Living on a private island sounds like a privilege usually reserved for oligarchs or Hollywood stars. Sweden has decided to rewrite that narrative.
A new campaign titled “Your Swedish Island,” launched by Visit Sweden in cooperation with the Swedish National Property Board, is offering an unusual opportunity: Five people from around the world will each receive their own Swedish island to use for a full year.
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A year on a quiet island? You are invited to apply. Marsten Island
(Photo: Visit Sweden)
Sweden boasts more islands than any other country, 267,570 in total. Five remote islands have been carefully selected for the initiative: Medbådan, Skötbådan, Storberget, Tjuvholmen and Marsten.
Each island has a distinct character. Tjuvholmen features pine and spruce groves along its shoreline, with opportunities to spot terns, gulls and sea eagles. Medbådan, shaped by the last Ice Age, offers a sheltered pocket of trees and shrubs and is ideal for canoe access and swimming in calm waters.
Skötbådan is a low rocky strip in the open sea that once served as a mooring site for fishing nets and now provides fresh air and sweeping views of marine life. Storberget, which translates to “the big mountain,” though it is anything but, is a rugged island of pale granite sculpted by the open sea and well suited for swimming on warm days. Marsten, characterized by light stone and sparse vegetation, offers clear waters for fishing and is close enough to the mainland for a quick visit if human company is missed.
All five promise seclusion while remaining close enough to local communities to allow access to essential services.
Sweden’s islands are scattered along an approximately 2,400-kilometer coastline and across roughly 100,000 lakes nationwide. The archipelagos range from rugged cliffs to smooth granite slabs. Most islands are uninhabited, allowing visitors to discover hidden coves, kayak between islets, spot seals or simply enjoy the quiet away from crowded tourist hubs.
Billionaires cannot apply
The idea for the campaign was partly inspired by a global YouGov survey that found 44% of respondents dream of escaping the crowds and “overtourism” for a pastoral island of their own.
Winners will not receive legal ownership of the land. Instead, they will be granted the official title of “Island Custodian.” The prize includes free use of the island for 12 months, an official diploma certifying the title and a round-trip flight voucher for two people to Sweden worth up to 20,000 Swedish kronor, about $1,900, valid between June 2026 and May 2027.
Winners will sign an agreement outlining their rights and responsibilities under Swedish law and the National Property Board’s regulations. They may pitch a tent, swim, host friends and relax in nature, but they must protect wildlife and leave the island entirely clean. The rules make clear that the island’s official name cannot be changed and that it may not be used for commercial purposes, such as turning it into a resort or business.
One of the most talked-about clauses explicitly bars billionaires from entering. However, under the Swedish definition used in the rules, a billionaire is someone worth 1 billion Swedish kronor, currently about $95 million. In other words, one does not need to rank among the world’s richest to be disqualified.
According to Visit Sweden CEO Susanne Andersson, the restriction is meant to promote the “democratization of luxury” and to send the message that true luxury is peace and proximity to nature, not excessive consumption.
How to apply
Before applying, prospective candidates should note several key conditions.
First, Sweden’s longstanding right of public access, known as Allemansrätten, allows anyone to roam freely in nature. That means winners cannot prevent hikers or boaters from visiting or passing through their island. The campaign emphasizes that the experience centers on ecological responsibility, not exclusive private ownership.
Second, there is no such thing as a completely free gift. Under the contest rules, the five winners must agree to allow Visit Sweden to use their names, images and quotes for public relations purposes and are expected to participate in promotional activities tied to the campaign.
The competition is open to anyone over 18 who is not a Swedish citizen or resident and who does not meet the financial threshold that disqualifies billionaires. Applicants must submit a vertical video, 9:16 format, up to one minute long, explaining why they deserve to become an island custodian.
Videos must be uploaded to the official competition website by April 17, 2026. A panel of judges will evaluate entries based on creativity and love of nature, and confirmed winners will be notified in May 2026.