Before You Read
If you are looking for a budget honeymoon trip, you can probably skip this post now haha.
For this trip, we went slightly all out: better hotels, better flights, better trains and more activities, because this was our honeymoon. To me, honeymoon is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and Iceland / Norway / Finland had been sitting in my bucket list for the longest time. So no, this is not the “save every dollar” kind of itinerary.
We also had a funny pre-honeymoon day trip in Bangkok because of our flight routing. I was playing around with business class miles redemption, so the flight route became a bit unusual:
Singapore > Bangkok layover > Copenhagen > Iceland, then Milan > Singapore.
Big shoutout to my friend Pawan, who helped me find the flights as usual.
If you are lazy to read, watch the video first. If you want the cleaned-up planner version after reading, the ready-made itinerary is available at the end of the post.
Trip At A Glance
| Detail | Notes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 21 days |
| Original trip period | Late November to December |
| Route | Singapore > Bangkok > Iceland > Norway > Finland > Milan > Singapore |
| Travel style | Honeymoon, winter, premium comfort, activities-heavy |
| Best for | Couples who want winter scenery, northern lights, bucket-list activities and comfortable stays |
| Not ideal for | Budget travellers, very short annual-leave trips, or people who dislike cold-weather logistics |
What This Post Covers
- How we routed the honeymoon across Iceland, Norway, Finland and Milan.
- What activities felt worth it.
- Where the itinerary was too tight or could be improved.
- Transport and winter planning notes.
- Rough day-by-day experience.
- What I would do differently.
The free post below keeps the story, activity names, rough route and my honest opinion, so you can decide whether this route even makes sense for you first.
Quick Tips Before Planning This Route
- If you are doing long transit layovers, choose one long enough to actually leave the airport and enjoy the city.
- Ask the first airline whether your luggage can be checked through to the final destination, especially if your flights are connected under the same booking.
- For northern lights, do not rely on one tour only. I planned multiple chances across different cities because weather is really luck-based.
- GetYourGuide-style booking apps are useful for mobile vouchers and cancellation windows, but always check cancellation timing carefully.
- Business class in Europe may not feel like “real” business class. Some short-haul European business seats are just normal front-row seats with meals, so do not overspend blindly.
- Winter trips need buffer. Delays, darkness and weather can change the whole mood of the day.
Day 01 – Singapore to Bangkok Layover
Our first flight was Singapore to Bangkok in business class, then Bangkok to Copenhagen, then onward to Iceland.
Yes, complicated right? But this was the routing available for miles redemption, and since the miles amount was the same, we thought: why not try three different airlines and squeeze in a Bangkok day trip too?
The plan in Bangkok was mainly food, massage, a little shopping, Jodd Fairs and airport lounge time before the long flight. We had dinner, showered at the Turkish Airlines lounge, then went back to the airport to prepare for the next leg.
Day 02 – Flight Delay, Missed Transit and Blue Lagoon
Our Thai Airways flight was delayed, so we missed the Copenhagen to Iceland connection. This is the stressful part about transit flights: one delay and everything behind can be affected.
We eventually got rebooked through Oslo and landed in Iceland much later than planned. I had to scramble to rebook our Blue Lagoon timing. We still managed to go, but because it was already dark, we could not really see much of the surroundings.
The soak was still shiok, especially after the long flight mess, but I would definitely prefer Blue Lagoon in daylight if I had the choice again.
Day 03 – Golden Circle and Silfra Snorkelling
We did not self-drive in Iceland because it was winter, and I wanted the honeymoon to feel less stressful. Iceland self-drive is possible, but because we were unfamiliar with the roads and worried about icy conditions, I booked tours instead.
The main highlight today was Silfra snorkelling between the tectonic plates.
This was something I had wanted to try ever since I saw it online. The water was freezing cold, even with the suit. The first few minutes were painful for the face and hands, then everything just went numb haha.
But honestly, it was fun and memorable. 10/10 would recommend if you are not scared of cold water.
They do provide the thermal bathing suit / thermal gear for the activity, so you are not expected to just jump in with your own swimsuit only. But even with the gear, it is still very cold, especially around the face and hands.
After that, the day was the usual Iceland tour mix: waterfalls, craters, geysers and dramatic winter scenery. We ended the day with warm pho near the hotel, which was exactly what we needed after freezing ourselves.
Day 04 – South Coast and Overnight Near Vik
We packed a smaller bag and went for a 2D1N South Coast tour because this was the only tour I found that included transport and the ice cave portion.
Most ice cave tours require you to self-drive to the pickup area, so this tour made more sense for us.
The day covered waterfalls, Black Sand Beach and the drive toward Vik. The hotel in Vik was surprisingly decent and cosy. If you are lucky, you can even catch northern lights outside the hotel. We did not, but another Singaporean we met managed to take many nice photos there the night before.
Sad, but this is northern lights luck for you.
Day 05 – Ice Cave, Glacier Area and Back to Reykjavik
The ice cave was not as big as I expected, but the whole experience was still worth it because the scenery and ice trekking were beautiful.
The big jeep ride into the ice area was also part of the experience. After the tour, we returned to Reykjavik and rewarded ourselves with a nicer dinner.
Day 06 – Oslo and Another Couple Joins
Time for Norway.
Another couple joined us for the later part of the honeymoon trip, which honestly made the trip more fun. More people means more food sharing and also a bit more comfort when travelling in unfamiliar places.
The first Oslo day was easy: city exploring, food hall and drinks.
Day 07 – Oslo City, Winter Walks and Shopping Tip
We spent the day exploring Oslo and the promenade area. There were many sauna houses by the water, and I really wanted to try the sauna plus cold plunge situation, but we were not prepared with swimwear and the nicer sauna houses were fully booked.
If you are going to Oslo in winter, I would seriously consider booking this in advance.
Places we went today included:
- Havnepromenade for breakfast, donuts and cafes.
- Mathallen Food Hall for lunch.
- Sightseeing route: Hedgehaugsveien, Royal Palace, Nobel Peace Centre, Aker Brygge, Akershus Fortress, Karl Johan and Oslo City shopping centre.
We ended the night at a winter wonderland / small Christmas fair that we chanced upon. It allowed us to BBQ out in the cold, but do not expect much from the BBQ food. It was mainly expensive hotdog buns and marshmallows. All for the experience lol.
One very useful shopping tip: Norway tax refund can be higher than many other European countries depending on the spend tier. If luxury shopping is part of your trip, compare prices here before assuming Milan is the best place to shop.
Another tip from this route: most European short-haul business class flights are NORMAL seats right at the front of the airline. It is just a bit bigger, or sometimes the middle seat is blocked, and it comes with a meal. That’s all. Nothing fancy, so don’t spend unnecessary $$$ expecting the long-haul business class kind of seat.
Day 08 – Scenic Train to Bergen
Instead of flying, we took the scenic train from Oslo to Bergen. It is much longer than a domestic flight, so only do this if you have time.
We booked a cabin booth partly so we could rest, and partly because we wanted our luggage with us instead of leaving it in the baggage area. Sometimes paying a bit more for peace of mind is worth it.
Bergen is small, and we spent the evening at the Christmas market and Gingerbread Town.
Honest note: Gingerbread Town was disappointing to me. I thought it would be a huge gingerbread town, but it was more like a miniature exhibition. The Christmas market made up for it, thankfully.
Day 09 – Bergen Seafood, Floyen and City Walk
Breakfast at Bergen Seafood Market was nice: sashimi, lobster, crab and seafood.
We explored the city, took the Floyen up for the view, and tried whale steak for the first time. Bergen is pretty, but if your itinerary is tight, I think you can keep it as a shorter stop.
Day 10 – Tromso
Tromso was our main Norway highlight because most of the snow activities were here.
Our hotel was where most tours did their pickup, not just nearby. This is one of those small planning details that makes a huge difference in winter because you really do not want to drag yourself too far in the cold before every tour.
The airport express bus also stopped somewhere right opposite our hotel, and there was even a rooftop sauna where you can potentially catch the northern lights. I would strongly recommend this kind of hotel location if you are heading to Tromso, especially if you are doing multiple tours.
This is also why pickup point and provider choice matter here: they can save quite a bit of planning headache.
The first day was spent exploring the small city and trying some famous food. Tromso is pretty small, so you can actually comb most of the city in one day.
Burg Burger, known as one of the better burgers in town, was not bad. We also went for drinks at Ølhallen Pub, the oldest pub in the city, just to see the place. There was also a bar right beside our hotel with live bands, which was not bad too.
Day 11 – Husky Sledding and Northern Lights
Husky sledding was the first big activity in Tromso. I know some people may wonder whether it is cruel, but from what we understood, the huskies really need to run and drain energy. It was a fun experience.
At night, we joined a northern lights tour. The tour provided thermal clothes, BBQ with hotdogs and marshmallows, and a professional photographer so you can get proper northern lights photos. But you must be mentally prepared to ride it out for the night. They really went chasing the lights, it was SO cold in the mountains, and we ended only around 1am to 2am because the lights started appearing late.
Thankfully, we did manage to catch the lights later in the trip, and we even caught the red ones. So happy.
For Tromso especially, the provider choice matters because pickup point, thermal clothes, food, photo service and cancellation terms can differ quite a lot.
Day 12 – Reindeer Sledding
We changed one of the northern lights reindeer tours into a day version with lunch because we had already caught the northern lights from the first tour.
The original reason I booked the reindeer northern lights version was as a backup, just in case we did not manage to catch any lights on the first night. For northern lights, I really think backups are important because it is all weather and luck.
Since we already caught the lights, we changed it to a day tour instead because we still wanted to experience reindeer sledding. You came all the way to Norway / Finland and you do not try reindeer ride?!
The reindeer ride was slower than the huskies, but feeding them was fun. They are a bit like Nara deer: once they see food, they chiong you haha.
Day 13 – Snowmobile Day
Snowmobile day!
We booked the couple ride, so we could switch drivers midway. It was a group activity with a main driver leading the way.
It was really quite an experience: snowmobile in the mountains filled with snow. Also a bit scary at some slopes because there were parts where you had to go up and down. One couple in front toppled during the slope portion. They did warn us not to brake halfway and just go all the way, otherwise it may topple, but thankfully nobody was injured.
Important note: the exact one we booked is no longer available. If I include an alternative link in the PDF, do not take my review as a review of that exact alternative tour. It is just the closest replacement I found.
Back in the city for dinner, and honestly Tromso became our favourite destination because of all the activities. So many bucket-list items checked off hehe.
Day 14 to Day 15 – Helsinki
We stopped in Helsinki before heading to Rovaniemi.
Honestly, I feel Helsinki does not need too many days if your schedule is tight. We stopped there for two nights mainly to see what the city was like before heading to Santa Claus Village.
The famous steak place Goodwin Steakhouse was recommended by a local, and boy, the food was good.
The next day, we explored the city, saw some churches and wanted to visit a very pretty library, but it was closed to public on the day we were there.
The main highlight of Helsinki? THE CASINO HAHAHAHA.
It was within walking distance from our hotel, and we liked the blackjack game there because it was slightly different from Singapore. All of us got some winnings from the casino, so of course it became one of the best parts of Helsinki haha.
We also tried a restaurant that served local Finnish food, and yes, you are right, bear and rabbit meat.
We also met another Singaporean couple who took the overnight train to Santa Claus Village. Looking back, that could be a smart idea because it saves time and one hotel night.
Day 16 – Rovaniemi and Igloo Hotel
Santa Claus Village was one of the reasons I planned this entire route. I really wanted to stay in an igloo hotel, and since it was our honeymoon, I went for it.
But warning first: it is not cheap. The stay was around SGD 1,000 per night.
Rovaniemi was also the coldest part of the trip. I remember it being painfully cold, around minus 20 degrees.
Santa Claus Village itself was so-so for adults. It is more magical for families and kids, but we still enjoyed taking photos with Santa and Mrs Santa, feeding animals and experiencing the place.
Oh yes, the animal farms were not bad too. We got to feed some reindeers and have some fun with sledding.
And yes, we caught the northern lights from our igloo.
Day 17 – Treehouse Hotel
Since the Treehouse Hotel was nearby and also caught my eye during research, I decided to try a second special stay instead of doing two nights at the same place.
The price was also around SGD 1,000 per night, so this is really a honeymoon splurge.
Santa Park was nearby, but for adults, I would not prioritise it. It felt more suitable for young children. For us, the hotels were the real highlight.
Day 18 to Day 20 – Milan
Our last stopover was Milan.
Enough of all the snow, activities and puffy jackets, it was time for SHOPPING!
I purposely slotted in this city so we could shop before heading back to Singapore. Also, finally we could dress up a bit more because the weather was not too cold and not too warm.
We visited the Duomo area, shopping streets, outlet shopping and restaurants. Food in Milan was honestly a nice way to end the trip because after so much winter food, pasta and veal cutlet felt amazing.
One full day was spent at the outlet, so not much photos for that day. Happy with all our shopping loots from the outlet plus the city.
For the outlet, we booked transport there because it was easier than figuring it out ourselves. The outlet transport link will be inside the PDF itinerary if you want to use the same route.
Another day was more cafe, shopping, dessert and dinner exploring. Breakfast was at a cafe near the Duomo Cathedral with a gorgeous view, and we also went further out for desserts and local designer shops.
Day 21 – Flight Back to Singapore
End of the three-week honeymoon.
It felt like the trip flew by, but I am happy we managed to do the major things I wanted: Blue Lagoon, Iceland winter scenery, Silfra snorkelling, ice cave, Norway activities, northern lights, Santa Claus Village, special hotels and Milan shopping.
The flight home was also part of the experience because it was a direct business class flight from Milan to Singapore. First time a 12-hour flight felt short haha.
What I Would Do Differently
- Try to do Blue Lagoon in daylight.
- Add more buffer for transit delays.
- Consider overnight train options in Finland.
- Book Oslo sauna houses earlier if interested.
- Spend fewer nights in Bergen or Helsinki if itinerary is tight.
- Keep multiple northern lights chances across cities.
- Prioritise convenience for hotels in winter.
Paid Itinerary Download
If you want the cleaner planner version, I have turned this route into a downloadable itinerary with day-by-day routing, booking reminders, transport notes, distance estimates and an editable Planner Pack option.
This post stays free if you prefer to plan from scratch. The ready-made version is for readers who want to save planning time and want the exact activity / hotel / route links without searching everything again.
Download options:
- SGD 10: PDF Itinerary with route notes, booking reminders and exact activity / hotel links where relevant
- SGD 20: Planner Pack with PDF, editable planner and checklist