Edith Hejberg
The initiative wasn’t just about relaxation, it was a statement about the rising environmental and health costs of constant noise.
In southern Sweden, a unique tourism experiment offered participants a free cabin stay, on one strict condition: keep the noise below 45 decibels.
Any louder, and the experience would end on the spot. Launched by the Skåne region, the project aimed to raise awareness of noise pollution and the value of natural silence.
Introducing the “Stay Quiet” challenge
Back in October, Visit Skåne unveiled its “Stay Quiet” campaign, inviting guests to disconnect from the chaos of modern life and spend time immersed in a forest cabin.
The initiative wasn’t just about relaxation, it was a statement about the rising environmental and health costs of constant noise.
Why noise pollution matters
According to project manager Josefine Nordgren, noise is “one of the most underestimated environmental problems of our time.”
Research shows that chronic exposure to noise can increase stress, disturb sleep, and negatively impact both mental and physical health. In contrast, nature has restorative effects that can ease the mind and body.
Silence as a luxury, and a resource
Visit Skåne wanted to reframe how people view silence. “Silence is not emptiness, but a resource,” says Nordgren.
In a world obsessed with productivity and stimulation, the campaign highlighted a different kind of richness, stillness, peace, and the freedom to simply be.
Nature access for all, the Swedish way
Part of what makes this project possible is Sweden’s “Allemansrätten” or “everyman’s right,” which allows people to freely roam nature, even on private land, as long as it’s done respectfully.
This public right makes silence and solitude more accessible than in many parts of the world.
A peaceful escape for two sisters
Johanna Holm, a teacher education student from southern Germany, was among the lucky few selected for the experience.
She applied with her sister, hoping for a chance to slow down and reconnect with nature, and each other. The cabin stay delivered more than she expected.
Keeping quiet wasn’t the hard part
Aside from a few whispered conversations, Holm said sticking to the 45-decibel limit was surprisingly easy.
“For us, staying silent in this peaceful area of nature just seemed like the only right thing to do,” she shared. Though she admitted, “I was so happy I could have screamed for everyone to hear.”
Disconnecting to reconnect
During the weekend, Holm and her sister cooked over a fire, explored the forest, and admired the changing leaves.
The cabin included quiet-time activities like writing a letter to their future selves. With no screens or noise, they fully embraced the stillness, and the simplicity.
Facing the forest at midnight
One of the most memorable moments? Venturing into the woods at midnight with no light, relying on their senses and the silence around them.
“It was full of adventures and new experiences,” said Holm, who described the entire stay as deeply calming and restorative.
Finding clarity in the quiet
Just sitting in silence made Holm feel more centered than she had in a long time. “It made me feel so balanced and calm,” she said.
That sense of inner peace stayed with her long after the cabin doors closed, becoming something she now hopes to recreate in her daily life.
More than just silence, it’s awareness
Project manager Nordgren clarified the goal wasn’t absolute quiet, but awareness.
“The idea was never about strict silence, but about helping visitors understand how their own sounds interact with nature,” she explained. It was about listening, not just to the world, but to oneself.
Holm’s takeaway: bring silence home
Holm now wants to find ways to bring that same sense of calm into her everyday world. “I felt incredibly calm, happy, energized and fulfilled,” she said.
The experience inspired her to seek similar spaces for herself and her loved ones, and to embrace silence more often.
Silence as strength, not absence
“Silence helps you hear your inner voice,”
Holm reflected. In an increasingly noisy world, this Nordic experiment reminded participants, and perhaps all of us, that quiet isn’t just soothing. It’s powerful.
