Paris, France + Tromso, Norway + Rovaniemi, Finland 2025

Here was our itinerary for the mega trip of the year!

Travel Insurance For Whole Trip

FWD

December 12 Friday

00:15 Departure T3 SQ 336

07:15 Arrival CDG T1 

Check in to accommodation in Paris

INNSiDe Paris CDG Airport

Visit Saxo Banque office

Musée d’Orsay

Scenic walk + transit

December 13 Saturday 

Fly to Stockholm

12:40 Departure T2B SAS SK574 CDG (Paris)

15:10 Arrival T5 ARN (Stockholm)

Fly to Tromso 

16:35 Departure T5 SAS SK1492 ARN (Stockholm)

18:35 Arrival TOS (Tromso)

Check in to accommodation in Tromso

Tromso Lodge & Camping

December 14 Sunday

Tromso Lodge & Camping

City Tour

McDonald’s 

Museum 

Dinner at Bardus 

December 15 Monday

Tromso Lodge & Camping

Best Arctic Husky Safari

(Meet at 11:00 at the reception of Tromsø Lodge & Camping)

December 16 Tuesday

Tromso Lodge & Camping

Arctic Whale Tours

(Meet at 8:00 at Tromso Harbour)

Pack lunch before boarding

December 17 Wednesday

Tromso Lodge & Camping

Fejllheisen Cable Car via GetYourGuide

Aurora hunting

December 18 Thursday

Tromso Lodge & Camping

Check out of accommodation

Fly to Rovaniemi

10:25 Departure TOS Finnair AY542 (Tromso)

12:35 Arrival RVN (Rovaniemi)

Check in to accommodation in Rovaniemi 

Nordica Design Residence Rovaniemi 

City tour

Lordi Square

Koskikatu Street

Kemijoki Riverside

December 19 Friday 

Nordica Design Residence Rovaniemi 

09:00 Santa Claus Village

12:00 Snowman World

13:00 Reindeer Sleigh Ride

DIY aurora spotting

Walk to Kemijoki riverside

Dinner at Restaurant Nest

December 20 Saturday 

Nordica Design Residence Rovaniemi 

Karouma Canyon Frozen Waterfalls

9am at WildAboutLapland Office

December 21 Sunday

Nordica Design Residence Rovaniemi 

Check out of accommodation 

Check in to second accommodation 

Silver Birch Resort Lapland

December 22 Monday

Silver Birch Resort Lapland

Hike to Samosen Kirkko

Ice fishing

Dinner and Northern Lights Tour (6pm at cabin)

December 23 Tuesday

Silver Birch Resort Lapland

Check out of accommodation 

Fly to Copenhagen 

13:10 Departure SAS SK1977 RVN (Rovaniemi)

14:35 Arrival T3 CPH (Copenhagen)

Fly to Paris

17:25 Departure SAS SK559 T3 CPH (Copenhagen)

19:25 Arrival T2B CDG (Paris)

Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel

December 24 Wednesday

Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel

10:00 Louvre Priority Access!

15:00 Seine River Cruise

20:30 Christmas dinner reservation at 

Le Grand Cafe Capucines

December 25 Thursday

Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel

09:00 Walk around Île de la Cité & Latin Quarter

• Notre-Dame Cathedral exterior

– Restoration still ongoing, but Christmas decor + façade views are lovely

• Pont de l’Archevêché viewpoints

– Calm area, great family photos

All walkable from Notre Dame area.

14:00 Head to Trocadero

(Time: 20 mins taxi/Uber)

• Eiffel Tower

– Trocadero viewpoint

– Walk down Champ de Mars

– Under-tower photos

16:00 Short break

Nearby cafe or crepe stands

16:30 Head to Arc de Triomphe 

• Arc de Triomphe 

– Consider going up, buy tickets on the spot

• Walk Champs-Elysees

18:30 Dinner

Since it’s Christmas Day, keep dinner simple and  or near hotel.

Chez André

December 26 Friday

Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel

Disneyland Paris

Recommended route

1. Walk 5–8 minutes to Auber (RER A)

2. Take RER A → Marne-la-Vallée–Chessy

3. Travel time: ~40 minutes, direct

4. You arrive right at the Disney gates

December 27 Saturday 

10:40 Departure CDG T1 SQ 335

06:15 (Dec 28 Sunday) Arrival T1

The Five Bingo Scrabble Game

 My kids love playing Scrabble over at my mum’s place together with my mum and brother almost every weekend.

On this weekend my mum sat out so I replaced her seat.

We ended up getting five bingos in the game with some record scores!

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam 2025

 Went with my son to HCM in late November.

This was a war nerd trip where we tried to consume as much content and history of the Vietnam War as possible, from the museums to the significant locations.

It was a great trip with the boy and super good bonding.

Here’re some highlights.

Fruits Friday Bar

 For once we had fruits for Friday Bar.

Can’t get more healthy than that really.

Singapore Fintech Festival 2025

 This year Saxo chose not to have a booth at SFF.

Instead we spent that budget elsewhere which IMHO was definitely more prudent and well spent.

Instead we bought delegate passes and a few of us went done to continue networking and all.

The event was still attracting a lot of people so that is good I suppose.

The first night’s networking event really blew me away tbh. The whole Boat Quay was booked out and everyone from the industry was there.

This robot really impressed me.

Copenhagen II, Denmark 2025

 Was in Copenhagen two weeks ago for work.

Another good trip locked in.

A lot of very good and useful meetings.

Very blessed to have been able to travel with Eugene, Danny and Benedict.

We did the cold dive into the sea in the Nordhavn public pool! At 10°C weather! We are Vikings now!

Got to coincide with J Day on that Friday too! It was the annual launch of their Christmas beer.

Here’re some pictures.