If you love strolling through endless smells of pine-tree’s, discovering the wondrous colours of autumn leaves and exploring the immense tranquillity that is nature, Sweden is the place for you. With a remarkable fifteen hundred something kilometres (top to bottom) of which nearly 70% is covered by forest, Sweden boasts with endless potential to satisfy your nature needs.
The Swedes take relaxing serious, that is why ‘fika’ (coffee and cake break) is not just a word: it is a state of mind, a means to help you escape the overwhelming stress of every day life (even if it is just a moment). Everywhere you go, you will find a place to unwind and indulge in a variety of Swedish pastries. I recommend the Kanelbullar because it simply is the perfect (Autumn/Winter) snack.
Finding your way through this abundance of nature is easier than you would think in Sweden. There are quite some good hiking trails to guide you along your way to peace of mind. Apart from these trails you could also embark on a pilgrimage, a path more than a thousand years old called the St. Olavsleden. This pilgrim trail stretches over 580 kilometres and takes you through the lands of the old Sami culture. Even though it is hardly recognisable any more, it is still easy to imagine how the people used to live hand in hand with nature in the Sami territories.
Even though Sweden is covered mostly by nature it also has some beautiful cities, Stockholm being the biggest. The capital, Göteborg and Malmö make up the top three biggest cities and should not be missed. I highly recommend Stockholm if you want to get your mind off of things (especially those things that stress you out). It definitely helps to pay attention on every single thing you find while exploring the streets of this romantic city. Pay attention to its historical architecture, stroll through the cobble stoned streets of the old town and relax in a park. I will tell you all about Stockholm in my upcoming post, did you know that Stockholm is the home of the World’s First National City Park?!
