Bucket list destination: Zurich

FESTIVE TRADITIONS FOR SWEDISH FOOD

Lapland Wilderness Tours, has taken guests out into the wild with his teams of Alaskan huskies, which are much more cuddly than their lupine appearance would have you believe.

Starting at Jukkasjärvi, a small village known internationally for its Icehotel, our canine chariots crossed Sautusjärvi, a vast frozen lake stretching into the horizon.

After winding through pine forests, we stopped at a tour cabin for ‘fika’, or a coffee break to you and me, where we gathered around the fire for a wooden cup of the region’s traditional-boiled coffee. (For extra authenticity, you could add cubes of ‘coffee cheese’: a milder cousin of halloumi used as a milk substitute.)

As the warmth seeped through me, my stomach began to rumble.

It was soon time to find my next meal.

Thankfully, good food was never hard to find, despite the harsh festive conditions. -Gingerbread is served with a blue cream cheese dip -Forget Christmas pudding and turkey… here, ham and saffronflavoured cakes and buns herald the festive season. - Coca-cola adverts are synonymous with the holidays. But in Sweden, it is outsold by Julmust: a cousin of root beer wildly popular over Christmas; -At 3pm every Christmas Day, Sweden shuts down to watch Kalle Anka, or Donald Duck to you and me: an obscure 1950s film featuring short stories from classic Disney characters. For more information about visiting Swedish Lapland, go to swedishlapland.com. - Norwegian runs flights from Gatwick to Luleå via Stockholm, prices start at around £170 return. - The Best Western Plus Savoy Hotel in Luleå has single rooms starting at around £65 a night. - The Icehotel’s (icehotel.com) rooms start at around £250 for a warm room, and £520 for a cold room. - Kukkolaforsen in Kukkola has chalets to rent, visit kukkolaforsen.se/en for details. - Car hire is recommended. For more information about visiting Swedish Lapland, go to swedishlapland.com.

KUNSTHAUS ZÜRICH

This fabulous museum of fine arts boasts a large and significant collection of paintings, sculptures, photographs and videos. It has an extensive collection of works by Alberto Giacometti, and is also home to medieval sculptures and panels, paintings from the Dutch and Italian Baroque and highlights of the Swiss 19th and 20th century era.

ZURICH ZOO (PICTURED)

Open 365 days a year, the zoo on the Zürichberg is home to more than 340 animal species in near-natural habitats. The zoo features several areas, including an elephant park, a petting zoo and a miniature rainforest. The zoo also has fantastic playgrounds - many so good it’s sometimes difficult to drag the kids off to see the animals.

THE FIFA WORLD FOOTBALL MUSEUM

This is one place no fan of the beautiful game will want to miss. Designed to showcase the rich and storied history of the FIFA World Cup, the FIFA World Football Museum covers all aspects of international football’s heritage. With an interactive, multimedia display of exhibits, the museum explores the emotions that football awakens in millions around the world on a daily basis.