You Won't Believe This: Doctors Can Prescribe a Visit to This Country

In what is described as a world first, travelers can now ask their doctors to prescribe a visit to Sweden as part of a wellbeing plan, turning the Scandinavian nation into the world's first "country on prescription."

The initiative, called The Swedish Prescription, is rooted in a simple idea: spending time in nature and engaging with culture can have measurable benefits for both mental and physical health.

And Sweden certainly has no shortage of either.

Gotland Island. Photo: Shutterstock

Backed by World-Renowned Doctors 

To support the campaign, Visit Sweden, the country's official marketing company owned by the government, has partnered with senior professor Yvonne Forsell of Sweden's prestigious Karolinska Institutet, along with several international medical professionals.

Among them are Dr. Sam Everington, Vice President of the British Medical Association, Dr. Stacy Beller Stryer, a U.S.-based pediatrician and public health advocate, and PD Dr. Michael Jeitler, a German researcher in Green Space Interventions.

"If a patient asked for ways to manage stress or improve wellbeing, I would support a prescription for Sweden," said Dr. Stacy Beller Stryer. "Its access to nature and related cultural practices align with what works for mental and physical health."

How to Get a Prescription to Sweden?

Anyone interested can freely download a referral document from the Visit Sweden website and schedule an appointment with their healthcare provider to discuss the possibility of a prescription. Doctors can then recommend a trip to Sweden as part of a broader preventive care or wellbeing plan.

The prescription comes with three suggested areas of treatment: nature, lifestyle, and culture.

Prescription for Nature

Sweden recommends hiking through ancient forests, swimming in lakes, or camping beneath the stars. 

You have plenty to choose from, as the country is home to an astonishing 267,570 islands, more than any other nation on Earth. Locals recommend Gotland, with its medieval UNESCO-listed town of Visby, Öland, a favorite of the Swedish royal family, and Brännö, where traditional dances on the jetty have become part of Swedish folklore.

Borgholm castle in Sweden. Photo: Shutterstock

You could also escape to car-free islands in the Stockholm Archipelago, where the loudest sound is often the lapping of the Baltic Sea against the shore.

The country is also home to nearly 100,000 lakes, offering everything from wild swimming and kayaking to lakeside cabins and midnight paddles beneath the summer sky.

Lake Varnern. Photo: Shutterstock

Lake Vänern is the largest in the European Union, while Lake Vättern is popular for the crystal-clear waters. Visitors can also unwind beside the tranquil shores of Lake Siljan in Dalarna. In a country where nature is never far away, even a simple afternoon by the water is considered part of a healthier, more balanced way of life.

Prescription for Lifestyle

Looking for better work-life balance? Try embracing lagom, the Swedish philosophy of moderation, enjoying a traditional fika coffee break, or adopting friluftsliv, the Scandinavian love of spending time outdoors in every season.

Fika break in Sweden. Photo: Shutterstock

Prescription for Culture

If your doctor agrees that your spirits need lifting, Sweden points to its thriving cultural scene, from museums and music to what Visit Sweden calls the world's longest art exhibition: the mind-blowing Stockholm metro system.

Stockholm metro. Photo: Emzzzz / Shutterstock.com

Art at Stockholm metro. Photo: Lesia Popovych / Shutterstock.com

And don't forget the iconic ABBA The Museum, an interactive museum dedicated to Sweden's most famous pop group where you can sing, dance, and virtually perform alongside ABBA.

ABBA The Museum. Photo: sadman / Shutterstock.com

• Another "treatment" could include a visit to Skansen, the world's oldest open-air museum that mixes historic Swedish buildings, traditional crafts, and a Nordic zoo.
• Skansen Museum. Photo: Shutterstock
• Fotografiska is one of Europe's leading photography museums, and it features a rooftop café with excellent city views.

Will It Be Free?

As you can imagine, a doctor's note won't cover the airfare and the campaign does not pay for travel expenses. However, if a vacation really can be good for your health, Sweden is betting that the best medicine might just be a plane ticket.

What About Other Countries?

In Japan, doctors may recommend Shinrin-yoku ("forest bathing") to help reduce stress and improve well-being. South Korea also promotes forest healing programs centered on nature, meditation, and relaxation.

• Some doctors in the United Kingdom use "social prescriptions" for activities like walking, gardening, and volunteering.

• Canada and the United States have "Park Prescription" programs that encourage people to spend more time outdoors. Australia and New Zealand issue "green prescriptions" that promote exercise and time in nature.