Scandinavia: had a really awesome time but...

We are going to stray away from the comical anecdotes for some hard-core tips on traveling throughout Scandinavia for a minute. Because, in all honesty, what I am about to tell you are important facts when planning your next adventure to the Nordic north.

Scandinavia is known for it’s beautiful, untamed fjords and mountains, epic sweaters, and Vikings. All of this we know, but what you don’t know is that everything is closed for the winter. 

Just like bears, the residents of Scandinavia head into hibernation for the winter. If you want to embrace the Arctic temperatures mixed with rain/sleet/snow fall there are little options. Sun is few and far between and if it happens to emerge for an hour or two, thousands of people flood the once desolate streets in seconds only for them to retreat indoors when the rain comes back five minutes later. 

No hiking trails are open, certain stores and attractions are closed, even shops and kiosks remain closed during the “off season.” All of Scandinavia is like the time we took an 8 Euro metro ride to Mini Europe in Belgium to find out it didn’t open for another 3 days. Even the Dunkin Donuts in the train station isn’t open.

No one “backpacks” Scandinavia. Sure, people do it, but they have been made aware of the insanely high cost. Taking a breath in Norway might as well cost your left pinky toe, let alone $8 for a cup of coffee. 

On multiple occasions when asked why we are in Scandinavia, we respond with "backpacking" and they respond with "people do that?" 

Hostels are incredibly nice and not too expensive, but that is only because they are charging thousands of dollars for each beer you drink at the bar. Airbnb is the way to go. Buy all of your groceries and make your own food, no one likes Herring anyway. Sure you will pay roughly $70 for a pack of pasta, some sauce, a loaf of bread, and Nutella but that should last you about 4 days. 

Now, we are a boozy bunch here at Gibson Girl Guides. We are no strangers to the midnight runs to the liquor store because we ran out of wine and when it comes to a travel budget, the booze category is much higher than the rest. Here in Norway and Sweden that is impossible. One government owned company sells alcohol above 3.5% ABV, so it is, of course, expensive. It also is only open Monday-Friday 8am-6pm and Saturday until 3pm and not on Sundays...

NOTE: PLEASE READ THE LABEL OF ALL WINE THAT IS UNDER 50 KR IN ANY SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRY

Standard grocery stores can sell alcohol under 3.5% which means a bottle of wine in the grocery store is most likely alcohol free and you will end up like us, on a Sunday, pouring a $4 bottle of alcohol free Merlot down the kitchen sink. Do not be us. 

The only exception is Denmark, where the alcohol universe, although still a bit pricey, has fallen back into place. 

Don’t get me wrong, Scandinavia is a drop dead beautiful country. The train rides over frozen lakes, through forests only described in C.S. Lewis novels, and some very nice looking people to take your mind off the gaping hole in your wallet—just make sure you plan your next adventure here in May or June and save all the money you didn’t spend in Thailand for your coffee addiction and wine.