But of course, Lapland itself is an incredible region to visit for those looking to connect with nature on a deeper level, or just retreat from the constant bustle of the world. Tick off other amazing destinations within this region such as Levi or Ylläs for skiing, Saariselkä, Pyhä and Pallas for the Northern Lights, and Inari for smaller wilderness retreats (Lake Inari is a must). You can even stay in an igloo in Aito!
Ideal activities to thoroughly explore all that Lapland has to offer include snowshoe trekking for incredible views across Finland, skiing across the frozen forests and marshlands, ice fishing, traditional smoke saunas, dogsledding, and of course night-time hunting for the Northern Lights!
An initiative of Quiet Parks International, the world's first and only organisation solely dedicated to delineating, finding, and protecting ‘quiet for the benefit of all life’, Quiet Parks can be found around the world. The objective of Quiet Parks International is to provide areas around the globe that travellers can take a short break from technology and constant human presence.
Quiet Parks in Croatia
Travel to Durmitor National Park, accessible in 3 hours by car or 5 hours by bus from the stunning mediaeval destination of Dubrovnik. Though technically this national park lies in the region of Montenegro, Dubrovnik is perfectly positioned to visit neighbouring Balkan countries, like Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, allowing for relatively easy access to this incredible natural space.
With 40 mountains all higher than 2,000 metres (the highest is Bobotov Kuk at 2523m), a grand total of 18 glacial mountain lakes known as gorske oči (mountain eyes), and Europe’s deepest canyon (the Tara River Canyon), this is one of the best hiking spots in Montenegro!
Stay overnight in Žabljak and visit the Black Lake, one of the most spectacular in the Durmitor range.
More naturally quiet destinations to explore:
Spain’s ancient pilgrimage route, Camino de Santiago – afterwards, dedicate some time to exploring Santiago de Compostela!
The quiet trails of Japan’s Kumano Kodo – make Osaka your base for this incredible pilgrimage and take the 2-hour train ride from Tennoji Station to Kii-Tanabe, to begin your journey through this sacred place.n days!