Explore Frozen 2 Locations in Real Life
It’s almost time to return to the land of ice-tipped tiaras and sun-loving snowmen! Frozen 2 arrives in cinemas on 22 November, captivating families worldwide eager to catch up with Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and the gang. However, what if you want to visit this fairy tale land in real life? It’s more achievable than you might guess. Here are five Frozen 2 locations you can check out for yourself.
Elsa’s Frozen Castle
Snow Queen Elsa’s spectacular fortress of solitude is a key component of Frozen mythology. For inspiration, directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee looked a long way from Old Europe, drawing ideas from Quebec’s stunning Hôtel de Glace, a hotel made entirely from snow and ice. Currently undergoing refurbishment, it reopens on 2 January 2020, allowing visitors to spend the night in a gorgeously igloo-themed sculpted suite starting from around 400 US dollars (€363.00). For a shorter visit, you can explore the stunning great hall, chapel, ice slide, and ice bar. For extra thrills, hum ‘Let It Go’ while passing from room to room.
The Deep Dark Woods
Frozen 2 sends our favorite princesses on a mission into the menacing Northern forests. Norway, as it happens, boasts some of the world’s best-preserved Boreal woodland. Øvre Pasvik National Park is the ideal place to experience the mystery and wonder of these ancient coniferous forests. Sprawling over 119 square kilometers, the park is dominated by Scots pine, shallow lakes, and bogland. It’s also home to moose, reindeer (during winter), and Norway’s largest bear population. The easiest way to reach Øvre Pasvik National Park – in the far north, close to the border with Finland – is to fly to Tromsø via Oslo. From there, visitors can take a bus or one of the iconic Hurtigruten ships traversing Norway’s fjords.
Arendelle
Frozen 2 begins against the familiar backdrop of Arendelle and its castle. There is a real-life Arendal in southern Norway; however, that low-slung coastal town bears little resemblance to its Disney counterpart (there’s no dramatic palace, for one thing). The true inspiration lies in Norway’s second city of Bergen – a UNESCO World Heritage City and home to the stern Bergenhus fortress, after which Anna and Elsa’s palace is clearly patterned.
Troll Country
These mischievous-yet-wise beings play a crucial part in Anna and Elsa’s story and will again have a major role in Frozen 2. Troll folklore is prominent throughout Norway. One dramatic example is the Trollstigen (Troll Ladder) – a switch-back road that passes beneath the Troll Peaks in the famous Western Fjords. According to legend, trolls roam the mountains at night, creating an enchanting atmosphere.
The Home of Hans Christian Andersen
Without the iconic writer Hans Christian Andersen, there would be no Snow Queen and thus no Frozen or Frozen 2. He was born in Odense, where his childhood home has been converted into a museum in his memory (Hans Jensens Stræde 45). Most notably, he lived much of his adult life in Copenhagen. A statue of the writer now stands outside the City Hall. Other Andersen landmarks include the famous Little Mermaid statue, the Royal Danish Theatre (Det Kongelige Teater), where his early plays were performed, and the colourful waterfront houses at Nyhavn, where he rented and wrote classics such as the Princess and the Pea.
