Ice, Ice Baby

As the weather begins to cool, I inevitably start daydreaming about wintry getaways — hot chocolate by the fire, ice-skating hand-in-hand ... you get the idea. Which made me think about one the spots on my “must visit” list: ICEHOTEL, in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, which has to be just about the most extreme winter-vacation destination in existence. Several ice artists and a tour operator came up with the concept of this chilly marvel in 1990; each winter, it’s rebuilt out of snow and ice blocks from the Torne River. Sleeping in your 23-degree ice suite is an adventure (sleeping bags and animal skins help keep you warm), while hanging out at the ABSOLUT ICEBAR redefines cool (even the glasses are made of ice!). Daytime activities range from reindeer sleigh rides to snowmobile safaris through the Arctic Circle. The best part? You can even marry there in an intricately carved ice chapel, re-created each year for intrepid couples. P.S. If you don’t want to go all the way to Scandinavia, there’s another one outside of Quebec City, Canada, which reopens for the winter on January 9, 2009.