What is Friluftsliv? Norwegian Love of Nature

Friluftsliv [pronounced free-loofts-liv] loosely translates as “open-air living,” and it is a large part of Norwegian culture and heritage. It means a commitment to being outdoors and celebrating it — even, and especially, when the weather is not so great.

Where the word comes from

The playwright Henrik Ibsen put the word into print in his 1859 poem På Vidderne (“On the Heights”), and it has never really left the language since. In Norwegian society it is encouraged to spend your free time outdoors. To enjoy nature is, in a real sense, to be Norwegian.

What friluftsliv actually looks like

It is less about extreme sport than about ordinary time spent outside. A walk in the forest on a wet Tuesday. Coffee brewed over a fire. Babies napping in prams outdoors in winter, which Norwegians consider entirely normal. Weekends at a cabin, which has its own word, hyttekos. Cross-country skis in the winter, covered in our guide to langrenn. The saying most often quoted at newcomers is that there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.

The law behind it

Friluftsliv is not only cultural, it is legally protected. Allemannsretten, the right to roam, lets anyone walk, ski and camp on uncultivated land regardless of who owns it, provided they keep their distance from houses and leave no trace. Few countries make access to nature a legal right; Norway does.

Why it persists

Many experts believe that spending time in nature boosts wellbeing, and Norway is consistently ranked among the happiest countries. Whether or not the two are connected, the habit is deeply embedded: it shapes holidays, what people talk about at work on a Monday, and the indoor warmth Norwegians call koselig once they come back in. So if you are wondering why Norwegians seem borderline obsessive about nature, now you know why. It is friluftsliv.