What do we think of when someone mentions Scandinavia (斯堪的纳维亚半岛), the group of Northern European countries? Many things come to mind. We might think of the breathtaking natural beauty of Norway's fjords (峡湾). If we enjoyed the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen as children, perhaps we will think of Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, and its statue of Andersen's The Little Mermaid (《小美人鱼》).

    Perhaps we shiver at the thought of Scandinavia, as the countries there can be very cold. Or maybe we imagine this part of the world, so high up in the Northern Hemisphere, as dark and a little gloomy.

    What doesn't come to mind is people who like to party. However, according to a survey released by travel site Hostelworld this month, Scandinavia has some of the most sociable cities on the planet.

    For the study, 12,188 people from cities around the world were asked about their attitudes to socializing. Overall, Gothenburg in Sweden came out on top, but Copenhagen and Stockholm also placed highly, among with more predictably lively cities like New York and Madrid.

    A city made up of many little islands, Gothenburg is, according to The Daily Telegraph, "charming in an old-fashioned way". The city's authorities have preserved Gothenburg's attractive wooden houses from the 19th century. Many of these have been made over into restaurants and coffee bars. Music fans are as well satisfied too—Gothenburg has dozens of record stores and live music venues (音乐厅).

    As expected, Scandinavia cities are also welcoming to visitors. People here don't care about your cultural background or anything else that some other places might take exception to. In these friendly Scandinavia cities, everyone's invited to the party.