A good 100 years ago, the Sommerfrische (summer freshness or summer retreat) became established in the German language. Back then, people stopped working, left the hot city and went to the countryside. With the arrival of the railroad, the bourgeoisie adopted this custom from the nobility. Those who could not afford their own summer residence stayed in inns. People sought peace and relaxation in the countryside. Swimming in lakes, hiking and mountaineering became popular leisure activities.
The legally regulated vacation as we know it today is an achievement of the trade unions. The summer retreat was about a change of temperature, the Urlaub , typically German for vacation, was about “permission to get away”. So where does the word Sommerfrische, which is already mentioned by the Brothers Grimm, come from? It comes from the Italian: “Refrigerazione” meant refreshment in the shade. In Venice, people did not go for a walk, but “took refreshment” = prendere il fresco. From the 1960s onwards, more and more people traveled. These were the beginnings of mass tourism. However, people were not drawn to the cool, but to the warmth. Beach vacations in Italy, Spain or Greece with few activities and lots of relaxation were the trend.
And today? The old favorite destinations on the Mediterranean are suffering from heat waves and water shortages. Summer is becoming a stress test for tourists, locals and nature. Inactivity on the hot beach becomes torture, and every shower at the hotel pool triggers water-shaming. This has been going on for a few years, and now the rethink has reached critical mass. The new trend has been packaged in a chic suitcase word: coolcation.
Come Coolcation!
Instead of lying on the beach, Coolcation focuses on activities such as hiking and exploring unique nature. Travelers’ new places of longing are now in the north. Scandinavian countries are at the forefront: Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Island. In Norway, you climb glaciers while they’re still there; in Sweden, you paddle through the archipelago in a kayak and in Iceland, you marvel at mighty waterfalls. It’s a shame that this new trend isn’t called what it was 100 years ago. After all, the coolcationist is looking for nothing more than summer freshness.
Tips for vacations in Scandinavia
It sounds tropical, but it’s guaranteed to be a cool affair: On the road in the Danish South Seas. On the hiking trail of the island seas! Or how about a visit to Stockholm? The capital of Sweden is also known as the beautiful coolness of the north. When it comes to natural wonders, Island is the measure of all things. It is both hot and cold here. Icelanders not only like to bathe in hot springs, but also bake bread there. Iceland’s largest glacier, Vatnajökul, regularly provides an extraordinary beach experience: shiny, meter-high ice sculptures lie on the black lava beach.
