10 beautiful Scandinavian summer cottages perfect for a stress-free break
But a summer cottage is much more than a physical structure; it is the basis of a culture to reconnect with friends and family in fresh, stress-free environments; to build campfires on empty beaches, snooze under the spotted shade of spruces and cut paddles through a crisp, clear lake under the midnight sun. By opening their cottage doors to foreigners, Scandinavians have given us a chance to take part in a holiday tradition that perfectly matches the mood of our time.
The summer house story
Whether it is a simple wooden hut bathed in sunlight or a fisherman’s cottage freshened by hydrogen sea air, summer cottages serve a similar purpose: to provide a relaxing space free from the distractions of daily demands.
For generations, families have used their second home as an escape from city life. Four hundred years ago, the Danish government began giving plots of land to industrial workers from cramped urban areas, encouraging them to grow vegetables and breathe clean air on the weekends. In the 19th century, the Swedes took a similar approach and built houses by the water in the Stockholm archipelago.
Norwegian cottages were always built with travelers in mind. Along the coast they housed fishermen, while the mountain protection provided shelter for hikers who crossed valleys or farmers who grazed in summer. In the middle of the 19th century, these simple homes became a tourist attraction, which led to a plethora of holiday cottages after the First World War.