- Sweden is offering five people the chance to live rent-free on one of its secluded islands for a year through the Your Swedish Island program.
- Winners will serve as island custodians, agreeing to basic stewardship responsibilities while enjoying peace, nature, and nearby local communities.
- Applicants can boost their chances by submitting a creative video on Instagram or TikTok using campaign hashtags before winners are announced in June.
Want to get away from it all? And I mean really get away from it all by being miles away from another person, where you can find true peace and quiet? Sweden has an island for that—and it wants to give you said island for free for an entire year.
On Feb. 17, the nation of Sweden announced that it’s giving five lucky people the chance to move to one of its 267,000 islands for free for an entire year, so long as they promise to take care of it in exchange.
“Sweden has more islands than any other country in the world, and we would like to invite people to enjoy what may be the most genuine form of luxury: the peace and tranquility of nature on your own island,” Susanne Andersson, CEO at Visit Sweden, shared in a statement.
The program, aptly titled Your Swedish Island, is all thanks to a collaboration with the National Property Board, which is now inviting travelers to apply for their shot at becoming a custodian to one of five pre-selected islands. Each one, Visit Sweden noted, is “wonderfully secluded, yet close enough to a local community for essentials—whether it’s picking up groceries, posting a letter, or joining a traditional Midsummer celebration.”
The only thing you may want to be aware of is that the competition to snag one of the islands is very stiff. Visit Sweden highlighted a recent YouGov survey that found that 44 percent of respondents said they would be “happy” to escape the crowds for their own island, while the majority also responded that they are “drawn to silence, fresh air, and free access to nature.”
But, Andersson added, “If you don’t get one of these islands, don’t worry. Sweden has many more that everyone can enjoy. From quiet lakes to open coastlines, there’s space for everyone to slow down, breathe deeply, and find their own version of happiness in our islands.”
The application to win an island is now open. Those interested can apply at visitsweden.com. There is, however, one way to boost your odds at winning—and that’s by posting a public video application on Instagram or TikTok using the hashtags #visitsweden and #YourSwedishIsland to sway the judges in your favor. A jury will select the five best applicants based on creativity and personal motivation, and the winners will be announced in June. Just remember, if you do win this opportunity, you will be in charge of the island for a year and will be given a “contract outlining basic stewardship responsibilities,” so if you break it, you may have to buy it.