Scandinavia is known for its beautiful natural areas, progressive politics, and healthy work-life balance. Each country in Scandinavia offers something unique to its tourist.
Let’s be honest, when Americans think of Scandinavia, they think of Ikea. You should know that minimalistic furniture and meatballs are not the only things this region of the world is good for. Scandinavia consists of Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, and Sweden. Scandinavia is known for its beautiful natural areas, progressive politics, and healthy work-life balance. Each country in Scandinavia offers something unique to its tourist.
Sweden
You will find more coffee lovers and Sweden than you will in the Pacific Northwest. They love their java and their lingonberry jam.
If you are not a patient person, this might not be the country for you. You have to stand in line for just about everything here.
As with all Scandinavian countries, it is a great place to go hiking or camping. You will find beautiful mountain ranges here and many natural areas that have not yet been destroyed by man.
Norway
The weather in Norway is not for the faint of heart or the warm of blood. The snow is heavy in the winter and the temperature can be as low as 20 degrees in the summer. The weather is a bit nicer in the capital city of Oslo.
If you are looking for the best way to get around, you should consider public transportation as it is quite scenic. It will take you through beautiful forests and it is fairly modern. Norwegians are conscious of the environment and often take the train as opposed to flying.
The biggest draw in the country is the out of doors. People come from all over the world to swim in the fjords.
Denmark
If your Danish is a little rusty, you can still feel comfortable visiting the country, because the majority of Danish people learn English in school. If you are planning to live here, you may have a problem getting a job if you don't speak Danish.
The weather is known to be quite gloomy in Denmark. The people in Denmark are known to be rather chilly to outsiders.
If you do end up living there and getting a job, you will notice that the life to work balance is much better than it is in the United States. the average workweek is a little bit under 40 hours and the government subsidizes child care.
They have socialized medicine in Denmark, which means your taxes will be higher, but if you have an emergency you won't have to pay a medical bill. Denmark is a great place to go boating and many colorful houses line the water.
Iceland
Iceland has more unspoiled wilderness than anywhere else in the world. Most people live in Reykjavik and the rest of the country is comprised primarily of small villages. it is known for having great fishing and beautiful mountain views.
Your choices in terms of food are limited as are your choices of things to do on the weekend. If you work there, you will have more time for leisure as their work ethic allows for as much time for pleasure as it does for business.
Although Icelanders are not known for being warm, they have some of the most politics in the world. They have long been gay-friendly and the majority of people there support physicians assisted suicide.
Finland
According to Gallup polls, Finland is the happiest place to live on earth, not Disneyland. Every Finnish citizen has universal healthcare.
Finland is known as the land of a thousand lakes and people loved fishing and enjoy watersports here. It is very cold in Finland and the people are known for being rather reserved. However, they love to read and spend a good amount of time in libraries. It is a great place to be a teacher and educators are held in very high regard.
You will need to bundle up when you are in Scandinavia, but the coffee, sweets and beautiful wildlife, and natural areas will warm your spirit and make the trip worthwhile.
Authoritative Source: https://storyteller.travel/living-in-denmark-best-worst/
Photo by Free-Photos from Pixabay
