It鈥檚 early on a Tuesday morning in mid-March, and Isabella Calidonna is ready to run. She鈥檚 got a hydration pack wrapped around her back and a smile on her face while standing next to the Baroque Four Rivers Fountain in the heart of Rome, Italy. This centerpiece of the famed Navona Piazza, she tells me, is among more than 2,000 fountains in the city designed by the masterful Italian sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini more than 400 years ago.

Calidonna is the founder of , a Rome-based running tour company, and she鈥檚 leading me on an easy 5-kilometer run that will zigzag through the city鈥檚 maze-like alleys. They鈥檙e paved with black basalt, referred to as sampietrini in Italian.

The iconic cobblestones date back to the 16th century, when they were first used to cover Saint Peter鈥檚 Square in front of Saint Peter鈥檚 Basilica, the iconic Italian High Renaissance church in Vatican City. These are the kind of details that Calidonna, who has a Ph.D. in art history and also studied archeology, easily shares mid-stride.

鈥淚 work in great beauty,鈥� she says, chuckling. 鈥淩ome is very special鈥攆ull of beauty that has been layered over centuries, from the medieval period to the Renaissance. You can see all that history here.鈥�

Save for local shop owners preparing to open, at 7 A.M. Rome is unusually hushed and absent of tourists, an ideal moment to run through Italy鈥檚 most populous city of nearly three million.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very particular experience,鈥� Calidonna says of Rome鈥檚 pre-breakfast hour ambiance.

From the honeyed rays of sunlight that drench the city鈥檚 historic facades, to the quiet and crowdless streets, Calidonna describes this interval of the day as sacred and magical, insisting that it鈥檚 worth a wake-up call to encounter this tamer face of the city.

A Run-Tour of the Best of Rome

Calidonna, a six-time marathon finisher, no longer trains to race long distances. But she remains an avid runner. She started coaching in 2016 and logs roughly 20 miles per week as the owner of ArcheoRunning, which she founded in 2019. After constantly encountering tourists studying maps mid-run, Calidonna thought it was a prime opportunity to offer a guided running experience while also bridging her love for art, history, and archeology in her beloved adopted home.

鈥淢y running tours are for everyone,鈥� Calidonna says. She adds that she accommodates all paces for the 13 running tours she offers. The company also features seven walking tours.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 use maps. I am the map!鈥� -Isabella Calidonna, founder of ArcheoRunning听

鈥淭he Best of Rome鈥� tour is among her most popular. As part of the experience, she brings runners to iconic public squares and famed spots, like the Spanish Steps鈥攖he longest and widest staircase in Europe built in the 1720s. The tour also traverses architectural masterpieces, like the Pantheon. The ancient temple, dedicated to the 12 gods of the Roman religion, is one of the best-preserved Roman monuments in the world. A visit to the renowned Baroque Trevi Fountain鈥攄ubbed the world鈥檚 wishing well, attracting between 10,000 and 12,000 tourists daily鈥攊s another highlight of the rendezvous.

One of ArcheoRunning鈥檚 more atypical experiences includes taking runners southeast to the city鈥檚 鈥済reen lungs鈥� to log miles on one of the oldest Roman consular roads. Calidonna describes the area as an open-air museum, where six of the ancient Roman aqueducts鈥攗sed to transport fresh water for baths, fountains, and drinking to highly populated areas鈥攁re preserved. Dating back to 312 B.C.E. and built over a period of roughly 500 years, the Roman aqueduct systems are widely considered to be a masterful and advanced display of engineering.

Beat the Crowds Off the Beaten Path

On this Tuesday morning, I joined Calidonna for ArcheoRunning鈥檚 鈥淗idden Rome鈥� running tour to visit a few of the lesser-known spots in the city. Our first stopping point is the ruins of the Stadium of Domitian, which is located beneath Piazza Navona. A rendered image of the stadium illustrates a horseshoe-shaped arena, which was formerly used for wrestling, foot races, and pentathlons. The space could accommodate 30,000 spectators (still significantly smaller than the better-known Colosseum, which could hold up to 80,000 people, while the Circus Maximus, the largest chariot stadium in ancient Rome, could fill more than 150,000).

I follow Calidonna to Via Coronari, an ancient Roman road in the heart of the city. Formerly referred to as Via Recta, the street was used by pilgrims on the journey to Saint Peter鈥檚 Basilica, she explains. These days, it鈥檚 full of renovated apartments sandwiched between art galleries and is also a place to hunt for antiques.

As we head to the Ponte district, Calidonna pauses and points at an inconspicuous arcaded lane, Vicolo San Trifone. This, she says, is one of the most distinct streets in the city鈥攖he narrowest in Rome, a fact that is often lost on tourists and locals alike. We move on to one of Rome鈥檚 oldest markets, Campo de鈥� Fiori, careful to steer clear of vendors meticulously arranging baskets of fruits and vegetables and buckets of fresh flowers. After we quickly pass by, we continue to a medieval courtyard of Ivy-wrapped ochre houses located through Arco degli Acetari. In the past, the area was used by vinegar makers before it was transformed into accommodations.

As we continue still off the beaten tourist track, Calidonna shepherds me to Passetto del Biscione, a tunnel with a stunning blue frescoed ceiling of cherubs and festoons. In 1796, the passage was reportedly the site of a miracle: an image of the Virgin Mary was allegedly seen moving her eyes, attracting pious Christians from around the city. The passage also served as a corridor to the Theater of Pompey, Rome鈥檚 first theater that was dedicated to Pompey the Great, Julius Caesar鈥檚 rival.

By the time we reach our second-to-last stop, I can鈥檛 help but gaze in awe inside the courtyard of the Palazzo della Sapienza. Here, Calidonna shows me the oldest university in Rome, and the largest in Europe, founded in the 13th century by Pope Boniface VIII. The building, designed by 17th-century architectural genius Francesco Borromini, is a Baroque masterpiece.

As we wrap up the run, Calidonna leads me to the back of the Pantheon. It鈥檚 certainly not a hidden gem. Rather, it鈥檚 one of the most popular architecture sites in the center of Rome鈥攁nd the world. This, however, leads to our final stop, the ruins of the Baths of Agrippa. It鈥檚 the formerly private bath complex of Agrippa, the Roman general and son-in-law of Augustus, the first emperor of ancient Rome.

I鈥檓 still absorbing Calidonna鈥檚 granular details as we finish running and arrive at Caff猫 Sant Eustachio, the oldest coffee roasting company in Rome. The cafe uses water from an ancient aqueduct to make its coffee, like the Americano I sip as I gaze outside, noticing how much Rome has come to life, and it鈥檚 only 8 A.M.

A morning with ArcheoRunning feels like stepping into another world, one that serves as an amuse-bouche of the city鈥檚 culture, history, and traditions. I鈥檓 already ruminating on my return to the Eternal City.

___________________________________________________________

This article was first published by RUN.

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Sweden has 267,570 islands, by some counts more than any other nation in the world. They鈥檙e so ubiquitous that the Swedish word for island is one letter: 枚 (pronounced 鈥渦h鈥�). Perhaps that鈥檚 why Swedes consistently rank near the top of happiness indexes: Here, there are plenty of options to leave the world behind and surround yourself with the healing properties of water.

The largest cluster in Sweden, the Stockholm Archipelago, has 30,000 islands. Once a sheltered trade route for the Vikings, the archipelago became a haven for Swedish glitterati in the late twentieth century. Greta Garbo had a summer home on Ingar枚; Bj枚rn Ulvaeus from ABBA penned 鈥淭he Winner Takes It All鈥� in his hideaway on Viggs枚.

Now there鈥檚 a way for the rest of us to enjoy this summertime haven: via the new 168-mile Stockholm Archipelago Trail. This journey connects twenty different islands. Though it’s called a “trail,” there is no true end or beginning鈥攅ach island is a hike unto itself.

鈥淗iking from island to island is extremely Swedish,鈥� says Michael Lemmel, one of the trail鈥檚 creators. 鈥淪ome islands have great restaurants and inns, others have next to nothing. The trail really is diverse, [which] makes it so special.鈥�

The beauty of the new trail is that hikers don鈥檛 have to get wet. A ferry services every island on the trail three times per day throughout the summer. Most hikers, however, will want to go for a dip here and there: The islands are full of sandy beaches, protected inlets surrounded by rock slabs perfect for sunning, and鈥攊n classic Swedish fashion鈥攕aunas.

The average length per section is about eight miles, and the terrain ranges from flat and easy to technical, with rock scrambles and some elevation gain. The longest path is 21.2 miles on the island of Orn枚, traversing through dense forests and around inland lakes. For hikers who want solitude, the sparsely inhabited island of 脜l枚 has eight miles of trail, sandy beaches, and a nature reserve where camping is allowed for one night only.

Not interested in camping? There are many chic hotels throughout. Lotstornet, in the village of Landsort, is a retrofitted pilot鈥檚 tower with six rooms and endless views of the sea. Arholma鈥檚 pastoral sports a classic red cottage and a waterfront sauna. Then there’s the iconic , the one-time clubhouse for the Royal Swedish Yacht Club. The establishment has now been turned into a hotel, restaurant, and 鈥渟ailing bar, complete with a DJ and partying Stockholmers on the weekends.

This piece first appeared in the summer 2025 print issue of 国产吃瓜黑料 Magazine. Subscribe now for early access to our most captivating storytelling, stunning photography, and deeply reported features on the biggest issues facing the outdoor world.

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A smoking silver thurible swooped through the gothic arches overhead, richly scented incense pouring from its sides. Eight priests in heavy robes acted as the counterweight, controlling a rope as thick as my forearm. I shuddered to think what might happen if the cord snapped, spilling 175 pounds of heated metal and 90 pounds of coal onto the crowd below

The hundred-year-old ritual taking place before me and the month-long walk I had taken to get there seemed like something out of a George R.R. Martin book. But this was the real-life ending to my trip down the Camino de Santiago, a Catholic pilgrimage that was Medieval Europe’s answer to the Appalachian Trail.

Today, believers make up a small proportion of people walking the Camino de Santiago. The vast majority of pilgrims are on their own recreational or spiritual quests. For me, a month-long hike sounded like an amazing challenge but an achievable one, too.

Being away from friends and family, work commitments, and an Internet connection gave me the time I needed to decompress and follow my thoughts to wherever they wanted to go; there’s a kind of spirituality in that, too. Like any other long-distance walk, there’s a physical and mental commitment to the task, a simple rhythm of daily needs to meet.

This modern take on pilgrimage is only getting more popular: The number of people walking the Camino Franc茅s has jumped from under 10,000 in 1992 to over 190,000 in 2012. In 2023, roughly 442,000 people made the trek. Ready to join them? Start with our guide.

A Brief History of the Camino de Santiago

The focal point and namesake of the Camino de Santiago is the city of Santiago de Compostela, located in Spain’s far northwest. The city, where legend has it that the martyr St. James is buried, became a rallying point for Europeans fighting the Moors in the eighth century, after a shepherd claimed to have seen a bright light in the skies above.

During the Middle Ages, the Camino was responsible for the largest movement of people in Europe: millions of people, both rich and poor, made their way to Santiago de Compostela, where the pilgrim mass and certificate of pilgrimage ensured they would spend less time in purgatory. The route was nearly lost to history until the past couple of decades, when a growing body of literature around the Camino sparked a resurgence of interest in it from abroad.

When most people talk about “the Camino”, they’re . Also known as the Camino Franc茅s (the French Way), this route starts at St. Jean Pied-du-Port in France, crosses the Pyrenees, and continues westwards across Spain about 60 miles south of the coast. It passes through Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, and a host of smaller towns and villages and is about 500 miles long, depending on how many detours you take.

While the walk itself is the main attraction today, that wasn’t always the case. In the Middle Ages, the whole idea was to arrive in the holy city of Santiago de Compostela, and you started at your own front door; there was no official “starting point”. Because it was safer for people to walk together, common routes were established, and many of the paths through other European countries converged in St. Jean.

But what if you lived in England? Or Portugal? Or Madrid? Traveling to France to start your pilgrimage there wouldn’t make sense. So many smaller routes were established by pilgrims making their way from their homes and are named accordingly: The Camino Portugu茅s travels northwards through Portugal, while the Camino Ingl茅s catered to English pilgrims who arrived on the north coast by boat. Today, as the French Route draws more and more tourists, many walkers are starting to rediscover these secondary paths.

How to Prepare to walk the Camino de Santiago

There are a plethora of guidebooks and online resources to help you plan your pilgrimage, but I鈥檓 of the opinion that you should do the minimum amount of planning possible. If there’s any hike that’s worth improvising, the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela is it.

That said, it’s a good idea to bring a basic route guidebook, such as the ones . Have this posted to you before you start and use it to figure out what kind of pace you’ll have to set and what sights you want to see, based on the length of your trip.

Once you’re on the way, you’ll find this plan changes. You’ll meet some people you want to walk with for a few days; you’ll want to push yourself to do another few miles; you’ll decide it’s a perfect time to sit by the river and think about life. Unlike a backcountry hike, there’s enough infrastructure around that you don’t need to have every detail perfectly laid out.

There’s very little technical walking on the main Camino routes鈥攜ou’ll mostly be on well-maintained tracks or pavement鈥攕o you don’t need much backpacking experience. If you don’t hike much, get out and around your neighborhood for an hour each day, and take care to break in your shoes beforehand. If you don’t do a lot of walking, get out and about around your neighborhood for an hour or two each day. I always said my training for the Camino was the first week of the Camino: by the time you’ve pushed through those first five days, things become a lot easier.

The clothing and technical gear you’ll need for the Camino depends on what season you’re hiking in, but err on the lighter side. Your fully-packed bag, with a bit of food and a full water bottle, should weigh no more than 15 percent of your body weight, with a goal of 10 percent. For my 155-pound frame, I aimed for 22 pounds or less. Start with this list:

• A 30-40 liter backpack.
• Your credential, passport or valid ID, journal, and a pen in a waterproof bag. Bring a journal so you can add stamps and jot down notes.
• A water bottle of some kind. I like a two-liter Platypus with cap, which you can use on those days where it’s a long way between water stops.
• Toiletries. No make-up, but plenty of sunscreen and soap suitable for hand-washing clothes. If you can endure it, many men and women avoid shaving on the Camino to eliminate the weight of that gear.
• A small first-aid kit, including painkillers, antiseptic cream, bandages, blister plasters and a sterile needle to drain blisters. Pharmacies are easy to find, so you don’t need medical supplies for the whole way unless you rely on a particular prescription.
• Two t-shirts, two pairs of zip-off trousers, and three pairs of underpants and socks. Wash at your stops and dry overnight.
• Hiking layers鈥攚hatever you need to stay warm and dry. Sometimes you might be walking over plains in 40-degree heat; a week later snow will start falling in the mountains. I recommend merino wool thermal underwear (top and bottom), a fleece top for warmth, a wind- and water-proof outer jacket and pants, and a pack cover to protect your things from the rain.
• I favor light, comfortable walking shoes or hiking sandals over boots for most of the Caminos, with the possible exception of the Primitivo. I always bring along a pair of flip-flops to allow my feet to breathe and dry after walking.
• As few electronics as you can bear. Bring a camera and a phone, but leave the laptops and iPads at home.
• Basic eating utensils. Most refugios and albergues have kitchens, but I’d recommend carrying a spork, sharp knife, lightweight plate, bowl and cup. It’s not uncommon to have someone spontaneously cook a communal meal, or pilgrims to all chip in and make something together.

Camino de Santiago Routes

The network of Caminos crosses Europe, and you can follow a Way from Finland or Turkey. The possibilities are beyond the scope of this article, but these are the main routes.

Camino Franc茅s (the French Way)

The Camino Franc茅s is the most popular option for a reason: The varied scenery and good infrastructure mean that it鈥檚 an enjoyable walk. Most of the routes from other parts of Europe converge in St. Jean Pied-du-Port, which is where the Camino Franc茅s officially starts.

Book Flights to St. Jean Pied-du-Port

Camino del Norte (the Northern Way)

Hugging the northern coast of Spain, this route starts in Ir煤n on the border with France and travels west through Bilbao, Santander, and Oviedo. The 510 miles of pathway will take about 35 days to complete, and though the distances between towns are reasonable, the sparse accommodations mean that you have to stick to a fairly rigid itinerary.

Camino Portugu茅s (the Portuguese Way)

In contrast with many of the other routes, the Camino Portugu茅s is relatively flat, without too many hills. It starts in Lisbon, passes through Porto and Pontevedra on its way north through Portugal, and is approximately 380 miles long. The infrastructure is reasonable, but much of the route takes you alongside motorways.

Via de la Plata

The “plata” in the Via de la Plata’s name comes from a corruption of an Arabic word that means “wide surfaced road.” In this sense, it’s well named, as most of the route follows an old Roman road north from Seville; if you’re interested in Roman history, this is the route for you. At 620 miles, it’s the longest route through Spain, and it passes through Merida, C谩ceres, Salamanca, Zamora, and other cities.

Camino Ingl茅s (the English Way)

English pilgrims arriving by boat from Britain started their walk at either La Coru帽a or Ferrol, and the English Way is a Y-shaped route that can be started in either of these cities. The 75km from La Coru帽a can be walked in three days, though you won’t earn a Compostela as it’s under 62 miles. From Ferrol, the 70-mile walk will take five days.

Camino Primitivo (the Original Route)

Oveido isn’t on the Camino Franc茅s, but many pilgrims detour there to visit the city’s cathedral. The Camino Primitivo is the most direct route from Oviedo to Santiago (passing through Lugo), and it rejoins the Camino Franc茅s about 40 miles from Santiago. The walk is about 180 miles long and is quite challenging, as it includes a fair amount of hill climbing, and the weather can be very erratic.

Camino de Finisterre (the Finisterre Way)

Instead of finishing their walk in Santiago, many pilgrims continue on to one of the westernmost points in Europe: Finisterre, whose name literally translates to “end of the world.” The route from Santiago to Finisterre adds 55 miles and is best walked in five stages, with an optional extra 18-mile walk to Muxia afterward. Organizations in Finisterre and Muxia both offer Compostelas to those who complete these routes.

Spanish Terms to Know

Everyone who walks the Camino should get familiar with the following Spanish terms:

A compostela is the “pilgrim certificate” you get at the end of the walk if you’ve completed 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) or more on foot. If you are not Catholic but did the Camino for ‘spiritual reasons, you can still get a Compostela. If you say your goals were non-spiritual, you get a rather plain certificate of completion.

Albergues and refugios are the pilgrim’s accommodation stops. Run by churches, town councils, non-profit organizations, and private for-profit groups, they provide cheap beds in dorm rooms, mattresses in church bell towers, or hotel-like rooms with prices starting at five euros a night.

A credential is the ‘pilgrim passport’ issued by various Camino-friendly organizations. Each albergue or refugio has its own stamp, which you’ll receive each night. You need a credential to stay in pilgrim accommodations and a complete record of stamps to get your Compostela. Arrange to have one posted to you in advance if you’re not starting at a popular stepping-off point. Accommodations are first come, first served, with preference given first to walkers, then horse-riders, then cyclists.

Craig Martin has been traveling full-time since February 2006 and has walked three Caminos in that time: the Camino Franc茅s, the Via de la Plata, and the Camino Ingl茅s. A Kiwi, he loves wine and is addicted to the new. Find more of his travels on his or on X.

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Ever come across an incredible hotel that stops you mid-scroll and makes you think, Wow, wouldn鈥檛 it be something to stay there? We do, too鈥攁ll the time. Welcome to Friday Fantasy, where we highlight amazing hotels, lodges, cabins, tents, campsites, and other places perched in perfect outdoor settings. Read on for the intel you need to book an upcoming adventure here. Or at least dream about it.

Standing on the black-sand shore at the edge of Iceland鈥檚 Troll Peninsula, Jay Sweet tapped the top of his head twice and laughed when I stood up and returned the gesture, signaling I was fine after being walloped by a little wave I鈥檇 attempted to surf in the Arctic Ocean. Actually, I was much more than fine鈥攆or the second day in a row, in February, I was surfing (or, you know, trying) a dozen miles beneath the Arctic Circle. I was ecstatic.

Back in the States, Sweet is the executive director of the , the vaunted American institution where, yes, Dylan went electric six decades ago but has also long worked to expand the definition of what American folk can entail. But on the north shore of Iceland a few weeks per year, Sweet is also a de facto surfing instructor for , a 15th-century sheep farm that鈥檚 been converted into a boutique luxury resort and extreme adventure outpost 15 miles inland from where we sought our break.

Shuffling out of the water, with my entire body blanketed in borrowed neoprene, I could see , the Arctic recording outpost owned by Deplar鈥檚 parent company and the space I鈥檇 come to tour. (Sweet is a consultant there.) It is an isolated artist retreat where musicians look to go inward. My wife, Tina, and I clambered into a Toyota truck with Sweet, heat cranked and our boards hanging out of the back. We headed to the studio to prepare for the next journey. We had, after all, come to Iceland to go outward.

Indeed, during the 48 hours since our party of six had arrived, our lives had become a toggle between indoor comfort and outdoor escapades. As soon as we鈥檇 stopped surfing the day before, we鈥檇 retreated to a massive hearth in the recording studio鈥檚 lounge with warm bowls of soup. We鈥檇 then toured the valley on small but sturdy Icelandic horses renowned for their idiosyncratic and smooth gait know as the .

When that was over, we returned to the Farm itself, an unassuming black house with a living roof planted with tundra grass that unfolds in several levels and wings of luxury that are almost impossible to see from the road. I showered in my room, which instantly felt like home and headed for an enormous geothermal pool, slipping like a harbor seal beneath a glass wall to the heated outdoor half. I cycled between the pool, a sauna, and a hot tub for hours鈥攐r until it was time for dinner鈥攁 three-course meal of elegant updates to classic Icelandic fare like cod, lamb, and Icelandic Happy Marriage cake, all at a communal dining table that seated two-dozen. During those two hours, strangers from several countries became friends, the mood collectively enhanced by the realization that we were in a corner of wintry heaven, here at the end of the earth. As everyone drifted to the bar or their bedrooms, I stepped on our little porch and looked up, waiting for the Northern Lights to dance.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel听

When that second day of surfing was done, we had an appointment to keep鈥攁 group sauna session in a round house built into the side of the hill, the roof covered with towering grasses. Inside, a tattooed sauna keeper with muscles that looked like bundles of paracord talked us through the history of the Icelandic sauna, then snapped a towel in front of each of our faces to direct the heat toward us like a fireplace bellows. One by one, she marched us outside to a cold plunge pool dug into the hillside, with a spotlight aiming up from the bottom. She timed us before returning us to the sauna, repeating the process until we all relented.

That was supposed to be the end of our adventures, after the horses and the surfs and the hikes, and after we鈥檇 turned down chances to take fat bikes onto frozen lakes and go ice fishing. But ever since we鈥檇 arrived, Tina and I had eyed the tall ridges that surrounded Deplar Farm and talked (furtively, at first) of climbing one. When we finally broached the subject with S贸lr煤n鈥攖he knowledgeable and funny guide for our group, who insists you call her Maria if her real name is too difficult鈥攕he enthusiastically agreed we should give it a go. And since we鈥檇 be leaving in less than 16 hours, we knew this was our last chance. So we met her in Deplar鈥檚 gear barn, a cathedral of skis and poles and paddles and clothes and crampons. She would be watching us by GPS, she said, but we were free to go on our own with the help of the ice axes and spikes she鈥檇 supplied.

We ascended the steep face 2,000 feet until we realized we鈥檇 soon lose the battle with daylight, especially since the farm below had already disappeared behind a whiteout. We picked our way back down the slick faces, glissading the last few hundred feet on the banks of a frozen river. We returned to Deplar, covered in a little mud and bleeding from at least one knee and feeling totally victorious. It was my favorite moment at the Farm, the sensation that comes with the satisfaction of doing something about which the other guests weren鈥檛 so sure.

That flexibility and scope are key at Deplar. They will take you heli-skiing (for the price of the fuel) in aggressive terrain, or they will lead you on cross-country meanders. They will cut you loose to test your own skills on unknown slopes and trust that you will be back by dinner, or they will join you on a slow horseback trot along unpaved roads. Each morning, your guide presents some options and then lets you plot the course of your adventure, however heavy or light you hope to make it.

Eat and Drink

鈥淒id you see those lights up the road, on the top of the hill?鈥� the chef asked the table during our first night at Deplar Farm. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 where the lamb comes from.鈥� He was talking about the lamb shank that stood on each plate like an obelisk, surrounded by a sea of blood-red beet puree, perfectly tender potatoes, and succulent mushrooms. It was the night鈥檚 main course and emblematic of the place鈥檚 culinary approach鈥攖ake the standard fare of Iceland, source it as locally as possible, and then apply techniques imported from classic French cuisine. Dinner, then, was always full of surprises, where ingredients you came to anticipate, like cod, were recast in unexpected roles, as when the fish was diced so that it looked more like rice. Eating was a protracted and social process, too, each of the three courses patiently revealed and explained by the chef and sommelier.

But the true standouts were simpler. There was the ever-present table butter, so soft it seemed to spread itself over sourdough. There was the breakfast, dominated by crepe-like Icelandic pancakes and massive bowls of Skyr, Iceland鈥檚 wonderfully acidic and protein-loaded yogurt, piled generously with granola and fruit. And there were the blessed snacks, from the in-room refrigerator replenished each morning to standing spreads of nuts, trail mixes, and dried fruits, ready to be bagged before you headed out the door.

I should say that I stopped drinking years ago. But the drinks were so generous for everyone鈥攁nd the non-alcoholic options so plentiful for everyone else鈥攖hat I found myself playing bass during an impromptu karaoke jam with three women older than my mother on the final night as my successful, professional friends played beer pong nearby. When I woke up the next morning, the bar resembled the remains of a college party, and Wilco鈥檚 Sky Blue Sky was still playing. There were, suffice it to say, a lot of Icelandic pancakes at breakfast.

Choice Cabins

In my first few days on the Appalachian Trail, I became Gunner, an ignominious trail name bestowed upon me by someone who has somehow become a best friend because I looked like Elmer Fudd. It felt a little like fate, then, when we arrived at our room to see 鈥淕unnar鈥� painted across the white door in a tight, black hand. It was presumably a reference to Gunnar H谩mundarson, a warring Icelandic leader a millennium ago. Each of the 13 rooms at Deplar has its own historic name, and they all share a deeply cozy design, from king beds piled high with sheepskin blankets to a slate shower with water hot enough to toast you after escaping the Icelandic winter. Each room is meant to be personalized, too, from separate sound systems in the bathroom and bedroom you can adjust yourself to a refrigerator that is constantly restocked with house-made hummus, jerky, and drinks.

But you鈥檒l want to leave your room for the common spaces, too鈥攁 library with mountain views, a media room with deep couches, multiple gyms, and, my favorite, a hearthside hangout zone equipped with towering hi-fi speakers, a fancy turntable, and an assortment of very good records. (, the company that owns Deplar and a string of properties on several continents, is named for .) Each morning in Iceland, I woke up very early to write a profile about the singer . The record perched by the turntable when I arrived? Panda Bear鈥檚 masterpiece, Person Pitch. It was a coincidence (I think) by studio engineer Wade Koeman, but it wasn鈥檛 the only bit of magic I encountered at Deplar, where the tall troll hill feet from the front door is treated as sacred space.

When to Go

As we left Reykjavik, our small Icelandair plane shuddered when it broke through the clouds, pushing through the gray of the day in the capital city. But an hour later, we landed in Akureyri鈥攁 town of 20,000 at the edge of one of Iceland鈥檚 longest fjords鈥攁mid a blue-bird day, the sky so bright and the ground so free of snow you might not have guessed it was winter in Iceland. The two-hour drive to Deplar Farm was all horizon, cliffs tumbling into oceans into infinity. By the next morning, though, our valley was a mix of ocean air and white, a strange snow globe with no visibility. The conditions shifted constantly between these two states.

All this to say: Go anytime. Every person I spoke to at Deplar Farm recommended a summer return, when the hiking, biking, and fishing were as endless as the green of the valley. They also suggested being there with more snow, so that the barn of DPS skis and the stable of snowmobiles could take us far and fast.

How To Get There

Two airports serve Reykjavik. In all likelihood, you鈥檒l fly into Keflav铆k International, a hub for Icelandair, which has 20 direct stateside destinations. A Deplar emissary will scoop you there, shuttling you either to a quaint guesthouse they keep near the city鈥檚 harbor for the night or straight to the second airport, Reykjavik Domestic. You鈥檒l fly to Akureyri, at the country鈥檚 northern edge, and again be picked up by a Deplar representative, your adventure guide for your stay. Sit on the right side of the van for the best scenery, and don鈥檛 fret too much about the one-lane tunnels that cut beneath mountains. Deplar isn鈥檛 the easiest place to reach, but Akureyri is working to expand its international flights. And the remoteness, after all, is part of the reward.

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Don鈥檛 Miss

As an American, it is tempting to look at Iceland as a speck of sparsely populated lava rock between two oceans, smaller than the state of Tennessee, and assume you can see it all quickly. If you鈥檙e spending major money to go stay at a luxe spot where your every wish becomes someone else鈥檚 task, isn鈥檛 that enough? How much can there really be to see? Don鈥檛 make that mistake.

As exceptional as my stay at Deplar Farm was, my time outside of it might have been my favorite part of my first Icelandic visit. After we returned to Reykjavik, Tina and I grabbed some pastries from the incredible bakery and a tiny rented Kia and headed for , where a volcano and glacier lord over a peninsula with a coastline so rugged it makes the crags of Maine look like a small-scale model. We climbed atop and drove into craters, waded into water loaded with seals, and stood on a beach where the tide lurched in and out of smooth lava rocks, creating one of the most psychedelic sound experiences of my life. There were hot springs, commanding columns of basalt, and, at the cheap motel we found halfway back to Reykjavik, the best Northern Lights of our trip. (Many hotels have a sign-up sheet; when the Lights appear, they call you, no matter the hour.) Don鈥檛 let guided adventures, however great, replace a self-guided one, especially in a country with as many uncanny spectacles as Iceland.

Details

Price: From $3,970 (winter) or $4,377 (summer), three-night stay required

Address: 570 Fljot, 脫lafsfj枚r冒ur, Iceland

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Why was 国产吃瓜黑料 hiking columnist and Backpacker contributor Grayson Haver Currin touring a music studio in Iceland? Long before he had finished the Triple Crown of Hiking, ever since he was a teenager in North Carolina, he was a music journalist. He continues to write about music for GQ, The New York Times, Pitchfork, and many more.

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What if we told you you could buy a home in a quaint Italian village for less than the price of a cappuccino? The fine print, of course, is that the house you鈥檒l get will essentially be a collapsed set of walls. It will need major construction to be livable, and it鈥檒l take much longer than you鈥檇 expect (read: years, not months) to get that remodeling done.

Municipalities across Italy have been joining the so-called 1 euro ($1.05 in U.S. dollars) house program for years now. It all started back in 2008 when art critic and TV personality Vittorio Sgarbi, then the mayor of Salemi in southern Sicily, got the idea from a friend to offer Salemi鈥檚 most rundown, abandoned properties in its city center for 1 euro in an effort to revitalize the town, which had been hit by an earthquake decades earlier and left in shambles.听听

Since then, the concept has taken off in over 30 municipalities across northern and southern Italy, including the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, as a way to entice buyers to restore dilapidated structures. There鈥檚 no all-encompassing website for the program and information about these houses is hard to come by鈥攅ach municipality has its own listings and local realtors are the best way to track those down.

This has a map of where some of these discounted houses can be found, there鈥檚 a听 for those who鈥檝e bought homes or are thinking about it, and the town of Mussomeli in Sicily, a hotbed of the 1 euro house program, has a听.

But we wanted to know, what is it actually like to buy one of these homes? So, we called up Rubia Daniels, a 50-year-old Brazilian who has spent the last 30 years living in Berkeley, California, where she works in renewable energy. In December 2018, Daniels heard about the 1 euro homes in Italy鈥攁 country where she has ancestors and always dreamed of living鈥攁nd promptly got on a flight to Palermo, Sicily. She bought three properties for 1 euro each in Mussomeli in 2019. That was just the beginning of her saga. These are her words.听听

After I heard about the 1 euro homes in Italy, I started researching different towns. I reached out to a realtor, and they replied immediately. Three days later, I booked a plane ticket and a rental car, and I was on my way. When I got to Mussomeli, a place I had never been before, it felt like I was coming home. I come from a small town in Brazil, where people are kind and everyone tries to help each other out. Mussomeli felt the same way. When people ask 鈥楬ow are you doing?鈥� they really mean it.

One of the reasons I picked Mussomeli over other towns is because you don鈥檛 have to leave to get what you need. Everything is there: furniture makers, ceramic suppliers, window stores. When I was researching areas, I would see that some towns didn鈥檛 have a bank, or a pharmacy, or a hospital. I know some people who bought houses in very isolated areas, where you have to drive a long way to get supplies.

The realtor I called only spoke Italian, but I understood enough of the language to get by. My realtor was with me the whole time, showed me around, and was very welcoming. That was 2018 so things are different now. Many realtors speak English, or you can request one who works with English speakers. When I did my first tour of 1 euro houses, it was just me and a bunch of houses to see. But as time progressed, people from all over the world started going there looking for these homes. Now it is a very international community. I know Koreans, Russians, Americans, and Argentinians who all bought a home in Mussomeli.

I was looking for high ceilings and a bigger home. Some houses were in better condition, but they were too small. Some were fully collapsed. You鈥檙e basically getting the house for free, so you take what you can get. The cost? It was actually 1 euro. But of course there were other fees. I had to pay the realtor fee, which was 500 euros back then and more now. I had to pay for the deed, which was 3,500 euros. Total, I spent 4,000 euros to get the keys. I bought three houses and closed on them by June 2019, six months after I had first visited. I returned to Italy with five suitcases full of tools, a generator, and my husband and brother-in-law from Brazil, who were ready to start working on the first house.

The roof on the house had fully collapsed. It was three floors, about 1,800 square feet, and from the bottom floor, you could see the sun coming through the roof. We had to do everything from scratch. The new roof went in first. We had to demolish everything and clean it up鈥攖hat alone took a long time鈥攂efore we could start remodeling. I worked for a full month rebuilding walls and the roof. Then COVID hit Italy and for two years, we couldn鈥檛 return. Construction stopped. The house just sat there.

In 2023, we returned to Italy and began work again. We redid the bathrooms and the kitchen, put in all new tiles and floors. My home will soon be finished, six years after I purchased it. Once we are done with the first home, we will start on the other two. My sons will manage those projects. One may become a restaurant with a house on top, and the other might be a wellness center to give back to the community.

The contractors there are so booked, you have to wait your turn. You have to remember there are 300 houses in a small town all being repaired鈥攎any of those are also 1 euro homes鈥攁nd there aren鈥檛 enough workers to get it all done. I manage the contractors from overseas with help from translators and FaceTime. You can arrange everything over the phone, from furniture delivery to painting to curtain installation.

You must understand that Sicily is an island and people operate on 鈥榠sland time鈥�. The work is going to get done, but Italians don鈥檛 live to work. Everything takes longer. They say they鈥檙e coming today to do the job, but that doesn鈥檛 mean they鈥檙e really coming today. They will come at some point. Sometimes, you have a new contractor who comes in and says, 鈥楾he other guy did everything wrong. You have to demolish this and start from scratch.鈥� It costs more, but that happens everywhere.

So far, I have spent 38,000 euros in repairs and remodeling. I鈥檓 expecting to spend another 12,000 euros to finish. So, it鈥檒l be about 50,000 euros total. But everything in the house is new. I have new plumbing and electrical. For that amount of money in the U.S., you can buy a car. It got me what is now a brand new house in Italy. I go to Italy three times a year to see how much progress has been made.

I鈥檓 going to retire there, that鈥檚 my goal. That will be my home base. From there, it鈥檚 a quick flight to London, Paris, or Istanbul. The air is clean. I can drink the water. The food is produced locally. It鈥檚 a much nicer quality of living and a much lower price than where I currently live. My goal is to retire there in the next 15 years.

Many of these houses became abandoned during World War II, and the towns are trying to revitalize them. It鈥檚 a way of bringing the town back to life. It鈥檚 working. It鈥檚 vibrant now. There are more young families, businesses are booming. The people are welcoming and happy. If you鈥檙e not from Italy, then you need what鈥檚 called a codice fiscal, a tax identification number for foreign citizens in order to purchase a house. It鈥檚 an easy process. You go in person and fill out a form to say which house you are buying. You鈥檒l use that number to open a bank account or pay people. If I decide to stay in Italy for an extended time, I am going to apply for my Italian citizenship.

There are still 1 euro houses for sale in Mussomeli. It鈥檚 not as big an inventory as when I was first looking, but you can still buy a house for 1 euro. Don鈥檛 think everything will be free. Know that the houses may be fully collapsed. Walk around the town, interact with the neighbors. That should help you make your decision. If you鈥檙e someone like me who gets excited about a project, then this is for you.

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Megan Michelson is an 国产吃瓜黑料 contributing editor who recently took a trip to Italy, where she kept looking over her shoulder for homes for sale for 1 euro. She鈥檚 also recently written about how to visit Jackson Hole on the cheap, reviewed the coolest Airbnb in Colorado, and how to find incredible ski lift ticket deals.听

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It鈥檚 time to flip the script on the experience of watching movies. Gone are the days when you鈥檇 need to stay at home to tee up a movie or bingeable series from your couch. Whether you鈥檙e in a remote campsite, a friend鈥檚 backyard, or your own living room, Samsung screens turn anywhere into the ultimate, immersive home theater. Now, you don鈥檛 need to go where the best setup is, because it can be wherever you are.

That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e sending a select group of friends on the road to watch iconic films in the epic outdoor locations that inspired them. Guess where they鈥檙e headed, and you could win a select Samsung screen to stage your own watch-anywhere party. Here鈥檚 how it works:

Geo-Guessing Challenge

This fall, three 国产吃瓜黑料 ambassadors are spreading out across the country, setting up shop in mystery locations connected to their favorite movies. They鈥檒l create an immersive movie viewing setup in unique locations (thanks to Samsung screens!), and share images and clues to help you guess where they are. After all, what鈥檚 more iconic than watching听The Goonies听in an Oregon cave, or Jaws on a beach in Martha鈥檚 Vineyard?

Not much, says James Fishler, Chief Executive of Samsung Home Entertainment, who’s logged dozens of van-based road trips from the Catskills to the Adirondacks and down to Assateague Island. “I love getting outdoors any chance I get, and I also love nothing more than setting up a movie night鈥攅specially if it鈥檚 an old classic like one my favorites, Harry and the Hendersons,” Fishler says. “With Samsung, there鈥檚 no reason I can鈥檛 do both!

“Whether I鈥檓 at home, on-the-go, or anywhere in between, our cutting-edge lineup of Samsung screens let you upscale every moment and deliver the ultimate viewing experience,” adds Fishler, pictured below. “The world becomes your theater, and your theater transforms into the world you鈥檙e watching.”

Here鈥檚 How It Works:

Starting on October 28, we鈥檒l launch the first in a series of听three challenges, dropping clues and photos to give everyone a chance to guess the locations. At the end of each challenge, ambassadors will post a reel revealing where they are. Guess correctly, and you鈥檒l be entered into a sweepstakes to win a cutting-edge Samsung screen (more below).

New to geo-guessing? No problem. We鈥檝e enlisted professional Google Maps player , the best in the biz, to help make this challenge fun and accessible for everyone.

Episode 1

First up, we鈥檒l tag along with Caziah 鈥淐az鈥� Franklin, the road-tripping renaissance man who seeks to capture the deeper essence of adventure. With his Ford Bronco, Caz is eager to spend nights under the stars between iconic national parks and wild campsites off the beaten path. Equipped with Samsung screens to join the adventure, he鈥檒l showcase a creative theater experience, no matter how rugged the road to get there. Check out 听(plus听听and听) on Oct. 28 for the first clues about his secret screening spot.

 

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“We had an incredible time filming with the Freestyle by Samsung,” notes Caz, impressed with the projector’s compact design and performance. “It’s the ultimate piece of gear for those who want to unite cinema and nature鈥攍iving up to its name, offering versatile, high-quality entertainment anywhere.”

Samsung Screens

The geo-guessing prize? One of these Samsung screens, all perfectly equipped to elevate your next active viewing experience.

: Pick a spot, any spot. This portable projector brings your favorite content to life anywhere you choose: from the walls, to the ceiling, to the side of your home. Weighing less than two pounds, it鈥檚 more compact and lightweight than a pair of hiking boots; easily take it with you for all of your travels, whether it鈥檚 across the country or just across the yard. Stream¹ must-watch shows and movies in Full HD on a screen that can project up to 100鈥�. Play thousands of the top gaming titles from partners like Xbox 鈥� no console required². It鈥檚 even compatible with external USB-connected battery banks³, so you can roam freely while staying connected.

: Turn every movie night (or day!) into an epic, open-air entertainment experience with this outdoor-optimized TV. Its screen is engineered to look vivid and bright, even in daylight⁴. Its Wide Viewing Angle and Anti-Glare screen makes it easy to watch what you love from any seat, eliminating distractions and ensuring a clear picture. It boasts an IP56 rating for durability so you can enjoy your favorite content outside throughout the seasons.

:听Experience all of your favorite movies and shows across both light听and dark rooms with nearly no glare, thanks to the Samsung S95D series. This TV鈥檚 screen is optimized with Glare-Free technology to bring every scene to life with the purest blacks, brightest whites, and Pantone庐-validated color.

: Life鈥檚 biggest adventures deserve the biggest screens. That鈥檚 why Samsung offers a super big lineup of 98-inch-class screens, designed to transform every movie night into the ultimate view. Not all big screens are created equal, though 鈥攂ut the Samsung lineup is built with advanced Supersize Picture Enhancer⁵, a feature that can help you clearly see every detail on screen without any distortion or blur, even at the 98-inch size (*available on 85鈥� Class TVs Q80D and above, and all 98鈥� Class TVs).

¹ Includes Samsung SmartHub by Wi-Fi; additional external content by Micro HDMI port (adapter/cables not included) and compatible devices with AirPlay 2, SmartThings鈥� Tap View.
² High speed internet connection, additional gaming service subscriptions and compatible controller required.
³ External battery sold separately, needs to support USB Power Delivery and 60W/20V output or above.
⁴ The Terrace Full Sun panel is protected up to 6 hours in sunlight at 700 watts and 104 degrees Fahrenheit; brightness may decrease to protect panel with other high temperature and sunlight conditions. The Terrace Partial Sun is designed for placement and use in outdoor shaded environments. The TV can be exposed to ambient or non-direct sunlight, but direct sunlight must be avoided.
⁵ Supersize Picture Enhancer is available on 85鈥� Class TVs Q80D and above, and all 98鈥� Class TVs.

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When I had the chance to spend some time in Europe this year, the first thing I wanted to do鈥攚ell, besides find some really good cheese鈥攚as figure out how to visit as many national parks as possible. As the editor in chief of , 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别鈥檚 sister brand, I spend a lot of time thinking about national parks. Whether it鈥檚 figuring out how to pack as much as possible into a weekend in Yellowstone, thinking about the implications of reservation systems, or dreaming about units to visit, I eat, sleep, and breathe America鈥檚 best idea.

But narrowing down the European parks to visit proved tougher than I鈥檇 imagined. While the 27 EU member countries share a market and (mostly) a currency, each nation鈥檚 approach to public lands is vastly different. Some European national parks are all pristine wilderness areas and have strict recreation-use laws. In others, you鈥檒l find trendy bars serving Aperol spritzes, with Vespas parked outside. There鈥檚 even a Croatian national park with a zoo, complete with an elephant, ostriches, and zebras. Slovenia has just a single park; Finland has dozens.

While European parks run the gamut, they all have one thing in common. They鈥檝e been set aside as meriting designation, meaning they鈥檙e worth a visit to see something meaningful, whether that鈥檚 glistening glaciers, spectacular mountain peaks, hanging bridges across thundering rivers, or ancient vineyards clinging to cliffs above the sea.

These are the European national parks that top my travel bucket list. I鈥檝e been to several of them and can鈥檛 wait to see the rest.

1. Triglav National Park, Slovenia (Triglavski Narodni Park)

Admission: Free

WHY GO: While Alpine countries like France and Austria get most of the love, many people know almost nothing of one of the Alps鈥� best destinations: Slovenia. On my first visit to the country I was instantly charmed by the country鈥檚 rolling pastures, pretty churches set against the backdrop of mountains and blue lakes, and university-town capital, Ljubljana, which, with its avant-garde metalwork and dragon mascot, has a decidedly punk feel. When I realized that a subrange of the Alps was protected in the northwestern corner of the country as Triglav National Park, I knew I had to return.

Nestled up against the Italian border and nearly touching Austria, Triglav is home to thick forests, rivers, mountain villages, and big peaks that quickly made it one of my favorite national parks. Mount Triglav is the crown jewel at 9,396 feet, but plenty of other impressive summits draw peak baggers from across the world. Vogel Ski Resort can be found here too, offering 14 miles of terrain.

BEST ADVENTURES: Most park visitors flock to the Lake Bohinj region, a nearly 800-acre glacially carved valley filled with deep blue water where you can rent traditional wooden rowboats ($16/hour), among other watercraft. Vogel is in this area, and you can take the gondola and chairlift ($34 roundtrip for adults) partway and hike to the summit. The 6.1-mile trail isn鈥檛 technical, but it is steep in places, secured with cables and pegs. Keep your eyes peeled for the ibex and chamois that live here.

Watch the weather for wind gusts that could shut down the lifts, and stay aware of the time, because it鈥檚 a long trek back down if the chairs stop running before you reach them (they close at 4 p.m. in the summer). At several traditional huts on the mountain, you can enjoy local cheese and mountain dishes like goulash.

While the Bohinj area is the most popular, venturing further into the park is absolutely worth it. Head up and over the steep and narrow Vr拧i膷 Pass to Triglav鈥檚 more remote west side (my favorite), where you鈥檙e as likely to encounter a herd of sheep blocking the road as cyclists riding on it. Tackle the 15-mile , a hike that can be done in a long day, or at a slower pace, where you spend the night in one of several villages along the way. The beautiful trail follows the river, which is so clear and bright it almost hurts to look at. My husband, dog and I got distracted on our hike and instead spent a pleasant afternoon wading听 in the cold snowmelt. Wind your way gradually down valley under larches and across swinging bridges.

If you really want to get away, several long-distance trails, including the Via Alpina red route (1,500 miles) and the Alpe Adria Trail (466 miles), run through Triglav. For less of a commitment than those, head into the Seven Lakes Valley on a multi-day excursion, where you can spend the night in several maintained huts (no camping is allowed in the backcountry).

HOW TO GET THERE: Slovenia has a great public transportation system, making it easy to get from Ljubljana to Bled by train (40 minutes) and then Bled to Bohinj by bus (40 minutes), so you can stay in the capital and still explore the park. Buses run to other parts of Triglav, too, but pay attention to timetables, as they are less frequent and getting a taxi or rideshare won鈥檛 be an option in remote parts of the park.

BEST TIME TO GO: June to September is high season for hiking and hut availability, but can also be crowded. Snow melts early in this part of the world, so low elevation hikes can be done in the spring and fall to avoid the crowds. 听

WHERE TO STAY: Accommodations, from private hotels and guest houses to campgrounds and mountain huts, abound inside the park. My husband and I like staying in Bohinj on the west side for easy access to Vogel and the pretty town of Bled, or the quiet village of Trenta on the east side. For an alpine experience, book a bed at Ti膷arjev Dom ($47 per person with breakfast), the mountain hut at the summit of Vr拧i膷 Pass. You鈥檒l sleep dormitory-style and rise to incredible mountain views the next morning from the patio over a bela kava (coffee with milk).

2. Oulanka National Park, Finland

Admission: Free

WHY GO: If you鈥檙e looking to get into some of the most remote wilderness on the continent, head to Oulanka National Park in Finland. The park hugs the Russian border in the far northeastern part of the country above the Arctic Circle and is an experience in solitude. In fact, the wilderness doesn鈥檛 stop at state lines. It continues east, bleeding quietly into Russia鈥檚 Paanaj盲rvi National Park, with a simple rope forming the border and keeping canoeists in the EU. Last year I visited Levi Ski Resort in Finnish Lapland, four hours to the north, and fell in love with polar night. Getting back is at the top of my list and this time I want to get deeper into the wilderness, specifically at Oulanka.

Planning a trip to this remote land filled with boreal forests, rushing rivers, and limestone gorges isn鈥檛 easy, but I promise the hardest part will be picking which season to visit鈥搘inter or summer? This far north, the year is capped by eternal night in the deep winter, when you can snowshoe, cross-country ski, and try to spot the Northern Lights, and permanent sun in the height of the warm months, with plenty of daylight for canoeing and hiking trips.

BEST ADVENTURES: Summer visitors have two main choices for exploring: by water or by land. Paddlers can rent canoes and camping gear from to embark on a trip down the Oulankajoki River. The lower section is calm, with a short two-hour option to a takeout or a seven-hour route that makes an excellent overnight trip with a stop at any of several campsites or the first-come, first-served Ansak盲mpp盲 Wilderness Hut. There are rapids and a portage on the upper section of the river, so skip it unless you鈥檙e an experienced boater.

On foot, try the , a loop that crosses some of the park鈥檚 famous hanging bridges. In summer months, the trail is one-way (clockwise). Backpackers can head out on the 50-mile Bear鈥檚 Ring, aka . Finland鈥檚 most popular hike traverses the park from north to south, with each stage ending on a bus route in case you鈥檇 prefer to sleep in a real bed, or campsites and huts along the way if you鈥檇 rather rough it. Thundering rivers, placid streams, bogs, hanging bridges, and delicate purple orchids await. Look out for traditional Sami herders and their reindeer, who still inhabit the area today.

In the winter, I love how the mercury plunges when Finnish Lapland freezes over, rewarding intrepid and cold-tolerant visitors with a magical landscape. It鈥檚 my favorite time of year to be in Finland. Pines and spruces thick with frozen snow stand like fuzzy sentinels over ice-crusted rivers and cross-country ski trails. In December and January, you鈥檒l find a scant three hours of daylight. In late winter, you鈥檒l still experience plenty of darkness for northern lights spotting, but will also be treated to long sunrises and sunsets, turning the landscape into a cotton-candy-colored forest.

Use an app like My Aurora Forecast to monitor northern-lights conditions for your best chance at spotting the undulating colors. Other winter options are to rent snowshoes or cross-country skis in nearby Ruka and set off on the park’s many trails.

HOW TO GET THERE: The closest airport to the park is Kuusamo, which has several flights from Helsinki each day, plus a few other major European cities like Brussels and Frankfurt. While renting a car in Kuusamo is the easiest mode of travel, a bus route from the airport accesses the Karhunkierros Trail, Oulanka National Park Visitor Center, and Ruka, if you鈥檙e eager to add downhill skiing to your itinerary. Ruka Ski Resort is Finland鈥檚 best known, and has a long season lasting October to May.

BEST TIME TO GO: Peak season for hiking and canoeing, the park鈥檚 main attractions, is July through September when the weather is warmest and most predictable (think 50s) and the days are the longest. To see the Northern Lights and get out on snowy trails, December through March are the best season, but be ready for temps from freezing to below zero.

WHERE TO STAY: For the most options, base yourself at Ruka Ski Resort. Ruka offers all sorts of lodging options and the park is a quick 30-minute drive away. Winter visitors who want to go all out should stay at , with glass igloos perfect for aurora spotting (from $347/night with breakfast). If you want to be closer to the park, 鈥檚 cozy wilderness hotel borders it (from $109/night for a double room).

3. Cinque Terre National Park, Italy (Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre)

Admission: $21-$35/day for train and trail access

WHY GO: I鈥檇 seen the brightly colored Italian houses clinging to cliffs above an azure sea on my Instagram feed, but had no idea that the five villages making up the Cinque Terre (note the article 鈥渢he,鈥� as you鈥檒l be judged mightily for dropping it) are actually a national park until I visited this past spring. The land here is characterized by its human influence. The steep hills leading straight into the sea have been terraced and cultivated for more than 1,000 years.

BEST ADVENTURES: The most popular hiking route is the Blue Trail (also called the Sentiero Azzuro or SVA), the main path that historically connected all five villages. In 2019, a landslide took out the section of trail between Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore, and maintenance work is ongoing, though the Manarola to Riomaggiore section reopened in July. The sections between Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare remained open. Whenever you choose to travel, start out as early in the day as possible or plan an evening hike to dinner to avoid the crowded midday hours. Taking the train back is also always an option if the trails get packed (we had to turn around and take the train in April because the pathway was gridlocked).

(grab a focaccia made with the region鈥檚 famous pesto for my favorite mid-hike snack) and on to Monterosso is 4.1 miles one way with 2,000 feet of elevation gain. A less popular, but in my opinion even better, hike on the Blue Trail is the . You鈥檒l climb up to the tiny town of Volastra, perched above the Cinque Terre, and then back down to Manarola. Time your hike so that you can grab a glass of wine and bruschetta at Cantina Capellini, a winery producing the Cinque Terre DOP white wine. The simple patio is right on the trail, situated amongst the vines, and overlooks the sea. Make sure you have room in your pack for a bottle to take home.

Heading south from Corniglia and ending in Manarola is 3.6 miles one way, with 1,300 feet of elevation gain. The descent on this route is heinous (you鈥檒l end lower than you began), so you may want to skip this one if your knees are bad.

When you鈥檙e not on the trail, take advantage of amazing food (cornettos! pesto! wine! fried anchovies! focaccia!) on a patio, or head down to the water. Each town has sea access for swimming, though you won鈥檛 find much of a beach anywhere besides at Monterosso. Spread a towel on the rocks and sunbathe, or ($10.75/hour rentals from Riomaggiore) to explore the coastline.

HOW TO GET THERE: Fly into Florence, Milan, or Rome. Trains run directly from these major hubs to La Spezia Centrale, the closest city to the Cinque Terre, or you can drive to La Spezia Centrale and park your rental car in the large garage at the station. From there, it鈥檚 a quick seven-minute train ride to the first village, Riomaggiore. Each additional village is just a few minutes further up the tracks. If you plan on utilizing both the train and the trails, purchase a in advance, which allows unlimited train rides between villages (including La Spezia), access to the trails, and free use of the toilets at each train station ($21-$35/day).

BEST TIME TO GO: Hiking the Cinque Terre is best done in the off-season. Summer crowds are epic, and the trails can get packed by late morning even in the spring and fall.

While it鈥檚 a gamble to visit in the colder months (November through March), as the trails can close when weather is bad and you鈥檒l have fewer lodging and dining options, it鈥檚 the least busy season. Plan a visit for the fringe months of March or November to capitalize on good weather and to beat the masses.

WHERE TO STAY: You鈥檒l find hotels in Monterosso and Riomaggiore on each end, as well as in the larger city of La Spezia, a quick train ride away. But for the most authentic experience stay in one of the three central villages. Book a vacation rental (Airbnb has plenty of options) in Vernazza, Corniglia, or Manarola, and you鈥檒l get to experience the towns when all the day tourists from the cruise ships have left. Quiet restaurants, empty streets, and coffee with the locals each morning are treats.

My favorite village is Corniglia, for its smaller size and gorgeous view from atop a hill, though the walk from the train station up a long set of stairs to the town makes coming and going a chore. We ended up skipping our dinner reservations one town over in favor of staying put here with a bottle of wine and take-out focaccia.

4. Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park, Italy (Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi)

Admission: Free

WHY GO: While each region of Europe鈥檚 Alps has its own flavor, the Italian Dolomiti are particularly impressive. Craggy mountains, mist-filled valleys, and sweeping forests provide one of my favorite landscapes in the world.

The range, which encompasses northeastern Italy, is home to the 12 world-renowned ski areas that make up the Ikon Pass destination Dolomiti Superski. It鈥檚 also a Unesco World Heritage Site and the location of several incredible regional parks, such as Tre Cime. But you鈥檒l only find one national park, Dolomiti Bellunesi, in the region. I鈥檝e somehow missed this corner of the Dolomiti in all of my adventures here, so I can鈥檛 wait to plan a trip back to see it.

Stretching 12-square-miles northwest of Belluno, this somewhat under-the-radar park offers visitors the best of the Dolomiti, with fewer crowds than the area鈥檚 better-known and more northerly destinations of Tre Cime, Seceda, and Lago di Braises. Home to via ferratas, two of the famous Alta Via trails, and countless quintessential Italian villages, this is the place where you want to start your Dolomiti adventure.

BEST ADVENTURES: You鈥檒l want to experience this national park by foot鈥搈iles of trails cross the mountains, including two of the Alta Via, or 鈥渉igh routes.鈥� Alta Via 1 is a classic and one of the least technical of the routes, running 75 miles from Lago di Braies to La Pissa. The final four stages, which are often the least crowded, wind through the park. Alta Via 2 also includes three stages in the national park, from Passo Cereda to Passo Croce d鈥橝une. This route is more technical, with via ferratas required along the way. A climbing harness, helmet, and gloves are needed to tackle this option ( in Cortina d鈥橝mpezzo for $23/day).

Whether or not you embark on one of the park鈥檚 through-hikes, you should definitely experience a via ferrata while in the Dolomiti. Popularized during WWI in the region to help troops navigate vertical terrain, these 鈥渋ron paths鈥� use ladders, rungs, pegs and steel cables affixed to rocks to help people move across the cliffs. The park鈥檚 highest peak, Schiara, has three via ferratas ringing it: Zacchi, Berti, and Piero Rossi, which, linked up, make for a long but doable day in the mountains if you stay at ($74/night for half board). These routes lean toward being difficult, so hiring a guide is advisable. I found to be excellent on my most recent via ferrata adventure, on the Punto Anna route in Cortina d’Ampezzo, an hour and a half north.

Cyclists can test their mettle on the grueling stage 20 of the 2022 Giro d鈥橧talia route, which runs 104 miles (168 kilometers) from Belluno to Marmolada, crossing through the park on SR203. Whatever activities you choose to get up to, make sure to include some time on either end of your trip for a quick detour to the so-called Prosecco Road between Valdobbiadene and Conegliano, where the prestigious DOCG (the highest quality designation) sparkling wine is produced in the hills. My favorite producer, Adami, is one of the oldest in the region and has an excellent tour and tasting experience.

HOW TO GET THERE: Venice offers the closest major airport, and train service to Belluno takes approximately two hours. From there, the Dolomiti bus services many of the roads within the park, but note timetables, as service can be limited. Unless you鈥檙e planning a through-hike, the best way to explore the Dolomiti is by renting a car in Venice or Belluno, then driving to trailheads.

BEST TIME TO GO: Most staffed rifugios (mountain huts) away from the ski resorts are only open to hikers in summer, so June through September are the best months to visit if you鈥檙e planning an overnight adventure. The weather often stays pleasant through October, though, and travel then is a great way to skip out on some of the crowds if you鈥檙e prepared for the possibility of an early season snow storm.

WHERE TO STAY: Hiking the Alta Vias, even just a few linked stages, takes forethought, as many of the rifugios along the route fill up early in summer. Start planning in January or February when availability opens. Otherwise, you鈥檒l find accommodation options鈥攊ncluding hotels, guesthouses, rifugios, and vacation rentals鈥攊n and around the park, but book early as options can be limited. Belluno, with 36,000 inhabitants, is the closest major town.

For a unique experience, plan a stay at an agriturismo, a working farm where you鈥檒l be treated to meals with homemade products like cheese and salumi. Mountain pasture cheesemaking has become a somewhat lost art in the Dolomiti, but this park has worked hard to restore five of these 鈥渕alga鈥� operations. If you don鈥檛 stop at an agriturismo, watch for latterias (like Latteria Perenzin in San Pietro di Feletto) where you can buy the locally made cheese alongside salumi and other products perfect for a picnic.

5. Samaria National Park, Greece

Admission $5.50

WHY GO: Encompassing the longest gorge in Europe, Samaria National Park showcases the best of the Mediterranean, from towering cliffs to fragrant cypress trees, and from white limestone riverbeds to the sparkling sea itself. Since the park is comprised almost solely of one long, steep , you can experience the place in its entirety, from the White Mountains to the Mediterranean, in one day. Samaria Gorge is located on the western side of Crete, Greece鈥檚 biggest island. I haven鈥檛 gotten to Greece yet, but a friend and colleague promises me that it鈥檚 the first place I鈥檒l want to go.

BEST ADVENTURES: The park is open, weather permitting, from May through October. Entry begins at 7 a.m., and it鈥檚 an excellent idea to start out then, before the heat of the day. Much of the trail is exposed and sunbaked, so going the first or last month of the season is wise to avoid the mid-summer heat. The park closes down during excessively hot stretches, or if flooding is possible in the shoulder season. Pay attention to the heat and hold off if the temperatures are dangerous. It鈥檚 usually a five- to seven-hour hike without services, so pack plenty of water and snacks; bring sun protection, a hat and a neck gaiter to help stay cool; and wear hiking footwear. Water from springs is often available along the route, but don鈥檛 count on it.

You鈥檒l start hiking steeply downhill, taking in the views of the surrounding White Mountains, before continuing through a pine and cypress forest and reaching the church of St. Nikolas inside the ruins of an ancient temple. Look around for kri kri, wild Cretan goats. Cross a few streams and you鈥檒l find yourself in the ancient village of Samaria, which is now solely inhabited by park staff.

The gorge gradually narrows as you cross through a (hopefully) dry riverbed, alongside striped rock walls, into the skinniest point in the canyon, where the walls are just under 10 feet apart. The park closes at 6 p.m., so make sure you鈥檙e through the exit by then. Either walk another 1.5 miles or hop on a cheap shuttle to get to the village of Agia Roum茅li, where you can grab a late lunch or early dinner at one of several restaurants and, if time allows, take a well-earned dip in the Mediterranean.

The single ferry leaves the village at 5:30 p.m., only once per day, so don鈥檛 miss it or you鈥檒l have to arrange a taxi boat or stay in the village. Depart at Chora Sfakion or Sougia and take the bus back to your car or lodge. If arranging your own transportation stresses you out, many tour companies offer guided excursions in the park.

HOW TO GET THERE: From Athens, fly into Chania International Airport for the closest access to the park. In Chania, you can either rent a car and drive to the gorge, or purchase a bus ticket to Xyloscalo, at the start of the trail. The full hike is one way, and at the end you鈥檒l take a ferry to Sougia ($16/person) and then the bus either back to your car at the trailhead or your hotel in Chania. Be sure to reserve your return tickets in advance to avoid getting stranded.

BEST TIME TO GO: Samaria Gorge is open May through October, with the beginning and end of the season providing the coolest temperatures.

WHERE TO STAY: Most visitors base in the city of Chania and do the trip to Samaria Gorge in one long day, but if you, like me, would prefer a slower pace and to experience the secluded village of Agia Roum茅li without the crowds, you can stay at one of the few hotels or vacation rentals in town. offers rooms, breakfast and beach loungers starting at $79 per night. You can spend the entire next day enjoying the beach before catching the ferry back.

6. 脡crins National Park, France (Parc National des 脡crins)

ADMISSION: Free

WHY GO: 脡crins National Park, a glacier-filled alpine paradise with more than 150 peaks topping 3,000 meters, sits near the Italian border in eastern France. The Alps are one of my favorite landscapes in the world and, after visiting them in Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein, I put this French national park squarely on my to-do list. Barre des 脡crins is the tallest summit here, towering 13,458 feet above the park, the most southerly 4,000-meter peak in the Alps. Here, amongst the chamois you鈥檒l almost certainly spot, you鈥檒l feel like you鈥檙e at the top of the world.

BEST ADVENTURES: You could hike the park鈥檚 many trails, including a section of the Grand 脡crins, but this is also a space known for its alpine climbing. If you鈥檙e looking for adventure, a three-day mountaineering- and glacier-skills course with will help you tag the summit of Barre des 脡crins, staying in remote mountain huts ($1,645).

Within the boundaries of 脡crins are two ski areas, and two others just bordering the park might be the area鈥檚 most famous, especially for cyclists. Les Deux Alpes bike park is one of the biggest in the Alps and is home to beginner- to competition-level courses in everything from downhill to enduro with pristine alpine views. Alpe d鈥橦uez offers one of the Tour de France鈥檚 most iconic climbs in addition to the wild Megavalanche, a mass-start mountain-bike race on a glacier. Ride into the national park, which has around 100 miles of marked bike trails.

HOW TO GET THERE: The closest major city is Grenoble, France. Fly into Lyon, Geneva, Marseille, or even Paris and take a high-speed train to Grenoble. From there, if you plan on some serious exploring, it鈥檚 best to rent a car, but bus service is also available to Les Deux Alpes if you will stick to the resorts or hire a guide to get into the mountains.

BEST TIME TO GO: July through September are the months to visit to avoid snow in this mountain environment.听

WHERE TO STAY: The ski resorts and villages in and around 脡crins provide ample lodging, but to really get away from it all, book a stay in one of the 40 throughout the park. While some of these mountain huts simply serve as basic overnight shelters for mountaineers, others are staffed in the summer, offering hot dinner and breakfast and often a lovely patio on which to take in the setting sun in a gorgeous high-alpine setting.

Refuges almost always require a hike to reach, so choose your trail, do your research and book ahead to ensure you have a bed waiting at the end of your day.

Mikaela Ruland is the editor in chief of National Park Trips. She lives for the outdoors, and you can usually find her hiking, skiing, or mountain biking. She’s been to national parks on three continents, including 23 of the 63 U.S. national parks. Her favorite is whichever one she鈥檚 traveling to next.

The post Top 6 National Parks in Europe鈥擜nd the Best 国产吃瓜黑料s in Them appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

If you want to experience a stunning outdoor destination like a local, you need to ask one for advice. That鈥檚 why we talked to Pietro Picco about . The picturesque mountain town has it all鈥攈iking, biking, climbing, and amazing food and lodging鈥攁nd Picco knows it all like few others. He has a deep love for his home mountains鈥攖hey鈥檝e inspired him to climb peaks like Mont Blanc and K2. Here, get Picco鈥檚 insider perspective and advice, and learn why Courmayeur is the ultimate outdoor destination for all kinds of adventurers.

Plan Your Trip

国产吃瓜黑料: What makes Courmayeur so special for alpine travelers?听

Pietro Picco: Courmayeur is a lovely mountain town鈥攁 jewel guarded by the highest mountain in the Alps: Mont Blanc. In Courmayeur, visitors can immerse themselves in Val Ferret鈥檚 nature, find wild experience in Val Veny, or hike the trails in the ski area. Travelers can also find traditional gourmet Italian cuisine, alpine spas, and luxury stores.

Find Your Hike

What are your trail recommendations for beginner, intermediate, and advanced hikers looking to experience the beauty of Mont Blanc?

Whether you’re a new or experienced hiker, there are a variety of trails within walking distance from town to explore. Some lead to refuges鈥攔emote shelters for mountaineers and hikers鈥攖hat make for a rewarding stop.

There are many shops in town that sell and rent anything and everything a hiker could possibly need: boots, poles, backpacks鈥攜ou name it, they have it! You can also book a guided hike with one of the experienced outfitters. They鈥檒l supply essential gear and teach you about the area鈥檚 geology and natural resources.

I also recommend exploring Val Veny and Val Ferret. Both of these scenic valleys are cradled by cols that border France and Switzerland and have scenic trails leading to viewpoints of the Mont Blanc massif. As you plan your visit to Courmayeur, consider one of these hikes:

Beginner

Rifugio Bonatti

Hike to this mountainside hut and soak in the epic scenery of Val Ferret.

• Distance: 7 miles
• Time of Year: May through October

Col de la Seigne

For travelers looking for more of a challenge, this loop offers the perfect balance of technical trail and road.

• Distance: 13 miles
• Time of Year: July through September

Intermediate

Balconata della Val Ferret

This scenic point-to-point trail is easily accessible by bus and offers stunning views of Val Ferret.

• Distance: 5 miles
• Time of Year: June through October

Traverse this point-to-point route past mountain huts and lakes.

• Distance: 9 miles
• Time of Year: June to October

Advanced

Recommended for experienced hikers, this alpine trail explores the Val Sapin, with magnificent views along the way.

• Distance: 14 miles
• Time of Year: Summer

Col de Malatr脿

If you want the best views of Mont Blanc, this is the perfect out-and-back trail to add to your itinerary.

• Distance: 11 miles
• Time of Year: Summer

Try Something New

In addition to hiking, how else can outdoor enthusiasts experience Courmayeur?听

So many ways!

Rent mountain bikes (analog or electric) to explore the trails.

Take the that climbs to 3,466 meters, offering a unique perspective of the area. From the Skyway, it鈥檚 also possible to hike on the nearby glacier by booking a trip with an experienced guide.

Explore the various via ferratas leading to guarded huts鈥攕helters used by mountaineers and managed by guardians in warmer seasons鈥攁nd unmanned bivouacs.

Climb at the many popular crags or to alpine peaks. Guides are available for both of these activities.

There are plenty of ways to get out and explore the outdoors in Courmayeur. But if the weather turns, the Courmayeur Sport Center offers all sorts of indoor activities, including ice skating, climbing, and tennis.

Relax in Paradise

What can travelers look forward to after a day of exploring?

Courmayeur is one the Alps鈥� most attractive villages, with restaurants and bars spilling out onto the car-free center. Aperitivo, gourmet dinners, pizza, traditional Italian food鈥攚hatever you crave, it鈥檚 available here. You can enjoy it all with a spectacular view of Mont Blanc and the Alps. If you鈥檙e looking for some peace and quiet outside the center, you鈥檒l find plenty of restaurants in Val Veny and Val Ferret. Plus, there are shops with luxury brands, sports equipment, and local souvenirs.

For travelers who want a 鈥渉ome away from home鈥� experience, consider staying at the . This alpine retreat has everything you need for a comfortable night鈥檚 rest, with each cozy room looking out on the surrounding nature. At the on-site spa, you can recharge with Secret des Alpes wellness treatments designed for post-alpine recovery, including skin brushing and mountain pasture butter massages, followed with a soak in the heated luxury pool.

There is a place where your imagination can turn into reality. Where leisure and relaxation come in all shades. A place where flavors can amaze, nature and its views can marvel. It is , a jewel guarded by the highest mountain in the Alps: the Mont Blanc.

After all, only when you reach the summit, you see everything clearly.

Enjoy Courmayeur Mont Blanc. Italy at its peak.

The post The Insider鈥檚 Guide to the Heart of the Italian Alps appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

There鈥檚 a saying in Iceland that鈥檚 sort of the country鈥檚 unofficial motto: 脼etta reddast (sounds like 鈥渢hetta rettast鈥�). Like so many Icelandic words there isn鈥檛 a direct translation into English, but the essence of it is, 鈥淓hhh, it鈥檒l be fine…鈥� My good friend , who lives in Reykjavik, tells me, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a big part of our national identity. It鈥檚 what we say when we鈥檙e rolling with what鈥檚 going on, in the face of any kind of adversity.鈥� It鈥檚 not as passive as it sounds, though. Rather, it鈥檚 about accepting the things you can鈥檛 control, and pivoting to adapt and alter the things you can.

This is sage advice for first-timers visiting one of the most rugged and remote island countries in the world. To call the weather 鈥渦npredictable鈥� would be generous, and you never know what strange obstacles you might encounter鈥攈ello, volcanoes. There have been ongoing eruptions in the town of Grindavik in southern Iceland and tourists have been advised to avoid that area. But the rest of the country is open and if you鈥檙e willing to embody the 脼etta reddast spirit, you鈥檒l have an incredible time in an otherworldly place, especially if you鈥檙e game to travel to Iceland in the off-season.

In October, I finally went to scope it out for myself. My aforementioned buddy P茅tur was born and raised in Iceland before moving to California where he and I became friends in high school. He moved back during the pandemic, so I took the rare opportunity to see this majestic place through a local鈥檚 eyes. I spent two weeks traveling all over with him and other friends, pivoting a lot, experiencing weird weather, taking thousands of photos, and having an absolute blast. Here鈥檚 what I learned.

Why Travel to Iceland in the Shoulder Season?

An Icelandic adventure in the off-season (roughly autumn and spring) has a few distinct advantages:

It鈥檚 markedly cheaper.

While flights to Iceland are usually reasonable (I flew , which has a ton of direct flights from the U.S.), life on the ground can be pretty pricey. Accommodations, rental vehicles, tours, and just about everything that isn鈥檛 edible is less expensive if you don鈥檛 go during the summertime rush.

There are a heck of a lot less people.

Speaking of rush, you will see noticeably fewer tourists in the off-season. That translates to less-crowded trails, better photographs, and critically, easier last-minute bookings鈥攌ey to your ability to adapt to changing conditions and still get the most out of your trip. More on that in a bit.

You actually get to see the Aurora Borealis.

You can usually only view the Northern Lights in the off-season. Iceland is so far north that during the summer high-season, the sky never gets dark enough for the aurora borealis to be visible. Iceland is one of the best places on the entire planet to see the lights, so if that鈥檚 on your bucket list, then bundle up and visit in the off season. (Stay tuned for specific recommendations on where to view them.)

Know Before You Go: Tips for Shoulder-Season Visits

Of course, visiting Iceland during shoulder season isn鈥檛 without its challenges. First and foremost, there鈥檚 the weather. Battered by the Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle, you鈥檙e more likely to encounter rain, snow, and the notorious wind in colder months. Days are shorter, too, so you鈥檒l want to get after it early.

Gear You Should Pack for Iceland

Layers will most definitely be your friend. And bring plenty. My daily outfit consisted of:

• Thermal tops and bottoms
• Thick wool hiking socks
• Pair of
• Smartwool hoodie
• (also a good windblocker)
• Pair of
• Super-warm wind/rain-proof
• Wind-proof

With that kit, I was plenty toasty even when the rain came down nearly sideways.

Get Your Tech Dialed: Oh, and make sure you bring a power adapter, because Iceland uses European plugs. I鈥檇 recommend grabbing at least one or two, plus an extension cord with a three-way splitter so you can charge up more gadgets at once.

Now, the fun stuff.

Getting Around Iceland: The Best Transportation Options

Iceland is one of those countries where you really want to have your own wheels. There are buses here and there, but if you鈥檙e chasing rugged adventures, vehicular autonomy is a must. Of course you could join a tour group, but then you’re stuck with someone else鈥檚 agenda and schedule, and you鈥檒l likely be surrounded by tourists.

Be Sure to Rent the Right Rig

Selecting a vehicle plays a significant role in where you can and can鈥檛 go. Once the colder months hit, the roads get icy and snowy. Even if you plan to stay in hotels and avoid sleeping in your vehicle, I strongly recommend you rent a rig with all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive that has burly tires to match and that comes with ample clearance. This will enable you to drive safely off the beaten path and check out more of the country, with even fewer tourists around during the day. (As a starting point, check out , which features a fleet of different 4WD-equipped Toyotas starting from $84 per day.)

For a Bed on Wheels, Consider a Campervan or 4X4 with a Rooftop Tent

Cruising around Iceland by campervan or a rig with a rooftop tent is another solid option. You鈥檒l see tons of these on the road, as most outdoor adventure enthusiasts go this route. There are a lot of cool camp spots all around the island, and combining your accommodations with your wheels can be a huge cost saver. Just make sure the van you鈥檙e renting has some sort of heater (diesel or propane) and make sure it has AWD or 4WD (again, plus rugged tires and clearance). If you opt for a rooftop tent, make sure you visit in the (warmer) colder months, like September and May, otherwise sleeping on top of your car in winds and frigid temps will be brutal otherwise.

No matter what, read reviews of your outfitter before you commit, because some offer SOS services鈥攊n varying degrees of reliability鈥攁nd you don鈥檛 want to deal with a breakdown when you’re deep in Iceland鈥檚 backcountry.

Most campervans and roof tent rigs come with bedding, a camp kitchen, stove and fuel, and a plug-in cooler, all of which help facilitate maximum autonomy. For a small upcharge, you can opt for a WiFi router, which makes booking last-minute campsites and navigation easier. (As a starting point, check out for rooftop tent and campervan options. Prices vary.)

Stay on Top of Your Road Conditions Beta

Whichever vehicle you choose, the shows up-to-date road conditions and closures, and will save you essential time.

And be careful out there. Know your driving skills, and the limits of the vehicle you鈥檙e renting, and make sure the tires have tread that can handle the conditions you鈥檒l encounter. If in doubt, don鈥檛 be an idiot and drive it.

Eating in Iceland: Always Expensive, Rarely Fantastic

Now would be a good time to mention food, and it鈥檚 not great news. For starters, grub in Iceland is almost universally pricey, owing largely to the fact that nearly everything has to be imported. It鈥檚 also not exactly a foodie haven (with some notable exceptions), so I鈥檇 recommend stocking up at a supermarket, like Bonus or Kr贸nan, before you leave Reykjavik. Aside from staples like PB&J, grab an assortment of Icelandic yogurt (a.k.a. skyr). It鈥檚 delicious.

Don鈥檛 miss the cod jerky, either, which my friend P茅tur says is commonly dragged across a tub of Icelandic butter when you eat it. (I tried it, and can confirm it鈥檚 indeed tasty.) I also found the sweetest, crunchiest carrots I鈥檝e ever had in my life, and you鈥檒l want to try (or at least force yourself to try) the divisive, salted black licorice (aka salmiakbitar) the island is famous for.

When You Arrive in Iceland

You鈥檒l land at Keflav铆k International Airport. If you鈥檙e coming from the U.S. you鈥檒l likely arrive early in the morning on a red-eye, and may be very discombobulated. If so, and you鈥檝e got the time, take it easy on your first day there by checking out the Reykjanes peninsula. Then, head to Reykjavik to scope out some of the museums and cultural sites (see below for specifics).

Must-Dos on the Reykjanes Peninsula

The 40-minute drive from the airport to the capital city is also absolutely stunning. You鈥檒l pass fields of lava rock that seem to go on forever, and zip by the Instagram-famous . (Note: every Icelandic person I met rolled their eyes at it, though. It鈥檚 pretty, but overpriced, from $72, and loaded with tourists. It may also be closed depending on nearby volcanic eruptions.)

If you somehow manage to sleep on the plane and want to hit the ground running, there are a ton of cool spots right on the Reykjanes peninsula before you get to Reykjavik. Don鈥檛 miss:

• Selt煤n Geothermal Area, with sulfury, bubbling, steaming mineral pools
• Kr铆suv铆kurberg Cliffs, with a sheer drop into the pounding ocean below. (It鈥檚 so abrupt it looks like the ground just snapped off.)
• Reykjanes Lighthouse, right next to the beautiful rocky shore of Valahn煤kam枚l鈥攂oth well worth exploring.

I had an absolutely incredible lobster soup at the Caf茅 Bryggjan in Grindav铆k, but unfortunately between then and writing this piece, a cluster of earthquakes and several nearby volcanic eruptions has effectively brought the quaint fishing village to its knees. The town literally sunk several feet and now has a deep, 1.2-mile long fissure running through the middle of it. Its future is currently unknown. Again, why you have to be ready to adapt in Iceland.

Explore Iceland鈥檚 Capital: What to See and Do in Reykjavik

Hit Up a Street Vendor or Restaurant for a Hot Dog: When you get to Reykjavik, first things first: Get yourself a hot dog. I regret to inform you, my fellow Americans, that we have been surpassed in hotdoggery, and not by a little. Icelandic dogs have crispy fried onions, multiple sauces, soft buns, and snappy wieners. I ate them almost every day.

Scope Out the Historic Downtown: Work off the hotdogs by checking out the historic downtown area on foot. The Einar J贸nsson Museum features some statues that would make Rodin jealous, and there鈥檚 a lot to see around the waterfront, including the massive Harpa Concert Hall.

Visit a Real Locals鈥� Hot Spring: If you鈥檙e craving some hot spring action, check out one of the dozens of public pools (like , for roughly $10 per entry) in Reykjavik. No, they鈥檙e not glamorous like the aforementioned Blue Lagoon, but all of the heating in Iceland (including hot water) comes from geothermal activity. The water is high in mineral content and it鈥檚 deeply soothing. The pools are a massive part of the culture there and they feature several hot tubs at different temperatures, saunas, cold plunges, and even some waterslides.

Just make sure you adhere closely to the showering instructions (i.e. shower naked beforehand and wash your whole body with soap). The waters there are considered sacred to the locals, and disrespecting them by not following pre-soak protocol is one of the rare ways to piss Icelanders off. The public pools are also for socializing, and you鈥檙e likely to meet some friendly folks who may offer you insider tips. Effectively everybody in Iceland speaks English, but if you learn a few basic phrases in Icelandic before you show up, it鈥檒l go a long way.

Dine Out on Lamb Stew: For dinner, grab yourself lamb stew (known as Kj枚ts煤pa, an Icelandic specialty), and pass out for the night before you hit the road bright and early.

The Shoulder-Season 国产吃瓜黑料 Itinerary for Iceland Newbies

As cool as Reykjavik is, that鈥檚 not what you came for, is it? Here鈥檚 what I did. My play-by-ear trip turned into a nice little loop through the west and south, though I recommend you use these ideas more for activity inspiration as opposed to an exact prescription. After all, no two days in the shoulder season are the same and there are endless possibilities. Here were my highlights:

Day 1: Hit Up Some Waterfalls and Hot Springs

Out of the city, our first big stop was Barnafoss, a couple hours northeast of Reykjavik, an utterly massive conglomeration of waterfalls. (FYI, 鈥渇oss鈥� means waterfall in Icelandic.) If there鈥檚 wind, wear your waterproof layers because the mist will soak you to the bone. It鈥檚 almost overwhelming to see so many waterfalls from one vantage point, and it鈥檚 an excellent place to work on your long exposure photography. (I recommend a tripod and a variable ND filter, along with a few absorbent lens-wipes.)

From there, we backtracked 20 minutes west and hit the natural hot springs at ($50). It鈥檚 not as Instagrammable as the Blue Lagoon (phones are actually discouraged at both), but you鈥檒l find a nice array of geothermally heated tubs and saunas, along with traditional cold plunges. Plus, the mountainscape views are lovely.

Then, head west and drive out onto the Sn忙fellsnes Peninsula. It鈥檚 a 55-mile strip of land that is basically a photographic sample platter of Iceland, including lava fields, waterfalls, epic black sand beaches, fjord views, hot springs, and the imposing Snaefellsj枚kull glacier volcano. I found the lava fields to be particularly gripping, with bright green moss covering an endless sea of black boulders.

We spent that night at the (鈥淥h hell nar,鈥�) which was modest but clean, and it had some gorgeous ocean views (from $125 USD a night in the off-season).

Day 2: Hike the Rugged Coastline

From there we set out to the western tip of the Sn忙fellsnes Peninsula stopping at a few viewpoints around Londrangar, where you can stand atop some of the most rugged coastline you鈥檒l ever see, featuring massive blue waves pounding jagged volcanic rock spires.

Make your way down to Dj煤pal贸nssandur Beach and the Dj煤pal贸n Lagoon, where you can hike along a shore covered with smooth, marble-like pebbles and a pool that looks like a prehistoric creature could emerge from it at any moment. This whole area gives strong 鈥淟and Before Time鈥� vibes.

After that, we headed back east along the northern border of the peninsula, stopping at the stunning B忙jarfoss waterfall just outside of 脫lafsv铆k. My buddy P茅tur didn鈥檛 even get out of his car for that one. There are roughly 10,000 waterfalls in Iceland, many of them jaw-dropping, and apparently this wasn鈥檛 that exciting by his local standards.

We also swung by the S煤gandisey Island Lighthouse, on the northernmost part of the peninsula, where we were greeted with a rainbow, and intense wind. We spent that night at the in Borgarnes (from $250), where I had a deliciously savory lamb steak for dinner.

Day 3: Trek to Less-Visited, Off-Road Waterfalls

Our next day was all about chasing more waterfalls. The first stop? The small but isolated Fitjarfoss. We were the only ones there, and it was incredibly tranquil. That was just a warmup, though, for the far more challenging four-mile hike to Glymur Falls, which is the second tallest waterfall in the country, at a staggering 650 feet. It鈥檚 a slippery and steep hike that involves at least one river crossing and a few scrambles over significant exposure鈥攚e鈥檙e talking hundreds of feet straight down to the rocky river below. It鈥檚 not for the faint of heart, but absolutely gorgeous on the ascent.

Unfortunately, the crossing was washed out when we visited, so we hiked up the near side of the river as far as we could go. Luckily, P茅tur had a drone that could fly the rest of the way and get some great shots. Still, it was 100% worth it.

We then made our way to a gorgeous complex of outdoor hot springs called (from roughly $35 per adult). It鈥檚 right on Laugarvatn Lake so we alternated between hot soaks and saunas and natural icy plunges鈥攖he perfect remedy for our aching joints.

Day 4: Visit the Highlights of the Golden Circle

The next part of our plan was to take a ferry out to the stunning Westman Islands, but nature had other ideas. 60 mph winds and 18-foot sea swells not only made the passage unappealing, but impossible, as ferry service was canceled for several days. But this is where having more options in shoulder season really comes in clutch. We were able to cancel all our reservations, and because virtually every hotel in the country had vacancies, we just headed away from the wind.

We bet that the harsher weather would equal fewer tourists, so we hit some of the more popular spots along the famous Golden Circle鈥攖he most visited day-trip-style route outside of Reykjavik, if you don’t have time to drive the whole Ring Road around the island.

This portion of our trip included visiting the absolutely massive, Niagara-ish waterfall, Gullfoss. Sure, there were still plenty of tourists, and the wind stirred up the mist which made it feel like it was raining, but it鈥檚 a breathtaking thing to behold.

Nearby, there鈥檚 also Geysir, which鈥攆un fact鈥攊s the geyser that gave all other geysers their name. It鈥檚 Icelandic for 鈥渢o gush.鈥� It鈥檚 only erupted twice in the last 25 years, but the adjacent Strokkur geyser goes off roughly every 10 minutes about 60 to 120 feet into the air, and still puts on a killer show. The whole area has a lot of cool geothermal features with a sort of Icelandic Yellowstone vibe, and you can hike all around the area to get a bunch of vantage points.

It’s also well worth visiting , a stunning area where all the old clans of Iceland used to meet annually to decide the laws and policies for the upcoming year. It also has a lake, waterfalls, and a museum with tons of artifacts. This place is steeped in history (some of it tragic) and is a sacred place to Icelanders, so be on your best, most respectful behavior here.

Day 5: Surf Your Heart Out

Surfing the Icelandic coast was one bucket-list item I thought I鈥檇 never get to check off. In the weeks leading up to my trip, though, I started reading articles about how the best, most-consistent wave in the whole country was at risk of being demolished. The point at 脼orl谩ksh枚fn (near Thorli Beach) is an incredible, peeling right-hander that just goes and goes like a good day at Malibu. Unlike Malibu, though, you鈥檙e likely to have four, not 400, other people in the lineup. It鈥檚 been a secret spot for ages, but the mayor of the town of 脼orl谩ksh枚fn (and other city council members) seem intent on filling it in with boulders to make room for more warehouses around an expanded harbor. So the local surfers decided it鈥檚 better to tell the world than risk its destruction. Unfortunately, the town started filling it in already, despite not yet having environmental permits to alter the coastline, and that has abruptly cut off the end section of the wave. It鈥檚 tragic. Watch more on the save-the-wave initiative, here:

I reached out to Steinarr L谩r, one of the surfers leading the fight to save the wave that is at the very center of Icelandic surf culture and community. He was gracious enough to lend me a board, a thick wetsuit, booties, and gloves, though if you want to experience surfing Iceland for yourself, link up with , which organizes surf tours (starting from $350 per day) and can provide you with everything you鈥檒l need. They鈥檙e also deeply involved in activism surrounding the wave.

After suiting up in the parking lot, I scrambled over about 80 yards of slippery, seaweed-covered boulders, and then it was pure magic. The waves were between three and four feet tall, with a gentle paddle in, and they ran for nearly a full minute (apparently longer on bigger days). The locals were friendly, the wetsuit kept me plenty warm, and we all got enough waves to turn our arms to spaghetti.

It鈥檚 an incredible natural resource, and the idea of it being filled in to fill a few people鈥檚 pockets is frankly outrageous, in my opinion. Go surf it while you can and spread the word.

Days 6 and 7: Treat Yourself to a Northern Lights Wake-Up Call

After roughing it for several days, I decided to opt for some luxury. My friend P茅tur, who works for a , says that whenever people鈥檚 top priority is seeing the Northern Lights, he books them at the (pronounced ron-cow, from $340 per night in shoulder season) because it鈥檚 sort of isolated on a big dark plane. Think: 360-degree views. It also has an observatory for stargazing when the lights aren鈥檛 visible, and there鈥檚 a button on your phone to order a wake-up call in the middle of the night should the lights pop up. It was easily the nicest place I stayed during my entire trip, and it鈥檚 a perfect base camp for all south-coast adventures.

Iceland鈥檚 version of upscale is different from what you might expect, coming from the U.S. If you have Four Seasons or Ritz expectations, you may be surprised to find that things are a bit more low-key here. Hotel Rang谩 is still very nice, but it鈥檚 more rustic and minimalist鈥攁t least in the more basic rooms. (The master suites are each decked out like a different continent and they went all-out.)

That said, its restaurant featured the tastiest food I ate the entire time, with exquisite, tender lamb, fish, and even reindeer carpaccio. They can also organize a candle-lit dinner in a grass-covered cave that used to be an ancient dwelling centuries ago. It鈥檚 a must-stay, and wouldn鈥檛 you know it, despite none being forecast, we managed to see the aurora on two of the nights we crashed there.

My phone rang around 11 P.M. and I was told the lights were visible. I had pre-arranged many layers of clothes and all my camera gear, just in case. So I threw it all on, rushed out the door, and wow, the sky was lit up with waving, green curtains. There鈥檚 a river and a pond behind the hotel, so I played with reflections in my photos, and hooted in joy as colorful ribbons raced over the roof of the hotel. Truly, there鈥檚 no other life experience like it.

Bonus: Get Off Road to Tackle Far-Flung Backcountry 国产吃瓜黑料s

For the last few days of my trip, I wanted to get into some of the places where my friend鈥檚 little AWD hatchback couldn鈥檛 take me, so I linked up with (also recommended by my friend鈥檚 company). We did three expeditions in three days, and each of them got me way off the beaten path. Separately, from that, I also rode some Icelandic horses. Here鈥檚 how all of that went:

Take a Buggy Tour into the Wilderness

This is one of the best ways to really get out there away from everybody else. These 鈥渂uggies鈥� are two-seat 4X4 ATVs complete with roll cages, and we headed out to Emstrur, which was an all-day adventure on dirt roads, crossing a dozen small creeks. There were waterfalls, glaciers, and stunning rock formations throughout these mountains, and we didn鈥檛 see anybody else on the long road. (Full day tours start at roughly $660, but they also have one-hour and 2.5-hour options.)

Explore the Katla Ice Caves

The next day was my favorite expedition, a trek out to explore the Katla Ice Caves (from $205 per person). This is an ever-changing system of ice caves at the end of the Myrdalsjokull glacier. It included a massive ice-arch big enough to fly a decent sized plane through, as well as the chance to explore deep into otherworldly tunnels made of light blue ice, with streams and waterfalls flowing through them.

We even got to do a bit of ice climbing. You鈥檒l be provided with crampons, so make sure you bring boots sturdy enough to support them (this was the one day my Altras weren鈥檛 quite up to the task). On the way back we visited three more jaw-dropping waterfalls, including Gljufrabui鈥攚hich is hidden in a narrow slot canyon鈥攁nd Seljalandsfoss, which you can hike behind for some stunning canyon views.

Cruise Around Landmannalaugar

The last day there was spent exploring in what is affectionately known in Iceland as a SuperJeep (starting around $300). It wasn鈥檛 actually a jeep at all, but a kitted out 4WD Mercedes Sprinter van. We went deep into the interior highlands of Landmannalaugar, exploring paths cut by glaciers and massive extinct craters. Of course, there were more waterfalls (just countless!), but my highlight was a gorgeous natural hot spring in the middle of the Fjallabak Nature Reserve. It was the perfect way to relax at the end of a long trip.

Ride Iceland鈥檚 Famous Wild Horses

Of course, that isn鈥檛 the only way to relax. From Rang谩 you鈥檙e just a quick drive to the coast, or if you want something you truly can鈥檛 find anywhere else, go to (rides start around $85/person). Iceland鈥檚 horses have been isolated on the island for more than 1,000 years and they have evolved in unique ways, including developing stout bodies, luscious manes, and two specific gaits that only they can perform. They鈥檙e incredibly smooth to ride and it鈥檚 a fun way to see the grasslands of this stunning country.

Heliski Iceland鈥檚 Big Peaks March to June

There鈥檚 one more adventure I鈥檇 be remiss if I didn鈥檛 mention: heliskiing or snowboarding from the top of a peak to the shore of the Arctic Ocean. And you can do it with the boutique operation. Based on the far north side of the island, this outfitter offers everything from three to six-day packages that include meals, rentals, avalanche gear, airport transfers, and luxurious accommodations at the . (Prices start at roughly $7,200 per person for the three-day package.)

Tragically, I didn鈥檛 get to do this myself (yet!), but from speaking with those who have (and feasting my eyes on photos and video), the terrain you鈥檒l encounter up there is unlike anywhere else. The mountain surfaces tend to be smooth and steep, so they hold powder well and allow for massive, open-faced carves. You鈥檙e guaranteed 15,000 vertical feet a day (which is more than you get at most heliski operations), and some runs will take you all the way down to the beach. At night you can enjoy the hotel鈥檚 hot tubs, saunas, and the Northern Lights if your timing is right. The season starts in mid-March and goes until mid-June (where you may be able to ski as late as midnight). Dreamy, indeed.

The Bottom Line: I鈥檓 in Love with Off-Season Iceland

Perhaps you鈥檝e gathered this much already, but Iceland blew my mind. And now, I really only want to come back during shoulder season. Yes, the weather was tough at times, and sure, not every road was accessible, but traveling during the shoulder season saved me money and paved the way for a better experience. Plus, you simply can鈥檛 beat having far fewer tourists around. So bundle up, plan ahead, and if you have to adapt a little? Well, 脼etta reddast鈥�

Brent Rose has been covering adventure and gear for 国产吃瓜黑料 for more than a decade. When he鈥檚 not writing, you can find him surfing, snowboarding, hiking, or camping, usually somewhere in California. He’s also on Instagram at or his website at brentrose.com.

The post Why You Should Go to Iceland in the Off-Season appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

On my first inhale after leaving the puddle jumper that had brought us to the Kittila Airport, my nose hairs froze. Despite it being 9 a.m., the stars still winked overhead, here at the top of the world. It was minus 4 degrees outside.

Descending the gangway onto the icy tarmac in Finnish Lapland was a dream come true. I recognize I鈥檓 in the minority, being a person whose idea of fun is hanging out above the Arctic Circle in January, but exploring polar night in the frozen north was my bucket list adventure.

Well, it wasn鈥檛 actually polar night, I reminded myself as my husband, Topher, and I drove the 20 minutes from the airport to the ski town of Levi where we鈥檇 be staying. Polar night鈥搕hat time at either pole when the sun never crests the horizon鈥揾ad ended a couple weeks earlier and days were hovering around four hours in length already. But it was close enough.

I鈥檇 gotten incredulous questions from more than a few people before coming here. Northern Finland? In January? Really? I, myself, had dubiously seen Finland atop the World Happiness Report since 2018鈥�it was once again named #1 in March 2024鈥攁nd wondered how a country known for pickled herring and the wild vacillations between light and darkness could really be the happiest on earth. That couldn鈥檛 possibly be good for your circadian rhythms, right?

But then, I stumbled upon photos of fluffy-looking frozen Nordic pines against cotton candy skies, dog sleds racing through pristine forests and the Northern Lights dancing across the heavens. There was an undeniable pull that I couldn鈥檛 get out of my head. I鈥檓 a visual, gut feeling traveler. I don鈥檛 particularly care about 鈥榖est of鈥� lists or wonders of the world. All it takes is a scroll through Google Images to convince me where to go. That鈥檚 how we ended up in Lapland, the Arctic region that spans Norway, Sweden, and Finland. It wasn鈥檛 easy or cheap to get here, and I knew I wouldn鈥檛 be doing my chronically Vitamin-D deprived self any favors by choosing an even colder, darker destination than my home in the Colorado Rockies, but I couldn鈥檛 look away.

Our plan was to spend five days skiing, dog sledding and, hopefully, spotting the Northern Lights. On that first, jet-lag-hazed day, we made our way up the mountain, or 鈥渇ell鈥� in Finnish, to the top of Levi Ski Resort during the scant few hours before darkness. Down at the lower elevations, the sun hadn鈥檛 quite risen above the horizon, but up on the fell, we were bathed in glorious, golden light. The trees, coated with a layer of ice and snow, looked like characters out of a children鈥檚 book. The weak sunlight and sub-zero temperatures kept everything perfectly frozen. I鈥檇 been in Finland for mere hours, but I was already feeling the magic sweep over me, only intensified when I caught sight of reindeer munching on lichen in the snow.

How does Finland keep earning the top ranking? The report, produced by Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the WHR鈥檚 Editorial Board, measures happiness by asking the residents of countries across the globe a single question. After all, no one is better equipped to report on happiness levels than the folks who are being measured in the first place.

Gallup asks poll participants to evaluate their lives on a 0 to 10 scale and then the rankings are taken from a three year time frame. The report then goes on to explain these rankings using six factors: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption. In 2021-23, Finns ranked their lives at 7.741, an entire point above my home country of the United States and six points higher than the lowest ranking country, Afghanistan.

Economist Jeffery Sachs put it like this in a :鈥淭he idea is a good balance of life.鈥�

Each year when Finland is crowned the Happiest Country in the World again, a slew of articles comes out trying to explain it. Last year a Finnish psychologist pointed to a lost , touting community trust as a factor. The country鈥檚 highlights reasoning that also makes for good travel marketing: the ability to see the Northern Lights, sauna culture, warm and welcoming locals.

The desire to quantify, and therefore be able to replicate, such an essential human experience as happiness makes sense. Humans have been chasing it since the dawn of time. The more I researched happiness though, I started to think that it was a slippery, elusive state that鈥檚 more than the sum of its parts. I spent five days above the Arctic Circle in Finland, getting out in nature, immersing myself in culture, eating incredible food, and being present. By the end of my trip, I could feel deep in my chest that there was something special about this place. I hadn鈥檛 seen the sun since we鈥檇 left Denver. Every time we left the Airbnb, even if it was just for dinner, I donned every item of clothing I鈥檇 brought with me. This included a pair of clear-lensed goggles that kept my contact lenses from freezing. The cold reverberated so deeply in my bones, I wondered if I鈥檇 ever be warm again. It was madness. But I鈥檝e never enjoyed a trip more.

Video by Mikaela Ruland

It鈥檚 easy to quantify why Finns are happier than Afghanis, but it鈥檚 harder to explain why they鈥檙e happier than their Scandinavian counterparts. I鈥檝e yet to visit Denmark or Iceland, the other two countries that reside in the top three spots on the 2024 World Happiness Report, but I do know how Finland made me feel. Happy. Here鈥檚 why.

1. Finland Makes Access to Nature a Priority

Kilometers to miles had gotten muddled up in my head and halfway across the frozen lake, icy winds buffeting us from seemingly every direction, I knew it was time to bail. The permanent sunset was staining the sky a dusky pink, and I tried to focus on the slide, glide, slide, glide of my cross-country skis on the groomed trail. When we finally reached the shelter of the trees, I pulled my fingers out of my gloves for a precious few seconds to check the map. Luckily for us, the entirety of Levi was ringed by miles and miles of groomed ski trails. We certainly weren鈥檛 going to make it the entire loop I鈥檇 charted for us, but we easily picked another trail and headed back towards town.

Finally free of the wind, I began to notice the other folks we passed on the trail. There were skate skiers and traditional skiers, dog walkers and snowshoers, families with kids and older couples whose ski suits looked straight out of the 80s. On occasion, our trail crossed a snowmobile track. Above us, on the fell, downhill skiers and snowboarders carved the slopes. Despite the cold and the shortly impending darkness, locals and tourists alike were out enjoying the incredible access to nature that Levi provided.

When I researched Lapland, I was overwhelmed by choice. There are dozens of towns scattered across northern Finland, even more if you factor in Sweden and Norway, each offering its own flavor with a distinct central theme: easy access to top notch outdoor recreation of any style. After another kilometer, we were planting our skis in a snowbank and sitting down to eat pizza and warm up. We didn鈥檛 even have to get in a car鈥� the trails were accessible from our Airbnb鈥檚 front door.

One day, we skied to a reindeer farm, our pockets filled with salty licorice, and drank cocoa in front of a roaring fire in a little cafe. Another day, we were given a brief overview and sent careening down a trail behind our own team of eight sled dogs with All Huskies Sled Dog Safaris. Topher and I took turns driving, one of us bundled up in the sled while the other threw their weight into the turns, stepped desperately on the brakes on the downhills, and ran behind the sled on the uphills. It was exhilarating, gliding through the snowy forest and working in tandem with the enthusiastic dogs to cross the snow. When our guides released all eight teams of dogs after the run, it was the best kind of chaos, as more than 60 elated animals ran through the yard.

2. Finland Stays Connected to its Heritage

That first day when we ventured up the fell, we were on our way to Samiland, a UNESCO Observatory cultural village site. The extensive indoor exhibit introduced us to the Sami, an Indigenous group of people whose traditional homelands encompass northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. We learned about the different groups of Sami, their history, culture, and traditions, and then went outside to wander through a replica Sami village which included two very adorable, live reindeer. Reindeer were, and remain, an integral part of Sami culture. We鈥檇 come to learn that reindeer herding was not just a relic of Scandinavia’s past, but a vibrant and important part of the region鈥檚 present and future.

Thirty-three percent of Finland is designated as reindeer husbandry area. In Norway and Sweden, reindeer herding remains the exclusive privilege of the Sami people. In Finland, any EU citizen can own reindeer, as long as they are approved by the reindeer herding district鈥檚 board, but the industry still remains largely Sami. Visiting Samiland, which was embedded in Levi Ski Resort and shared a building with a luxury hotel, I was struck by how the Indigenous culture was at the forefront of the narrative here in Finland, a stark difference to the U.S.

That evening, we waited with a group of expectant diners in the lobby of the Hotel K5 in Levi before several servers in traditional dress appeared to lead us outside and down into the Earth. At Saamen Kammi, visitors like us can experience a traditional Sami meal in an underground hut. In the circular room, we sat around the central cooking area, taking in our surroundings. The walls and ceilings were made of pine boughs and there were reindeer hides on the walls. The smell of meat cooking over hot coals wafted up to us, making our stomachs grumble. As we ate our meal, we learned that many of the ingredients were foraged from the surrounding forest, a practice that feels like it should be relegated to the tables of fine dining restaurants but is commonplace in Finland. In a world exceedingly saturated with styrofoam and plastic packaged foods, it鈥檚 a piece of their heritage that they鈥檝e somehow retained. After dinner, we were treated to music and dance by a Sami father-daughter duo performing traditional Joik music.

Samiland and Saamen Kammi were just two examples of the ways in which a town with a year round population of 600 weaves their heritage into everyday life. From reindeer farms to restaurants to warming huts along ski routes, we never forgot about the history and culture of the place we were visiting.

3. Finnish Food Is Delicious and Healthy

When I pitched this vacation to my husband, I made sure to include the caveat that it wouldn鈥檛 be a 鈥渇ood trip.鈥� While we usually plan our travels around all the incredible things we鈥檙e going to eat, I couldn鈥檛 imagine that winter in northern Finland was going to be that kind of trip. I鈥檇 even gone so far as to book Airbnbs with kitchens so we could cook our own meals if the food proved to be disappointing. I couldn鈥檛 have been more wrong.

My first hint that I was mistaken came in the Helsinki Airport, an unexpectedly beautiful space that looked like Ikea鈥檚 chic older sister. After a delayed flight and missed connections, we鈥檇 unexpectedly had to spend the night in an airport hotel, eating granola bars for dinner. Early the next morning we were ravenous and filled up our trays at the airport cafe with cardamom buns and thick toast topped with lox. It was the best airport meal of my life.

While Saamen Kammi was a beautiful cultural experience, it was also one of my favorite meals ever. Dinner started with steaming bowls of clear salmon soup, perfumed heavily with dill. Around the central fireplace, we filled our plates with roasted and sauteed reindeer, planks of salmon set above the flames and covered with a creamy dill sauce, mashed potatoes and winter vegetables. For dessert, we had squeaky Lappish bread cheese with preserved cloudberries. I was blown away. Every ingredient was locally sourced and despite feet of snow outside, the meal in front of us was deeply connected to the land. The reindeer meat was so good that I couldn鈥檛 even muster guilt when I conjured their cute faces to mind. Rich and sweet, without too much gamey flavor, it quickly became my favorite component of Finnish meals.

Another night in Levi, we ordered sauteed reindeer with lingonberries and a reindeer burger at Nili Poro, an intimate, warm spot run by a local reindeer herder. The interior was covered in pelts and wood and candles flickered on the tables. We drank glogg, spiced mulled wine, and asked for seconds of the incredible 鈥渇ell bread鈥� the Sami chef bakes on his mother鈥檚 stove every morning. At Ristorante Renna, my husband had reindeer sausage and lingonberries on a pizza and I gambled and ordered a smoked salmon pie, complete with cucumber, dill cream sauce, and arugula. It was the most interesting鈥揳nd delicious鈥損izza I鈥檝e ever eaten.

While we didn鈥檛 find much of a fika culture in Finland, at least in Levi, we were delighted by Campfire Barista at the base of the slopes. On a cart pulled by snowmobile, owner Steffan brews coffee and crafts lattes over an open fire as you watch. Our lattes tasted like spruce and woodsmoke.

And I couldn鈥檛 get enough of the grocery store bins full of black licorice, tasting strong and salty. I brought bags of it home on the plane. What started out as an adventure vacation turned into one of my favorite food trips.

4. The Northern Lights, Saunas, and an Appreciation for the Present Moment

I鈥檇 imagined that the Finns somehow managed to rank as the happiest country on Earth despite the near constant winter darkness, but during our week in Lapland, I learned that they did so in spite of it.

Yes, during the few daylight hours each day we encountered plenty of locals and visitors alike on the trails, taking advantage of the light to ski and snowshoe and walk, but when darkness settled back in, we still passed folks pushing strollers, meeting friends for a meal and going about their day, all with a smile on their faces.

Many of us fell in love with Cecilia Blomdahl鈥檚 slice-of-life from Svalbard (an island close to the North Pole) during the pandemic, and I saw her perspective on polar night reflected on the faces of many of the locals we interacted with: 鈥淧olar night is something we get to experience, rather than endure.鈥�

The glow of streetlights on snow, the stars overhead, and the crisp feeling of a long night quickly won me over, but my excitement for the darkness mostly stemmed around the My Aurora Forecast app I obsessively started checking as soon as the color faded from the skies each day. The first few nights, I had alarms set throughout the hours I should have been asleep to check the Northern Lights prediction. I knew it was a slim chance鈥攕o many people I鈥檇 chatted with who had been to the Arctic had never spotted them鈥攂ut I was hopeful.

Halfway through dinner on our third night, I got an alert. I checked the webcams, scouring the skies on my screen for any hint of green. There it was. Or were my eyes playing tricks on me? I鈥檇 been staring at the tiny box for days, maybe I was hallucinating. My husband confirmed it was definitely a green glow. We left our half-eaten meal on the table and rushed up to the top of the fell where the skies were dark and fairly clear. We waited in the freezing car, our breath fogging up the windows, and peeked outside every few seconds. Then, all of a sudden, the Northern Lights appeared.

Tendrils of green danced across the dark skies, coming from every direction. We stumbled around the parking lot, giggling like little kids and staring at this precious wonder before us. I was shocked by how dynamic they were, undulating ribbons in constant motion. We stayed out in the cold for 20 minutes until the clouds obscured our view. That miraculous show ended up being the only time all week we鈥檇 spot them, despite having booked a glass-roofed Airbnb the next day. I鈥檇 dashed off a few quick shots on my camera, but left my phone in the car. It鈥檇 been a magical moment I鈥檇 allowed myself to be fully present for, a rarity these days.

We鈥檇 read a Sami legend that the Northern Lights came from a fox brushing her tail along the snow, the moonlight reflecting on the snowflakes she鈥檇 swept up. On the drive home, a fox crossed the road in front of us, pausing in our headlights. The solar cycle is peaking in 2024, meaning the Northern Lights are supposed to be some of the best of our lifetime. I can鈥檛 think of a better way to connect with the present moment than by chasing them across the Arctic.

After each frozen adventure, we鈥檇 return to our Airbnb and turn on the sauna. With one sauna for every two Finns, the country is replete with them. Sauna culture is such an integral part of everyday Finnish life, that it was inscribed into UNESCO鈥檚 list of intangible cultural heritage in 2020. Sauna isn鈥檛 just about cleansing the body, it鈥檚 also about cleansing the mind and finding a sense of inner peace. It wasn鈥檛 hard to find vacation rentals that included them鈥攊n fact ones without were the rarity. When the rocks were hot, we鈥檇 step inside and ladle in water, letting the steam sink into our bones and melt the lingering cold from our bodies. In a sauna, you can鈥檛 scroll social media or check the news. With no windows to the outside world, the only option is to be present in the current moment. To sit and to let my shoulders relax and just be. It was a foreign concept, but one I quickly fell in love with.

On the plane ride home, my head started to pound. It took me half an hour to realize it was because the sun was streaming in through the windows, my eyes already unused to the bright light. I closed the window and let myself bask in the darkness for a few more hours.

Mikaela Ruland is the Associate Content Director for National Park Trips. This year, she is exploring as much of Europe as she can. She recently skied in Zermatt and the Italian Dolomites.听

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