In the Stockholm Archipelago, the Islands Are Yours to Roam

Swedes have a word for the freedom to roam: allemansrätten, meaning “everyman’s right.” Officially translated as the Right of Public Access, it lets anyone walk, swim, and camp in nature, as long as they leave it as they found it. Earlier this year, Visit Sweden turned that idea into a contest. Its Your Swedish Island campaign asked international travelers to make their case for why they deserved to look after one of the country’s 267,570 islands for a year. The five most creative entries won. Each winner received a round trip to Sweden for two, and a year to camp on, explore, and care for their very own piece of Swedish wilderness. I tested that freedom in the Stockholm Archipelago, where one of the prize islands lies among thousands of others. Some are nature reserves, some are old sea-pilot villages, and many are an easy ferry ride from the city. Visiting the Stockholm Archipelago The simplest way is to choose an island served by a regular ferry and make it a day trip from Stockholm. Grinda and Sandhamn are two of the more common choices because of good ferry service. Grinda is a nature reserve with walking paths and kayaks to rent. There is one lovely hotel and some cottages an...