“We definitely see many travellers seeking these types of activities in Sweden,” says Francisca Leonardo, CEO of the Stockholm-based, women-led experiential travel company, XperienceSthlm. “Over the years, Sweden has done an effective job of advertising its immense nature and outdoors as a selling point for travellers looking for a ‘green break’ away from their daily lives in concrete-made cities.”
This latest travel advert joins a recent flurry of cleverly ironic Nordic campaigns. In 2024, a viral video by Oslo’s tourism board racked up more than 20 million views as a seemingly unimpressed Norwegian man wonders why anyone would ever want to visit the city. “You can just walk from one side of town to the other in, like, 30 minutes,” he mused in the video. “Is it even a city?”
Last year, the “Sweden (not Switzerland)” campaign riffed on a common gaff made by confused travellers. Four years ago, another ad featured a young woman telling a friend all the things she didn’t find in Sweden, as footage showed her island-hopping, biking, enjoying fika, chasing auroras and dipping in cool lakes.
“I myself am a fan of a good sauna with a cold plunge,” said Robertshaw, who recommends likeminded travellers to Sweden seek out the Arctic Bath in Swedish Lapland, the underground sauna in Dalarna’s Adventure Mine and Ästad Vingård in Halland. For endless summer sun, you can hike The King’s Trail (Kungsleden) through Swedish Lapland or enjoy deep sleep in one of several secluded cabins dotting the country.
