Recently updated on January 25th, 2020 at 03:12 am
Perfect for a relaxing summer, Scandinavia has long been associated with winter sports and frozen tundra. But this is to undersell it – it’s about so much more. From formidable fjords to fairy-tale villages, from characterful wooden churches to summer festivals, here’s why you should visit Scandinavia in summer.
Scandinavians are obsessed with boats. Whether they’re competitively sailing, fishing or just lounging about, when the sun comes out, so does the summer house culture. This involves Nordics, armed with baskets of wild-fruits (like strawberries), flocking to the coast in droves and socialising the water. A great destination for this scene is Lake Vänern, the largest lake in the EU, where the scent of fresh-fish BBQs mix with aroma of the nearby pine forests.
There are plenty of excuses for setting up these sorts of jamborees. Whether it’s Denmark‘s rock shows, Finland’s opera extravaganzas, or Norway’s jazz festivals that tickle your fancy; or, perhaps instead you love national celebrations such as Sweden’s midsummer antics, (which involve maypoles, flower crowns and song), the summer sun ensures everybody’s social calendar fills up quickly.
In these balmy days, the sun refuses to go away. Literally so at the height of summer, when nights can total four hours in length. The good news is that this means visitors can pack as much as they want into a holiday. Whether they choose to travel the Danish Riviera (with its miles of beaches and fishing villages) or wander around Odense, the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, there’s always a beaming sun, a cheery beer terrace or a trendy, minimalist café to speed them on their way.
Talking of minimalism, one of the highlights of the Nordic landscape is its unique architecture. Combining natural stones with accomplished forms of design, the experts in the region are doubtless the Finns. While not technically Scandinavian (that gong is reserved for those sandwiched between Finland and Iceland), Hvittrask is the perfect place to learn about new architectural forms while refuelling on heaps of coffee and cake.
Don’t leave history in your wake, however. Some of the most stunning stave churches in the world belong to the mountain village of Lom in Norway. These wooden churches, ranging from little houses to great cathedrals, are often surrounded by pretty meadowland, making them the perfect spots to indulge in a little picnicking.
If visitors prefer their nature a little more manicured, Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens acts as the city’s heartland in the summer. Though Oslo’s Vigeland Sculpture park, which contains over 200 of the artist’s bronze, granite and wrought iron creations, can give it a run for its money. Neither can compete, however, with the firework display the Northern Lights afford, especially on some of the more remote Norwegian islands.
This is a region, after all, which is often best seen from the sea. Enjoy scenic fjords, vertical cliffs, churning waterfalls and grinding glaciers from the security of a boat. In summer, this is a realm of blossoming fruit trees, vast canopies of green, and jubilant villages celebrating harvest festivals. All the sorts of ingredients that make a Scandinavian summer the best kind.
If you’d like to try a Scandinavian Summer for the first time, or perhaps relive a past encounter, lots of these beautiful locations are featured on the Scenic Scandinavia & Its Fjords, Capitals of the North and Nordic Adventure trips.
Image Credits: Beautiful Norway © iStock/Gosiek-B. Rorbeur huts in Lofoten © iStock/rusm. Stave Church in Lom © iStock/Tinieder. Vigeland Sculpture © iStock/nedomacki. Reine © iStock/rusm. Aurora Borealis © iStock/Nick_Pandevonium. Preikestolen © iStock/j-wildman.