Hygge, the Scandinavian mindset of cozy contentment, is now a household term worldwide. For fans of the outdoors seeking mindful escapes, Norway and Sweden await with new ways of experiencing the natural world that will expand your vocabulary—and your vistas.
In Norway, enjoy friluftsliv, the philosophy of living a simple life outdoors and unplugging to reconnect with nature and yourself. Glittering fjords, peaceful beaches, and contemplative mountain landscapes welcome those seeking an adventurer’s paradise as pristine as it is serene. Here, the call of the wild isn’t a roar; it’s the sound of your heartbeat after reaching a summit, birdsong punctuating the stillness of unspoiled national parks, and the cascade of rushing waterfalls.
In Sweden, skogsbad, or forest bathing, is contemplative and exploratory. Lush treescapes cover 70 percent of the country, making ancient woodlands and verdant canopies of leaves easily accessible even from the busiest city.
See the northern lights and midnight sun in Norway
The aurora borealis—dancing ribbons of rays known as the northern lights—glow brightly over Lofoten in Norway.
Courtesy of Visit Norway/Johny Goerend
From the northern lights and the midnight sun to colorful fishing villages, you’ll find many of Norway’s most iconic highlights in Tromsø. The Arctic playground and university city that offers just as much cultural enrichment as opportunities for solitude.
Visitors will also find these natural phenomena in the Lofoten Islands. As far back as the 9th century, courageous Vikings explored the Svolværgeita pinnacle and Himmeltindan Mountain, sailing far above the Arctic Circle into lands unknown. While modern conveniences have been introduced over the millennia—including the fishing cabins converted into family-run hotel rooms at Holmen Lofoten—the spirit and landscapes of this region remain largely unchanged.
The warmth of the Gulf Stream means Lofoten has a much milder climate than other parts of the world at the same latitude. For surfers, this yields one of the world’s most northernmost paradises. It’s not unusual to see yogis at secluded beaches or horseback riders splashing through the surf of Gimsøya Island’s coastline where lengthy stretches of sand meet a seemingly endless sky.
By land or by sea, the Lofoten Islands have innumerable ways to reset and recharge. Small-group skiing and sailing adventures offer the best of both worlds, while hikers, climbers, and cyclists can stretch their limits on independent or intimate guided tours.
Get outdoors in Norway’s national parks
Mardalsfossen waterfall in Romsdal county, Norway, is one of the tallest waterfalls in Europe.
Courtesy of Visit Norway/Oddgeir Visnes
The midnight sun means longer hours for adventures and you can push your sense of physical and mental accomplishment too in the remote Svalbard archipelago. In some of the most far-away corners of the earth, you’ll witness one of the world’s most stunning natural phenomena, midnight sun, when ochre rays cloak the sky.
More than 60 percent of Svalbard is protected. The delicate ecosystem near the North Pole hosts walrus, polar bears, and reindeer—on any given day, the antlered creatures may outnumber human hikers. For an otherworldly adventure, head to the subterranean peace of Svalbard’s ice caves.
Norway’s national parks, including the rolling tundra of Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella and rugged-peaked Rondane, are musts for those seeking true tranquility. Rondane’s trails for hikers of many abilities are favorites; many travelers opt for a day trip or driving tour. The rewards outweigh the relaxed pace by far, and Rondane has several waterfalls and the opportunity to spot one of Norway’s last remaining herds of wild reindeer. You can also see them, along with musk oxen, at Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella, where trekkers and skiers often venture to the Mardal waterfall.
When it’s time for rest, the converted farmhouse lodgings at Gammel-Kleppe Heritage Hotel are out of a folktale. The nine wood-hewn rooms (many with fireplaces and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking nature) include a farm-fresh breakfast and access to wood-burning sauna facilities.
The retreat’s location is central to Rondane and Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella, as well as the mountain region of Jotunheimen. Called the “home of the giants,” this towering plateau makes you feel on top of the world, like the brave Norse who trekked what are Northern Europe’s highest mountains here.
Glaciers carved the peaks over several ice ages—the same forces that formed some of Norway’s most iconic vistas. The country has more than 1,000 fjords, the result of glaciers making U-shaped valleys that were then filled with seawater. Today, the green valleys and rushing flumes are the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord.
Visit Norway’s beaches
Hauklandstranden beach in Lofoten, Norway
Courtesy of Visit Norway/Christine Baglo
With a prodigious coastline, Norway tops the list of countries hosting the largest number of beaches in the world. It’s where blue waves crest against an endless sky with the occasional sunbather or surfer dotting the ocean’s surface. You may not encounter many people, but seabirds hop between white-sand dunes that form hiking trails.
For tranquil rivers, the rest of southern Norway beckons. In Setesdal Valley, anglers can bask in the sun while waiting for a nibble from perch or bleke, local non-migratory salmon.
Forest bathing in Sweden
In places such as Bokenäs, Klev in southern Sweden, harness the restorative powers of nature with practices such as forest bathing.
Courtesy of Per Pixel Petersson/imagebank.sweden.se
Forest bathing, called skogsbad in Sweden, is more than a meander through the woods—it’s about engaging all five senses and appreciating sights like sunlight glittering through a canopy of foliage and the crunch of fallen leaves beneath your feet while inhaling the scent of pine. That’s only one tree variety that joins spruce, beech, oak, and more to cover 70 percent of Sweden.
Like meditation, forest bathing can be guided or solo and in Sweden skogsbad isn’t only for the woods. As in Norway, the terrain here is vast and varied. In the north, rivers rush through towering mountains that rise dramatically from lush, protected timberland. The south is home to sandy beaches and meadows sprinkled with wildflowers.
Adventure in Sweden’s national parks
The unspoiled nature of Sarek National Park in Sweden
Courtesy of Anders Ekholm/Folio/imagebank.sweden.se
Sweden’s strict rules around logging instituted in the early 20th century help preserve the integrity and health of its forests, supporting the natural beauty and delicate ecosystems. In Swedish Lapland, the rugged Sarek National Park is the oldest national park in Europe. Often called the “last great wilderness of the North,” this is the place to get off the beaten path. There are no marked trails, and the terrain (including six of Sweden’s 13 peaks over 6,500 feet and 100 glaciers) challenges many explorers.
At Skuleskogen National Park, the mountains meet the sea with red granite cliffs affording magnificent views over the Bothnian Sea. From the top, it’s easy to see why UNESCO designated the High Coast of Sweden a World Heritage site. The park’s varied topography is a geology textbook come to life. Trails for all abilities bring you to sandy beaches or old-growth forests, where twisted windswept pines evoke scenes from Lord of the Rings.
Skogsbad or forest bathing, hike along the John Bauer trail in Småland, is part of life in Sweden.
Courtesy of Patrik Svedberg/imagebank.sweden.se
Further south in Småland, national parks like Norra Kvill also conjure the wonder of Tolkien. In Sweden, trees like the gigantic oaks and pines have traditionally been protected as community property. The virgin forest of Småland hasn’t been logged for 150 years. Dazzling views reward hikers who ascend to the top of the park’s tallest mountain. Elsewhere, moss-covered rocks form entire boulder fields, and Stora Idgölen lake ripples with water lilies and star-shaped bogbean flowers.
Such serenity and forest bathing are available outside of rugged or remote topography too. Travelers can find natural wonders 12 miles from Stockholm city center at Tyresta National Park. Spruce trees grow among moss and lichen and lakes glitter as some 8,000 animal species move about as unworried and unharried as their human guests. Here, as in the rest of the country, the forest is appreciated as a home for all.
