You can't be serious about spending your summer vacations up north? Well, this year, you can put all preconceptions to one side. Here are 17 reasons why you should head north.
By Eric Vancleynenbreugel
1. To change planet
A little over three hours' flight to a different planet! Head for Iceland, its scorched and icy lands, for a breath of fresh air and a complete change of scenery. From southwest to northeast, the island is literally scarred by an impressive series of volcanoes: Krafla, Askja, Laki, Hekla... The billions of tons of ash spewed out during eruptions (the island experiences one every five years on average!) give many regions a landscape identical to that of the Moon. In fact, all that's missing is the difference in gravity.
Don't miss: the lava fields and latest eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula in the south-west of the country, the volcanic sand hills of Namafjall and the site of Hverarönd, the Krafla crater...
2. To stay in one of Europe's most beautiful cities
Seen from the air, Sweden's capital city seems to have been built on water. In fact, it seems to be scattered between sea, lake and forest, never quite deciding on one element or the other. The city itself covers some fifteen islands linked by bridges - another Venice of the North, as it were. The central islands, topped by dozens of copper bell towers, are easy to explore on foot or by metro. The best place to stroll is Gamla Stan, the old town. A medieval island criss-crossed by narrow streets lined with palaces and gabled houses in shades of red and ochre.
Choose from two unusual ways to discover Stockholm: from rooftop to rooftop with a guide (https://takvandring.com) or by balloon (www.ballong.se) !
3. To discover one of the world's most beautiful archipelagos
A strange blend of Switzerland and Brittany, the Lofoten Islands are a world apart. A famous American travel magazine ranked them the second most beautiful archipelago on the planet! And indeed, you can't help but succumb to the charm of these mountainous islands, dotted along their shores with charming little villages, some built on stilts. Here and there, a beach as immaculate as a bride's veil plunges into turquoise waters! A touch of the Caribbean, just a stone's throw from the North Pole! And don't forget that the west coast is one of the best places to watch the midnight sun.
More info : https://visitlofoten.com.
4. To sail along the Norwegian coast on a mail boat
They call it the fast lane, «Hurtigruten» in Norwegian. They are eleven ships, built to cut through the Arctic seas in all weathers, unloading goods and mail in Norwegian ports from Bergen in the south to Kirkenes, a salmon hop from the Russian border. Today, they also embark passengers in comfort worthy of classic cruise ships. The real spectacle, however, lies outside, in nature: a coastline jagged by the elements, glaciers licking the ocean, endless islands, small wooden harbours and the mythical cliffs of the North Cape. The choice is yours.
More info : www.hurtigruten.com.
5. To enjoy light 24 hours a day
In summer, while the Mediterranean burns under the sun, the regions north of the Arctic Circle enjoy perpetual sunshine and those to the south an almost uninterrupted day. Here's how it works: from 11pm onwards, from May to July, the sun slowly descends towards the horizon, setting the sea ablaze. Around 1 a.m. (summer time), it's off again for another round. The landscape is lit up with unreal mauve rays. A magical sight to see at least once in your life! These never-ending days give you a real zest for life, and the feeling of tiredness becomes rare, making you want to take early-morning hikes or stay out late into the evenings.
Dates: Bodø (just above the circle), between June 3 and July 8; North Cape, between May 13 and July 29.
6. To see Krakkar churches
Strange, these wooden churches resemble longships. They're called «stavkirker» or standing wooden churches. Unique in the world, they exist only in Norway! In building them, the freshly Christianized Viking carpenters applied their drakkar-building techniques and ornamental themes: dragons, plant scrolls, interlacing... And the three-tiered roofs of some of them give them the look of oriental pagodas. Of the thousand or so built in the Middle Ages, only thirty remain, all in southern Norway. Among the most famous are Heddal, nicknamed the cathedral of the stavkirker, Borgund, Urnes, Gol and Eidsborg.
7. To admire Europe's finest prehistoric engravings
All over Scandinavia, strange Neolithic rock carvings have been discovered. These sites sometimes stretch for kilometers. They may depict scenes of hunting, warfare or daily life, but the themes can also be quite astonishing: boats, dances, a whale, footprints with shoes and even a couple kissing... Two sites on UNESCO's World Heritage List are particularly noteworthy: Tanum, in south-west Sweden, is one of the closest to home, but also one of the most surprising. Alta, in northern Norway, is truly immense, spread over no less than 60 walls.
More info : www.tanumworldheritage.se and www.alta.museum.no.
Photo Eric Vancleynenbreugel
8. Meet the reindeer people
They are Europe's last indigenous people. Present long before the arrival of the Scandinavian peoples, the Saami were nomads, and some of them still live from reindeer herding. There are still two villages in Norway almost entirely inhabited by Saami: Kautokeino and Karasjok. Well, apart from festivals and weddings, you'll rarely come across them in their traditional, brightly-colored costume, but you'll have no trouble getting to know them better through their way of life, their music (jojk), their traditional dwellings (kotas, tents made of wood and canvas) or their crafts (daggers, finely-carved jewelry, wooden utensils...).
In Arvidsjaur (Sweden), see the Lappstaden, still inhabited by the Sami during markets and festivals.
9. Climbing the vertigo train
In the fjord region of Norway, the «Flåmsbana» railroad is one of the most fantastic ever built. What was originally intended to be just a section of the Oslo - Bergen route has quickly become a popular itinerary for travelers. Just imagine: over a distance of twenty kilometers, the train climbs from almost 900 meters above sea level. At some points, the gradient is as steep as 55%! Fortunately, there are five braking systems, but even so, you'll be holding your breath more than once. An engineering feat, the construction of this section took 20 years and includes 20 tunnels. Much more than a masterpiece of civil engineering, the Flåmsbana winds through one of Scandinavia's most beautiful regions: waterfalls and bubbling cascades follow one another from the top to the bottom of the valley.
Infos : www.flamsbana.no. Several daily departures in both directions.
Photo Sverre Hjornevik
10. To explore the land of fairy tales and castles
Fionie (Fyn in Danish) seems a world away from the rest of Denmark. More rural, with windmills that turn only to play with the wind, sleepy villages and thatched farmhouses, this is an island straight out of a storybook. So it comes as no surprise to learn that this is also Andersen's homeland. Andersen drew inspiration from his island to write his stories. By the way, did you know that Fionie has even more castles than in his tales?
Visit Odense, Andersen's home town and one of the oldest in the Kingdom; next door, the Fionie open-air museum (Odense Bys Museer); stroll through the narrow streets of Fåborg and, 20 km away, discover Egeskov castle, its gardens and museums.
11. To reach Bornholm, the island of the sun
Lost in the middle of the Baltic Sea between Germany and Sweden, Bornholm is nonetheless Danish land. The small island is a concentrate of Scandinavian landscapes: the sea of course, but also cliffs, forests, meadows, lakes, picturesque villages and wheat fields. Added to this are the immense white-sand beaches of Dueodde and Balka, ranked among the most beautiful in Europe. And then there are the astonishing round white churches. Built in the 12th century, they are thought to have been built by the Vikings, who, having pushed on to Constantinople, reproduced the architecture of the Byzantine churches. Bornholm is also famous for its smoked fish, one of the best in the world. What's more, the island enjoys a microclimate with the most sunshine in Denmark. So much so that fig trees and many other Mediterranean plants can be found here! If you want the luxury of a Danish sunburn, even outside the summer months, Bornholm is the place to go.
12. To visit a Lego theme park
We're in the heart of Denmark, right next to the Lego factory in Billund. For young and old alike, we enter the magical world of meticulously assembled blocks, one by one, and end up with a real amusement park! As well as the world's largest Miniland, there's a host of more traditional attractions. We can't help but think of the thousands of hours of work that went into creating all the coloured briquettes. Take, for example, the miniature city of Aarhus, built from over 2.5 million pieces!
More info : www.legoland.dk.
13. To see Arctic wildlife up close
Scandinavia is one of the wildest regions on the continent. Forests, mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls and glaciers cover much of the territory. So animals are king. Bears, lynxes, wildcats, wolves, elks, reindeer, beavers... all species that have become rare elsewhere are sometimes too numerous here. For the less patient, there are parks where the animals live semi-wild and can be observed more easily.
Europe's largest bear park (Grönklitt) at Orsa in central Sweden; the Gabba Reindeer Park at Kirkenes, in the far north of Norway; in Stockholm, the Skansen open-air museum.
14. For the world's most Nordic citytrip
Reykjavik is the northernmost capital on the planet. A citytrip that's all the more worthwhile in summer, when the days never end. Shopping, museums, exhibitions, nightlife, gastronomic experiences - there's nothing boring about Iceland's capital. And if Iceland is a rather cold land, its volcanoes generously lavish their heat on its inhabitants, mainly in the form of geothermal springs. Bathing is a real national pastime, just like having a drink at home.
More info : www.visitreykjavik.is. From Reyklavik, numerous day trips to the southwest of the island.
15. To attend the Visby Medieval Festival
We're now on the island of Gotland, off the southeast coast of Sweden. Every year in early August, the town of Visby revives its medieval past. Its streets come alive with old-fashioned stalls, and jesters, minstrels and knights take over the space. This fully fortified city (the only one in Scandinavia), also known as «the city of roses and ruins», has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its ramparts are topped by more than 50 towers, and the town itself is home to more than 200 stone buildings built in the Middle Ages.
More info : https://visitgotland.se and www.medeltidsveckan.se.
16. For breathtaking hikes
Scandinavians are sportsmen and women, and their environment is an immense exercise ground. Here, you'll find hiking and canoeing on thousands of lakes, as well as more specific sports such as horse riding, climbing, rafting, paragliding, mountain biking, glacier trekking and summer skiing.
Two of the most beautiful courses :
- The «Kungsleden» (Royal Trail) is a fantastic 500-kilometre trekking trail through some of northern Sweden's most beautiful national parks.
- The «Rallarvegen» (railway road) links the Hardangervidda plateau (Norway) to the Flåm fjord. The first few kilometers are often snow-covered, even in July.
17. To visit Greenland, the extreme island
Thrills and spills guaranteed! On the borders of Europe and America, the world's largest island continues to play the role of mystery. Tourism here is still rather confidential, and you need to be patient, because a trip to these lands is still pure adventure. Marketing experts before their time, the Vikings called it Green Earth, even though it's 90% covered in ice! So don't go there without equipment and a travel plan.
Between May and September, the coastal boat that coasts from port to port from the south to the north of the west coast is an excellent way to get around, as there are no roads between towns and villages.
Even without a reservation :
Scandinavia lends itself perfectly to impromptu tourism. There's no need for lengthy reservations. Here are a few tips if you decide to visit late in the day:
- Go wild camping. Elsewhere, this becomes quite difficult, but here there are no restrictions, apart from not pitching your tent too close to a dwelling.
- If it's raining, or for greater comfort, you can rent a «hytte», a small chalet equipped with a mini kitchen, beds, table and chairs, usually on a campsite.
- In Lofoten, rent a «rorbu», a fisherman's hut on stilts fitted out like a cottage.
- In Scandinavia, everything is very clean and well thought-out: roadside toilets, barbecue areas, children's play areas...
