KidsToGo: into Scandinavian nature!
Sometimes sitting with a book just isn't an option: the kids are in a phase where they want to do do do and go go go. And you just keep up. We prefer to dive into nature, where they can romp and run and play and scream until they drop and you can retreat to the fire (or summer sun) with a book (ha! anyway!). Occupational therapy should go well at one of these Scandi addresses and don't forget: take a holiday stock of tasty distractions for the offspring from NaturNes, they are also just as sweet. There are even a few houses on the water, and some hanging high in the trees, but we have our limits.
Are we the only ones who dream of the Swedish countryside? Candy dollhouses in the middle of beautiful nature? Certainly not. One of those places is Äppelgården. The name sounds like it is: a house surrounded by fruit trees and small lakes. It is friendly and quiet, and therefore not necessarily a place to romp. A place to relax with your little ones, and one just a little bigger perhaps. Taking care, etc. You can pick (and eat) as many apples as you want, the idyllic town of Mariestad is around the corner (the harbor area is a wonderful place to stroll around) and there are daily yoga classes, a good start to the day. Speaking of which… breakfast might just be a highlight! Rarely tastier, and served extra early on request. That immediately makes those sleepless nights much more bearable.
There is a place in Sweden, in the rural void, that ticks all the blissful boxes: the Strömma Farmlodge. You can stay in the B&B, join us for lunch or have a dance during one of the farmer's dance evenings with live music. Just like in the movie. Okay, the farm is not completely in the middle of nowhere. It is about an hour's drive from Gothenburg (a nice city). And within fifteen minutes you will be on the idyllic Swedish coast.
The café is sober, but attractively decorated. The bar is the epicenter and it is fun every day of the week. When the owners host a music evening, the neighborhood hangs out and on other days there is a sweet crowd of children, their parents, local residents and passers-by looking for tea and cake. Owner Marina Evertsson does the styling, shopping, bakes the cookies and lives there with her family. We want a little of what Marina has. And like all good things in life, the reason for the (local) success of the Strömma Farmlodge is simple.
The Swedish dream started when Marina and her husband, farmer Klas Ivarsson, bought more land to keep more animals and thus expand their farm. There was already a house with an associated mill on the family's new land, just 2 kilometers from their own house. Add to that the fact that it had been bothering Marina for a while that there was not much (contemporary) to do in the area for young people (late twenties and young families), and there was Strömma Farmslodge.
Drop everything and broaden your horizons, Norway is perfect for it, if you ask us. Sure, you can find fresh air in more places, but what about the Northern Lights? Some things you just have to see, you can't die before that. Fortunately, there is the Basecamp Hotel. The cozy, wooden hotel in a prime location even has a glass-roofed room to admire the nightly light, but it is also the perfect base for an excursion (or two).
If you really want to have that air for yourself, the Tretopphytter tree houses are a good one. You sleep meters high among the trees, between the stars and the animals (don't worry, they stay outside). The cabins are well spaced apart and are fully equipped, so you won't have to worry about anything. Here you have plenty of time (and especially space) to take brisk walks in the snow, or to really chat with each other.
Then there is also the Norwegian 'beach'. Maybe you never knew this was a thing, but this is where you want to be. A wonderfully quiet house on a lake, with room for up to three children. There is a sofa bed where they can sleep comfortably in sleeping bags, but the owners also provide extra sheets if necessary. They also have a chicken farm where you can take a look, and you will be given a tour of the grounds with love.
If you want to be sure that you don't have to entertain the kids all day, go to Kolarbyn Ecolodge. These primitive huts do not have a shower or electricity, but that is not necessary at all when everyone is busy. For example, book a family expedition: three days of learning to survive, fun for everyone (yes, even for you). Make a fire, see what you can and cannot eat in the forest, swim and canoe on the lake, and then sweat in a real sauna. Then it all turns out not so bad, and the not-so-little ones are guaranteed to talk about this for a long time.
More in the mood for water? The former Lådfabriken box factory is a beautiful sight on the west coast of the country. The house consists of four rooms, each with its own bathroom. Typically Swedish, inside and out, with clean lines and simple colors. No fuss. Use of bicycles and kayaking are included in the price, so it won't be boring.
Sweden certainly conjures up images of greenery, fog, walking shoes and a back to basic life. They have taken the latter very literally here: you are supposed to make your own fire, prepare your own food (on that open fire) and get drinking water from the cold water spring nearby. You only take a warm shower when you have turned on the fire. Makeshift living, how different from home, but an enormous challenge for anyone over the age of ten. The huts have wooden bunk beds, simple but fine. There is room for four people, large or small, but the adventure is probably a bit too big for children under ten. It's more fun if they can sit at the pots and pans independently, so you can have a bit of a holiday too. Also bake your bread together in the stone oven or cast out a fishing line for dinner. A tiny bit of luxury: the sauna and the hot tub. We should actually only tell you when you have arrived, but still: there is no WiFi and electricity.
(the top photo was also taken at Naturbyn)
There is no shortage of nature at Swedish Urnatur. The club offers various houses, all of which make you feel like you have ended up in a fairy tale, but The Raven Nest really stands out. The four-person house is high among the pine trees and is large! For a tree house then. Including a corner by the windows to dream away with the view. Such a classic Swedish view that you recognize from all the crime scenes that you are certainly crazy about (we are). To be clear, you will not find a play paradise around the corner here. Here you can entertain each other, but there is plenty of adventure in that forest.
