The Insider’s Guide to Wellness Travel in Sweden and Norway

HyggeScandinavian people’s sense of contentment is now a common word around the world. For outdoor enthusiasts looking for a serious escape, Norway and Sweden await new ways to experience the natural world that will expand your vocabulary and imagination.

In Norway, enjoy external lifea philosophy of living a simple life outside and freeing yourself to connect with nature and yourself. Glistening fjords, tranquil beaches and meditative mountain landscapes welcome those seeking an adventure paradise as pristine as it is tranquil. Here, the national cry is not loud; it’s the sound of your heart beating after you reach the top, the birdsong that echoes the tranquility of unspoiled public parks, and the rush of rushing waterfalls.

In Sweden, to bathe the forestor bathing in the forest, is something to think about and explore. Lush trees cover 70 percent of the country, making ancient forests and dense forests within easy reach of even the busiest cities.

See the northern lights and the midnight sun in Norway

From the northern lights and midnight sun to colorful fishing villages, you’ll find many of Norway’s highlights in Tromsø. An arctic stadium and university town that offers cultural enrichment as well as opportunities for solitude.

Visitors will also find these natural phenomena in the Lofoten Islands. Back in the 9th century, brave Vikings explored the summit of Svolværgeita and Himmeltindan Mountain, sailing above the Arctic Circle to unknown lands. While modern conveniences have been introduced over the millennia—including fishing cabins turned into family-run hotel rooms in Holmen Lofoten—the spirit and atmosphere of the area remain. did not change.

The warm Gulf Stream means that Lofoten has a much milder climate than other parts of the world of a similar size. For surfers, this presents one of the northernmost paradises in the world. It’s not uncommon to see people doing yoga on the secluded beaches or horseback riding on Gimsøya Island’s seemingly endless stretch of sand.

By land or sea, the Lofoten Islands have many ways to restore and restore. Small-group skiing and sailing offer the best of the world, while hikers, hikers and cyclists can push their limits on independent or intimate tours.

Get outdoors in Norway’s national parks

Midnight sun means long hours for fun and you can push your feelings of physical and mental well-being the remote islands of Svalbard. In some of the most remote corners of the world, you will see one of the most amazing natural phenomena in the world, the midnight sun, when ocher rays cover the sky.

More than 60 percent of Svalbard is protected. The critters near the North Pole include walruses, bears, and deer—on any given day, the horned creatures may outnumber mountaineers. For an otherworldly adventure, head to the tranquil Svalbard ice caves.

Norway’s national parks, including the tundra of Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella and rugged peak Rondane, are essential for those seeking true tranquility. Rondane routes for more able-bodied hikers are popular; most travelers choose a day trip or a driving tour. The rewards are more than a leisurely pace, and Rondane has several waterfalls and the chance to see one of Norway’s last remaining herds of wild reindeer. You can also see them, along with musk cows, in Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella, where hikers and skiers often go to the Mardal waterfall.

When it comes to relaxing, the converted farmhouses at the Gammel-Kleppe Heritage Hotel are anything but. Nine wood-paneled rooms (many with mirrors and floor-to-ceiling windows facing nature) include farm-fresh breakfasts and access to wood-burning sauna facilities.

The resort is located between Rondane and Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella, as well as the Jotunheimen mountain range. In this plateau called “the home of the giants,” this high plateau makes you feel like you are on top of the world, like the brave Norse who hiked the highest mountains in Northern Europe.

Glaciers carved the peaks during several ice ages—the same forces that created some of Norway’s most unique landscapes. The country has more than 1,000 fjords, which are the result of glaciers forming U-shaped valleys that were then filled with seawater. Today, the green valleys and rapids are the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord.

Visit the beaches of Norway

With a beautiful coastline, Norway tops the list of countries hosting the largest number of beaches in the world. It’s where the blue waves collide with the endless sky and sometimes the sun burns or the turbulence above the sea. You may not meet many people, but seabirds fly between the white sand dunes that form hiking trails.

For calmer rivers, the rest of southern Norway screams. In the Setesdal valley, anglers can sunbathe while waiting for a call from a perch or a flowernon-migratory salmon.

Forest bathing in Sweden

Forest bathing, it’s called to bathe the forest In Sweden, it’s more than just skiing in the forest—it’s about engaging all five senses and appreciating things like the sunlight glinting through the bark of leaves and the fallen leaves below. of your feet while inhaling the scent of pine. Only one tree species joins spruce, beech, oak and others to cover 70 percent of Sweden.

Like meditation, forest bathing can be guided or done alone in Sweden to bathe the forest it’s not just about forests. Like Norway, the landscape here is vast and varied. In the north, rivers flow through high mountains high above the lush forest shelter. In the south there are sandy beaches and meadows sprinkled with wildflowers.

Recreation in Sweden’s national parks

Sweden’s strict logging laws dating back to the early 20th century help preserve the integrity and health of its forests, supporting natural beauty and fragile ecosystems. In Swedish Lapland, rugged Sarek National Park is the oldest park in Europe. Often referred to as “the last great wilderness of the North,” it’s a place to get away from. There are no marked trails, and the terrain (including six of Sweden’s 13 peaks over 6,500 feet and 100 ridges) challenges many explorers.

In the Skuleskogen National Park, the mountains meet the sea with red granite cliffs that offer a beautiful view over the Bothnian Sea. From above, it’s easy to see why UNESCO has designated Sweden’s High Coast a World Heritage Site. The nature of the diverse park is a living geological textbook. Trails for all abilities bring you to sandy beaches or ancient forests, where twisted pine trees evoke images from the outdoors. Lord of the Courts.

Further south in Småland, national parks such as Norra Kvill also made Tolkien wonder. In Sweden, trees such as giant oak trees and pine trees were traditionally protected as public property. Småland’s virgin forest has not been cut down for 150 years. Spectacular views reward hikers who climb to the top of the highest mountain in the park. In some places, moss-covered rocks form large rock fields, and lake Stora Idgölen flows with water lilies and star-shaped bogbean flowers.

Such silence and forest bathing are found outside the rugged or remote area. Visitors can find natural wonders 12 kilometers from Stockholm city center in Tyresta National Park. Spruce trees grow among mosses and lichens and the lakes glisten as some 8,000 species of animals walk about as undisturbed and undisturbed as their human visitors. Here, as in the rest of the country, the forest is considered the home of all.