ARCTIC WELLNESS

From the woods to the town, from the sauna to the spa, from great food and treatments to the stillness of the night. The north offers the perfect escape for feeling well.

Unwind
  • 26
    Culture

    In sauna veritas

    Sauna, or bastu in Swedish, is something as natural to people in the north as the midnight sun and the northern lights. It used to be something of a prerequisite for life in the Arctic, and now it is a rich part of the culture itself. Sauna is the essence of life up here.

    Håkan Stenlund
  • A wellness saga

    With lightly packed backpacks we head out for a hike to a cabin in the woods. To breath that fresh summer air, hang out with friends and create our own adventure spa by the lake.

    Sanne Brännström
  • Travelling well

    From saunas and ice baths, through forest therapy and locally grown menus, to award-winning SPA-hotels and blueberry-scented hand creams. You can take an exciting health journey through Swedish Lapland, keeping your feet firmly rooted on Arctic soil.

    Håkan Stenlund

THE WOODS

A breath of fresh air never hurts. That has always been our roundabout way of trying to explain what it is that makes nature good for us human beings. But the results of more and more research in recent years have shown just how beneficial spending time in the great outdoors is for human health and wellbeing. Science confirms a piece of time-honoured folk wisdom. It’s time for a walk in the woods.

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The magic mountains

Linnéa works as the content creator at Camp Ripan, in Kiruna, Swedish Lapland. As soon as she gets a chance, she heads for the mountains. We asked her to explain what’s the deal – her deal – with those mountains. And as you know, some questions aren’t that easy to answer.

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Places to be
  • 28
    Places

    Out of reception

    Places still exist where there's no point asking for the password for the wifi. Places where you leave your mobile behind to spend some quality time with others – or perhaps with yourself. The Sámi eco-lodge Geunja and the camp in Tjuonajokk are two of Swedish Lapland's finest places.

    Håkan Stenlund
  • 28
    Places

    The mindset of Geunja

    Even with people there, the calmness of the place stands out. Geunja Sámi Eco Lodge stands there, carefully tucked in between the shores of a crystal clear lake and the foot of a high mountain.

    Maria Broberg
  • 28
    Places

    A hideaway for all seasons

    We were kindly allowed to read the guestbook from Logger's Lodge, filled with ecstatic reviews from world celebrities, ordinary people and people in love who have visited to forget about all the must-dos for a while and get utterly spoilt. We felt we had to go there ourselves to experience it.

    Håkan Stenlund

The happy camper

Fredrik Andersson lives right by the free-running river Laisälven. According to his wife he hasn’t experienced one single day of bad weather since they moved here, some 15 years ago. This is Fredrik and his dog Nansen.

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Arctic challenges
  • Running wild

    Running is in human nature. Long before urbanisation, jogging and rubber-soled shoes made tarmac commonplace, we kept to the trails. These days, trail running is enjoying a renaissance. Running for the experience and running for those who prefer personal challenges to personal bests.

    Ted Logart
  • Winter swimming

    February means time for the Scandinavian Winter Swimming Championship in Skellefteå. The championship is also part of the Winter Swimming World Cup as well as an appreciated festival for the entire city – all founded on a declaration of love for the cold and dark.

    Ted Logart
  • The call of the wild

    Dog sledding through vast expanses of white is in many ways synonymous with a winter adventure in Swedish Lapland. Håkan Stenlund took a tour in the Vindelfjällen Nature Reserve. Following the footsteps of Jack London, in a way.

    Håkan Stenlund

Rachel and the good swim

Rachel Davies has lived and worked in Abisko, Swedish Lapland for some years. And being a swimmer this means she had to adapt to cold water. So she did.

Also read
  • 26
    Culture

    In sauna veritas

    Sauna, or bastu in Swedish, is something as natural to people in the north as the midnight sun and the northern lights. It used to be something of a prerequisite for life in the Arctic, and now it is a rich part of the culture itself. Sauna is the essence of life up here.

    Håkan Stenlund
  • 12
    Design

    A frozen icon

    In the village of Jukkasjärvi, outside Kiruna, lies the original ICEHOTEL. Every year, since 1989, it has been reincarnated in a new rendition and there’s always more to come. From the beginning this was kind of a crazy idea in the winter, nowadays it’s as crazy all year round.

    Emma Forsberg
  • Archipelago days

    What happens when a father and son decide to spend a couple of days in the Gulf of Bothnia archipelago? Well, first, you have to promise that there will be mobile phone coverage and then keep your fingers crossed that you’re right. Then you can safely assume there’ll be no trace of the kid during the entire trip.

    Håkan Stenlund