Kiruna, Sweden (My Birthday, The Ice Hotel, Reindeer and Camp Ripan's Aurora Spa.
We spent the next few days in Kiruna checking out the original Ice Hotel and the Nutti Sami Siida which showcases how the native Sami people lived and you can stop in to eat a reindeer burger or buy some feed to feed the reindeers. This chuch above is right across the street from the Nutti Sami Siida Farm and if you are headed here you must check it out. It is very beautiful and it was the first church build in this area.
The Ice Hotel is the original here in Kiruna and each year it used to melt and they would have to rebuild it each winter. Currently they have the main building which does not melt which has the more intricate detailed rooms in it available all year round, however the other rooms do melt each summer and have to be rebuilt (these are the general ice rooms and don't have much artistic work involved).
Just some of the rooms you will see in the Ice Hotel: "Toy Box" to your left and "To Bed with the Chickens" to your right (complete with rooster/chicken sounds in the room).
One of my favorite rooms with a giant chameleon wearing a crown.
These were a few shots of the favorites "The Sacred Giant" and below "Room Service"
These rooms take artists and production teams more than six weeks of sculpting, shaving, and chiseling ice to create these masterpieces. Highly recommend you check the Ice Hotel at and stay in one of their warm rooms in their cozy Scandinavian style hotel rooms or chalets or at one of the other hotels nearby.
Check out our video below to check out our experience and what we recommend you see.