Let’s say hello the Scandinavian way.

Sweden: Hallå!

Norway: Hallo!

Denmark: Hej!

Should we add Finland’s Hei! to this gaggle of greetings? And what about Iceland’s Halló!? Maybe. But not everyone agrees that these two nations are part of Scandinavia.

Sweden. Get a pocket full of Swedish krona (money). Enjoy a smorgasbord. Porridge, pickled herring, and lingonberry jam—yum! Take public transit to some of the nation’s more than 250,000 islands and almost 100,000 lakes. Wander the forest (which covers more than half the country!). Fall asleep in the sunlight. Sweden is so close to the North Pole that in Swedish summers, the Sun never sets.

Norway. Welcome to the kingdom of Norway! Here you can sail up a fjord (waterway), but you may not be able to climb the ultra-steep mountains. Norway is a great place to fish, hike, and ski. You may spot herders tending reindeer. Just try not to think about those cute animals while you slurp your bowl of finnbiff (reindeer stew).

Denmark. Ride a bike through Denmark. When you’re good and hungry, stop for a bowl of Flæskesteg og Brun Kartofler (roast pork with sugar-brown potatoes). You may not know how to pronounce that dish. But a Norwegian likely would. Danes and Norwegians speak similar languages and can usually understand each other when they talk or write.

Finland. Sitting in a sauna making conversation with a Finn? You may have to do most of the chatting. Finns have a reputation for skipping the small talk. Next, take a hike. Forest covers three-quarters of Finland. And you thought Sweden was woodsy . . .

Iceland. Glaciers. Volcanoes. Cooled lava. Hot springs. People who are reserved yet hospitable. Look for all these in Iceland, which is also a good place to fish and farm. Humans had to bring their own farm animals into Iceland. When people first arrived in the chilly spot, only foxes lived there!