Seeing the Northern Lights is one of life’s pinch-me-moments. And on Norway snow holidays, where night-time is never in short supply (in parts of Northern Norway, from mid-November until late-January, the sun doesn’t rise at all), chasing the lights by snowshoe or snowmobile is a must-do activity. But believe it or not, on Norway snow holidays, there is much more than just skiing. Try your hand at skrei fishing in Svolvær and feel like a local during a stay at a nearby rorbu (fisherman’s cabin). Take in Oslo’s many museums and galleries such as the brand-new National Museum and Munch Museum, before taking a dip in its urban sauna.
If your intention is to grab winter by the horns, look no further than Svalbard – just a 621-mile stone’s throw from the North Pole. A wonderous archipelago of vast ice fields, glaciers and icebergs, it has everything from a brewery and chic boutiques to proud locals, who will take any opportunity to tell you the lore of this magical land. Despite winter being the height of the islands’ Polar Night season, it doesn’t stop Svalbard from putting on a show. Explore the Arctic Ocean by catamaran – keeping one eye on the sea for blue whales and one on your three-course meal – meet mushers and their packs for a day-long dog sledding adventure and toast the day with cocktails at Svalbard’s premier bar, Funken.