Northern Norway is going to blow your mind with its heartbreakingly beautiful landscapes of glaciers and fjord-riven mountains, all bathed in crystal-clear light. Welcome to one of Europe’s last great wildernesses. Experiences like crossing the Arctic Circle as the aurora borealis comes out to play, spotting polar bears – not too close, mind – on the icy tundra of Spitsbergen and eating reindeer stew in a fire-warmed Sami lavoo tent will be etched on your memory for ever more. Spend a while lapping up the gentle island pace in Kjerringøy, watching sea eagles wheel and whales splash around in the ocean in the Tolkien-esque Lofoten Islands, and hiking in the glacial grandeur of the Saltfjellet-Svartisen National Park and you may never want to leave, we swear.