Most countries choose excitement, beaches and action when selling themselves.

'It's More Fun in the Philippines'. 'Epic Estonia'. 'I wish I was in Finland'. All classics, all straight to the point.

However, one country has gone for a slightly different tactic. 'Welcome to Sweden, when the time is right' goes its official slogan, sort-of-but-not-really urging visitors to come. Now, the Nordic country is leaning even further into the idea that thrills aren't everything.

"In Sweden, boredom isn't a problem - it's the point. Introducing a travel concept that embraces an idea increasingly gaining ground: that boredom is good for you," the Visit Sweden tourist board announced this week. According to the tourist board, boredom is essential. Some scientists have found that humans are increasingly struggling to process the amount and complexity of data that today's world holds. Boredom, research shows, helps the brain rest and recover, and enables deeper thinking and self-reflection. "You need to be bored," said Harvard professor Arthur C. Brooks in an interview earlier this year.

The idea of slowing down once in a while is one that Astrid Lindgren, the beloved Swedish author of Pippi Longstocking, was writing about way back in 1964. "And then you also need some time to just sit and gaze," she opined. Susanne Andersson, CEO of Visit Sweden, explains the theory a little more. "There are plenty of things to do in Sweden. But one of the best might be to come here, embrace the silence, and just be bored."

I didn't need a tourist board to tempt me to Sweden with promises of boredom. I married a Swede, meaning I've spent months in the mild-mannered country. And I can confirm that it does calm and contemplative better than any other place I've visited. And that's a great thing. Life in the UK is certainly a little too fast sometimes, and retreating to the steady refuge of Sweden is a great way to break out of it and restart.

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The Swedish word for this philosophy is 'lagom', which means "just the right amount," or "not too much and not too little".

And that word is central to one of the Swedes' most beloved and well-practised traditions, 'fika'. Fika is in plainest terms a coffee break, elevated with the addition of some cinnamon buns. But it's also a moment to down tools, to pause for a while, and to chat to others. There's no playing on your phone over fika, nor stuffing in a meal deal before getting back to work. The quantity and approach must be lagom.

Another well-practised and relevant weekly ritual is Fredagsmys, a cherished tradition of relaxing at home with family and friends on a Friday night. The lights are dimmed, the candles are lit, a big bowl of crisps is prepared and the TV is turned on. Of course, Swedes like to party as much as the next self-respecting Nordic nation, but they also love to lock the darkness of the winter night outside and put on a (surprisingly popular in Sweden) episode of Midsomer Murders.

When not being cosy, the Swedes do, of course, love to be in the great outdoors. They seem to take great pride in having a well-treated raincoat, sturdy boots, and waterproof trousers. "There's no such thing as bad weather, only clothes," is a phrase that regularly rings out through the homes of Sweden. Maybe you think investing in high-quality outdoor wear is boring, but Swedes certainly don't.

Once properly wrapped up, heading on a calm Sunday stroll is a regular family activity, as it is for many Brits. A popular day out in the Spring is 'kosläpp', or the cow release, a traditional event where dairy cows are let out to pasture for the first time after a long winter spent indoors. Each year, it attracts great crowds.

Similarly, the televised stream of the annual moose migration to their northern summer pasture is a huge event. In 2024, nine million people tuned in to the SVT feed to be in with the chance of spotting the grand animal wandering through a forest. For those who lack patience, a daily highlights package is available.

Sweden has around 100,000 lakes and they form a huge part of the culture. I certainly don't class this as boring, but bobbing around on a lake when the sun is shining, watching the sunrise or set, is the kind of mind-cleansing activity Visit Sweden is promoting. If that doesn't quite do it, then partaking in a spot of blueberry or mushroom picking certainly will.

Even if that's all a bit exciting for you, then head to Sweden in the spring. At the first sight of warm sunshine breaking through the winter clouds, Swedes stop what they're doing and stand like solrosor or sunflowers, soaking up the rays into another cloud forms.