Craving to give yourself a much-needed wellness treat? How about living through the laplands of the far north in Sweden? Focusing on mental wellness and total wellbeing, here’s GlobalSpa exploring Sweden as the ideal wellness destination with Ruth Dolla, Official Spokesperson, Visit Sweden.

Nestled in the far north, Sweden’s wellness philosophy has seen a diverse change in the past years. It being graced with lush wilderness and wildlife, the Lapland’s curated its minimalistic approach as the ideal escapade from today’s tensions and simply heal oneself – both physically and mentally. In light of bringing hope to people’s lives, Sweden decided to embrace the uncertainty during the pandemic as a way to uplift spirits and inspire travelling instead. Leading with their ”Dream Now Travel Later” campaign, the far north has curated plenty experiences to bring one as close to nature and eventually, themselves.

In conversation with Ruth Dolla, Official Spokesperson, Visit Sweden, here’s more on Sweden’s travel culture, Sweden as a wellness destination, and the lapland’s dozen experiences to indulge in at its best:

Q1. Tell us a bit about Sweden. Why should one visit Sweden?

Sweden is unexplored. The birthplace of H&M, IKEA, Volvo, Spotify, and New Nordic Cuisine, Sweden is a mecca for minimalist design, fashion, food and technology. At the same time, roughly half of the country is still covered in wilderness, which means you’re never far from luxuries like fresh air, clean water and breath-taking landscapes.

Halfway up the Baltic coast is the capital of Stockholm. Called “Europe’s surging culinary star,” Stockholm is bustling with bakeries, food trucks, gastro pubs, and internationally renowned restaurants; from the Old Town’s cobblestoned streets to the hip clubs of Södermalm; from Östermalm’s high-end stores and iconic market hall to the island of Kungsholmen with its bird’s eye view atop city hall. On the island of Djurgården you’ll find the 17th century Vasa ship, the open-air Skansen Museum and the ABBA Museum.
Up near the Arctic Circle the wonders of Swedish Lapland await. Bask under the midnight sun in summer and be dazzled by the spectacular Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) in the winter. This is Europe’s last great wildernesses, where adventurers can hike to the top of Kebnekaise, Sweden’s highest peak, or sleep on a frozen bed at the world-famous ICEHOTEL now open 365 days a year. This is where the Sami live, one of the few remaining native people in Europe. You can experience their way of life and go horseback riding, feed reindeer, dogsledding, snowshoeing or skiing.

Just before the southern tip is Småland – famed for its hand-blown glass ateliers, the IKEA museum and vast open landscapes and lakes. At the southernmost tip is Malmö, with its edgy eateries, art museums and centuries-old bathhouse. Outside the city lies Skåne, where you can lunch at garden cafes and tour apple farms, vineyards and cider and beer distilleries. To the west is Gothenburg, a beautiful coastal city, famous for Volvo, magical islands and some of the best seafood in the world. Explore the islands, go on shellfish safaris, kayak or indulge in world-famous herring. The salty waters of West Sweden make it a seafood lover’s paradise.

Q2. What are the unique offerings in Sweden that make it different from the other European countries?

Swedish culture and traditions are unique. The Midsummer festival, Lucia festival, the Northern Lights experience, the culture of fika – a way of living that centers around nature and sustainability is unique to Sweden.

Q3. We never really heard of Sweden in the tourism offerings, is it now that you are exploring tourism as an industry?

Sweden is a relatively unknown destination amongst Indians. Sweden has been gaining space in the minds of the Indian traveler in the last 4-5 years. In May 2019 the Consulate of Sweden in Mumbai had a two-day event ‘Swedish Style’ in collaboration with Visit Sweden and other Swedish brands that were open to the public and the media. The event showcased Swedish fashion, food and the Swedish festival Midsummer. For the past few years Visit Sweden has also had a physical roadshow in Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai and engaged with the travel trade community in educating and informing them about Sweden as a tourist destination.

Q4. How does Sweden look at India in terms of tourism?

India is an important market for Visit Sweden. In the 2019 calendar year we have had 2,35,445 Indian visitors to Sweden.

Q5. How did the idea of “72 Hours in the Cabin” come up?

The red cottage is a quintessential and typical part of the Swedish landscape. These red cottages are summer houses in the countryside where almost every Swede retreat to during the long summer vacations. days are filled with doing nothing but enjoying nature and just being – sitting by a lake, walking in the forest, fishing, foraging, staring at the stars in the night sky and more. The ‘72 Hour cabin’ was a mini version of this lifestyle that we already live and getting tourists to experience a slice of the Swedish lifestyle and the benefit of mental wellness is immense.

To explore the effects of the unique relationship Swedes have with nature, Sweden did a case study called the 72-hour cabin in September 2017. Five people with some of the most stressful jobs got to experience Sweden’s ‘close to nature’ lifestyle, whilst their well-being was measured by leading researchers. During the study, the participants stayed in custom-built cabins made of glass to be as close to nature as possible. After 72 hours, they all showed a decrease in blood pressure, stress levels and heart rate, and they became more creative too.

Q6. It’s a known fact that tourist activities and nature calms one down. What new message did this cabin activity give to the world and what difference did it make for tourism in Sweden?

The 72-hour cabin helped reinforce the fact that nature has a strong positive impact on one’s health, something that we need to remind ourselves often – to get out into nature, every day if possible.

Q7. What are the communication plans for bringing in more tourists in Sweden?

Right now, we are focusing on inspiring the Indian traveler. Dream now and travel later.

Q8. What are 3 luxury, food and wellness experiences one can each experience in Sweden?

LUXURY EXPERIENCES

1.) ICE Hotel, literally the coolest hotel in the world and also the very first ever ice hotel in the world.

Inside the hotel, the temperature is never lower than 23 Fahrenheit, regardless of how cold it may be outside. Dress in warm thermal underwear, put on a hat and slip into the cozy sleeping bag. The day after, you are awakened in the morning with a cup of hot lingonberry juice at your bedside. Breakfast buffet, morning sauna, and towels are included in your stay. You can now visit the ICEHOTEL year-round with the launch of ICEHOTEL 365, a permanent structure which includes luxury suites, each with private relax and bathroom, and art suites, all sculptured by selected artists.

2.) Northern Lights

Sometimes true luxury costs you nothing. You can experience the magical Northern Lights from October to March in the north of Sweden.

3.) All of Sweden is dotted with several castles and manor houses that you can actually stay in.

Ulfsunda castle in Stockholm is one of them. Built in 1644, Ulfsunda castle is one of the oldest stately homes in Sweden. Since 2000, this fascinating manor house has served as a charming hotel, complete with a beautiful garden studded with apple trees. Each of the 54 hotel rooms and suites has been decorated individually in contemporary style, and the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The team behind Ulfsunda castle likes to entertain its guests. Wine tasting and murder mystery games are only two examples of the activities on offer. Located a stone’s throw from lake Mälaren, and a couple of kilometres from central Stockholm, the castle can be reached by bike in about 30 minutes from the city centre.

Thorskogs Grand Manor House – a tranquil, high-end oasis is another luxurious stay option. Grand but homely in feel, Thorskogs Grand Manor House (Thorskogs Slott) is located some 40 kilometres north of Gothenburg. When you first sight the castle you’ll understand why it managed to attract world leaders including George Bush and the former British prime minister John Major. The Thorskogs Grand Manor team takes pride in tailor-making experiences and packages to suit each individual party staying at this historic manor.

FOOD

Sweden is home to many unique food items like the Kalix caviar, Kaäckebröd – a traditional crisp bread, Lingonberry – a red coloured berry found only in the Scandinavian region, the ubiquitous herring wraps, Västerbotten cheese pie, Christmas specialities like lussebulle or saffron bun, mulled wine, roasted almonds, gingerbread cookies, and more. Swedish fika – the classic ‘kanelbulle’ or cinnamon bun, and princess tårta or princess cake are a must-try.

FOOD EXPERIENCES:

1. Stedsan in the Woods, Hyltebruk is nicknamed “a lab for the lifestyle of the future”. In this outdoor resort located by a lake in a Halland forest, they strive to make every choice as sustainable as possible. And the food? Think eating at a table surrounded by a forest, with fresh eggs and fish, homemade bread, wild herbs, locally grown greens and berries on your plate, and you’re starting to have a pretty good picture. If you want to, you can stay and spend the night in a comfortable Bedouin tent or a wooden cabin. They’re open from May to October.
2. Punk Royale is a restaurant in Stockholm that offers a playful luxury experience. Their Royale menu is a tasting menu that has fifteen courses served in a fun way, like a blob of caviar served on the back of your hand. The menu is released one month in advance and changes every month to keep it fresh and exciting. Unexpected decadence.
3. Tak Stockholm offers Japanese Nordic fusion cuisine served in a rooftop restaurant with one of the best views of the city.

WELLNESS EXPERIENCES

1.) Arctic Bath

Situated under the northern lights in winter and the midnight sun during the summer months, Arctic Bath is a unique hotel and spa experience that welcomes guests to immerse themselves in the elements while leaving a minimal environmental footprint behind. Guests can enjoy a traditional Swedish experience and sample three different saunas, relax in a hot tub with the ultimate hydrotherapy experience, and plunge into the cold arctic bath in the center of the building for the ultimate wellness experience. Cold baths are part of Swedish Lapland’s culture, helping to ease sore and aching muscles, aid the central nervous system, and limit the inflammatory response, especially in combination with the heat of a sauna. Guests can indulge in various spa treatments in the private treatment room.

2.) Aurora Spa at Camp Ripan

Aurora Spa won the ´best unique spa experience´ in all of Europe in 2020 in the Spa Luxury Awards category. Here you can relax in a heated outdoor pool and happen to enjoy the northern lights under the open sky, it cannot get better.

3.) Tree Hotel

Have you ever considered sleeping in a bird’s nest, a UFO or in a mirror cube? Probably not, but when it comes to design and architecture in Sweden, everything is possible it seems. Visit the hotel where the likes of Justin Bieber and Kate Moss go to relax – the Tree Hotel.

The Treehotel all started in 2010 with Britta and Kent Lindvall’s dream to turn a 1930s retirement home into a guesthouse in their home village Harads, roughly 100 kilometres from Luleå airport in the North of Sweden. The rooms are suspended 4-6 metres above ground with views of Luleå river valley, the tall pine trees and if you’re lucky – the northern lights. In order to make each hut unique, various Scandinavian architectS including Norwegian architects Snöhetta (The 7th room), Swedish Tham & Videgård Arkitekter (Mirrorcube), and Finnish-Icelandic-Norwegian studio Rintala Eggertsson Architects (Dragonfly) have put their mark on the design.

We encourage you to travel when the time is right. Dream now, travel tomorrow.

Image Credits: Anders Blomqvist/imagebank.sweden.se, Tina Stafrén/imagebank.sweden.se, Tine Axelsson/imagebank.sweden.se, Ola Ericson/imagebank.sweden.se