If you've never visited the Stockholm archipelago, I highly recommend it. In fact, I think it's perhaps the best thing about Stockholm, and one of the most beautiful places in the world in general — if you're into sailing, islands and seas. It's almost too easy to find an island just for yourself for the weekend, and "Allemansrätten", the law that grants people the right to access wilderness, only makes it even more accessible. Going there at the midst of winter or during summer are both very different experiences, but both are very charming.
Same with Helsinki and Turku archipelago. We've been spending the whole Christmas in my parent's cabins near Helsinki in a small island. It was a bit tricky to come here with a small boat due to the ice, but when we got here, we just heated up the sauna and started enjoying a very quiet island life.
I’m from Europe and when I saw the islands on the ferry to Helsinki’s from Stockholm I have to say I was amazed at the beauty so much so I’d love own property there now. Truly astonishing seeing kids on tiny row boats chilling on random rocks in the estuary
Others mentioned not being too close to any houses. The second part is, you are not allowed to damage anything. Leave it as you found it. No trash, no damaging plant life, and so on. Also, exact rules differ from country to country, but generally the Nordics follow "everyman's rights" something like this:
You cannot make a campfire, drive off-road, damage agricultural fields, cut down trees or damage trees (even the already fallen ones), go into pastures with cattle in them, and so on. Rule of thumb, don't bother the landowner, don't damage anything, and don't disrupt any of their income sources, including logging, fishing, agriculture etc. You can camp but if you want a campfire I suggest going to one of the designated camping areas; there's plenty of those too, even completely free log lean-tos and benches around a firepit and even free firewood hauled in, if you go remote enough.
And then there's protected areas, with stricter rules. For example, if a rare bird is known to nest on some specific island, you might not be allowed to go on that island at all.
But yes, if you're smart about it, you can camp almost anywhere.
It's completely legal, yes. As a matter of fact, it's so legal that sometimes you ask yourself why own land there, since technically you can even camp on private land thanks to allemansrätten.
With one caveat: you can't be too close to any houses with your camp. I don't remember how far, but at least they should not be able to see you from their window...
Respect is the actual legal definition.... There is no legal distance and it depends and you need to respect peoples privacy. You can definitely camp where you can be seen, but if you can not be seen you are almost certainly in the clear.
It is a tricky subject because you can do a lot on other peoples land as long as you are respectful. I have no problems with people camping on my land especially when they are walking or cycling while car camping is illegal in most instances.
Mm. I can't find it now. I'm pretty sure it was Stockholm. Had a WW2 Mark 14 out front - one of those terrible American torpedoes. I do specifically mean a and only a torpedo museum (which is not huge, and was on a little island), not the Maritime Museum (which is huge).
