Cabin life, or perhaps more appropriately cabin culture, is a big deal in Norway. It’s not considered extravagant to have a holiday home in the form of a Norwegian cabin, the hytte. Many Norwegians do, or at the very least, have access to one through their family.
Oh, and in typical Nordic equality style, if you can’t afford a holiday cabin, the government will even provide that for you. Yes, it’s true. As a resident you can rent one from the government for very fair prices. The service is provided by the Norwegian Trekking Association, or Den Norske Turistforening.
In terms of what happens at the hytte, well it’s really all about relaxing and enjoying nature. In fact, the further in the middle of nature your cabin is the more relaxing it is considered. Even if that means you must hike a significant distance to get to it. Norwegians like to boast about how far their cabins are in the woods or how ‘off the grid’ it is. Of course, with rise of wealth in Norway some cabins are also super modern with jacuzzies and WIFI.
When going to hytte be sure to find out if you need to bring anything. Often, you’ll have to bring your own bedsheets and of course some games, candles, and snacks to enjoy by the fire.
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