Scandinavia is situated between two seas, the North Sea and the Baltic. Norway and Iceland have North Sea coastlines, whereas Finland's coastline is entirely Baltic. Denmark and Sweden have the best of both worlds and face in both directions. This geographical situation is of importance when we consider the routes taken by Christianity and European culture to the Northern countries.

The main trade route from the Baltic to the Continent went via Hedeby in southern Denmark and from the coast southwest inwards to Frisian Dorestad and from there to France and Spain. There was, however, an important route leading eastwards: from the ninth century or even earlier, there was constant traffic between the Baltic region and the Byzantine Empire. Swedish and Danish tradesmen and Vikings crossed over the Baltic and the Gulf of Finland, and travelled further inland along the Russian rivers, to Staraja Ladoga and Bulgaria, which were important centres of commerce. The main products exported were fur and amber, and in exchange the Northern traders acquired Arabic silver coins in great number. Impressive hoards of these coins are still discovered, especially on the island of Gotland. The Arabic traveller Ibn Fadlan has written a vivid account of his encounter with these wild and exotic visitors. Many of the travellers went on as far as Constantinople, where some of them were recruited to the Emperor's Varangian guard. In Hagia Sophia there is still a memento from this time. In the balustrade of one of the galleries, a Scandinavian visitor has carved a line of runes, which, unfortunately, are no longer readable.

The Scandinavians played a vital role in the formation of Russia. The Nestor Chronicle, written by a monk at the Cave Monastery of Kiev around 1100, introduces the story that a dynasty from Sweden was invited to take power in the kingdom of Kiev around 860, because of the political chaos there. A Swedish chieftain named Rurik thus became the forefather of the ruling dynasty in Kiev. The name of Rus’ for the kingdom of Kiev – later on transformed into the name of Russia – has been interpreted as coming from Roslagen, the name of the Swedish coast-line north of the Mälar lake. This name is related to the English verb to row, thus ‘ros lagen’ implying a team of oarsmen. This so-called Norman theory has often been vividly disputed by Russian historians but cannot be entirely dismissed.