Turn the lights on
3 ½ hours out of London and clients can stand in Arctic Norway. There can be few more stark differences to a UK or mainland Europe city than Tromsø, perched high in the arctic and offering breath-taking scenery and atmosphere. Those seeking experiential conquests in distant lands need first ask themselves if they have witnessed the Northern Lights. Active from Autumn onwards, these light shows are scientifically astonishing and spiritually mesmerising. The version of the ’Northern Lights’ during the summer months is the midnight sun and the spectacle of unremitting daylight is equally powerful. Our rhythms are governed by light and there is something very special in living amongst these amplified signals from the skies. Tromsø offers an international airport on its doorstep, a wonderful centre full or bars and restaurants and superb activities across all seasons, on both land and water.
To the limit
It is almost incomprehensible to head further north than Tromsø in Europe, but another 1000km or so from this arctic outpost is the Svalbard archipelago. This really is about as far as you can go if you’re not a four-legged, white, fury beast. The administrative capital Longyearbyen is most northern of settlements – a tiny outpost of humanity, surrounded by vast slabs of rock & ice and oceans teeming with life. The world’s future is insured by the ‘doomsday’ global seed bank located on the outskirts of the town – the town boundary being the point where armed guides are required as protection against the roaming polar bears. Enjoy a beer from the world’s northern-most brewery, sleep in miner’s cabins, dine on unique, regional cuisine and snowmobile under the aurora borealis. Delegates on an incentive trip to Svalbard are guaranteed to feel the spirit of the arctic.
Southern culture
South of Tromsø but still above the arctic circle is the cultural centre of Bodø and to the west, the jaw dropping Lofoten islands. The 2024 European Capital of Culture, Bodø offers stunning nature, with the world’s most powerful tidal currents, a vibrant centre with bars and restaurants and a thriving music scene, built around the new concert hall. Ferries connect Bodø to the Lofoten Islands, 3 hours to the west, a chain of islands that leave even the Norwegians speechless. This western coast of Norway is the stuff of film-sets and magazine shoots.
Europe’s unrivalled, rich tapestry
The far north of Europe offers some of the starkest contrasts with our common perceptions of the continent. The vast empty wilderness, occupied by pristine nature, the unique people & cultures, the mind-bending lightshows, and the unrivalled sense to true escape – all conspire to make this part of Europe truly a truly inspiring event destination. Another piece of the European jigsaw, the greatest continent on the planet for event programmes.
