From the southern coast of Denmark to the northern lights of Sweden, experience the best road trip destinations in Scandinavia.
Open road at Sognefjellet in Norway. Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0
The art of friluftsliv, or one’s love for the Great Outdoors, is best expressed through Scandinavian road trip culture. Scandinavians thrive off of exposure to the region’s coastlines, lush forests and snow-peaked mountains. With its panoramic viewpoints, scenic hiking trails and idyllic towns, Scandinavia is a playground for road trippers worldwide. In Sweden, public access to nature isn’t limited, and visitors are allowed to walk, cycle, and camp on public land, with the exception of private gardens and newly-cultivated land. Swedish right to public access, allemansratt, stresses that visitors simply “do not disturb, do not destroy.” Scandinavian countries are deemed the most environmentally-conscious worldwide, thus the governments are concerned with the environmental impacts of industrial tourism. Tourism by car is encouraged in Scandinavia to strengthen economies in rural areas, and scenic routes are accessible via well-paved, well-maintained roads. Here are the best destinations for road trippers seeking to uncover the scenic wonders of Scandinavia, spanning from the southernmost tip of Denmark to the northernmost region of Sweden.
View from Geiranger. TravelingOtter. CC BY-SA 2.0
Norway is renowned for its access to fjords, or bodies of water surrounded by cliffs. Fjords are often set in U-shaped valleys and formed by glaciers. The geirangerfjord is dubbed the crown jewel of Norway’s fjords, spanning 15 kilometers wide and 260 feet deep. The fjord is a six-hour drive from Oslo via the E6 and E15, passing through Rondane and Jotunheimen National Parks. The geirangerfjord is surrounded by lush vegetation and pristine waterfalls, populated with villages overlooking the vast landscape. Geiranger is at the head of the geirangerfjord, recognized on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its tranquility and scenic beauty. Geiranger offers a hiking trail to the Seven Sisters waterfall viewpoint, as well as kayak and bike rentals for visitors interested in further sightseeing.
Northern lights in Abisko National Park. Pavel.shyshkouski. CC BY-SA 4.0
Abisko National Park is located in the Arctic Circle, a two-day drive from Stockholm via the scenic E4, which follows the coast of Sweden. Abisko National Park is one of the few regions worldwide in which the Northern Lights are viewable, being most vivid between September and early April. Scandinavia’s largest alpine lake is located in Abisko National Park, and the region is dominated by meadows, rivers and birch trees. During the summer visitors can experience the midnight sun, a twenty four-hour period of sunlight.
Stora Hammar Old Church. Maria Eklind. CC BY-SA 2.0
Skane is the southernmost region of Sweden, known for its pristine beaches, green forests and culinary culture. A six-hour drive from Stockholm and only an hour-long drive from Copenhagen, Skane is an ideal destination for road trippers seeking a countryside getaway. The region is populated with Viking villages, historic castles and gardens. Visitors are encouraged to bike down the winding country roads, surf the small, rolling waves in Skalderviken, and enjoy Spettekaka (pyramid cake) at one of the many bakeries.
White cliffs in Møns Klint. Bob Collowan, Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0
Mons Klint is located in the southernmost region of Denmark, a two-hour drive from Copenhagen. Also recognized on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Mons Klint is a six-kilometer stretch of chalk cliffs overlooking the ocean. The best way to explore Mons Klint is through a kayaking or fishing trip, or by one of the region’s mountain biking trails. Mons Klint is highly recommended for road trippers, who are encouraged to stay overnight at Camp Mons Klint.
Scandinavian road trip culture contradicts the tourism industry’s “staged authenticity,” in which the limitations of urban living can be mitigated with fabricated versions of the past. Tourism in Scandinavia thrives on raw, unfiltered experiences that highlight the region's natural beauty, with road trips emerging as the ultimate way to travel between landmarks.
Agnes Volland
Agnes is a student at UC Berkeley majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies and minoring in Creative Writing, with a research focus on road trip culture in America. She currently writes for BARE Magazine and Caravan Travel & Style Magazine. She is working on a novel that follows two sisters as they road trip down Highway 40, from California to Oklahoma. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in journalism, publishing, or research.