With perennial favourites in southern Europe battling both crowds and heatwaves, more and more of us are looking for alternatives. Hence the rise of the “coolcation”.
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But if we’re all making the same moves, switching Barcelona for Bergen, Mallorca for Malmö and Lisbon for the Finnish Lakelands, we’re just going to change what the overtourism map looks like.
In a bid to battle the problem before it really begins in Sweden, outdoor brand Haglöfs has come up with a guide to the country’s least visited places.
Created using historical mobile network data from Telia, Sweden’s largest mobile operator, and satellite imagery, Haglöfs has created Unvisited Sweden, a map of 24 locations that may not have been touched by humans in modern times (or at least, since the advent of the cell phone).
“It’s fantastic that more people want to experience the Swedish outdoors. But when everyone gravitates to the same destinations, part of what makes nature so special can be lost,” Victor Adler, chief marketing officer at Haglöfs, said.
“With this guide, we hope to ease the pressure on popular destinations by inspiring people to explore more of Sweden’s nature. We hope the idea that there are still places waiting to be discovered will ignite a true spirit of exploration.”
As you might expect, there’s a reason many of these spots are unvisited. But luckily for us, the team at Haglöfs spoke to Euronews Travel about how to reach some of the places that are at least path-adjacent, rather than completely off-the-beaten track.
While the Unvisited Sweden map offers the exact coordinates of spots that are supposedly “unvisited”, that doesn’t mean the general vicinity is untouched.
You can certainly make use of Sweden’s Right of Public Access and camp out in the wilderness, but plenty of the destinations listed also have cabins you can book via the Swedish Tourist Association, or even hotels.
At Rogen Nature Reserve in Härjedalen you can walk among the ancient pine forests or go fishing in the area’s many lakes without too many people disturbing you.
You’ll need to fly into Scandinavian Mountains Airport in Sälen before taking a two-and-a-half hour drive to Käringsjövallen.
From there, a 10-kilometre hike into the nature reserve will take you to the comfort of STF Rogen Mountain Cabin.
If it’s mountains you’re after, you might want to add Lunndörrsfjällen in Jämtland to your to-visit list.
Fly into Åre Östersund Airport from Stockholm before driving two hours to Vålådalen. After a 14-kilometre hike, you’ll find yourself at STF Lunndörren Mountain Cabin.
Another option near Åre Östersund Airport, Skäckerfjällen offers a mix of alpine terrain and wetlands near the Norwegian border.
Kolåsens Fjällhotell, around a two-hour drive from the airport, is a great base for exploring the wider area.
Swedish Lapland might be better known as a winter destination thanks to its association with Santa Claus, but that just means you have it all to yourself in the summer months.
Old-growth conifer forest, mires, and mountain birch slopes await at Ruvájvuobme in Jokkmokk.
Base yourself at the STF Sitojaure Mountain Cabin, which you can reach after a two-hour drive from Gällivare Airport to Kebnats, followed by a boat across Lake Langas to Saltoluokta, and a walk to your cabin. Easy peasy, right?