The newlyweds have enjoyed a scenic Scandinavian honeymoon with an itinerary so good you'll want to copy it for your next vacation
While her on-screen persona, Emily, may be gearing up for an extended stay in Paris, the actor Lily Collins has most recently been travelling around Scandinavia with her husband, Charlie McDowell. On their whirlwind tour of some of Scandinavia’s most beautiful destinations, the newlyweds celebrated their honeymoon by visiting the best of what we have to offer.
Here’s a look at some of the spots they visited on their travels — places so beautiful, they will set your heart aflutter — whether you’re getting hitched or not.
Lily in Lofoten. Photo: @charliemcDowell
Holmen Lofoten, Norway
Located on the outermost edge of the Lofoten islands on Norway’s north west coast, Holmen Lofoten is a safe place to step away from the pressures of everyday life and reconnect with nature — and oneself. Boasting idyllic sights, boundless opportunities to get in touch with the environment through foraging, hiking and swimming, the place also boasts a restaurant that uses local produce to create culinary experiences that are truly unique to the location — and to visitor’s taste buds.
Tree Hotel, Sweden
The tree hotel is exactly what you would dream a place with such a name could be. A unique hotel located right in the woods of Swedish Lapland, the place proudly combines ecological values with modern design — and well, leaves the splendour of the forest to do the rest. The “rooms” range from the sparrow’s-eye-view “Bird’s nest”, to slightly more dramatic “The UFO”, which will have even non-believers starting to see stranger things. And not only that, if you’re a hunter of northern lights, it’s a top spot to visit if you’re hoping to see the magical Aurora Borealis.
Noma, Denmark
A few days after the couple’s visit, the restaurant Noma was voted the Best Restaurant in the World. For the fourth time. But it’s not only the critics that adore chef René Redzepi’s three-Michelin starred restaurant in Copenhagen, so getting a reservation may be the first step around which to plan the rest of your itinerary. Offering different menus for each part of the year, and known for its innovation in fermentation and foraging, the restaurant closes before each season to undergo research and development. It then creates new, groundbreaking dishes based solely on whatever local — and often unexpected — ingredients the land and sea can provide.
Arctic Bath, Sweden
Arctic Bath, as the name suggests, is a place that promises a very cool bathing experience. A floating, circular oasis of wellness, the spa is built of timber and is perched on the Lule River in Swedish Lapland, where it pays homage to its surrounding natural resources and blends seamlessly with nature. Depending on the time of year, the hotel alternates between frozen and floating making it the perfect spot, if you dare, to take part in that most Nordic of traditions — an icy dip into the water after a heated sauna.