Coolcations put together to bring you into contact with the local culture | News
Unique, immersive vacations in Finland and Sweden in the cool of September, taking travelers off the beaten path and offering meaningful connections with locals and the beautiful natural environment they call home. Nordic nights and natural colors Discover the wilderness in the Finnish Taiga: a gentle arctic adventure, Thursday 10 – Monday 15 September 2026
This slow September journey through remote Kuhmo forests and the Tulijärvi wilderness provides plenty of time to spot wildlife, relax in saunas, and stargaze in the dark Arctic sky. Each experience in ECT Travel’s six-day holiday has been carefully chosen to connect travelers with this special environment.
Highlights of the program
Experience the timeless ritual of a Finnish smoke sauna.
Learn the secrets of aurora hunting in one of the few places in Europe with truly dark skies.
Observe and photograph European browneyes, wolverines, moose, Finnish caribou, beavers and wolves in the pristine wilderness.
Join a local guide in her forest home and learn to make a healing resin cream.
Take part in a practical ‘Rönttönen’ cake workshop. Kainuu Rönttönen is a traditional local pastry with a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) awarded by the EU, making it a true culinary heritage product and one of Finland’s most prized regional delicacies.
Forage for a supper of wild berries and mushrooms guided by a knowledgeable local expert.
Stay in comfortable hotels surrounded by the Kainuu Wilderness, where you wake to the sound of birds singing and spend the evenings gazing at the stars.
Discover the creative heart of Sweden
Creative break in Jämtland: botanical dyeing and nuno felt workshops in wild Sweden, Thursday 3 – Monday 7 September 2026
Jämtland, in the heart of Sweden’s wild interior, is a region rich in textile heritage, shaped by indigenous Sami influences and craftsmanship dating back to the Viking era. From traditional felt making to intricately woven tapestries, the region’s artisanal heritage is woven into the landscape and long winters. ECT Travel’s five-day creative holiday offers travelers the opportunity to explore this history through two hands-on workshops and inspiring visits to cultural sites and natural wonders.
Highlights of the program
Learn the craft of Nuno felting with local artist Åsa Ganell.
Participate in a Botanical Print & Dye workshop that starts in the fields collecting wildflowers and leaves and ends with a homemade print to take home.
View the tapestries of Överhogdal. One of Europe’s most remarkable cultural treasures, radiocarbon dating places this series of woven fabrics to the end of the Viking Age, between 1040 and 1170 AD, making them the oldest surviving interior textiles in Europe.
Walk the ‘Blomsterstigen’ (the ‘Flower Path’) and encounter plants including the beautiful Fjällglimflower (moss cuckoo or cushion pink) that lays a pink mat over the landscape.
These vacations are designed for travelers who want to disconnect, take the road less traveled and immerse themselves in experiences full of human connection.
