A Nordic forest adventure is exactly what the doctor ordered! I’m not kidding; for the quickest and most effective stress relief you need some Nordic forest aesthetic pronto!
Also, the classic beach holiday is so passé whereas the woods of the North offer some properly whimsical and mystical destinations. And it surely doesn’t hurt that those destinations are all about the cleanest air and nature.
Sure, the Scandinavian countries come with a (sometimes) challenging climate and unknown weather conditions. But that just adds to the flavour of your outlandish adventure. And with coolcations being the trend of the decade, what’s not to like?!
In this article I will endeavour to convince you of the fact that your next epic trip abroad is somewhere that you would never have thought of. Let’s get to it!
Nordic Forest Aesthetic & Why It Should Be On Your Travel Bucket List
The Nordic countries, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland, are known as the happiest countries in the world. And believe it or not, nature and the Nordic peoples’ closeness to it plays a huge part in that.
While all five countries are categorised as Christian countries, their religious traditions (which are few anyway) are centred around nature, not some dude sitting on a cloud. The Nordic forest is a refuge, a place for meditation, a provider and as such sacred.
A provider of what, I hear you ask. Well, for example:
- building materials: wooden houses with wooden furniture are the best for living a healthier life
- food: the woods offer berries, mushrooms, herbs, game, etc.
- peace and relaxation: even the city dwellers in the Nordics venture into the woods for recreational activities at least once a week.
And these are just a few of the perks found in the mystical depths of a Scandinavian forest. And as the world gets ever more insane, isn’t peace and relaxation exactly what you want from your next extraordinary travels?
Let me give you 7 reasons to travel to the Nordics next and venture into the unknown:
1. Unique landscapes – Be the first to experience them!
Especially Finland, Sweden and Norway are countries that are mostly covered by Nordic forest. In fact, over 75% of Finnish land area is covered in forests. And it’s not just monotonous pine forests either!
Instead, you can find areas within a few dozen square kilometer radius that are like two completely different worlds. First you’re under the mystical darkness of a thick spruce forest, then come out into a clearing only to cross over into a leafy fairytale-like aspen forest.
In Southern parts of the Nordics you can also find ancient (and as such protected) oak valleys. One of the most magical oak valleys can be found in the Turku Archipelago and especially in Ruissalo.
And up North in Lapland a completely different vibe: boreal forests. Wide landscapes that force you to realise your smallness with scrubby trees surviving in the world’s most challenging environment. Add Northern lights to that and life is complete!
2. Four seasons – Test your adaptability to extreme changes in weather
The Nordic countries aren’t known for the most appealing climate, are they? But that’s the thing, why be content with the one and the same heatwave for a week when you could have variety instead? Summers up north are usually really nice: sunny and warm but not too hot.
But even summer can provide us with some proper surprising weather moments. Local people should be used to rapid changes in one day’s weather but actually even we are surprised by the arrival of snow every year. And not just on a daily basis but the Nordic forests also go through seasonal changes that can affect the overall atmosphere on a wholesome level.
Personally, the biggest change for me is summer turning into autumn. Everything around me might still be green, but suddenly one morning the 22°c doesn’t feel so warm anymore. And it’s quieter, much calmer all around.
This change from one season to the next has a magical peacefulness to it but it can also affect us mentally. It’s not just seasons changing, it’s the whole atmosphere. Then again winter to spring is a joyous transition, of course. These are experiences you can only get with all the 4 seasons. The question is; can you handle them?
3. The wildlife – Learn to respect the creatures that live among us
This is a real doozy for someone who grew up in and never left the big city life. It can also be a bit of a shock to the system. The great thing is, us Northerners don’t need zoos because we’ve got the Nordic forest with everything that lives there!
Depending whether you’re north or south, you can bump into reindeer, brown bear, lynx, wolves, capercaillie, swans, prey birds, owls, foxes, bunnies, deer, etc., etc. And before you venture into the woods it’s smart to acquaint yourself with the Rules of the Forest when you bump into wildlife:
- be quiet and still
- remember that you’re in their territory
- observe without disturbing and most importantly
- KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
Wild animals should never be approached: to them humans are more often a threat than not. Simply because we are the worst beings on this planet. And yet Mother Nature will always beat us in a fight! Even a swan can cause some serious damage to you if you get too close to their nest.
When left in peace wildlife is glorious to witness! You don’t know how enormous a moose is until you find yourself standing 10 meters from it. And once you do, major respect for the dinosaur-size being ensues! I can tell from personal experience.
4. Escape the whole world – We all need to get away from it all sometimes
Most of the Nordic countries are big but they hold relatively small populations (with the exception of Denmark). As such, there’s a loooot of space where you can enjoy absolute quietness in the winter and only nature’s sounds in the summer. Magic!
You only need to walk for 15 minutes from Helsinki to find yourself completely hidden from the world. The Nordic forest also offers escapes like lakes, bogs, the sea, and rivers which connect all woodland across the countries.
Just borrow or rent a boat and row to the middle of a lake. Sit there in pure quiet and solitude. I promise you, you’ll never find anything more peaceful than that!
5. Local legends and folklore – Find out why the woods are so important
You can find the Nordic forest aesthetic everywhere because the woods are the base of Nordic cultures. No matter who conquered these lands and what religions and beliefs were shoved down their throats, the Nordic people have always known what is true and what isn’t. And nature around us is as true as it gets!
Local legends and folklore often involve an abundance of references to the forests. And the way the forest is seen in each country’s folklore differs quite a bit:
- Finland: the forests are often feared but also respected as a source of sustenance and power for spells. Animals had distinctive personality types, like the bear being clumsy and foolish, wolves and foxes being sneaky and clever, and birds bringing messages from overseas and the underworld.
- Sweden: similar to Irish folklore, Swedish stories around the woods involve plenty of mystical creatures like trolls, spirits and elves. They were said to protect the forests by all means necessary, so children needed to be respectful and careful while playing in their domain.
- Norway: while in Finland people were generally scared of the forest, in Norway the woods offered both danger and beauty. Their folklore includes supernatural creatures like the household elf Nisse and seductive spirits called the Huldra. All creatures are said to lead humans to either fortune or danger. These beings also feature in Danish and Icelandic folklore about the woods.
While nowadays local folklore is less known in the southern regions as they’ve become mainly capitalism-worshipping, the Sámi people are still true to their origins. Lapland has many sacred sites where shamans perform ancient rituals and animals are equal to humans.
6. The gifts of the Nordic forest – Experience foraging, fishing and living in-the-middle-of-nowhere
The Scandinavian countries share a peculiar freedom that is hard to find anywhere else in the world: everyone’s right to roam. This means that despite someone owning a forest it’s public land and thus open for everyone to venture around. Private yards are private.
This is a very convenient freedom because the Nordic forest offers us all an abundance of completely free food. From mushrooms to berries and even game, a family is still able to feed themselves almost completely with what the woods offer in the 2020’s.
And as covered before, forests also offer us a brilliant place to participate in recreational activities. Like hiking or skiing. The Nordics have a varied landscape even if they can’t boast about mountains (except Norway) so you can do a properly challenging hike around there.
There’s also nothing like staying in a wooden cabin by a lake or the sea literally in the middle of nowhere. It may be scary at first for someone who’s never left the city before. But I still recommend that everyone try just one night out there at the mercy of nature.
7. Cleanest air and water – Enjoy both mental and physical health benefits
As if there weren’t enough reasons to visit the Scandinavian forests so far, here’s one more: it’s healthy for you! Partly due to their remote location the Nordics have some of the cleanest drinking water and air on the planet. People there are also very much into recycling, which ties together with their respect for nature and preserving it in its natural state.
Wouldn’t it be nice for once to holiday in a place that doesn’t make your lungs stuffy with pollution, dust and the smell of grease? Can you imagine returning from a vacation rejuvenated and refreshed instead of exhausted and grateful to be home? Cause that is actually possible! You just need to choose more outlandish destinations ;)
Final Thoughts on Nordic Forest Aesthetic in 2026
As a born and bred Nordic myself, the forest has always been very close to my heart. I respect the power that Mother Nature has and I’m grateful for everything she offers us all year round.
But as everything on this planet is connected, even the most remote forests of the north are now under threat. Capitalistic greed accelerates excessive logging and fragmentation of wildlife habitat while global warming brings along:
- foreign insects and diseases that kill plants and animals
- changes in the climate that are detrimental for Nordic tree species
- wildfires and floods that cause irreparable damage to the woods.
At the end of the day we can’t eat technology. So, if we want to still exist on this planet by 2050 we need to look after and cherish all nature around us. Because we’re part of it! We are not robots, we’re built out of organic matter. And as such, if we destroy the woods we destroy ourselves as well. Food for thought ♥
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