Reflections Of A BP Traveler: Rediscovering Sweden With A Luxury Journey
Sweden is a fairytale-like destination with pristine landscapes, grand architecture and a fascinating indigenous culture.
Sweden is home to unique travel experiences and is the perfect destination for travelers seeking the ultimate winter adventure. From unforgettable Arctic adventures to fascinating historical treasures, Sweden is a captivating destination that has plenty to offer travelers seeking distinctive luxury travel experiences.
To help us showcase what makes Sweden so special, we interviewed one of our recent travelers, Jan Sahlin, to find out more about his experience with Blue Parallel and his bespoke luxury tour to Sweden…
How did you hear about Blue Parallel?
I found Blue Parallel online; Blue Parallel had the best reviews and also offered tours to more interesting destinations.
Our main desire was to see the northern lights. There’s lots of places you can do this, but I was actually born in Sweden and hadn’t visited in 50 years, and my wife had never been, so it made sense to us to book a tour to Sweden. Plus, from the itinerary on Blue Parallel’s website, it looked like there were plenty of activities for us to enjoy and maybe more to do here than in other countries.
Returning to Sweden was eye opening. It had been so long since I was last there and so a lot had changed; it is still a beautiful destination and I am so glad I returned.
DOWNLOAD OUR BESPOKE SWEDISH LAPLAND JOURNEY PDF
How Was Working With Blue Parallel Different From Your Experience With Other Luxury Travel Companies?
Since retiring – and after being restricted during the pandemic – we have been making an effort to travel more.
We have previously worked with tour companies but in small group tours and we found we were still at the mercy of everyone else. Although we got to meet other people, we wanted to start doing private tours so we didn’t have to worry about anyone else. Not only were we free to do our own thing, we could also set our own dates for traveling.
Working with Blue Parallel on this private tour meant we could march to the beat of our own drum. We could do exactly what we wanted to do, guided by the tailored recommendations of our travel expert.
It was also clear that Blue Parallel had exclusive access to places and activities that we wouldn’t have been able to enjoy if we had planned this vacation ourselves.
Please Summarize Your Blue Parallel Experience In 5 Words/Phrases…
- Exclusive
- Over the top
- Beyond expectations
- Private
- Fabulous
How Did You Find The Pre-trip Experience With Your Personal Travel Expert?
Our pre-trip experience was pretty comforting. Our travel expert kept in touch and had good communication; for instance, this was a winter trip and they shared a lot of information with us about appropriate clothing and what was and wasn’t going to be provided to us during the tour.
They really paid attention to the little details and it made a difference to our overall experience.
Can You Share Your ‘Wow Moments’ Of This Trip?
Three of the wow moments from our tour to Sweden are:
- The Accommodation: from experiencing a slice of paradise in the wilderness of Swedish Lapland to staying in a room made of ice, the accommodations Blue Parallel arranged for us were spectacular.
- Ice Hotel Tour: this is a must-do activity for anyone visiting Sweden, in my opinion. It was fantastic to be able to experience it firsthand. I can’t offer a description worthy of it!
- Dog Sledding: I’ve been snowmobiling before, but this was a really cool and different experience. It was an incredible two hour excursion and we got to travel over a frozen river and through the forest to a remote lodge that is only accessible this way
What Did You Like About Your Accommodations?
We stayed at the Lydmar Hotel in Stockholm, a private wilderness lodge in Lulea and the Ice Hotel, which I don’t believe Blue Parallel normally recommends as it can get busy. All three exceeded our expectations, especially the wilderness lodge.
The wilderness cabin was spectacular and the whole place was set up just for us. All of the meals were so over the top and special and there was a full staff there to cater to just us. It was the epitome of privacy as well; the cabin was in the middle of nowhere and we had our own private jacuzzi and sauna. Everyone should get to experience this at some point.
Did All Of The Guides Meet Your Expectations?
It was obvious that Blue Parallel has vetted everyone they work with and have guides that can offer exclusive experiences.
The guides were all really incredible and played a big part in making our trip special. They were extremely knowledgeable and personable and added something unique to each part of our tour.
DOWNLOAD OUR BESPOKE SWEDISH LAPLAND JOURNEY PDF
How Valuable Was The Team’s Insider Knowledge And Experience?
Blue Parallel offers the whole package. From the guides and the accommodation, to the unique excursions, it’s clear they know what they are doing and have a wealth of knowledge to refer to.
Do You Think The Team Created An Itinerary That Was Ideally Suited To You?
Yes. We got to try new activities like dog sledding in Lapland, we stayed at the Ice Hotel which was a must for us, and we also got to enjoy some of the cultural things in Stockholm, like visiting the Royal Palace and walking around the charming old town.
Everything in our itinerary was incredible.
Is There Anything You Would Have Done Differently?
Returning to Sweden after 50 years was eye opening; I’m so pleased I got to do it. If we had had more time, we would have extended our stay in each of the regions we visited. We will be returning to Sweden to do and see more!
What Do You Think Makes Blue Parallel Special?
Blue Parallel seems to offer the best of the best. It is evident that they have personally visited each destination and vetted the guides, checked out the hotels and experienced all of the different excursions. That’s super important and in my opinion, it’s what makes them special.
Tailor-made Luxury Tours To Sweden
Sweden is a charming destination with endless cultural, natural, and gastronomic wonders.
Contact one of our Travel Experts today and discover how Blue Parallel can help you create an unforgettable tour of Sweden.
