Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re in Helsinki Finland. For our purposes today, I’m considering Scandinavia to include Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. I know some people don’t consider Finland to be part of Scandinavia, but we’re counting it today! (You could even include Iceland in this list of loves and hates!) Here at Wolters World, we like to prepare travelers with the good, and the bad, of visiting a new country. So these are the five things you’ll love, and the five things you’ll hate, on your Scandinavia trip.
Hate #1: Prices in Scandinavia
Yes, everything is expensive in Scandinavia. Norway is the most expensive, but you’ll find much higher prices than other countries in Europe, like Germany. The biggest drawback to visiting Scandinavia is knowing how much money you are going to spend. (This is the only true “hate”; everything else on this list is more of mild irritation.)
Read: How to Cut Costs While You Travel
Hate #2: Weather and Darkness
From October through April, the weather in Scandinavia is not great. It’s cold, rainy and very dark. If you go as far north as Lapland, you’ll have almost 24 hours of darkness in the winter. The people have a more subdued, depressed state in the winters vs the smiling faces you will see in the summer when the weather is great.
Read: Rainy Day Travel Advice
Hate #3: Scandinavian Food
I love food, but there aren’t that many dishes that I love in Scandinavia. The salmon is good, anything with mushrooms or a mushroom sauce and the reindeer is unique. The cuisine just isn’t too exciting, but they do a good job of adapting other cuisines, so don’t be afraid to try Spanish or Italian restaurants as they’re not bad!
Hate #4: Alcohol
There are a few issues with respect to alcohol. There’s actually a lot of alcoholism in Scandinavia, and it’s not really a problem for tourists, but you might run into some drunken crowds late at night. This really just affects tourists when you want to buy alcohol, perhaps to have a drink at your hotel before going out. You can only buy alcohol at state-run liquor stores. They have weird hours and are very expensive.
Hate #5: Not Enough Bang for Your Buck
Scandinavia is gorgeous, but it can feel like you’re not quite getting enough for the money you’re spending. There are good museums, but they’re not the Louvre, yet they cost just as much. Once you resign yourself to just spending a lot of money and not worrying about the prices, you’re going to LOVE Scandinavia!
Love #1: Natural Beauty
You can’t even imagine how much natural beauty there is in Scandinavia. Seeing the fjords for the first time from Bergen, or the Northern Lights of Lapland are practically a religious experience. There are lakes, forests, islands and so much to explore; a visit to Scandinavia is really a nature vacation.
Love #2: National Pride
People in Scandinavia are really proud of their countries. They love to celebrate their history and share their culture with travelers. The festivals are a great way to experience Scandinavian culture, but you can really learn a lot from the locals about their country.
Love #3: Safety & Cleanliness
Maybe it’s due to that national pride, but the countries of Scandinavia are some of the safest countries in the world to visit. A lot of our travel guides talk about pickpockets in various parts of Europe and South America, but it’s not really an issue when you visit Scandinavia. The air is fresh and the streets are kept very clean. Because it’s so safe, Scandinavia is a great destination for newer travelers who want an overseas experience without some of the risks of larger European cities.
Love #4: Cities & Towns of Scandinavia
Stockholm and Oslo are both super cool; I change my mind often which one I like better. Copenhagen, Bergen, and Helsinki are all really fun to visit. The cities all have great museums, lots of culture and some nightlife. They are really perfectly sized cities for visitors; not too big to be overwhelming, but big enough to occupy several days of your trip.
Love #5; No Language Barrier
So many speak multiple languages in Scandinavia, and some of them speak better English than we do! You get all the benefits of experiencing a foreign culture, without having to mime things in the street to communicate with the locals. Best of all, they don’t get insulted at “having to” speak English. They do love it if you throw out a few local words, but there’s no attitude about using English. This is another reason Scandinavia is a great first-time overseas destination.
As you can see, I really love the countries of Scandinavia! The “hates” are really just a few things to keep a head’s up on rather than a reason not to take Scandinavian vacation. Want to know more about Scandinavia travel? Check out some of our other blog posts!