Best Honeymoon Destinations in Northern Europe

Looking for an unusual honeymoon destination? Northern Europe offers something very different from the traditional beach escape, from glass igloos and Arctic wilderness to private saunas, luxury hotels and geothermal lagoons.

Does the idea of a tropical beach honeymoon leave you cold? Perhaps you'd rather do something a little different.

Northern Europe and Scandinavia make surprisingly romantic honeymoon destinations. Think long evenings under the Midnight Sun, dark winter skies filled with the Northern Lights, private saunas, cosy cabins, snow-covered landscapes and beautifully designed hotels.

For couples who want their honeymoon to be about experiences as much as relaxation, the Nordic countries offer plenty of possibilities.

I've spent much of my working life travelling around the Nordic region, and one of the things I enjoy most is finding places that feel genuinely different from one another. For a honeymoon, that could mean sleeping in a room made from ice, having your own sauna in the Finnish wilderness or spending a few days being thoroughly pampered beside a geothermal lagoon.

Here are some of the Nordic stays I would consider for a memorable honeymoon.

Glass Igloos and a Lakeside Retreat in Levi

This six-day journey combines two very different stays near Levi in Finnish Lapland.

The first is a peaceful retreat with Scandinavian-inspired rooms, good food and a setting designed for unwinding. From there, you move into an Aurora glass igloo, where the sky becomes part of your bedroom.

There is something wonderfully simple about lying in bed together and watching the sky outside. During the Northern Lights season, you may be lucky enough to see the Aurora from the warmth of your igloo, while in summer the long northern evenings offer a completely different experience.

When you feel like heading outdoors, there is plenty to choose from, depending on the season. Husky and reindeer safaris, snowmobile and sleigh rides, horse riding, ice fishing, downhill and cross-country skiing and Northern Lights experiences can all be part of a stay in Finnish Lapland.

A Night in an Art Suite at ICEHOTEL

The ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi, near Kiruna in Swedish Lapland, is unlike almost anywhere else you can spend a night.

The Art Suites are individually designed and hand-carved from ice and snow. Each has its own artistic expression, so your room is also something of an installation.

The temperature inside the ice rooms is around -5 to -8°C, but the sleeping arrangements are surprisingly comfortable. You sleep in a thermal sleeping bag on a bed covered with reindeer hides, and the experience begins and ends with the warmth of the sauna and shower facilities.

It is certainly not a conventional honeymoon hotel. That is precisely why it is memorable.

During your stay, you can explore more of the ICEHOTEL, have a drink at the ICE Bar or try your hand at ice sculpting. Outside, Swedish Lapland offers husky and reindeer experiences, snowmobiling, skiing and opportunities to search for the Northern Lights.

A Winter Escape at Snow Resort Kirkenes

For something distinctly Arctic, head further north to Snow Resort Kirkenes in northern Norway.

The Snow Resort's rooms are made from snow and ice and are decorated with Arctic-inspired ice sculptures. The temperature is kept at around -4°C, but you sleep warmly inside a thermal sleeping bag on a bed covered with reindeer hides.

The experience is less about luxury in the traditional sense and more about doing something you are unlikely to do anywhere else.

During the day, there is the opportunity to go out into the surrounding landscape. A King Crab Safari is one of the highlights, combining a boat trip with the chance to catch, cook and eat your own king crab. Husky sledding, ice fishing and Northern Lights hunting are other possibilities during the winter season.

Kirkenes is also an interesting choice for couples who want their honeymoon to feel like an Arctic adventure rather than simply a hotel stay.

Decadent Weekend in Oslo

Not every honeymoon needs to involve snow and wilderness.

Our Luxury Long Weekend in Oslo is a good option for couples who want culture, good food and a little indulgence. Stay in a deluxe room at Hotel Continental, explore Oslo with a private guide and visit Kistefos, the striking contemporary art museum and sculpture park outside the city.

There is plenty to do together in Oslo without filling every hour. Walk through Vigeland Sculpture Park, visit the MUNCH museum, discover some of the city's smaller neighbourhoods or spend an afternoon beside the Oslofjord.

And if you need some time to relax, book a floating sauna on the fjord. There are few more Norwegian ways to spend an afternoon.

Your Own Sauna in Finnish Lapland

Beana Wilderness Boutique Hotel near Rovaniemi is a lovely choice for couples who want privacy, nature and a slower pace.

The Laponia Sauna Room comes with its own private sauna, making it particularly suited to a romantic getaway. The hotel is in a peaceful wilderness setting, away from the feeling of being in a busy resort.

Your stay includes breakfast, winter clothing and use of toboggans, snowshoes and cross-country skis. There are also opportunities to go husky sledding, snowmobiling and Northern Lights hunting.

For a honeymoon, I like the combination of having activities on your doorstep while still being able to retreat somewhere quiet at the end of the day. You can spend a few hours outside and then return to your own sauna and warm up together.

The Blue Lagoon Retreat in Iceland

If your idea of a honeymoon involves a little more pampering, Iceland's Blue Lagoon Retreat offers a very different experience.

The Retreat is surrounded by its own private geothermal lagoon, with a subterranean spa offering treatments including in-water massages. The hotel combines the otherworldly landscape of the Reykjanes Peninsula with a high level of comfort and service.

There is plenty to do beyond the spa, including yoga, hiking and dining at the Retreat's restaurant, which focuses on Icelandic ingredients.

This is the kind of stay where you can happily spend a large part of the day doing very little. After a busy wedding and all the planning that comes with it, that can be exactly what you want from a honeymoon.