The land of ice and volcanoes, Vikings and fjords, the Nobel Prize and the Niels with wild geese, Northern Europe, also called Scandinavia, is in many ways a unique land. The standard of universalism – from the notorious Swedish families to the Ikea store, orderliness and truly Nordic fortitude, a region with one of the highest living standards in the world, whose citizens demonstrate simply phenomenal examples of a happy, secure old age and the longevity resulting from it, a fiefdom harsh northern nature in all its piercing icy beauty, the birthplace of real men and warlike women, as well as modern queens and kings – all this is about the Scandinavian countries. To feel their soul most clearly, imagine a field of ripe wheat dormant in a milky mist under the morning hoarfrost: warmth, comfort, ice, abundance.
In short, it is customary to refer to Northern Europe the European countries of the cold seas – the Baltic, Norwegian and North (as opposed to the warm southern “Mediterranean” and the western Atlantic). These are Norway and Sweden, dividing the territory of the Scandinavian Peninsula between themselves (poetically speaking, the body of the “tiger” along with the front paws), Finland (its ham and hind legs – well, how can you not remember the famous movie!), As well as Denmark and the “torn off” from the continent of Iceland. These states are close not only geographically, but also boast a common and rather long history, starting from the time when the Goths and Vikings, knowing no borders, roamed the harsh expanses of the peninsula.
Speaking strictly within the framework of geography, several archipelagos are also included here: the Faroe, Shetland and Orkney Islands, as well as the Hebrides, so there is also “island” tourism in Scandinavia.
Tourist lures of Northern Europe are magnificent nature (which is worth at least the geysers of Iceland and the notorious volcano with a furious name, as well as fields of hardened lava and hydrogen sulfide thawed patches with the corresponding aroma), a sufficient number of interesting historical sights – from the sites of primitive people to medieval town halls and cathedrals, and futuristic creations of modern architects, as well as a remarkable “skiing” – without the Franco-Italian golden flair, but with northern good quality, generosity and cordiality. As for the ways to travel around Scandinavia, bus tours are extremely common in the region – the benefit of the “busers” is the direct proximity to St. Petersburg and excellent roads. Cruises along the Norwegian fjords are also popular – narrow picturesque bays with crystal clear water and almost sheer slopes covered with forests. Well, for those who cannot imagine life without open spaces of water, we recommend going on a multi-day cruise in the Baltic, calling at Scandinavian ports and visiting northern European capitals.
A useful tip: tourism in Scandinavia is off-season and in any case “not hot” – the weather is moderate even in July, so those who seek to avoid high temperatures can safely plan a vacation here.
Well, in winter, Northern Europe is a balm for the soul of those yearning for a real winter – with fluffy snowdrifts above their heads, sprawling fir trees under snow caps, indispensable evening lanterns under snow-covered roofs and other joys of comfort in the middle of January, such as downy socks, a purring cat and mulled wine with your favorite book.
According to Countryaah, Northern Europe has the following countries:
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Norway
- Finland
- Sweden
- Estonia
