A small and unexceptional far-northern coastal town and port for most of the year, Kemi (320 mi/520 km northwest of Helsinki) hosts the extraordinary SnowCastle from January until April—or until it starts to melt. The castle is a fantasy in ice and snow, with elaborate ice sculptures, an ice stage for concerts, a snow chapel—popular for weddings—and a bar serving vodka in glasses made from ice. It's possible to stay in the Castle's Snow Hotel, too, although there are typically snug hotels available in the town. Visitors often combine a night in the Snow Hotel with a four-hour cruise on the Sampo, a retired icebreaker. Passengers can even bathe using special suits in holes in the ice below the ship.
PONANT’s latest addition to the fleet, Le Commandant Charcot - the very first luxury hybrid electric polar exploration ship powered by liquified natural gas, is the epitome of a more responsible and sustainable sailing. Safe and low impact polar navigation is her area of expertise, taking advantage of the latest innovations and even developing new, market-leading technologies and solutions to make Le Commandant Charcot one of the most advanced polar vessels at sea today.
Jan 15, 2027 - Kemi
A small and unexceptional far-northern coastal town and port for most of the year, Kemi (320 mi/520 km northwest of Helsinki) hosts the extraordinary SnowCastle from January until April—or until it starts to melt. The castle is a fantasy in ice and snow, with elaborate ice sculptures, an ice stage for concerts, a snow chapel—popular for weddings—and a bar serving vodka in glasses made from ice. It's possible to stay in the Castle's Snow Hotel, too, although there are typically snug hotels available in the town. Visitors often combine a night in the Snow Hotel with a four-hour cruise on the Sampo, a retired icebreaker. Passengers can even bathe using special suits in holes in the ice below the ship.
Jan 16, 2027 - Kemi
A small and unexceptional far-northern coastal town and port for most of the year, Kemi (320 mi/520 km northwest of Helsinki) hosts the extraordinary SnowCastle from January until April—or until it starts to melt. The castle is a fantasy in ice and snow, with elaborate ice sculptures, an ice stage for concerts, a snow chapel—popular for weddings—and a bar serving vodka in glasses made from ice. It's possible to stay in the Castle's Snow Hotel, too, although there are typically snug hotels available in the town. Visitors often combine a night in the Snow Hotel with a four-hour cruise on the Sampo, a retired icebreaker. Passengers can even bathe using special suits in holes in the ice below the ship.
Jan 17, 2027 - Oulu
The coastal city of Oulu, 330 mi/530 km north of Helsinki, is a center for information technology and a good base for visits farther north. There are several small islands to visit in the area (especially Hailuoto Island—home to an open-air museum and a lovely old lighthouse), as well as beautiful parks, museums and some wonderful old churches. Liminka, just south of Oulu, has the Liminganlahti Bird Sanctuary, which manages to attract more bird species than anywhere else in Finland.
The town of Raahe makes a nice day trip: It has a quaint Old Town (200 wooden buildings), a marketplace and Pekka Square (19th-century buildings), as well as the Raahe Museum. Founded in 1862, it's the oldest museum in Finland, with displays illustrating the history of shipping and trade. If driving up from the south, consider stopping in the town of Paltaniemi, near Kajaani, to see the 18th-century church and the adjoining Czar's Stables.
Jan 18, 2027 - Lulea
Luleå has a variety of cultural institutions to visit including Norrbottens museum, and Norrbotten big band. In January 2007 the Cultural house (Kulturens Hus) was opened, which hosts concerts, and art exhibitions. Shopping, is one of the world's first indoor malls, and Lulea also offers excellent shopping at Strand and Smedjan. The two main shopping streets in the city center are located on Storgatan and Kungsgatan streets.
Jan 19, 2027 - At Sea
Jan 20, 2027 - Rauma
Founded in 1442, Rauma is among Finland's oldest towns with a long history of marine trade and one of the region's cultural centers. Shop, dine and explore the marketplace or Old Rauma, one of the best preserved medieval towns with wooden architecture in the Nordic countries.
Jan 21, 2027 - Stockholm
Stockholm is Sweden’s strikingly elegant and beautiful capital. Stockholm, noted for its outstanding architecture, is one of Scandinavia’s most attractive cities. In addition to its many man-made monuments, Stockholm boasts natural beauty - with one-third of the city’s total land area devoted to parks. As the country’s major city, Stockholm offers a wealth of monuments and sites, fine museums, and a rich culture. There are also hundreds of excellent restaurants, as well as a great selection of trendy boutiques and exciting nightclubs. Visitors should start their exploration of Stockholm with the Gamla Stan, the Old Town on Stadsholmen; an island in the center of the city, it has retained its medieval charm. The maze of narrow, cobbled streets, full of art studios, boutiques, antique shops, nightclubs and bars, is best explored on foot.
Jan 22, 2027 - At Sea
Jan 23, 2027 - Helsinki
Often referred to as "Pearl of the Baltic," this neat city is known for impressive architecture, wide boulevards, and beautiful harbor. Grand Senate Square, dominated by exquisite Tuomio Church and onion domes of Russian Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral, is an example of neo-Classical, Empire-style impressive architecture. Visit the lively harborfront market and Temppeliaukioa Church (Rock Church), which was created in the 60's from man-made and natural materials. Finland’s musical heritage comes alive in great Finlandia Hall, designed by renowned architect Alvar Aalto. Finland’s beloved composer, Jean Sibelius, is remembered by a beautiful monument on Helsinki’s outskirts. Helsinki has good museums displaying everything from art to architectural design. Open-air Museum - the small wooded island of Seurasaari - has a collection of vernacular buildings assembled from all over Finland which provide insight into how country folk lived until recently. Suomenlinna Fortress is the largest in the world and often called Gibraltar of the North.