🦌❄️ ICYMI - 2026 Swedish Arctic tour is live + Quieter European destinations

Hi Reader,

How are you doing? How are the last days of spring or fall going for you?

I am at home, YAY!, after a few days in Tuscany visiting many hotels and villas for our 2026 tour. I found just the perfect location for our future tours.

A small, charming, and newly renovated country hotel that combines the magic of a stone farmhouse in the rolling hills with all the modern amenities. Plus a fab pool, an outdoor jacuzzi and great food. Stay tuned for our new and improved 2026 Tuscany tour.

📩 On this week's email:

Did you hear? Our 2026 Swedish Arctic trip is live! This year's tours were magical and you should expect the same pinch-me moments in 2026
5 lesser busy European destinations for this summer, so you can avoid the crowds if you wish to

Fun fact: More than 500 women are traveling with us in 2025, WOW! Our 2026 calendar of tours is almost fully live, are you joining us next year?

Join us in the Arctic in 2026!

After very happy trips to the Arctic this year, we launched our 2026 date. Singular, because we will only be able to offer one trip next year.

BOOK SWEDISH ARCTIC

Here are the Highlights from the trip:

Respectful and responsible Sami immersion

The Sami people are the indigenous population of the Arctic. Their land is often referred to as Lapland in marketing materials, and extends from Norway to Russia.

Despite it being used by travel companies and Government bodies, Lapland is a derogatory term we have decided not to use.

There are many reasons Sami culture is under threat, and we will meet several women keeping this heritage alive. Some are activists, some are business owners, some are Swedish who relocated to the Arctic, some married into Sami traditions, others were born into it.

Thanks to our local relationships, we will be fortunate to immerse ourselves in Sami culture and listen to beautiful "yoik", the singing storytelling tradition used to past down knowledge to future generations, in a traditional teepee tent, around the camp fire. Their stories will touch your soul.

BOOK SWEDISH ARCTIC

Premium accommodation

We will stay at some of the Arctic's most beautiful and exclusive accommodations, from Arctic Bath's stunning cabins to cozy Sorbyn Lodge, and the incredible Ice Hotel, world's first of its kind turning 35 next year.

Arctic spa rituals

Almost every day, you will get to enjoy the Arctic spa ritual of hot sauna and cold plunge in the natural frozen lakes.

Saunas are an essential part of Scandinavian culture, but will you be brave enough to participate in the full circuit?

We will stay at the Arctic's most exclusive spa hotel, Arctic Bath, where you can participate in the full ritual using local cosmetic products from a female owned company. We have also reserved exclusive use of the sauna and cold plunge at other hotels.

Expect to go back home with renewed energy, better mood and a healthier glow!

BOOK SWEDISH ARCTIC

Traditional Sami food and wild foraging

Food in the Arctic is fresh, it is local, and it is tastier than you ever tried before, because it is simply cooked but prepared with the most beautiful ingredients.

Nordic cuisine is all the rage these days and we'll learn more about how it combines modernity with Sami traditions through a foraging workshop and a Sami cooking class with interesting foods like cheese coffee. I promise you this part of the trip will surprise you the most.

Reindeer herding and traditions

Unlike in other Nordic countries, Sami people are the only ones allowed to own reindeer in Sweden, and they are an integral part of Sami culture.

We will meet Anna, a reindeer herder living in the forests of the Arctic, who is preserving Sami traditions and taking care of these adorable animals the traditional way. We will hand-feed them and get up and close.

Anna will cook a traditional meal for us in her cozy teepee tent, sing and share stories around the fire. This is THE absolute highlight of this trip.

BOOK SWEDISH ARCTIC

Husky sledding

We'll head out into the snow-covered forests on a half-day convoy of husky sleds which you will get to ride and drive.

We will learn all about huskies, and how to mindfully train them with Ylva, who decided to pioneer a new approach that is more respectful, more intentional and calmer.

Snowmobiling

When everything is covered in snow, the fastest way to get around is on a snowmobile.

We will get to drive them on a super fun and exciting adventure through snowmobiling tracks, over frozen lakes and thick forests, adrenaline pumping!

Ice Hotel

The Ice Hotel is built every year in November and melts away into the Arctic rivers every April.

We will spend 3 nights in a warm room with the option to upgrade to an Ice room for one night.

We will tour this amazing structure, carved from ice blocks from scratch every year, enjoy a drink served in an ice glass at the bar, and share a fine dining meal on ice.

BOOK SWEDISH ARCTIC

Meaningful connections

This trip is designed to be fully immersive and slow, with plenty of time to not just observe Sami culture, but be a part of it.

Hearing stories, learning about a completely different way of life, discussing the challenges of every day life in a frozen wonderland and while part of a very small minority,...

Northern Lights

The Swedish Arctic is one of the best places in the world to spot the Northern Lights and we have picked the end of March / beginning of April because they are still visible this far north.

We spotted them on 5 and 2 nights respectively during the tours this year, one evening they covered the entire sky. There is a very high chance you will too.

BOOK SWEDISH ARCTIC

5 Less busy European destinations for summer

As I will be spending most of my summer in Europe for the first time in 20 years, I have been looking for alternative places to visit for a short trip that are not packed with tourists.

This is no easy feat.

Europe is an extremely popular destination in the summer, not just with international visitors but also with locals and other Europeans.

But I think I found some options that are just not as busy:

Slovakia: A mere 2h drive or train ride from Vienna, Bratislava and the rest of the country are a good alternative to crowded Prague, Slovenia and the rest of central Europe. Expect old spa towns, mountains and nature and a laid back capital that is ready to enjoy summer.
Romania: I visited the country with my family last summer and we didn't find any crowds. You should expect colorful, pedestrian and cobblestoned medieval towns, stunning mountains and vampire stories. I entered from Serbia and ended in Bucharest. You will need a car, but a week is a good amount of time to see a few of the main cities.
North Macedonia and Kosovo: I visited these two countries a few years ago and even in the peak of summer, they felt uncrowded as there aren't as many hotels and options are in now famous Albania. You'll need a car too. Expect beautiful mountains and pretty monasteries, as well as lake vibes at Lake Ohrid.
Swedish Arctic: If you love nature and being outdoors, the Swedish Arctic is a lesser busy area than its Norwegian counterpart across the border. You can go hiking, camping, fishing and enjoying lakes and rivers. It will be cooler than anywhere else in Europe. You will need a car.
Syros or Aegina: For the island lovers and the fans of Greece, these two islands are near Athens, so easy to reach by ferry, and will offer the same as the more famous islands minus the insane crowds. Expect colorful Venetian houses in Syros and the clearest of waters, and pretty beaches and lotd of pistachios in Aegina.

Last spots left on 2025 tours

1 SPOT left on our Barcelona & beyond 28 June to 4 July => BOOK BARCELONA
🔔 2 SINGLE SPOTS opened up on our previously sold out Tuscany trip 7 to 14 September => BOOK TUSCANY
2 SPOTS left on our Amalfi Coast tour 15 to 19 September => BOOK AMALFI
2 SPOTS left on our Tanzania Value tour 26 September to 6 October => BOOK TANZANIA
🔔 1 SPOT opened up on our previously sold out Bali tour 11 to 19 October => BOOK BALI
1 SPOTS left on our Australia tour 12 to 23 October => BOOK AUSTRALIA
🔔 1 SPOT left on our Madagascar tour 6 to 17 October => BOOK MADAGASCAR

Almost all of our 2026 trips are live

The only 2026 tours that are not yet live (but coming soon) are:

Iceland
Scotland (will be live in July)

Here are the tours that you can already book:

🍝 Tuscany: 13 to 20 Jun [I will host this trip] || 5 to 12 Sep >> Book here
⛩️ Japan: 28 Mar to 7 Apr (Cherry blosson 🌸) [I will host this trip] || 13 to 23 Jun || 13 to 23 Oct (Fall 🍁) >> Book here
🍷 Georgia: 5 to 13 Sep >> Book here
❄️ Swedish Arctic: 28 Mar to 3 Apr >> Book here
🦘 Australia: 11 to 22 Oct >> Book here [Meg will host this trip]
🥘 Barcelona & Beyond: 6 to 14 Jun || 20 to 28 Jun >> Book here
🏔️ Kilimanjaro climb on Intl Women's Day: 1 to 10 Mar or 1 to 15 Mar with safari extension >> Book here.
⛵ Greek islands sailing trip: 29 May to 5 Jun >> Book here [I will host this trip]
🚗 Cuba: 14 to 22 Feb || 14 to 22 Mar || 12 to 20 Dec || New Year's Eve >> Book here
🇪🇬 Egypt: 3 to 12 Apr || 9 to 29 Oct || 6 to 15 Nov >> Book here
🐪 Morocco: 2 to 12 Oct || 6 to 16 Nov >> Book here
🦁 Tanzania Value safari + Zanzibar: 28 Aug to 7 Sep (Great Migration) || 11 to 21 Sep (Great Migration) || 23 Dec to 2 Jan, 2027 (Xmas + NYE) >> Book here
🇹🇿 Tanzania Luxe safari + Zanzibar: 25 Sep to 5 Oct, 2026 (Great Migration) || 1 to 10 Nov, 2026 >> Book here
🇦🇶 Antarctica expedition: 13 to 27 Dec >> Book here [I will host this trip]
🌴 Caribbean island hopping: 13 to 20 Feb, 2027 >> Book here [Both Meg and I will host this trip]
🐬 Ecuador & The Galapagos: 5 to 17 May [I will host this trip] || 30 Nov to 12 Dec 2026 >> Book here
🧘‍♀️ Bali: 20 to 28 June [I will host this trip] || 29 August to 6 September || 3 to 11 October >> Book here
🎄 Xmas markets: 21 to 29 November || 5 to 13 December >> Book here