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As Northern Europe prepares for summer, the shadows are shortening and the endless, frozen nights are turning into days.

The region is being transformed from a vast expanse of ice and darkness to one of  bright sunshine and adventure.

As soon as Scandinavia begins to thaw, travellers are presented with cosmopolitan cities to sample and vast open spaces to discover.

No other region in Europe can offer as much. With a minimum of effort, roughly 10 hours flying time,  Nordic countries - as diverse as Denmark, the Baltic States, Russia, Finland, Norway and Sweden - are there to be explored.

If your idea of a perfect vacation is to escape cities, there are hundreds of lakes to swim in or you can relax on a cruise through Norway's majestic fjords.

Alternatively, there is the Arctic Circle  where stunning mountains and untouched scenery are guaranteed to reduce any urban stress you brought with you.

If you like the  idea of a cruise, there are the western inlets or you can set sail from Helsinki to St Petersburg and sightsee in one of Europe's most dazzling cultural centres.

No matter what time of day or night, be assured of great views of the Finnish and Russian coastline from your suite on a luxury Silja cruise ship.

Getting to Northern Europe has never been easier. Starting from June 1, Finnair, the national carrier, will start direct flights from Hong Kong.

'I am really excited about it as it will be by far the fastest way to Europe from here,' said Jere Tala, the airline's country manager. The flight will  cut down the average travel time to Helsinki and a score of other European destinations.

Asia Miles and one-world member Finnair, which will also operate a direct flight to Finland from Guangzhou in September, used to fly via Bangkok but this route took four hours longer.

Finnair will also be the fastest airline to go to 14 other European destinations, including Manchester, Berlin, Brussels, Vienna, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Dusseldorf, Milan, Prague, Riga and Tallinn.

'Very few people realise that,  for example, if you go to Milan, then the quickest way is via Finland,' Mr Tala said.

Finnair sees Helsinki as not just a travel hub for Northern Europe but as a starting point for curious travellers.

With a four-hour travel saving and a sun that never sets, there is plenty of exploration time.

Copenhagen, Helsinki and Stockholm have some of the finest restaurants in Europe, including Det Gule Huset (The Yellow House) in Copenhagen, Chez Dominque in Helsinki and Stadshuskallaren in Stockholm.

More adventurous travellers can take a short flight, bus and snow-mobile journey to the Norwegian Northern Cape to sample king crab.

This monstrous crustacean can weigh up to 13.5kg and have a leg span of 1.8 metres. You can fish for the Barents Sea inhabitant before savouring it.

If that seems like too much excitement, Sweden - famed for its saunas - can remove any lingering stress that you might have.

Sadly, the country's ice hotel will have melted for the season, but there are some excellent, stylish hotels to be found in the capital.

This year is Design Year and local designer Ari Leinonen  has created a floating, timber-clad sauna that is capable of towing up to 15 health-conscious people across the calm waters of the Stockholm archipelago. Breathe deeply, there is always an opportunity to relax under the midnight sun.



Northern highlights in a land of eternal sun