Scandinavia is a region of the world that tends to leave most people stunned in one way or another - and we're open to admitting that one of the reasons for that is the cost associated with living there. With that being said, with great risk comes great reward, and the reward, in this instance, is one of the most remarkable sections of planet Earth that you could ever imagine. That sounds over the top and that obviously sounds like we're saying it for the sake of it, but that isn't the case. Not even close.
Mainland Europe as a whole, Asia, Australia & the United States are four locations, in particular, that draw a lot of attention from travellers, and that's not exactly a new revelation. They've all got anecdotes and features that make them not only incredibly fun to visit but also very accessible. The biggest issue with the Scandinavian countries is that there's a stigma associated with the 'price tag'. When if you look a little bit deeper, you'll soon see that it's probably one of the fastest rising regions from a financial standpoint right now.
It isn't nice or necessary to always think of things in terms of monetary value, and that isn't what we're doing here. In order to really appreciate a location for every single individual reason, you need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. What makes it one of the happiest places around the globe? What makes people put it on their bucket lists?
We don't have all the answers, but we're going to try our best to find them.
20 Fishing Potential - Lakes, Lakes, Lakes
It doesn't matter where you live, because fishing is something that the majority of people either have done or will do at some point throughout their life. As boring as it may initially seem, it's also incredibly calming, depending on which type of fishing you decide to take up. Whether it's warm or not, there's never a reason not to get out there and give it a go.
So then, the fact that there are thousands upon thousands of lakes to be found across Northern Europe should make it obvious that the potential for fishing up there is tremendous. It's a booming market, especially in Denmark, and it's something that will continue to spread as the years go on.
19 Marketable - Tourism Central
Whilst your first thought, when Scandinavia comes to mind, may be the overwhelming prices associated with Norway, Sweden and Denmark, there's also a certain level of intrigue. This part of the world isn't somewhere that we all get to experience, and there's something so fascinating about that.
Through general things like attractions, sports teams and the economic growth the region has gone through, Scandinavia has the potential to become one of the most visited parts of planet Earth in the next few decades. That may sound a bit 'over the top', but their facilities are there for all to see.
18 Tivoli Gardens - Visit Denmark
With these kinds of countries, there's a tendency for people to focus all of their attention on the primary cities (aka the capital) that are associated with the nation. When it comes to Denmark, that leaves us with Copenhagen, but in this instance, we're going to give the aforementioned people a pass.
Why? Because of the Tivoli Gardens. When you've got an area that doubles up as a gorgeous and tranquil park alongside a theme park, you really can't go wrong. It showcases everything that the locals are trying to achieve from an artistic standpoint, and with one glance of the Tivoli Gardens, it's easy and fair to say that they've nailed it up to this point.
17 Your Rainbow Panorama - What A Structure
We're sticking with Denmark and architecture here, for this piece of *utter brilliance* that is Your Rainbow Panorama. It's a structure that speaks volumes and sends messages that go far beyond people just thinking 'this looks pretty', and whilst we may be looking into a bit too much, that's the vibe we get from it.
If the likes of Sweden and Norway can continue to build off of the designs that Denmark has already implemented, then the region could double their tourism numbers in the next few decades purely by associating themselves with projects such as these. It's simple.
16 Festivals - Enjoy The Experience
When the word festival comes to mind, the majority of folk tend to think about mosh pits, sleeping in muddy tents and raving in front of thousands of other individuals for three nights straight. Those are certainly on offer in Scandinavia, but beyond that, there are certain traditions that we enjoy to see too.
The calmer festivals which showcase people maypole dancing are to be found across the region, alongside natives drinking and eating to their hearts' content. The natives of our favourite countries up north all have such loud and infectious personalities, and really, that's what it's all about.
Roskilde, Tonder and Skagen are all worthy of at least having a look at.
15 Patriotism - How Lovely
We aren't about to start singing about the land of the free and the Queen, because patriotism, as a stereotype, can fall into those singular categories more often than not. Alas, this example does involve a flag, but in a custom that makes everyone feel particularly swell once a year: on their birthday.
In Denmark, tradition states that the flag of your birth country is flown outside of your home in order to celebrate you turning another year older. It sounds like quite a plain thing to do at first when you consider what most people do instead on their birthday, but in truth, it warms our heart.
14 Friendly Atmosphere - Be Positive
We've alluded to this in above entries but it needs to be repeated: the people of Scandinavia, for the most part, are lovely. They're warm, helpful, love to have a good laugh, and the majority speak pretty good English (just in case that's a deal breaker for you). We could all use a little bit more positivity in our lives, and these folks provide us with that.
The behaviour of the locals doesn't necessarily decide how much of a good time you end up having on any given holiday, but it can certainly help. In Sweden, Denmark and Norway you'll feel like a huge part of the family, which is a big compliment given the current state of world affairs from country to country.
13 Great Metros - Transport Is Important
Public transport is more important than most travellers would like to admit, especially if it causes them to miss important scheduled events. It can be a deal-breaker in several countries where you'd stereotypically expect for them to be incredibly organised, with one of the biggest disappointments, from our perspective, being the rail network in Germany.
Alas, you won't have any of those issues in these nations, as they all seem to work like clockwork which makes for a much safer and more enjoyable country. It doesn't matter whether you're on the metro, the bus, the train or something else, because you're all but guaranteed to get from point A to point B as comfortably and safely as possible.
12 Exclusivity - You Can't Sit With Us
When you think of Scandinavia you tend to think of three countries above all else: Denmark, Sweden and Norway. That's the general custom that we've come to expect, but as most people know, Iceland and Finland both consider themselves to be a part of the Nordic region - when in reality, that isn't a feeling that is shared amongst the 'founding fathers' if you will.
With most other sections in Europe there are a clear number of nations that are included in the 'demographic' so to speak, but because of the position of Scandinavia, it looks and feels a lot more unique. Your first instinct will be to assume that everything is quite expensive, and you're right, but that makes the whole place feel much more prestigious.
11 Eurovision - Be Inspired
If you don't know what Eurovision is, well, let us be the first to introduce you to this unmatched spectacle!
Essentially the Eurovision Song Contest allows for everyone to express their inner 'fanboy/fangirl' every single year, with nations from all across Europe sending cheesy and wonderful artists to a specific host city in order to perform in front of millions around the globe.
The Scandinavians, in particular, seem to thrive in this kind of setting. They've got a series of victories between them, with Sweden being regarded as experts by many as they always seem to be in the running no matter what.
10 Tremendous Genetics - Just Look At Them
Judging a book by its cover isn't something that we like doing and it isn't something that anyone should ever do, but there's a reason why there's a stereotype associated with Scandinavians and the people of Sweden - because they are quite literally stunning human beings.
They seem to possess fantastic genetics which always makes for a more positive morale amongst most citizens, and it's not like they carry arrogance with them because of that, either. They're very inclusive people and incredibly down to earth, which ties into what we were talking about earlier regarding their great personalities. We don't want to make too many sweeping generalisations, but it's hard not to with this.
9 Monarchy - Britain's not the only one
The most notable monarchy in the world stems from Great Britain, and that's hardly a secret. The Royal Family bring in a significant amount of revenue through tourism, which is one of the main arguments behind why it hasn't been abolished yet.
Alas, they aren't the only dogs in town, with Denmark, Norway and Sweden all being dubbed as 'Kingdoms', being ruled by Kings and Queens respectively. They're very strong and powerful nations by reputation, and that holds up through their monarchy systems. You may not be even remotely interested in this kind of aspect of things, and that's okay, but you should consider respecting the process of the royals.
8 Seafood - Yes Please
Seafood isn't for everyone, and to be honest, that's okay. The diversity in tastes when it comes to food allows for a whole lot of variety not only in day to day life but in the job market, too. People go out and create these markets for seafood, and it's done wonders for the economy - especially in Denmark.
It's more of an adventure than anything else to test out some of the different flavours and fish that are on offer in these nations, and whilst that could always put you off, the majority of travellers are willing to try this kind of thing - especially if it qualifies as trying out the cuisine of any given country.
7 National Holidays In Sweden - So. Many. Holidays.
Sweden Day and International Workers Day are two things that may not mean much to you but if you live in Sweden and appreciate their practices, then you'll understand why it's such a great country even more so than you may have thought before.
We aren't suggesting that every single nation needs to have an insane amount of national holidays in order to be considered 'great' or even fun to visit, but it's certainly a nice bonus - especially given how hard people work for what they get, because let's remember, the rate of living is very high, and we aren't forgetting that or glossing over it.
6 Stunning Aesthetics - Utterly Breathtaking
There are so many different ways to come out and say this, but the best way is this: Scandinavia is beautiful.
It is. It really, really is.
You've got pieces of architectural brilliance, forests, breathtaking lakes, great houses - you name it and they've got it. If you have the money for the airfare alone, why wouldn't you want to come and experience some of the finest sights that the world has to offer?
The word underrated is thrown around a lot in the present day and we can understand that, but it's never been more relevant than when talking about Scandinavia. Honestly, how many places do you visit and find yourself legitimately stopping every few minutes to say 'wow'.
5 Fashion - Sashay Away
We aren't just talking about Norway's curling team's pants here, as much as we'd like to - we're talking about fashion as a whole. Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen host dozens upon dozens of fashion-related events throughout every single calendar year and there's a reason for that: they're trendy places to be.
It's not like Milan where they pretend to be something that they're not or they use fashion as a way to hide other faults in the city because it's just so much purer than that. From an economic standpoint, this is the kind of thing that will help to keep the Scandinavian region relevant in the not so distant future and beyond.
4 Korketrekkeren - Fun For All
No, this isn't some 'Pokemon evolution' of a Kraken - this is the tale of a pretty wonderful tobogganing track in Oslo that has brought joy to millions upon millions of people, and yes, that does sound plain and a little bit dull, but it really, really isn't.
After initially being used as a part of the Winter Olympics, Korketrekkeren is now publically owned and can be used free of charge. It embraces all of the stereotypes about the cold and 'mystic' weather that can be experienced up in Norway and instead of hiding away from it, they quite literally steer into the skid, and that's the right way to be.
3 Northern Lights - What A Sight
It's not exactly easy to travel around in search of the Northern Lights, and you often have to be located at very specific points in order to experience what is considered by some to be an 'act of God'. One country, above all others, that is exceedingly popular in this regard, is Norway.
The locals are probably sick of tourists travelling around the nation with the hope of seeing 'Aurora' or even catching a glimpse of it, but it's just so unbelievably unique. When your alternate option is likely to head all the way down south to Antarctica, it becomes all the more enticing.
2 Skiing - It's Always Fun
Skiing holidays are always fun and while the US has a few great resorts littered throughout the country, Europe tends to be seen and viewed as the 'hub' of it all. It doesn't matter whether or not you're a pro or a novice in most places, and in Scandinavia, that certainly rings true.
There's a reason why so many Winter Olympics have been held up there, with Lillestrom (an actual host city), Are, Hemsedal and Geilo being a handful of the examples of resorts and destinations that can give you that 'ultimate experience' kind of feel. So then, what are you waiting for?
1 Blue Lagoon - Once In A Lifetime
It's really, really difficult not to look at the Blue Lagoon and consider it to be one of the most astonishing locations on Earth today. Sure, it's expensive to visit and sure, you may not personally think of Iceland as an important part of this region whatsoever, but that shouldn't take away from its beauty.
You'll sit there for hours marvelling at what you're seeing in front of you, and if you're able to afford to actually go and sample it, you'll feel like you've made it. That sounds bizarre and a little bit materialistic, but just wait and see what it feels like when that aura of serenity hits you like a ton of bricks. There's nothing quite like it.