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The Nordics are a four-season destination with a climate that ranges from the temperate to the arctic. The human climate is warm, hospitable with a half-smile and a twinkle in the eye. These are some of the most free and prosperous societies on Earth, and all visitors are welcome.

But what could a trip to the Nordics mean for you?

Many travelers immediately associate the region with the High North, the snowy taiga north of the Arctic Circle, and with good reason. When the Northern Lights begin to unfurl across the skies, whole villages fall silent and gaze up at their luminescent wonder. No less impressive are the jagged arctic peaks as they gleam beneath the Midnight Sun. Summer or winter, these shimmering, elemental landscapes are a first-choice destination for the Nordic traveler.

Yet the region’s wild heartlands lie below 66.6° N. Whether it is the ethereal volcanic plateaus of Iceland, Greenland’s ice sheets and glaciers, sweeping Swedish pine-forests, or the sheer cliffs and coasts of the Faroe Islands, the Nordic wilderness is made for exploration and adventure. These are unspoiled havens where polar bears, whales, sea eagles and reindeer still flourish, and the hand of civilization rests lightly upon the earth.

Against the backdrop of this imposing nature, you’ll find some of the most ultramodern, pulsating cities on the planet. The capitals Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Helsinki are all frontrunners in the race to harness the power of technology to recharge and renew our urban spaces. Here are the culturally vibrant hubs of Nordic Design, whose classy, understated aesthetic has spread across the globe. Torshavn, Reykjavik, and Nuuk, by contrast, are alive with an intense local spirit. Visitors to these proud independent communities find themselves immersed in a cultural experience far beyond the European mainstream.

Whilst there is so much to see and do in the cities, the Nordics also offer travelers the chance – hard to come by in this hyperconnected world – to uncouple, to draw breath, to get away from it all. Drift on the silky waters of the fjords; roam the twisting cobbled alleys of Danish villages; taste the misty air of a true Finnish sauna. For those looking to unwind, relax, and enjoy life again, the Nordics have it all.