Learn Friluftsliv

We’ve all heard about hygge, the Danish word for having a cosiness fetish. Now trending is another Scandinavian concept called friluftsliv

(pronounced free-looftsliv), which means “open air living”. According to the BBC, the term was popularised in the 1850s by playwright Henrik Ibsen, who first put the word in printed form.

In essence, friluftsliv

refers to the a deep passion for nature and the ingrained culture of going outdoors even in dire weather. One could look at it as a more extreme version of

Japanese forest bathing, as it also encourages people to prioritise unwinding in nature and camping, of course, is par for the course. From Norway to Sweden, many workplaces incentivise employees to embrace friluftsliv through flexible work hours and even subsidising the cost of sports equipment.

From top: A member of Small Luxury Hotels, Storfjord Hotel in Alpine Norway is enveloped by woodlands and fjords; wild horses are part of the landscape at Hotel Rangá in Iceland, which resembles a palatial log cabin; the rustic fire pit at Storfjord Hotel is the epitome of both hyggelig and friluftsliv