Nordic countries

See also: Vikings and the Old Norse, Nordic history, Danish Empire, Swedish Empire

Scandinavia and Finland were covered by an ice sheet around 10,000 BC. As the ice pushed the land down, it is still rising from the sea, at a rate near 1 cm a year. As the ice melted, the north Germanic peoples populated southern coastal areas and Finns and Sami migrated from the Ural Mountains. Thus, the Nordic countries were among the last parts of Eurasia to be settled by humans.

The 8th to the 11th centuries are known as the Viking Age. "Viking" is not the name of a tribe or nation, but the Old Norse word for "sailor". Most Norse people were farmers who remained in Scandinavia, and were by definition not Vikings, but some Norsemen (and in some cases women) sailed the Atlantic and European rivers, venturing as far as Canada and Central Asia, sometimes settling at the destination, and taking part in the foundation of nations such as England, France, and Russia. The expeditions ranged from peaceful trade to pirate raids, the latter giving the Norse a bad reputation across Europe.

Iceland was settled during the Viking Age primarily by migrants from Western Norway. The first decades of colonization is known as the "land grab years" (iclandic: Landnámsöld). While a notable number of women or slaves originated from Scotland and Ireland, cultural and political ties were mostly to Scandinavia and the Old Norse language remained so linguistically stable in Iceland, that some renditions of the Old Norse Sagas render them with modern Icelandic pronunciation which is close enough to the real thing. Iceland's ancient sagas includes important parts of Norway's medieval history and literature.

As the Norse nations were unified and Christianized around AD 1000, the Viking raids declined. Finland was Christianized and annexed by Sweden in the 13th century. The Nordic countries were joint in the Kalmar Union throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, but since Sweden broke away in the 16th century, they fought eleven wars against Denmark, during the following 300 years, until the idea of Scandinavian unity was revived in the 19th century. During the years under Denmark, Norway was heavily influenced by Danish politics and language, and written Danish also became the language of Norway. After independence from Denmark in 1814, leading men in Norway swiftly compiled a democratic constitution that is still in effect as one of the oldest in the world. Norway had a high degree of autonomy during the union with Sweden (1814-1905) and broke away peacefully.

Norway, Finland and Iceland gained or regained independence during the early 20th century. Since the end of World War II, the five Nordic countries have prospered to democratic welfare states. Though they have taken different paths in the international community, with Norway and Iceland rejecting the European Union, and Finland being the only Nordic country to adopt the euro, the brotherhood between the Nordic nations is only tainted by friendly rivalry.

Denmark borders on Germany, while Finland and northern Norway border on Russia, but otherwise the Nordic countries are separated from their neighbours by the Baltic, the North Sea or the Atlantic itself. Denmark is usually regarded as part of continental Europe, while the rest of the Nordic countries are not. Denmark is part of the North European Plain - the largely mountain-free lowland that also includes Belgium, the Netherlands, northern Germany and large parts of Poland.

An abundance of land, water and wilderness is a common characteristic of the Nordic countries. While Denmark is mostly farmland or settlements with little wilderness, the land is still dominated by the sea and the most populous areas are on islands; you are always less than an hour from the sea. Also in Iceland and Norway most people live near the sea. The Nordic countries are often counted among the smaller countries of Europe, but this is largely due to their small populations, and they cover a surprisingly large chunk of land. Outside Russia, Sweden is the fourth largest country in Europe and Norway is the fifth largest. Norway's largest municipality by area (Kautokeino) is almost four times the size of Luxembourg but has only 3,000 inhabitants, and the largest county by area (Troms og Finnmark) is larger than the Republic of Ireland. Sweden is ten times larger than Denmark.

The Nordic countries have a large extent north-south. There is for instance an equal distance from the southernmost point in Denmark to either the Nordkapp at the northernmost point of mainland Norway or to Syracuse in southern Sicily. Even without Greenland, the Nordic countries are larger than the United Kingdom, France and Germany combined. Most areas of the Nordic countries are sparsely populated and the northern sections are the least populated in the EU. A drive through the county Troms og Finnmark is about 1,000 km, which is longer than London to Inverness. Only around and south of the Bergen-Oslo-Stockholm-Helsinki-line there is population comparable to continental Europe.

Norway and Sweden has a 1600 km border (one of the longest in Europe) with about 70 crossing points by road. Norway and Finland has some 730 km joint border with 6 crossing points by road.

The part of Norway, Sweden and Finland north of the arctic circle is often referred to as Nordkalotten ("Cap of the North"), which largely corresponds to Sápmi, the traditional home of the Sami people. At more than 300,000 km² it is about the size of Germany and constitutes about one third of the Nordic countries, but less than a million people live in this northernmost region.

The landscapes and nature varies much across the Nordic countries. Denmark is a flat lowland like the Netherlands and Northern Germany. Iceland is both volcanic and Arctic. Norway and Sweden share the Scandinavian peninsula, which is highest on the Atlantic coast and gradually becomes lower until Sweden meets the Baltic sea. The Scandinavian mountains are steep and rugged on the Atlantic side with deep fjords cutting into the bedrock, gentle on the Eastern side. They run through most of Norway's length and parts of Sweden's and constitute Europe's longest mountain range. Finland is relatively flat, and characterized by lakes scattered over the entire country. Deep pine tree forests stretch from eastern Norway across much of Sweden and Finland, and form the western end of the great Russian taiga. Galdhøpiggen, in Norway's Jotunheimen national park, is at 2,469 m (8,100 ft) the tallest European mountain north of the Alps, while Kebnekaise is Sweden's tallest mountain at 2,104 m (6,903 ft).

See also: Winter in the Nordic countries

The Nordic countries cover a wide range of climate and prevailing weather depends on latitude as well as altitude, distance from oceans and landscape. In Norway in particular, weather can differ considerably within a short distance due to the mountains and valleys. In winter distance from ocean is the most important factor. Weather also varies considerably from week to week, as the weather systems of the Westerlies and those of the Arctic chase high and low pressures. Finland in particular can have easterly winds bring hot weather in summer or cold in winter, or westerly winds bring mild and moist weather.

The Nordic countries have a temperate to Arctic climate, while much milder than other locations at the same latitude. While a large section of the Nordic countries lies north of the arctic circle (Norwegian: polarsirkelen), locals basically use the term "arctic" for areas with a real arctic climate such as Svalbard and the North Pole. The Scandinavian Mountains and wide areas in the very north of Fennoskandia is alpine tundra with an alpine-arctic climate. Most locals don't use the term "tundra" and instead refer to this cool, treeless areas as snaufjell, vidde, duottar, tunturi or fjäll (English: fell). There are areas with permafrost in the high mountains of South Norway and some areas at lower altitudes in Northern Sweden/Norway. Vardø in eastern Finnmark is one of the few towns with an Arctic climate.

Denmark and coastal areas of Southern Norway, Iceland and Western Sweden experience only occasional frost and snow during winter. Summers in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland are pleasantly warm, with day temperatures in the range 15–30 °C (60–90 °F). In the mountains and along western coasts, the weather is generally more unstable. Finland has the most stable sunny weather in summer. In general, the further inland, the larger the difference between summer and winter. While western Norway and the Atlantic Islands only see temperature differ moderately between summer and winter, in Finland the temperature occasionally drops below −20°C (−5°F) even in the south, with records below −50°C (−55°F) in the north – Norway's and Sweden's northern interior has equally cold winters.

The Norwegian coast gets the most precipitation in all of Europe. While autumn tends to be the wet season, weather can change fast around the year. In coastal areas spring and early summer are usually the driest seasons.

The further north, the greater is the variation of daylight between summer and winter. North of the Arctic circle, the Midnight Sun can be seen in part of the summer, and Arctic night experienced part of the winter. In midwinter, the hours with daylight – or in the far north: even dusk – are few and precious; try to be outdoors before first sign of dawn. Oslo, Stockholm and Helsinki (around 60 degrees north) enjoy white nights in June, but only six hours of daylight in December.

Electricity is available nearly everywhere. All countries use 230 V 50 Hz. Denmark uses the E and K power plug; the other countries use F. Cabins away from settlements and public roads may or may not have electricity, sometimes solar powered 12 V DC or USB.

Due to the large distances and the surrounding waters, air travel is often the most practical way to get into the Nordic countries. All the largest cities have international airports, and even towns like Haugesund and Ålesund have some international flights. Almost all European airlines serve at least one Nordic airport.

• SAS Scandinavian Airlines (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) is the flag carrier and dominant airline of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Copenhagen Airport (CPH ^IATA) is the main hub, with secondary hubs in Stockholm-Arlanda and Oslo-Gardermoen. Intercontinental flights to San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, D.C, New York, Bangkok, Beijing, Shanghai and Tokyo
• Finnair (Finland) is Finland's flag carrier, flying out from its main base in Helsinki (HEL ^IATA), utilizing its eastern location for transit flights between Europe and Asia. Intercontinental flights to New York, Delhi, Bangkok, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Singapore.
• Icelandair (Iceland) – Iceland's flag carrier leverages on its strategic location midway between Europe and North America to maintain a strong presence on North American routes, with its main hub in Keflavík Airport (KEF ^IATA). Intercontinental flights to Seattle, Minneapolis-St Paul, Orlando, Boston, New York, Toronto, Halifax, and Philadelphia Int'l Airport
• Atlantic Airways (Faroe Islands) - Flies to many destinations in the North Atlantic, including Britain and Iceland, and their partner airline Icelandair extends the North Atlantic network to include several destinations in Greenland.
• Norwegian (Scandinavia) is a budget carrier, which despite the name, does not just fly from Norway. It flies from Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen although they ended their intercontinental operations in 2021.

Besides these, many international airlines offer direct routes to the Nordic countries. Emirates, Gulf Air, Air Canada and Singapore Airlines fly to Copenhagen, Air China to Stockholm. Also PIA (Pakistan), Thai, Qatar Airways, American Airlines, Delta, and United Airlines all service several intercontinental routes to Scandinavia.

Alternative low cost airlines in the region include Norwegian in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Many of the low cost airlines mainly serve routes between the colder Scandinavia and the sunny Mediterranean; hence you can also often find bargain flights from Spain, Italy, etc. should you wish to experience a real Nordic winter.

Denmark is well-connected to the German rail network. The direct connection to Copenhagen is, however, by the Puttgarden–Rødby ferry (a fixed link by subsea tunnel is expected to open in the late 2020s). Sweden is connected to Danish railways via the Øresund bridge between Copenhagen and Malmö, and to the German capital by a bi-daily sleeper train during the summer, bypassing Denmark via the Trelleborg–Rostock ferry – this is the last of a once formidable network of sleeper services between Central Europe and Scandinavia, as the German railways has gotten out of the business. The connections from Germany may be sold out on busy days in the tourist season, book in time. The only rail connections from the east are to southern Finland from St Petersburg and Moscow in Russia, suspended in 2022 because of Russia's war on Ukraine.

For Interrail pass holders most of the ferries crossing the Baltic and North seas offer discounts (25–50%), but only the Scandlines ferries are completely included in the pass (see By ferry below).

See also: Baltic Sea ferries

Norway is served by ferries from Denmark and Germany. To Sweden, there are ferries from Denmark, Germany, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. Iceland is connected to Denmark and the Faroe Islands by ferry. To Finland there are ferries from Estonia and Germany.

¹ About 1 hour south of Stockholm by suburban train

Most ferries to the Nordic countries take cars, including on the routes from Germany and Estonia.

The only overland connections from the rest of Europe are across Denmark's short border with Germany or via Russia. Denmark's main islands Fyn (Funen) and Sjælland (Zealand including Copenhagen) are connected to Jylland (Jutland) by bridge. Zealand is in turn connected to the Scandinavian peninsula through the Öresund bridge. Finland has a long land border to Russia, with several border crossings, including the one of E18 near Saint Petersburg (most of the others are remote). Also Norway has an overland border crossing with Russia, in the far north-east.

Denmark is connected to the continental road network. From Denmark it is possible to cross to Sweden over the Öresund bridge (which is a toll road, see official site for prices – around €50 as of 2017). There are many ferry connections from Denmark to Sweden; most of them take cars. Save a few short stretches of regular road, you can drive all the way to Stockholm or Oslo on highway from the German ones, but keep in mind that the tolls on the two Danish highway bridges you need to pass to get to Sweden are heavy, and you could save money and kilometres on your car taking a more direct route with a ferry. Virtually all Nordic roads are toll free, but some of the larger cities (notably Stockholm, Gothenburg and Oslo) have introduced congestion charges when driving in the centre, and some of the longer bridges and tunnels levy tolls to pay for their construction.

See also: Boating on the Baltic Sea

Iceland, the Faroes and Greenland are out in the Atlantic, so getting there requires some serious off-shore experience, but Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland are quite easily reached from the rest of northern Europe, e.g. Dutch and British vessels are regularly seen even in Finnish marinas. Norway is behind the North Sea for most visitors, but also reachable by the coast via Denmark or Sweden, while the Danish Straits, the Kiel Canal and the Göta Canal are the main options for visitors from the west to Finland or Sweden. The Baltic Sea is also reachable via inland waterways from most European countries.

The Nordic countries have a huge number of yachts compared to the population, so the infrastructure is good – and the archipelagos and fjords offer an endless coastline to explore.

See also: Baltic Sea ferries

No visit to the Nordic countries is complete without a ferry cruise. Major coastal cities of the Baltic Sea are often connected with ferry lines, e.g. Turku–Stockholm and Helsinki–Tallinn, and ferries are a natural part of many journeys for Scandinavians. The larger long-distance ferries are in effect cruise ships, with behemoths like the Silja Europa featuring 13 decks stacked full of shops, restaurants, spas, saunas etc. Longer routes are nearly always scheduled to sail during the night, so you arrive fresh to continue the often long journeys required here. If you travel by ferry to Norway or via Åland, there are Tax Free sales on board, since Norway is not part of the EU and Åland is subject to special regulations. For the same reason some of these lines, especially the Stockholm–Helsinki ferries, are known as party boats – alcohol is heavily taxed on shore.

In addition to major lines listed below, the Hurtigruten ferries, running all along Norways amazing jagged coast line, and through spectacular fjords, from Bergen in the south to Kirkenes in the Arctic north, docking in many small hamlets and villages on the way, offer a unique and very Scandinavian experience. More than a hundred car ferries are an integral parts of Norway’s roads, most crossings are short and frequent.

Minor ferries connect many inhabited islands to the mainland in also the other archipelagos, and tour boats cruise e.g. the archipelagos of Stockholm and Helsinki, and lakes such as Päijänne and Saimaa. Particularly in the Finnish Lakeland there are cable ferries across lakes, often part of the public road system. In the Archipelago Sea ferries are the only way for getting around (for those without their own boat), and the same goes for minor islands of Denmark.

Planes are an efficient if boring way of travelling between and around the Nordic countries. As a rule of thumb, routes between capitals are heavily competed and have reasonable fares, but other international connections are limited and expensive, and domestic flights monopolized by a single company will charge through the nose.

The main airlines are covered above in Get in#By plane. Don't get too hung up on the names: for example, Norwegian operates many domestic flights in both Finland and Sweden.

See also: Rail travel in Europe

Trains are an adequate way of travelling around the Nordic countries, except the island nations and the far north. International connections between Denmark, southern Sweden and southern Norway are good, but up north services are sparse, and Iceland and the Faroe Islands have no trains at all. Norway’s rail network is limited and mostly centred on Oslo with lines to main cities in other parts of the country. Finnish railways use the Russian broad gauge, so while there are connecting rails, no regular passenger trains cross the border.

The previous night train connection between Copenhagen and Oslo has been retired, and this route now requires a change in Gothenburg, on the other hand day time connections have become much more frequent after the opening of the Øresund bridge (8.5 hr). Up to seven daily X2000 express trains run directly between Copenhagen and Stockholm (5.5 hr), and the daily night train only requires an easy change in Malmö (7.5 hr). Further north there are two daily connections between Oslo and Bodø (17 hr, via Trondheim) – the northernmost stop on the Norwegian railway network – and two daily night trains (regular and express) between Stockholm and Umeå/Luleå (16–20 hr) in the northernmost part of Sweden. The Norwegian port of Narvik is connected to the Swedish network via the impressive Iron Ore Railway through Kiruna, also served by passenger train. In Finland the daily night trains between Helsinki and Turku in the south and Rovaniemi, Kemijärvi and Kolari in the north also take cars.

The ScanRail pass was retired in 2007, but visitors not resident in Europe can opt for the very similar Eurail Scandinavia Pass, which offers 4 to 10 days of travel in a 2-month period for €230–360. For residents of Europe, the all-Europe or single-country Interrail passes are also an option. Like in the rest of Europe, some trains have mandatory seat reservation fees often not covered by the passes.

Major railway companies in the Nordic countries include DSB and Arriva in Denmark, NSB in Norway, SJ and Transdev in Sweden and VR in Finland.

If you are not using a rail pass, long distance buses will often be a cheaper alternative, especially for longer journeys. Bus is also needed to get to many smaller towns or the countryside. Since highways are almost exclusively centred around the southern half of Scandinavia, journeys become increasingly time consuming as you get further north. On the other hand, rail services also get increasingly sparse in northern Scandinavia.

There is no dominant company like Greyhound is in North America or Flixbus is in Germany, but a host of local, regional and national bus companies. The major national intercity bus companies are Abildskou in Denmark, Nor-Way and Nettbuss in Norway. Big companies also include GoByBus and Swebus, which all service routes in the Scandinavian triangle between Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm. In Finland there are many national and regional companies, but the budget operator Onnibus dominates on the main intercity routes. Timetables and tickets to nearly all lines in Finland can be obtained through Matkahuolto.

A self-drive is a good way to explore the Nordic countries outside to cities, particularly the rugged landscapes of Norway and Iceland. Driving is easy and traffic is mostly light, but distances are long and services limited in many less populated areas. For a self-drive in the northern section Norway, Sweden and Finland should be considered as one area. For instance, the shortest route from south Norway to Finnmark is through Sweden and Finland.

Driving in the Nordic countries is costly, even by European standards. Rentals are often expensive, fuel price is among the world's highest, and distances are long. In Norway, in particular, distances that seem short on a map can be very long and tiring if you need to drive along twisty fjord roads. Collisions with wildlife, particularly moose, deer and, mostly north of the Arctic circle, reindeer, are quite common and can be fatal. On the other hand, roads are generally in good condition, traffic is disciplined, and per capita fatalities are among the lowest in the world, for instance the US has four times higher accident rates than Norway (per 2017) ̣—̣ Norway and Sweden are aiming for zero fatalities.

From November until end of March (and well into May in the northern regions), expect winter driving conditions and have proper equipment – particularly winter tyres, as roads are treacherously slippery. People will drive nearly as in summer, so with summer tyres you will either block the traffic or cause an accident. Nordic type winter tyres (studded or unstudded) are the best, although other types with enough tread depth are permitted. Black ice in the morning and occasional snowfall are possible also quite early in the autumn, and then mess up traffic worse than in winter, as not everybody is prepared. Leave your car alone such days (many locals who had not yet switched to winter tyres do), at least in the morning, until things have settled, especially if you were not prepared for winter driving. Studded tyres are allowed from November to sometimes in April, except in some parts of a few city centres.

Speed limits are reduced in winter on some major roads, but not enough for bad conditions; you and your travel mates can get seriously injured if you drive ill prepared or too fast. Study the regulations carefully; you can get fined for not having winter tyres in some countries in certain periods and conditions and driving with studded tyres might either cost you a fee or be limited to certain periods:

• In Denmark studded tyres are allowed from 1 November to 15 April.
• In Finland studded tyres are allowed from 1 November to one week after Easter, and otherwise with good reason (i.e. icy or snowy roads expected here or at the destination). Winter tyres are mandatory from 1 December through the end of February if conditions require (i.e. on many small roads and everywhere every now and then).
• In Iceland studded tyres are allowed from November to April.
• In Norway studded tyres are allowed from 1 November; there is a fee for using studded in cities: 30 kr per day. Winter tyres are mandatory November–April.
• In Sweden winter tyres are mandatory in winter conditions from 1 December to 31 March (for cars registered in Sweden; foreign cars with summer tyres are not allowed to drive in bad conditions). Driving with studded tyres is forbidden in certain streets.

Speed limits are uniform; 50 km/h (31 mph) in cities and 80 km/h (50 mph) (70 km/h in Sweden) on rural roads unless otherwise indicated. Motorways range from 100 km/h (62 mph) or 110 in Norway (only when signposted, otherwise 80), 110 in Sweden, 120 in Finland to 130 in Denmark, again unless other speed limits are signposted. Keep in mind that while many Scandinavians routinely exceed speed limits slightly, fines are heavy, so you will in essence probably be gambling with your holiday budget. Speeding in city zones is considered a severe offence, and there are many unmarked automatic speed traps installed in such zones.

Within Norway there are many car ferries across fjords and straits. These are not separate means of transport but an integral part of the road network. On main roads ferries are mostly frequent (2–3 per hour) and most crossings are short (10–25 minutes).

Some main routes are the E75 (Highway 4, "Nelostie") through Finland, the E4 through Sweden, the E6 through Sweden and Norway ("Eseksen"), the E8 through Finland and Norway, the E10 through Sweden and Norway, E18 Stockholm-Oslo-Kristiansand, and the E45 through Denmark and Sweden.

See also: Boating on the Baltic Sea

There is a boat for every seventh person in each of Finland, Norway and Sweden, so facilities for yachts as well as availability of boats, through a local friend or by rent or charter, are good. These countries also have large archipelagos and many lakes, with ample opportunities for boat trips. Norway's coastline is around 100,000 km when fjords and islands are included, and there are more than 100,000 islands, offering endless opportunity for sailing in sheltered waters. Figures are similar in the other two of these countries. The sea is important also for Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Iceland.

Hitchhiking is not too common in the Nordic countries. In some regions it is quite easy to get a ride – once there comes a vehicle – in others only a small fraction of cars take hitchhikers. If trying to hitchhike in autumn or winter, remember it can get quite (or very) cold, and hours with daylight are limited. There are large sparsely inhabited areas; avoid having a ride end in the middle of nowhere in the evening, unless you are prepared to stay the night there. In addition to the normal places, it is possible to approach drivers on ferries and ask for a ride.

Bicycle infrastructure varies from country to country and from town to town, but is generally at least decent.

Helmet, lights (at least from August), reflectors and lock are mandatory or strongly advised.

The best developed bicycle infrastructure is in Denmark (see Cycling in Denmark), where bike lanes are ubiquitous in cities and common also in the countryside, with a good network of routes. In the other countries there are usually some kind of bike lane network in the cities, but the routes may not be obvious or complete, and they are not always maintained in winter. The main roads outside of towns do not always have bike lanes or usable shoulders, and not all drivers are careful when passing by.

It is usually easy to find places to rent a bike, and municipal short-time rental systems have been introduced in some cities.

It is usually possible to take the bike on coaches and trains for moderate fees, which is recommended for most to do on some stretches because of the long distances. In Sweden only folding bikes can be taken on trains. Short-haul ferries are often free or nearly free for cyclists, Baltic ferries take a small surcharge. In general the price for a cyclist will be the same as for a "pedestrian" or slightly higher, and much lower than for hauling around a ton of metal box.

In Finland and Sweden there are often minor roads that make good routes for long-distance cycling, provided you have a map allowing you to navigate them. Most cities have decent bike lane networks.

In Iceland there are few bike lanes outside Reykjavik, but cycling is quite safe because of low traffic (except on the roads out of Reykjavik). The weather and the distances between towns can be challenging.

In Norway cycling is popular and a fine way to see the varied landscape. The mountainous landscape, often quite narrow roads and sometimes less respectful drivers makes cycling a challenge. Some main roads and mountain passes have 7–10% slopes and there are countless tunnels, some of them very long. In many areas there is only one road and no alternative local road. Also here there are some old roads usable as (or transformed to) cycling routes. Following major roads, check whether bikes are allowed in the tunnels. Even if cycling is allowed in a tunnel, it is often uncomfortable. Norway has many subsea tunnels and these are often steep. Bike lanes are not too common, even in towns, but speeds are usually quite low. Bicycle visitors should plan carefully and consider using train, bus or express passenger boat on some difficult stretches.

There are a couple of EuroVelo cycling routes through the countries (mostly developed but not yet signed):

1) The Atlantic Coast Route from Nordkapp southwards along the coast

3) The Pilgrim Route from Trondheim towards Santiago de Compostela

7) The Sun Route from midnight sun of Nordkapp through Sweden towards Malta

10) Baltic Sea Cycle Route (Hansa circuit) around the coasts of the Baltic Sea

11) East Europe Route from Nordkapp through Finland towards Athens

12) North Sea Cycle Route from the British islands with ferry and to Germany by the coasts

13) The Iron Curtain Trail from the Barents Sea and Kirkenes along the Russian border in Finland and via St. Petersburg towards the Black Sea

While the fjords of Norway might be the most spectacular Nordic sceneries, the other countries have their fair share of beautiful nature as well, e.g. the Stockholm archipelago and the Archipelago Sea in the Baltic Sea, the thousand lakes of Finland (and quite some in Sweden), quiet forests and wide open landscapes of Iceland and of the north.

Those interested in geology will find many traces of the Ice Age. Especially easy to see are the glacial erratics (big stones brought from far by the ice) and the look of smooth bedrock. The bedrock of Fennoscandia is very old; in Kolvanuuro near Kontiolahti there are traces of an ice age 2,500 million years (sic!) ago. The younger Stevns Cliff in Denmark shows evidence of the meteorite impact that caused the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million year ago.

The Nordic countries also give opportunities to see Eurasian wildlife. Iceland, the Faroe Islands and the Norwegian coast have the Atlantic with whales and spectacular bird cliffs. The taiga forest stretches from the Pacific coast through Finland and Sweden to parts of Norway, and especially in Finland there are several eastern species not seen in western Europe.

The region also offers the most accessible experience of the Arctic. While there is little real tundra, the fell heath is tundra-like, with many Arctic species, and the countries show features not found southwards, such as aapa and palsa bogs. Large areas in the north are sparsely inhabited, with little light pollution, allowing fully experiencing polar night, stars and northern lights. The Arktika, the migration of Arctic birds, can be seen also in more southerly regions.

The Northern Lights (Latin: Aurora Borealis; Scandinavian: Nordlys/-ljus; Swedish: Norrsken; Finnish: Revontulet) can be seen in Iceland and in the northern parts of Finland, Norway and Sweden, and at rare occasions as far south as in Denmark. With a bit of bad luck they are obscured by clouds, so take local weather into account if planning to watch for them – and they do not appear every night. In cities they are usually masked by light pollution, so unless you aim for the outdoors, villages or minor towns, you should make some effort to see them.

See also: Vikings and the Old Norse

Before AD 1000 Norse people only wrote short rune carvings, and most literature about the Viking Age was either authored by the Viking's enemies, or written down centuries later. Since most of their buildings have perished, the Viking Age is shrouded in mystery. Still, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden all have archaeological sites and Viking-themed museums.

While traces from the Viking Age are of modest size, they are numerous, especially runestones and burial mounds, everywhere in Scandinavia. Some good places to see Viking age artifacts are the Swedish History Museum ("Historiska museet") in Stockholm, Birka in Ekerö, the Settlement Exhibition Reykjavík 871±2 of the Reykjavik City Museum ("Minjasafn Reykjavíkur") in Reykjavik, the Viking Ship Museum ("Vikingeskibsmuseet") in Roskilde, Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, and Old Uppsala in Uppsala.

See also: Nordic monarchies

Denmark, Sweden, and Norway are all monarchies, although the royal families only have ceremonial roles. They remain part of society and are, more or less, popular among the population. They remain public figures often portrayed in the media and taking part in all sorts of events. Wherever they will show up, something interesting is likely going on. But more importantly, royal palaces and mansions are dotted throughout the region and make for some quality sightseeing, and knowing they are actual homes of some of the longest continuously running royal families in the world just makes it better. The royal families are related in different ways and when Norway became a separate monarchy in 1905 a Danish prince was elected king.

See also: Functionalist architecture in Finland

Scandinavia is famous for its design and architecture, which are often characterised by a minimal and functional approach. Copenhagen and Helsinki are the best places to experience it with some excellent, interactive museums and some live samples throughout the streets. Actually, the design and architecture are some of the strongest, most important assets of these cities, but there are interesting opportunities elsewhere as well. Functionalism in architecture (Norwegian and Swedish: funkis) had a stronghold in the Nordic countries from around 1930. Bergen, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo and Aarhus have notable funkis buildings. Since year 2000 Oslo there has been a boom in daring architecture in Oslo. See Swedish Grace Tour for Stockholm's interpretation of Art Deco architecture.

Nordic folk culture expresses the peasantry's heritage in folk music and dance (see Nordic music), folk costumes (with the Norwegian bunad frequently worn even by young women), folk art, handicraft (slöjd, hemslöjd) and traditional farming. Local identity used to be based on the socken/sogn (parish) and the province. Many provinces have an open-air museum with buildings, workshops and sometimes livestock and wild animals on display; the oldest ones being Skansen in Stockholm and Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo.

The northern parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland are home to the Sami an indigenous people.

• Astrid Lindgren tourism: Astrid Lindgren is one of the world's most read children's authors. Most of her books, and their motion picture adaptations, are set in Sweden.
• Hans Christian Andersen, a Danish writer famous for his fairy tales such as The Ugly Duckling and the Little Mermaid.
• Nordic Noir: Nordic crime fiction is acclaimed for its melancholic spirit, with titles such as Millennium, The Bridge, Pusher, and Wallander.
• Tove Jansson: there is a Moomin theme park in Naantali and a Tove Jansson museum in Tampere. Her summer cottage is in the outer archipelago of Porvoo (open for small groups one week yearly).

• Archipelago Trail, a route around the Archipelago Sea, using the inter-island ferries
• Finland in ten days by car, suggested route showing some of the most important sights in Finland
• Helsinki itineraries, suggested itineraries for stays of different length
• Hurtigruten, steamer along the Norwegian coast
• King's Road (Finland), a historic road through cultural landscapes with long traditions along Finland's southern coast
• Kungsleden, popular hiking trail in Sweden
• Nils Holgersson's Journey Across Sweden, tracking the route around Sweden laid out by Selma Lagerlöf
• Nordkalottleden, hiking trail through Arctic Finland, Norway and Sweden
• Route 1-Ring Road, around Iceland
• The Blue Highway and European routes E4, E6, E8, E18, E39, E45, E75

The sparse population and the right to access make the Nordic countries a great place for outdoor life.

• Go hiking and foraging in endless taiga forests, in fells and (in Norway) in alpine mountains.
• Cruise a Norwegian fjord, Geirangerfjord is a world-famous beauty while Sognefjord is the largest.
• Cruise the endless Norwegian coast with myriads of islands and wild cliffs.
• Cruise by yacht around the thousands of scenic islands in the Swedish and Finnish archipelagos, e.g. the Archipelago Sea, or use a kayak.
• Winter sport, such as downhill skiing or snowboarding in some of Europe's most civilized and family friendly ski resorts.
• Go cross country skiing.

• Go skinny dipping from a sauna in the Land of a Thousand Lakes (Finland), with winter swimming for the boldest

• Relive your childhood in Legoland, Denmark.

See also: Nordic music

The Nordic countries have a tradition of music across several genres, with church choirs in seemingly every parish, classical composers such as Edvard Grieg and Jean Sibelius, pop music acts such as ABBA, Björk and Swedish House Mafia, as well as a dominance of the heavy-metal scene. The countries, in particular Denmark, are known for its many music festivals during the summer months. The largest in each country are:

• Roskilde Festival (Denmark, early July). One of the world's most famous rock festivals, with 70,000 tickets for sale and 30,000 volunteers. 
• Skanderborg Festival (Denmark, mid August). Second biggest festival in Denmark. A beautiful setting in a forest area hosting many Danish as well as international names. Roughly 50,000 tickets for sale. 
• Ruisrock (Finland, July). Finland's largest music festival, held on an island in Turku, with around 70,000 spectators. 
• Sweden Rock Festival (Sweden, June). Sweden's main heavy rock festival, takes place in southern Sweden and has an attendance of ~33,000. 
• Øya (Norway, August). Norway's main rock festival although deliberately intimate; located centrally in an Oslo park and using the whole city as a stage in the night. 
• Hove (Norway, June-July). Hove Festival mixes large international acts with Norwegian bands in the unique setting of an island outside Arendal city. 50,000 tickets sold. 
• G! Festival (Faroe Islands, July). The Faroes' main (and arguably only) event, with around 10,000 participants and 6,000 tickets sold every year. Mainly local and Scandinavian bands. 
• Iceland Airwaves (Iceland, October). A progressive, trendsetting, music festival that attracts around 2000 visitors every year, besides the many locals showing up.