If all you know about Sweden is that the chef from The Muppets comes from there, and it’s not somewhere you’ve ever considered as a holiday destination then this article is for you.

Different parts of the country have different things to offer, and where you go rather depends on what type of holiday you want – whether it’s a skiing holiday, a relaxing spa break or a city sight-seeing tour.

Northern Sweden is full of mountains and glaciers, and is home to Swedish Lapland. There are two national parks of significance up there – Abisko and Sarek – for those seeking a holiday full of spectacular views and stunning walks or wildlife-spotting: you might catch sight of elk, wolverines, bears, Arctic foxes and golden eagles. And if you’re lucky you’ll get to see the Northern Lights.

Central Sweden contains the capital city Stockholm, which actually covers some fourteen islands. There’s fabulous shopping to be had and plenty of places to eat and drink. A souvenir that you’ll probably want to buy is a glass candle holder that looks like a snowball – these are sold almost everywhere. You can view most of Stockholm by foot but can also take a boat around the islands to visit those areas that are otherwise hard to reach.

Southern Sweden is by far the most populated area – some 80 percent of Sweden’s population live here, although it is not crowded by any means. There are no mountains down here, just miles and miles of green pastures and pine forests.

If you fancy a spa – which are very popular in Sweden – you can visit Northern Sweden in the land of the midnight sun, or one in a city in central Sweden, or one nestled amongst the natural beauty of the South. For skiing, obviously you need to head North, from Riksgränsen (which is so far North it’s in the Arctic Circle) all the way down to Dalarna. Most resorts guarantee snow between Christmas and Easter so it’s a safe bet that you’ll get plenty of runs. There are around 200 resorts, many of which specialise in family runs suitable for children as well as adults, whilst others are aimed at adults looking for nightlife and bars.

If you’d rather snowboard than ski, then try any of the snowparks in central Sweden, or in Swedish Lapland. The biggest is the Åre ski resort, in central Sweden. Check which one best suits your group’s needs as some offer slopes suitable for children and adults, experienced snowboarders and novices alike whilst others are for the more serious snowboarder and professionals. The parks feature jumps and a variety of jibs.

If a city break is more your scene, then head to Stockholm or to Gothenberg, both of which offer several museums and parks and give you a flavour of life in Sweden. The cities also have forests, marinas, lakes and beaches, so don’t expect masses of uninterrupted concrete.

If you’re a single parent, or if you’re together with a partner but only have one child, finding a holiday that suits your budget and your entertainment needs can be a little more tricky than finding a holiday for a whole brood. Single adults can often be faced with costly single-supplements, which hardly seems fair when they are travelling with someone – even though that ’someone’ is a child.
Anyway, here are out picks of some great holiday destinations for small or single-parent families.
1. Self-catering Cottages.
Choose to stay in a cottage on a working farm to get away from it all. Just watch where you walk. Excellent opportunities for children to get their hands dirty and help out on the farm, feeding the geese and sheep, milking the cows and hunting for eggs, and for long walks for the family in the surrounding countryside. Good suggestions for locations are the Brecon Beacons, Lake District and Norfolk Downs.

2. Camping/
If you’re feeling brave, there’s nothing more exciting for children than having a holiday under canvas. It’s also surprisingly cosy, tucked up at night in your sleeping bags. On the downside, it can be a bit scary being so open to the elements, and of course there’s the matter of the lack of bathroom facilities. But a short break is entirely manageable and if you choose a location with lots of things to do nearby it can work out as an adventure. There are specialist holiday companies offering these holidays for single-parent families where all the tents booked by their clients are placed close to each other to give a sense of community, and offer nice family activities like barbecues and local expeditions.

3. Rent a House
If you want to travel abroad for your holiday, where better than beautiful Italy, where you can rent a villa close to other families so that the little ones have others to play with and you have other families to socialise with. There are numerous holiday companies that specialise in this type of break, each offering holidays designed to give you privacy whilst making socialising available when you want it.
4. Swiss hotels
The Swiss are renowned for their child-friendly approach to life, and to tourism, and so a holiday to a hotel in Switzerland would be ideal for the smaller family wanting a warm welcome or a single-parent family wanting a friendly reception. Most hotels over there offer spas and saunas and local activities like husky-drawn sleighs and adventure climbing days in the forest are widely available.
5. A Greek Cruise
If you pick the right tour operator you can get a really good cruise that the whole family can enjoy with enough on-board entertainment to keep the little ones happy whilst you relax or enjoy the on-board activities aimed at the grown-ups. A cruise around the Aegean offers stop-offs at coves, private islands, trips to little villages for sightseeing, and the occasional beach.

If one of your New Year Resolutions this year will be to never again have another New Year’s Eve spent in your sitting room waiting to go to bed, then make sure you stick to it by booking a break – NOW!
People like different things from their New Year celebrations. For some, it’s one big party and the more drink and fireworks the better. For others, it’s a chance to get together with family and friends and play games that get progressively sillier as the night wears on. For others, they like a quiet night in, reflecting on the past year and what’s to come in the next. For new parents, incidentally, it’s just another night where sleep is interrupted continually and the day blends into the night seamlessly and without much fanfare (or was that just me?).
Whatever you like, there are some ideas here that will hopefully inspire you as to where and how to spend 31st December 2011.
For Parties:
Paris! Fireworks at the Champs-Elysées, the Eiffel Tower’s light show, and spiritual enlightenment at the Sacré-Coeur.
New Zealand! Be the first in the world (except for a few people on some little islands that are hard and expensive to get to) to see in 2012 and join in the Rhythm and Vines festival whilst your at it for live music and one heck of a beach party.
Edinburgh! Enjoy the Hogmanay spirit and festivals over the whole New Year period.
For Reflection
Spa breaks – available pretty much anywhere, but the best are perhaps at Center Parcs (several throughout the UK), Foxhills in Surrey Ragdale Hall in Leicestershire, or head further afield and enjoy Budapest’s thermal spas in Széchenyi Gyógyfürdo.
For Time with the Family
Take the kids to the panto, and rent a cottage or maybe even go glamping if you think you can brave the cold (most glamp tents will have heating, so go on and be brave) for a break with a difference this year.
Or take the children to Lapland for the Christmas and New Year periods for reindeer sleigh rides, visits to Santa, snowmobile rides and the Northern Lights. Stay in an ice hotel for the ultimate experience!

Slovakia gained its independence in 1993 but is still not a well-known tourist destination – which actually makes it a rather attractive destination for those of us who don’t really like typical ‘tourist hotspots.’
It offers breathtaking scenery in the form of beautiful mountain peaks (High Tatras or Vysoke Tatry being of particular note) that can be enjoyed whilst hiking, mountaineering or skiing, or by taking a trip on the suspended cable car that leads up to Lomnický štít peak, one of the highest in the country. Whilst you’re up there, you may want to spend a night in Europe’s highest hotel.
The capital city is called Bratislava, and is situated in the south-west of the country. Its historic centre rich in Czechoslovakian, Hungarian and even Polish architecture is in juxtaposition with modern development as the city strives to redevelop its capitalist, booming commercial districts. Bratislava Castle has also been renovated to its former full glory, and a visit there will also give you unrivalled views over the whole area and, on a clear day, of neighbouring Austria and Hungary. ot miss the nearby Devín castlewhere the Danube and Morava rivers meet. Symbol of Bratislava’s rich history, the Bratislava castle has recently undergone a renovation, now you can visit it in its full glory. And once you are up there, enjoy the beautiful view not only on historical part of this city, but also on the neighbouring Austria and Hungary. 
A lovely, unique feature of Slovakia is its elaborate cave system at Aggletek Kras, which is a World Heritage site. Four were originally open to the public – Jasov cave; Gombasecká cave; Domenica cave and Silická; and now the spectacular Dobšinská Ice Cave and Demänovská Cave of Freedom are too.
There are some fantastic aqua parks around Slovakia. One of them, AquaCity Poprad, is heated by a natural thermal spring, generating temperatures in the pools of around 30-40°C. It has indoor and outdoor pools, slides, saunas, Jacuzzis and places to eat and drink. There’s also a ‘wellness centre’ that offers massages, inhalation rooms, steam rooms and a snow cave.
Slovakia is a full member of the EU and its currency is therefore the euro, and you don’t need a visa to travel there. The official, main language is Slovak, but many speak English and German.