Scandinavia trip planning: which country should you go to? - We12Travel (2024)

What are the Scandinavian countries?

A frequently heard term is Scandinavia, but what is Scandinavia exactly? According to Wikipedia, there is no exact definition of Scandinavia, but rather an area in the northern part of Europe. In addition, Wikipedia indicates three different ways in which Scandinavia can be interpreted. For this blog, I defined Scandinavia as Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Denmark.

I will tell you more about what you can expect from each country, what the highlights are and what the best travel period is. I have been to Scandinavia more than 40 times over the past decade, am a published author of guidebooks and currently live in the north of Sweden.

Your first time in Scandinavia: what to expect

First of all I’ll give you some general travel tips for Scandinavia that actually apply to all five countries. Of course there are exceptions per country, but in general the following applies to all below mentioned destinations.

• Take into account the midsummer night sun when traveling in the summer. The further north you go, the more daylight you will experience in the summer. From roughly the south of Norway to everything above, you’ll be in the light almost 24 hours a day in the summer. It’s definitely something to keep in mind if you have trouble sleeping.
  
• The Scandinvavians are incredibly friendly and helpful. Even the older generation speaks English quite well and often restaurants have menus available in English. You won’t have to worry about a language barrier in Scandinavia!
  
• Driving is slow when you are on a road trip in Scandinavia. Around the big cities you will find four-lane highways, but most main roads in Scandinavia are two-lane roads with a speed limit of 80 to a maximum of 100 kilometers per hour. If you are unlucky you will be stuck behind a motorhome that refuses to divert and that may cause a lot of delay. So plan your driving times well, in Scandinavia you will typically always spend more time than planned for driving. The traffic fines are also extremely high compared to other countries in Europe, so make sure that you do not commit a violation such as speeding or foul parking.
  
• Pack warm clotes, even in the summer. For all countries goes it can be relatively cool, even in the middle of summer. A hat, gloves and buff as well as a rain jacket are a standard in your Scandinavia travel outfit.
  
• With the exception of Finland, you pay everywhere with the crown (Kronur). Each country has its own crown, which in terms of value are not really related to each other. It’s completely accepted that you pay with a credit card, so you’ll need cash in very few places. In Sweden cash is not even accepted anymore in most places.
  
• The Every Man’s Right (freedom camping) applies to campers in Norway, Sweden and Finland. In Finland and Sweden I have never really had trouble finding a suitable camping spot, in Norway I have had more difficulty with it, especially due to the increasing number of campervans. Many places that used to be available for camping are now marked with a ‘no camping’ sign. I have even heard that it is being considered to substantially decrease or even abandon the Every Man’s Right in in Norway, whether or not just for campervans.
  
• The price level in all countries is relatively high, especially in terms of food and overnight stays. For example, gasoline is usually (just a little) cheaper than in the rest of Europe, but eating out and doing healthy shopping is often more expensive than we are used to. The Scandinavian countries are certainly not a budget destination!
  

Travel in Norway

Norway, together with Iceland, is probably the country that appeals most to those who wish to travel to Scandinavia. Fjords, waterfalls, trolls and vikings are typical Norwegian things you will encounter on your trip. From a landscape point of view, Norway is one of the most diverse countries I have ever been to. Although the fjords are best known, in the interior you will find beautiful high plains such as the Hardangervidda, glaciers, high mountains and deep valleys. Above the Arctic Circle you can spot whales as well as the Northern Lights and admire the very crowded Lofoten Islands.

I have been to Norway several times in the summer in the past years and it’s typically quite busy there. The best travel season in Norway is relatively short (June to August), which means that it can be quite busy at tourist spots in the summer. There are also many cruise ships along the fjord coast, which can turn a small fjord village into a tourist crowd in an instant.

This does not mean that you can’t easily avoid the crowds in Norway, provided that you look for unknown places such as Senja, the Åkrafjord and the vast hills towards the Swedish border east of Hamar for example.

Norway highlights:

Below you’ll find some of the highlights of Norway. They are very personal and I haven’t been everywhere, but they might be useful if you are interested in a Norway trip:

• Fjord Norway (in particular the Nærøyfjord and Geirangerfjord when there are no cruise ships)
• The Hardangervidda plateau
• The arctic islands of Lofoten, Vesterålen and possibly Senja Island
• The glaciers of Jostedalsbreen National Park and Folgefonna National Park
• Nordkapp (North Cape)
  

Why Norway?

If you ask my “why Norway?” my answer would be the stunning nature, delicious food, freedom camping (to a certain extent), whales and Northern Lights. Disappointments in Norway are the crowds in many places and the often rainy weather. I also found the Hardangerfjord less beautiful than expected. In addition, Norway really is the worst when it comes to high prices and is therefore not exactly a destination for budget travelers.

My Norwegian favorites:

– Salmon. Salmon. Salmon. And again salmon.
– The thrillers by author Jo Nesbø
– Het Every Man’s Right (with restrictions)
– The fjords
– The most beautiful glaciers in Europe accessible over land
– Everything above the Arctic Circle

Want to read more? These are my favorite Norway blogs:

• A summer vacation in Åkrafjorden, Norway
• Biking in Norway: an amazing ride from fjord to fjell
• The most amazing viewpoints in Fjord Norway

Or read all my Norway blogs and articles here.

Book your Norway trip

Depending on when you are visiting, you should definitely book your trip well in advance in the high season. This goes for basically all you may need, from accommodation to ferries to excursions.

• Book your accommodations in Norway here.
• Check the best rental car rates here.
• Ferries can be found on this website.
• Excursions and tours can be booked here.

Travel in Sweden

Although Sweden is not the most stunning Scandinavian country in terms of landscapes, it has captured a special place in my heart. In the summer of 2023 I moved to Sweden and although it’s not the perfect country for living as media make it sound, I really enjoy calling this country my new home. It’s generally a lot more quiet with tourists in Sweden than in neighboring Norway, which makes it the ideal destination for a relaxed road trip in Scandinavia. In addition, as far as I’m concerned, Sweden is definitely a favorite when it comes to hiking. You can make beautiful multi-day hikes without running into many people.

My love for Sweden started with a city trip to Stockholm and gradually spread further and further across the country. I literally traversed the country from south (Malmö) to north (Kiruna) by car, visited all provinces and learned some Swedish along the way. In the spring of 2023 my own I became a published author of a Dutch guidebook for Sweden.

In the south of Sweden you will find mainly forests and lakes and a relatively flat landscape, from mid-Sweden the landscape becomes more hilly and eventually even mountainous in the far north and on the border with Norway. The coastline is also beautiful and I have been a huge Gothenburg fan for several years now, a worthy alternative to busy Stockholm.

Sweden highlights

• Stockholm and Gothenburg and their archipelagos
• The amazing national parks, such as Fulufjället National Parks
• Reindeer, moose and possibly bears can be seen in large parts of the country
• Lappland, the north of the country, for its vast wilderness
• The amazing hiking trails all over the country

Why Sweden?

Sweden is super relaxed. It certainly does not have as many tourists as Norway and Iceland. It’s less busy, there’s fewer rules and less densely populated areas. Whereas in Norway you’ll always see a (holiday) cottage on almost every square kilometer, you can really drive for miles in Sweden without encountering anything. In addition, Sweden is easily accessible by car, via the bridge between Copenhagen and Malmö. However if you don’t like to drive through endless forests, then Sweden may not be your best place to go to.

My Swedish favorites

– Swedish tv crime series and books
– Daim chocolate and cinnamon buns
– The Every Man’s Right (allemansrätten)
– Drive on the E45 – the road to the north
– A winter holiday in Sweden
– Hiking the Kungsleden (King’s Trail)

Want to read more? These are my favorite Sweden blogs:

• Hiking the Kungsleden Trail: a true Nordic adventure
• The most beautiful places in Sweden for your bucket list
• 5 Really cool outdoor things to do in Småland

Or read all my Sweden articles here.

Book your Sweden trip

Depending on when you are visiting, you should definitely book your trip well in advance in the high season, which runs from mid June until mid August, as well as over the Christmas and Easter Holidays.

• Book your accommodations here
• Find tours and activities here
• Check this site for the best rental car rates
• Book bus tickets for Sweden
• Go here to book your ferry crossing to Sweden

Travel in Finland

Finland is a destination that I prefer to visit in the winter. It’s the best destination within Europe to go on dog sledding adventure in the winter, view the Northern Lights and immerse yourself in a total ‘winter wonderland’. I have now visited Finland five times (summer, autumn, winter) and although I like forests, their landscape does not offer the variety that I’m looking for in the summer.

I truly think Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is a wonderful city. There is plenty to see and do, but it’s still relatively quiet compared to Oslo or Stockholm for example. In addition, Finland is of course a prime destination for going to the sauna. For me, a trip without a sauna is not a complete Finland trip.

Finland highlights

• Finnish Lappland in winter (huskies, snowmobiling, Northern Lights)
• Helsinki (and I liked Tampere too)
• The far north, near Treriksröset (where Sweden, Norway and Finland meet)
  

Why Finland?

As I said, I would really recommend Finland as a winter destination. In the summer, for example, Sweden and Norway have much more to offer in terms of natural beauty. However, if you are crazy about forests, lakes and mosquitoes then Finland in the summer is really something for. You can also see bears in the far north, but they are lured in with food, like everywhere in Scandinavia, so it’s not a true wild experience. Santa Clause Village near Rovaniemi is also really terribly touristy and you’d better skip it!

My Finnish favorites

– Sauna’s
– Helsinki
– Huskies
– Jari Litmanen (thinking back of my youth)
– Finnish metal music
– Sunset near one of the many lakes

Want to read more? Go here to read all my Finland articles.

Book your Finland trip

Depending on when you are visiting, you should definitely book your trip well in advance in the high season. Accommodation is easily booked at Booking.com and go here to check the best rental car options for Finland.

Travel in Iceland

If you ask me which of the Scandinavian countries is my favorite, I find it a difficult choice between Sweden and Iceland. From a landscape point of view, however, Iceland is by far the most stunning destination we have in Europe. You will find geysers, glaciers, huge waterfalls and iceberg lakes. I have been to Iceland 10 times now and I just can’t get enough. You can do some amazing hieks (think of the Laugavegur, for example) but you can also make a great road trip in Iceland, both in summer and in winter.

It’s best to visit Iceland in the summer or in the winter. The summers are short and cool, the winters long and dark. Yet it is not always the case that there is a huge amount of snow in Iceland in the winter. The last time I was there in winter (February 2022) there was no snow. In the summer it’s relatively busy and you have to take into account that there are many tourists everywhere.

Iceland highlights

• The Snæfellsnes peninsula
• The interior (only accessible with a 4WD)
• Jökülsárlón and Fjallsárlón iceberg lakes
• The Golden Circle
• Hiking between the hot springs
  

Why Iceland?

You cannot compare Iceland to any other country. The quirky but very friendly Icelanders will do everything to make you happy. You can see northern lights in the winter, whales all year round and cross the interior highlands with a 4WD in the summer. You can also make super amazing hikes, walk to an abandoned aircraft wreck and visit various volcanoes. The Blue Lagoon is a real tourist trap that is also super expensive. You better visit one of the (free) alternatives to the Blue Lagoon.

My favorites in Iceland

– The Westman Islands
– Jökülsárlón
– Landmannalaugar
– A glacier hike on the Sólheimajökul
– Puffins
– Eating a burger at Hamborgarafabrikkan
– The clothing of 66 North and Cintamani

Want to read more? These are my favorite Iceland blogs:

• The best places to stay in Reykjavík for any budget
• Fjallsárlón or Jökulsárlón: which glacier lagoon should you visit?
• What to pack for Iceland in winter: a complete packing list
• All you want to know about renting a car in Iceland
  

Book your Iceland trip

Depending on when you are visiting, you should definitely book your trip well in advance in the high season.

• Accommodation is easily booked at Booking.com
• Go here to check the best rental car options for Iceland.
• Go here to find tours and excursions on Iceland

Travel in Denmark

And last but not least there’s Denmark. To be honest, it is my least favorite country in Scandinavia. I have been there on a few occasions on holiday or drove through on the way up to Sweden. This does not mean that there is plenty to see and do, but a little less for nature lovers than the other Scandinavian countries. Since it has been years since I was on vacation, I don’t have any blogs about it.

Denmark highlights

– A citytrip Copenhagen
– The rocks near Møns Klint
– Walking along the endless coast line

Why Denmark?

I don’t have any children of my own, but I was told that Denmark is a great place to go with your family. There are numerous amusem*nt parks, many holiday homes and everywhere there are good facilities for kids. In addition, it is not too far from the Netherlands. Copenhagen is perfect for a city trip, although it is a relatively expensive city compared to other Scandinavian cities. I really enjoyed the vibe in Copenhagen though and would definitely think of it as one of my favorite cities in Scandinavia.

My favorites

– The Bridge (series and to drive across)
– Walking along the windy coast
– Legoland

Book your Denmark trip

Depending on when you are visiting, you should definitely book your trip well in advance in the high season, which is in the summer. Accommodation is easily booked on Booking.com and go here to check the best rental car options.

Conclusion of Scandinavia trip planning

Hopefully you found this article about which Scandinavian country is the best to visit useful and will it help you make a choice for which country to choose when you first go north. Although I clearly have my favorite destinations, I have tried to stay as objective as possible. However, as a blogger, I see it as my job to also name less pleasant places / things (such as feeding bears and the Blue Lagoon) and to be honest about them when I know a destination less well.

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