Winter in Lapland: Digital Detox in Finland

Now renovated, the Javri Lodge has a flawless beauty; and the 13 understated luxury rooms follow this same dynamic, paying particular attention to the privacy and tranquillity of its guests. The common areas around the fireplace and breakfast table are perfect for a cosy chat. The kitchen is inspired by the ingredients and produce of local hunting and fishing. In short: an overview of the Sami way of life with a sauna, cross-country skiing, a snowmobile, sled dogs and the local cuisine.

YOUR POLAR DAYS OUT

As part of your stay, a Nordic activity is scheduled every day, to be chosen from the wide range of experiences offered by the lodge. Nearby, Urho Kekkonen National Park - Finland's second-largest protected park - reveals the grandeur of its primary forests, moors and gorges, marshes and mountains covered in thick snow. A vast expanse of pristine landscapes to roam at one's own pace with snowshoes or the time for a quiet stroll cross-country skiing, two of Lapland's popular Nordic hobbies. Skiers can perfect their skills with skis or snowboards on the slopes of the Saariselka ski area, or travel miles on snowmobiles, to better understand the sheer magnitude of the Lappish expanses. Another setting, and other sensations, as the steady and safe steps of the Finnish horses sink silently into the snow. When it turns into ice and coats white lakes with a thick frozen layer, patient fishermen replicate the ancestral Native American techniques of fishing through holes in the ice. Another must-do is driving a team of huskies, to better savour the majestic silence of the snow-covered plains, with the sleigh and the breath of the Huskies the only noise to be heard - as well as the reindeer, an iconic sight of the Far North, whose husbandry is still a major source of income in Lapland. Back at the lodge, there is nothing more relaxing than some time spent in the sauna followed by a good massage (classic, invigorating with hot stones or relaxing with aromatic herbs) to loosen your tight muscles after a day spent in the cold of the arctic winter. This will leave you in the perfect mood to look out for the aurora borealis (northern lights) in the evening, as it sometimes fills the sky with a glowing greens and reds.