Camping is really having a moment, with everyone wanting to be outdoors in the fresh air, getting back to nature and enjoying great views.
But we’re not all so keen on hardcore outdoor living with soggy fly sheets, deflating airbeds and having to trek miles in the middle of the night to go to the loo.
Luckily, more and more campsites and hotels in Scandinavia are offering glamping (short for ‘glamorous camping’) options.
Beautifully decorated yurts, with carpets and proper beds, comfortable safari tents with wooden cabin beds and woodburner stoves, and treehouses suspended high in the forest can all be booked to make your camping trip more luxurious.
And it doesn’t even have to be summer. Many glamping sites are open all year year, with accommodation robust enough to withstand all weathers.
So, you can cosy up inside your tent or treehouse and look out for the northern lights on even the coldest nights.
Lapland yurts, Sweden
Even when there’s thick snow on the ground and the nearby lake is frozen, you’ll stay warm and cosy inside these beautiful Mongolian yurts.
They’re kitted out with a comfy double bed, wood-burning stove, large sofa and dining table, while the communal kitchen and bathroom are nearby.
It’s very dark in winter, so makes a great spot for star-gazing and northern lights watching.
Safari tent on the beach, Sweden
You can’t get much closer to the sea than these comfortable safari tents right on the beach in Gotland.
Pitched beneath pine trees at the back of the beach, they have double beds and cosy duvets provided – and there’s even a sauna with sea views that guests can use.
In summer, there’s a cool beach café/bar, plus beach yoga classes and kayaks, surf boards and SUPs to rent.
Fjordside Arctic dome, Norway
This super-insulated Arctic dome sits on a wooden deck, built over the rocks looking out onto Bergen’s fjords.
You can dive straight into the water from your deck, or simply sit and admire the view with a glass of wine in hand.
And you don’t even have to go outside to see the sunset – the dome has a transparent roof and wall, so you can watch the water and stars while lying in bed.
Wilderness yurt in the Telemark, Noway
It may be on a remote peninsula in the middle of a lake in Norway’s Telemark region, but this small group of yurts is glamping at its most glamorous.
The site is 2km from the nearest road, so you’ll have to hike in – though your luggage will carried for you. The luxury waterfront yurts have wood-burning stoves and en-suite toilets – and all meals are included.
You can go on guided mountain bike trips, or head out onto the water by SUP or kayak, or you can just lie back in the outdoor bath tubs and admire the view.
Treehouse in Norway
It’s all about the views in this simple wood and glass-walled treehouse that looks out over tree-tops, mountains and the Gloppefjorden.
The hut has basic cooking facilities, no running water or shower, and the bathroom is outside, but none of that matters when you look out over the water and the snow-clad mountains opposite.
Lakeside yurt in Finland
In the wilderness of Finnish Lapland, these comfortable yurts have views of Lake Toras-Sieppi through a transparent wall. They come equipped with a wood-burning stove and plenty of cosy duvets and stylish blankets to keep you warm even when it’s snowing outside.
Close to the pristine Pallas Ylläs National Park, it’s a great spot for viewing the northern lights – with no light pollution – or you can go hiking, skiing, kayaking, horse-riding or visit the nearby reindeer farm.
A horse-drawn wagon in Denmark
Not exactly glamping, but certainly accommodation with a difference. This horse-drawn wagon provides a comfortable camp for the night, plus transport – pulled by two beautiful carriage horses.
Explore the winding lanes, coastline and pretty countryside on the island of Funen, then pitch up at a campsite, light a campfire and bed down in your cosy carriage for the night.
Eco-friendly island camp, Denmark
On the island of Borre, the eco-friendly Camøno Camp has comfortable safari tents with their own fire pits, surrounded by fields and woods, just a short walk from the beach.
The camp is in a dark sky zone and close to Denmark’s highest chalk cliffs, the 70 million-year-old Møns Klint.
Riverside tents in Iceland
This is a real back-to-nature campsite with comfortable ready-erected canvas tents on the banks of the Skjálfandafljót river in northern Iceland. The tents are well-equipped with wooden floors, carpets and heating, but it’s the views and the location that are real draw.
Surrounded by mountains, fields and woods, the tents look out over the river and are close to some of Iceland’s most impressive waterfalls, plus the town of Husavik for a whale-watching trip.
See also:
10 amazing hostels to stay at in Scandinavia
Camping in Sweden: the ultimate guide
Glamping in Norway
Seeing the northern lights in Scandinavia
The best places to visit in Scandinavia
