Did you know the only native land mammal in Iceland is the Arctic Fox? There are about 8,000 of them in Iceland today, mostly found in the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. These cute carnivores live throughout the Arctic tundra from Alaska and Canada to Greenland and northern Scandinavia and Russia. In the summer, you can join a guided hike in Norway to see these beauties in the wild. Below are more delights awaiting you in The Nordics.
Excerpt below from 11/1/2023 article produced by Virtuoso with The Nordics can found here.
Majestic fjords, Indigenous cultures, classic coffee breaks – it’s easy to reach peak happiness in this innovative, eco-conscious corner of Europe.
Consistently ranked among the world’s happiest destinations, The Nordics include the countries of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland, as well as Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Travelers seeking inspiration need not look far in this innovative region – a pioneer in fields ranging from architecture and design to fashion and fine dining. But equally impressive is the nature.
An innate desire to protect these natural wonders has made The Nordics one of the most eco-conscious corners of the globe. To experience both the natural beauty and cultural depth of western Europe’s northernmost region, it’s worth going beyond the surface. Start by uncovering these seven only-in-The-Nordics secrets.
Denmark’s Wild North
The wild, windy beaches of Denmark’s northern coast feel a world away from cosmopolitan Copenhagen, but it’s a mere four-hour train ride – or a 40-minute flight – from the capital to the undiscovered region of North Jutland. An island separated from mainland Denmark by the Limfjord channel, North Jutland is the place to spot elk grazing in the sand-swept forests of Thy National Park, slurp local oysters at a seaside tavern in the northernmost village of Skagen, ride the waves with the Cold Hawaii surfing community, and visit the famous Rubjerg Knude lighthouse, perched atop majestic, clifflike dunes.
Authentic Faroese Fare
Two-Michelin-starred Koks, a remote restaurant nestled in the verdant green mountains of the Faroe Islands, put the tiny archipelago between Norway and Iceland on the map as a world-class culinary destination. But a multicourse tasting menu isn’t the only way to sample the bounty of the surrounding seas, forests, and farms. All across the islands, visitors can experience heimablidni, which translates to “home hospitality,” where locals invite travelers into their space for traditional Faroese meals. Your Virtuoso travel advisor can make arrangements with local farming families for a dinner that might include grilled lamb from a herd that roams free in the mountains, wild salmon from a nearby fjord, homemade rye bread, and dessert prepared with foraged berries.
Abundant Finnish Forests
The New Nordic culinary movement gained popularity with its hyperlocal focus on seasonal ingredients produced in a sustainable manner and its renewed interest in traditional food-gathering methods such as foraging. In Finland, where forests cover more than 75 percent of the country, a foraging tour in the summer may reveal sun-ripened blueberries, bilberries, and chokeberries; edible dandelion flowers, wild herbs, and lichen; and golden chanterelles hidden in the mossy brush. This natural bounty is also at the forefront of the menu at Nolla, a zero-waste restaurant in Helsinki, where forest-mushroom croquettes, deer tartare, and grilled crayfish are best paired with a locally brewed craft beer.
Greenland’s Secluded Stretches
Big adventures await in East Greenland, a remote region on the eastern coast of the world’s largest island. Direct flights connect the town of Kulusuk, the gateway to East Greenland, to Nuuk, the capital, and to Reykjavík, Iceland, across the North Sea. From there the possibilities are endless: race across frozen tundra with a dogsledding crew, kayak past enormous glaciers floating in deep fjords, explore Arctic ice caves or climb snowy mountains on a multiday trek. In Tasiilaq, the region’s largest town, travelers can experience daily life with local residents by hunting for seals, fish, and other wildlife, then feasting on the catch of the day as Indigenous Greenlanders have for centuries.
A Different Icelandic Route
Since most visitors in Iceland stick to the famous Ring Road, few find their way to a lesser-known thoroughfare looping across a northwestern peninsula. Known as the Westfjords Way, this 575-mile route is a road-tripper’s dream, zigzagging up mountains with epic views of the fjords below, past desolate beaches where whales surface offshore, and along gravel roads that wind past cascading waterfalls, natural hot springs, and charming fishing villages. Along the way, stop to watch puffins toddling across the cliffs at Latrabjarg, admire the staggering view from the new Bolafjall observation deck, explore the red-sand beach at Raudasandur, and refuel with a warm bowl of fish stew at the Fisherman bistro in Sudureyri.
Cozy Swedish Fika Breaks
The tradition of fika – coffee and something sweet to eat – is a pillar of Swedish culture. And while this pause can take place anywhere from the kitchen to the office break room, there’s nowhere better to tuck into a sweet cardamom bun or a slice of marzipan-and-cream princess cake than a cozy café in Stockholm. The capital has a fika locale for every craving, from seasonal saffron buns at Svedjan Bageri on the island of Sodermalm to modern patisserie at Socker Sucker to classic cakes at Tossebageriet in Ostermalm. A touch cozier is the tradition of taking fika with kokkaffe – coffee brewed over an open fire – as locals do in Sweden’s far north.
Norway’s Traditional Sámi Culture
Sápmi is the region traditionally inhabited by the Indigenous Sámi people, and it spans large parts of northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula in Russia. Originally reindeer herders who followed their migrating herds, the Sámi have a rich cultural heritage that encompasses ancient legends, storytelling, and beautiful handicrafts, called duodji, made from reindeer hides and silver. In the far north of Norway, Sápmi Park welcomes travelers to this fascinating world, where reindeer graze in the surrounding hills, skilled artisans weave birch baskets and silver bracelets, and women in traditional clothing – bright-blue dresses with cherry-red details – perform evocative joik songs. Throughout northern Norway’s Sápmi region, travelers can join Sámi herders for reindeer sledding adventures and northern lights viewing in the winter, and guided hikes to spy Arctic foxes in the summer.
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