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.