about a cruise along the Norwegian coastline onboard Hurtigruten cruise lines, or a trip sailing along the 190km Göta Canal onboard the M/S Juno, the oldest steam passenger boat in the world.

Between the main cities there are sparsely populated wildernesses with - for example - Jostedalsbreen, Europe's largest glacier. In these area, outdoor activities including skiing, fishing and rock-climbing hold sway . Anyone who comes here will simply marvel at the stunning beauty of the Norwegian countryside, with its multitude of steep-sided valleys, high mountain lakes and breathtaking vistas..

Meanwhile, a 'right of access' to the countryside in Sweden and Norway opens up this diverse natural landscape: pristine wilderness areas, imposing mountain ranges, meandering rivers, fjords and glaciers and peaceful archipelagoes - all there just waiting for the visitor to enjoy.

Whether you are looking for a short city holiday in Sweden or a trip to Norway, a relaxing week doing nothing or a multi-centre activity holiday - the 'real' Scandinavia is the place for you! And with cheap flights from the UK and Europe in plentiful supply, this is the time to go.