Why the Ultra-Wealthy Are Ditching the Cote d’Azur for Scandinavia This Summer

Is there anything more appealing than spending your summer in Europe? C’est jolie to rub shoulders with the French elite on the sunny beaches of the Cote d’Azur, and molto bene to sip Negronis on Como, Menaggio, and Garda. Yet many of the high-flying clientele who typically decamp to the French Riviera and Italian coast have found a new spot for their summers away. 

Rather than fighting for scrambled eggs with truffle at the breakfast buffet and beach chairs in the afternoon, travelers are swapping holidays on the Med for understated luxury vacations in the Nordics. (Even Millennials have gotten into cruising the fjords.) Fueled in part by increased flights from the U.S. to Scandinavia and a favorable exchange rate, this is all part of the rising trend of “coolcationing”—literally choosing cooler climates over hotter, crowded places.

Sweden Is “Hot”

A 2024 survey released by Virtuoso, a global network of luxury travel advisors, showed Sweden as a leading coolcation destination, landing it on the “Virtuoso Hot 10” list of places to go. Interest continues to soar, with Scandinavia on the whole seeing a 79 percent increase for June through August, especially among affluent American travelers. “European destinations with more moderate climates, including Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, have thus far seen a 263 percent year-over-year increase for travel already booked for this summer,” a 2025 Virtuoso report said.

Stacy Fischer-Rosenthal, president of Fischer Travel, confirms the trend, noting that “Sweden and Finland are now making their move,” she says. “The high-end infrastructure has historically been limited to Helsinki, Copenhagen, and Stockholm, but now cutting-edge experiences and hospitality are popping up along the beautiful coastline and in the deep forests of Sweden.”

“With a macro-trend of a more slow-paced way of traveling, the quaint coastal areas and countryside locations are more appealing than ever,” Fischer-Rosenthal continues. Rather than treating Sweden and Denmark as a mere stopover, she says curated itineraries—many via private jets and seaplanes—take her guests to remote parts of the Nordics instead. “Our partners at 80 Days Travel confirm that travelers from the ultra-luxury space are focused solely on Denmark and Sweden, instead of adding it as a stopover on a trip mainly focused on Norway or Iceland . . . with the destinations offering not only remote skiing and Northern Lights in winter, but also beautiful beach escapes in summer,” Fischer-Rosenthal explains.

Stay Cool

Graeme Richardson, partner at Arctic Inbound, a destination marketing company specializing in Nordic travel, says the surge in high-end hospitality ventures in Sweden has been building over the years and believes the “less touristy and more exclusive, personalized offerings” are responsible for the increased interest.

“Seeking out cooler destinations is part of a broader movement toward wellness and escaping the heat of traditional summer vacation spots,” says Richardson. “Sweden’s temperate climate, especially in the summer, makes it an attractive destination for those looking to avoid extreme temperatures and Sweden offers numerous eco-lodges, green hotels, and sustainable dining options. Compared to more traditional luxury travel destinations, summer in Sweden is perceived as less touristy.”

While Stockholm and Gothenburg offer easy and direct access to outdoor activities less than an hour from the city, all the action is happening in more remote destinations around Sweden. “The country’s dedication to preserving its natural beauty aligns well with the values of modern luxury travelers, especially younger travelers,” he says. “Sweden epitomizes the concept of ‘quiet luxury’—understated elegance, minimalist design, and high-quality craftsmanship. The Swedish aesthetic, with its emphasis on simplicity, functionality, and natural materials, appeals to those who appreciate refined yet unostentatious luxury.”

Consider that CEOs are electing to share bathroom amenities with fellow C-suiters at the retrofitted lighthouse, Pater Noster ($1,762 a night) on Hamneskär, a small isle that’s no more than a rock. Design-forward floating cabins like Arctic Bath ($933 a night) on the Lule River in Swedish Lapland, and Treehotel ($2,200 a night) with its cabins-as-art designed as a bird’s nest or mirrored cube, offer understated luxury in the wilderness without the gimmicks of caviar, truffle, and gold leaf on everything.

One of the most recent openings is Vyn Restaurant and Hotel (from $673 a night for the View Suite) in Skåne, on the southernmost tip of Sweden, part of the Österlen countryside overlooking the Baltic Sea. Under chef Daniel Berlin, whose Michelin two-starred Daniel Berlin Krog was beloved, follow-up Vyn has been one of the buzziest restaurants in the Nordics since it opened in 2023. Berlin says Mother Nature plays a big role in his three-month waitlist, a mix of local and international guests. “There’s been a small spike in destination restaurants in Sweden opening outside of big cities, and we feel lucky to have so many people travel afar to eat with us and stay in our 15-suite boutique hotel,” he says. In the area, a historic castle recently reopened as the five-star Maryhill Estate, and other chef-led ventures are rumored to follow.

Similarly in Finland, the same “destination” restaurants and remote lodgings have popped up to meet the demands of affluent travelers. In the last two years, more than a dozen luxury cabins and villas in the woods have opened and remain all-season destinations across both Northern and Southern Finland. Octola, Nivunki Village, and soon-to-open Kotona Manor off Lake Saimaa prove harder to reserve than a popular five-star resort on the Cote D’Azur with the summer already near booked out. Forget the New Nordic Movement—is this the New Nordic Luxury Movement?

Credit: robbreport.com