Iperborea was founded by Emilia Lodigiani in 1987, with the aim of making Northern European literature known in Italy. Being the first publishing house in Italy to explore this geographical area, we had the chance to do it with a great freedom of choice and from a high-quality production, ranging from Nobel Prize winners, either unpublished or newly translated, to the most talented voices of contemporary fiction. In addition to Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland), Iperborea publishes literature from the Baltic states, the Netherlands, Iceland (including the ancient medieval sagas), as well as children’s fiction (in a series called I Miniborei), the Moomin comic strips by Tove Jansson.

In 2018 Iperborea launched The Passenger, a book-magazine that collects reportages, long-form journalism and narrative essays. Two more book-magazines have been added to the roster since: in 2021 came COSE Spiegate bene, a series of monographies on topical cultural and political topics in collaboration with the Italian online newspaper il Post; and since 2023, L’Integrale, which explores food and wine-related stories.

Also in 2023, Iperborea started publishing narrative non-fiction books in translation from all over the world in a new series called I Corvi.

In 2024 the collaboration with il Post led to the birth of Altrecose, a new non-fiction editorial brand.

Since 2015, Iperborea has also organized the I Boreali festival in Milan and various Italian cities, dedicated to Nordic culture.