Scandinavia is a loose grouping of several countries in northern Europe. Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland are the 5 countries usually considered Scandinavian. It’s a beautiful region with a lot to offer visitors. So, here’s a guide to help you out if you’re travelling to that part of the world soon.
How to Travel
You can travel to Scandinavian countries by plane or ferry, or even train if you’re arriving from central Europe. Plane travel is the option that most foreign visitors opt for though. Once you’re in Scandinavia, it is probably best to use the public transport links to get around as they are usually pretty reliable.
Trains are especially useful if you’re looking for a quick and relatively cheap way to get between Denmark, Sweden and Norway. But the further north you go, the number of rail services gets fewer. So, if you’re going to Finland, it might be easier to travel there from southern Scandinavia by plane.
What to Do
There’s plenty to do in Scandinavia, so you won’t ever be short of options. If you’re wondering how to experience the aurora borealis, Scandinavia is definitely the place to go. Iceland and Finland both offer the chance to see the beauty and wonder of the aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights.
In Denmark, you could visit self-governing freetown of Christiania. It was set up in the early 1970s as an alternative to mainstream culture and is now run as a democratic anarchist collective. It’s an interesting area to visit because it exists as an entirely separate community and atmosphere to the rest of the country.
Where to Stay
If you’re looking for top hotels and accommodation, you’ll have to be prepared to pay heavily for it because the Scandinavian countries are quite expensive. However, there are hundreds of great hostels, so you’ll never be short of cheap accommodation if you’re prepared to take the downsides that come with it.
There are even cheaper ways to get a good night’s sleep in Scandinavia though. In all countries in the region, with the exception of Denmark, there is something called Every Man’s Right. This allows everybody to sleep or camp on uncultivated land for a couple of nights as long as you don’t cause any problems.
The Climate
Some parts of northern Scandinavia fall within the Arctic region, so, as you’d expect, these areas can get very cold. But most Scandinavian countries have quite mild climates, similar to most other nations in northern Europe. And summers can be very warm at times too.
The daylight hours may take some getting used to for some people though. Due to the high latitude, the summer nights are very short and the winter nights are very long. That means you don’t get many hours of light in the winter, and you get a lot during the summer.
Scandinavia is a beautiful part of the world, and a lot of people don’t even consider it when they’re thinking about where to visit next. But you definitely should!
