Nowadays you’ll find nearly every nationality on trail, so chances are you’ll run into a Swedish person or two. And if you’re lucky enough to end up hiking with one, here’s how to do it.

It’s the country of Abba, Volvo and IKEA. But what else do you know about this remote country and its inhabitants in the northern hemisphere of our globe? Here’s an introduction to the Swedish way that you can explore with your fellow Swedish hiker while on trail.

Cozy up with your Swedish person for fredagsmys

Fredagsmys is a bit of weekly ritual, and it literally means “Friday coziness”. It’s best described as having a relaxing night in after a long and hard workweek (or as in this case, a long and hard week on trail).

So if you’re hitting town on a Friday all tired and weary, check in to that motel room, stock up on snacks (preferably chips) and cozy up with your Swede under a blanket to watch a good movie.

And if you really want to do it right, light some candles and order in some tacos.

Should you want to impress your fellow hiker even further, use this line from the fredagsmys anthem (yup, this phenomenon even has its own song):

“Nu är det slut på veckan, det är dags för fredagsmys.”
(Now it’s the end of the week, it’s time for Friday coziness.)

Sweeten your Swede up with lördagsgodis

So you spent the Friday night all cozied up, with your Swede happy and relaxed. But now it’s Saturday and time to hit trail. Having to leave the comforts of town, your Swede is a bit cranky.

But don’t sweat it. Since it’s Saturday, your weapon of choice to get them in a better mood should be lördagsgodis, or “Saturday candy”. Lördagsgodis isn’t just any kind of candy. It’s the pick-and-mix kind where you get to create your own selection of gummies, chocolate and salty licorice.

Candy is very dear to the Swedish population. According to The New Yorker, Swedes eat more candy per year per capita than any other nation.

And because eating too much sugar all the time is bad for your teeth (and everything else), the Swedish government decided in the 1940’s to limit the consumption of candy to one day a week. And voilà – lördagsgodis was born.

Embrace the Swedish culture and get to know them over a fika

In Sweden, fika is a big deal. Fika is when we gather for coffee with pastries, cookies and other treats. It’s something we do on a weekly, or even daily, basis.

But if it’s just having coffee, why not just say that? Because it’s more than that. Fika is about catching up with your friends, enjoying quality time with your family or relaxing with your colleagues.

It’s about creating meaningful connections in a relaxed setting.

So once you’re back out on trail, and you’re hiking away with your Swede, don’t ask them if they want to stop for a break. Instead, ask “Fika?” and whip out the stove, coffee and treats.

So there you go. Utilize the above, and you’ll soon be your Swedish fellow hiker’s favorite (hiking) buddy.

Did you know that I’m Swedish?