Five reasons why your next trip should be to Scandinavia

There I was, sitting in the breakfast nook of a pleasant Stockholm hotel, listening to a group of North Americans explain why they had signed up for a two-week tour of Scandinavia. Person after person, couple after couple, the answers were variations on the same theme: They had Scandinavian ancestry and thought it was finally time to see the ancestral homeland. Not one person in the group was visiting Europe for the first time.

These exchanges made an impression, but they didn’t shock me. After all, over the previous four months, whenever my upcoming trip came up in conversation, people’s reactions tended to be something like, “Oh, Scandinavia…you know, I’ve never thought about going there. Did your family come from there?”

Stunning Stockholm doesn’t seem to be too high up on most people’s bucket lists.

Scandinavia just doesn’t get a lot of tourist love, does it? As far as I can tell, neither Norway, nor Denmark, nor Sweden seem to be at the top of too many must-see lists. And this despite the fact that it has to be one of the easiest places for North Americans to travel to because of the very high level of English fluency across the region.

This exceptionally creepy sculpture in Oslo would really like to be your friend.

I get it. The region just doesn’t spring to mind when listing the vacation things people tend to fantasize about. It’s not known for its beaches and certainly not for hot and sunny weather (though I did, truly, get sunburned in Stockholm). Nor does Scandinavian food align with popular ideas of haute cuisine. And, of course, it really is expensive as hell over there.

I know sun-worshippers aren’t going to prioritize Norwegian cliffs and waterfalls. But isn’t this gorgeous? Isn’t it worth temporarily ditching the two-piece for a windbreaker? (But not just a windbreaker, of course. You’d get awfully chilly.)

All true. The weather is unpredictable, and I’d only recommend swimming in the water if you are part seal or polar bear. And, yes, the five drinks I had in a single week in Norway probably could have covered a down payment on a house. But I am here to tell you to go anyway. As soon as possible (scratch that, wait until the summer). Go with an open mind and empty stomach. You won’t be disappointed. Here are five reasons why:

Reason #1: It is just so beautiful.

Whether you’re talking about snow-capped and fjord-blessed Norway, densely-forested Sweden, or low-lying and slightly boggy Denmark, the Scandinavian landscape is very diverse. But all of it is beautiful, and many areas are downright stunning. I am a city girl. I’m not given to rhapsodizing about nature, but I was constantly overwhelmed. My favorite was the water. The sun-lit blue was the bluest blue I’d ever seen. I was just transfixed and couldn’t stop taking pictures.

I was in Scandinavia for nearly five weeks and the blueness of the sky and water never ceased to enchant me. I took this picture of sailboats in Stockholm’s harbor my very first day there.

Reason #2: It is so peaceful.

 
The Scandinavian nations are small. The largest, Sweden, has just under 10 million people. And with much less of a tourist crunch than you’d find in, say, Paris or Rome, you end up with a region blissfully free of crowds–even in high season. The only place where I experienced anything like a real crush was at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. And even then the madness was confined to the area right around the restored Vasa ship (a 17th century warship so laden with canon that it sank in the harbor on its maiden voyage, and in front of the king who’d footed the bill. Oops).  

The Swedish university town of Uppsala was one of the most scenic places I visited (in a region full of scenic places).

Reason #3: Those Vikings are pretty interesting.

If you associate the Vikings with burning, pillaging, or worse, I am not going to tell you to drop that notion. They were fearsome warriors and they did do some bad stuff. But there is so much more to their story. (For example, how they “discovered” North America five hundred years before Columbus. Or, how part of France is named after them, which you can read all about here.)

A preserved Viking ship on display at the Kulturhistorisk (cultural history) museum on Oslo’s Bygdøy peninsula.

Both Oslo and Roskilde (near Copenhagen) have fascinating and well-designed museums dedicated to the Viking era. Along with a ton of really cool archaeological artifacts, both museums feature actual surviving Viking longships. Some are warships, some ordinary transit or trade vessels, and a couple served as tombs for members of the elite.

These last would have been filled with treasure and deliberately sunk. See, there’s a reason right there to think better of the Vikings: their burial practices were very considerate of future historians.

Reason #4: The food. Yes, really.

If you are a strict vegetarian, you probably won’t be impressed with this part, but for you carnivores, start fantasizing about reindeer and the best salmon of your life.

It’s important to remember that while Scandinavian cuisine is simple–definitely heavy on the meat, fish, and potatoes–that doesn’t mean it’s bland. I had reindeer prepared four different ways, and they were all so flavorful and tasty that whatever guilt I felt about eating Rudolph’s cousins disappeared pretty quickly.

Okay, full disclosure: This is actually the reindeer I ate in Iceland. But the light was terrible in the other restaurants and this photo came out best. This dish was prepared with strips of reindeer, but I also found it in steak form.

And don’t forget the delicious array of sweets. Somehow I never got the memo about Scandinavia being a dessert capital (maybe because danishes have never been my thing?). But I quickly made up for lost time.

My favorite was punschrulle (punsch roll), a delectable Swedish concoction that pairs a marzipan and chocolate shell with a cookie-crumb and liqueur filling. I’ve gone through all my Scandinavia photos in search of a picture, but came up empty. Most likely none of them ever lasted long enough for me to grab the camera.

This was my second favorite dessert. When I asked the waitress what it was called, she shrugged and said, “I guess you call it ‘Norwegian custard bun.'” Whatever it’s called, it was about the size of my head and so good. Any country that makes something like this deserves a visit!

A miniature village and garden, floating on a pond in the tiny Danish island town of Aeroskobing.

Reason #5: It has the best of both worlds

The Scandinavian countries are popularly associated with outdoor pursuits, and it’s easy to see why. I’ve already noted just how beautiful the region is. If you’re sporty, or just like taking long walks in the fresh air or picnicking by a riverbank, this is the place for you. Opportunities for glacier walks, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and, especially in rather flat Denmark, scenic bicycling, abound. There is something for everybody and, most of it is fairly easy to get to from the cities.  

I took this picture while sitting on the bank of the Sognefjord, just 200 kilometers from Bergen–Norway’s second largest city.

And speaking of cities. Though small compared to New York, London, or Paris, Scandinavia’s cities offer plenty of exciting nightlife, cultural opportunities, and, if that’s your thing, shopping. Hang out with the locals (in Copenhagen that might mean drinking on the curb by the harbor. Drinking inside is more expensive, so younger people often indulge outdoors. And yes, it’s legal), or if you want a strange (and chilly) experience, hit up one of the kitschy ice bars.  

Det Lille Apotek (the little apothecary) is the oldest restaurant is Copenhagen, and very charming. I recommend (you guessed it) the salmon.

Each country has a thriving arts scene, striking architecture, and numerous fine museums. The Munch Museum in Oslo (home of The Scream) and the Glyptotek in Copenhagen are two of my favorites.

Oslo’s Vigeland sculpture park is possibly the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen (you can read about my visit here,) while Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens has to be seen to be believed. (Think Coney Island meets the Moulin Rouge, with summer rock concerts and the odd peacock strolling about).

Gustav Vigeland, Sculpture of a Woman with Long Hair. The Vigeland park is one of those places that are genuinely awe-inspiring.

The Glass Hall Theatre at Tivoli Gardens. Originally built in the 19th century, it was destroyed by arson in 1944 by the Nazis (in retaliation for acts of sabotage by the Danish resistance), and rebuilt after World War II.

There you are. Five reasons to make a beeline for Scandinavia, even if you are, like me, lacking in Viking ancestors. Go, have a wonderful time, cruise a fjord, visit Munch’s The Scream, indulge in Swedish meatballs and lingonberry sauce that make IKEA’s taste like a happy meal, and please, please, bring me back some punschrulle!

Bonus reason to visit Scandinavia: Hang out in Copenhagen with the original Little Mermaid!

Do you have a favorite underrated place? What makes it so special to you?