Experiencing the Scandinavian Winter with a Belgian Law Firm
Date: February 2026
Participants: 11
Destination: Sweden
Goal: Step away from the daily routine, experience a winter landscape together and return as a stronger team.
This month, we travelled to Sweden with the Brussels team of a global law firm for a winter retreat. Not a standard offsite with meeting rooms and flip charts, but a few days outdoors. A different environment, different conditions, different conversations.
The journey started with a clear question: what does it mean to set out together in a Scandinavian winter? During the preparation, we discussed expectations and practicalities. Not everyone had experience with outdoor activities in the cold. This created a healthy sense of anticipation, but also an open attitude. Everyone knew this would be a different kind of trip.
Once we arrived, we were surrounded by snow, silence and space. The days were all about movement and discovery. We went dog sledding through vast white landscapes, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice skating on natural ice. The programme required focus and adaptability. Being outdoors makes teamwork tangible: you help each other, adjust your pace and immediately notice the effect of how you work together.
Alongside the active programme, there was time to explore the surroundings. In Stockholm, we saw how city and nature come together. In Falun, we explored the region’s history. The visit to the Vasa Museum made a lasting impression. The story of the ship — great ambition, a strong vision, but also flaws — provided plenty of material for conversations within the team.
Between activities, there was time to eat together, warm up and share experiences. It was in those moments that different conversations emerged. Colleagues got to know each other beyond their usual roles and responsibilities.
We ended the retreat with a group reflection. What stayed with us wasn’t just the winter landscape, but above all the feeling that the team had grown closer. A few days in a different setting proved enough to strengthen focus, trust and energy.
