From berserker Vikings to Nobel Peace Prize in just a few centuries - Sweden really has earned its reputation as a model for progressive society. Throw in its gorgeous people, high standard of living, clean-lined design and magically archipelagic capital, Stockholm, and you're onto a very good thing.
Gothenburg and Malmö beckon with urban delights, and away from the cities, Sweden takes in vast areas of scenic coastline and idyllic islands. The wilderness areas of Norrland have the legendary midnight sun in summer, Arctic Scandinavia's highest mountain and marvellous hiking trails.
Top 10 things to do in Sweden!
1.Take a boat trip from Stockholm city centre among the islands to Drottningholm Palace where the Palace Theatre opera house has been preserved in its original 18th-century form, and stages productions in period costume and using authentic instruments.
2.If you have a couple of days to spare, take a cruise on the MS Ceres along the historic Göta Canal. The tours start at both Stockholm and Gothenburg.
3.In summer, make the most of Sweden's hundreds of miles of beaches, particularly on the west coast, and its 96,000 lakes. There are numerous waterskiing and windsurfing centres on the coast and lakes.
4.Indulge in active sport: there are excellent facilities around the country for skating, tobogganing, snowmobiling, ice climbing and dog sledding.
5.Practice your golf. Sweden has over 400 courses: one situated north of the Arctic Circle enjoys 24-hour daylight during the summer months and many midsummer championships take place at midnight.
6.Try to spot Sweden's only herd of musk ox in the Härjedalen Valley, southern Lapland, which also has abundant reindeer, buzzard, beaver and lynx. Elk are common too. In winter, this region is also known for its skiing.
7.Take to two wheels - cycling is a popular holiday recreation, particularly in the south. The Swedish Cycling Promotion Institute, in cooperation with regional tourist offices, offers scheduled cycling tours in almost every region.
8.Go fishing - Norrbotten is an angler's paradise with plenty of mountain streams and excellent sea fishing. It is situated on the so-called Midnight Sun Coast, which is a 1,500km (900-mile) stretch of Baltic coastline that runs all the way to the Finnish border.
9.Take the kids to Mora, in the heart of the Swedish Lakeland region, where they can meet Father Christmas at the Santaworld theme park.
10.Explore Swedish history. For those keen on the past, southwestern Bohuslän province is also one of the most important centres of ancient Swedish civilisation and there are many archaeological relics dating back to the Bronze Age and Viking times.
When to go
If you want sunshine, visit between late May and late July, bearing in mind that August can be both hot and wet. Many youth hostels, camping grounds and attractions open only in summer, from late June to mid-August. Swedes are big on holidays, and even Stockholm shuts down for two or three days around Christmas and midsummer, so plan accordingly. Most Swedes take their vacations from late June to mid-August, so hostels are crowded, but this is also when most hotels offer discounts of up to 50%.
Travel in winter is somewhat restricted and requires some planning as well as serious winter clothing, but there are good opportunities for activities like skiing, dog sledding and snowmobiling. The big cities are in full swing all year, but the smaller towns almost go into hibernation when the temperatures begin to drop (the notable exceptions being popular ski resort towns like Åre, and Jukkasjärvi, home to the Ice Hotel).
Åre Ski Resort
Snowboarder at Salen Ski Resort
Dog sledding
Snowmobiling safaris
Where to go
The Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi
The Ice Hotel is an innovative idea and a turned out to be a really unique creation. You can find this elaborate structure by the shores of the Torne River in Sweden where the ice used for the hotel is actually taken. It takes 10,000 tons of ice and 30,000 tons of snow in order to build this hotel each year. The pure waters from the river as well as the constant movement allow the ice to be crystal clear.
The hotel is reassembled each year with a different construction. The architects are busy at work because they create a totally new hotel with all new design, suites, and reception. The process is building these massive ice hotels is really remarkable. The Ice Hotel near the village of Jukkasjarvi, in Sweden, is the first and most famous of them all.
There are more than 80 rooms and suites including an Absolute ice bar, a reception and a church. Everything is made of ice! The price for a night stay can cost about 1,400 Swedish Krona which would be around $196 U.S. dollars. Availability of the hotel is from December to April but many come to visit in the summer as well because there is an art exhibition made of ice.
You may think what is there to do at an ice hotel? But, you will be happy to know that there are plenty of things to do during your stay. There is a guided tour of the hotel which is open to visitors in the winter season from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. You can also experience ice sculpting because they allow you to sculpt yourself with the guidance of a professional, daily at 11 A.M. There is also cross country skiing and snowshoeing available to guests. This is truly a unique experience and anyone who has the chance to visit should do so.
Gothenburgh
Gothenburgh or Göteborg as the Swedes call it is on the west coast of Sweden facing Aalborg in Denmark, directly north of Copenhagen.
King Gustav II Adolf founded the city in 1621, but it was developed largely by Dutch and German city planners and canal experts.
The Göteborg region is one of the most popular tourist areas in Scandinavia. The Göteborg region is an old and exciting cultural area. There are ruins that prove that people were living here as many as 8,000 years ago.
Göteborg was intended to act as Sweden´s gateway to the west. Its position was strategic. The area around the mouth of the River Göta had been an important trading centre since the 12th century. The city was built in Dutch style, with streets and manmade canals in a well-designed system and a large square, now called Gustaf Adolfs Torg, next to the Large Canal.
Surrounded by walls, bastions and a moat, Göteborg was one of the most well defended fortresses in Northern Europe. Three of the fortresses that were built outside the city: Skansen Kronan, Skansen Lejonet and the New Älvsborg Fortress, still stand today.
The East India Company, which made Göteborg a flourishing city, was founded here in 1731. The following year, the first East-Indiaman set sail for China and returned with a valuable cargo of tea, silk and china.
The city changed dramatically during the 19th century. The fortresses were demolished and made way for the Kungsparken Park and the Horticultural Society. The city expanded, some of the canals were filled in, the harbours and quays were extended. There are various famous buildings from this century such as the Stock Exchange and the Central Railway Station.
Flower display on a bridge in the centre of Gothenburg
Helsingborg
Helsingborg, the second largest city in Skåne, is located on the south-western coast of Sweden. Known as the ‘Pearl of the Oresund’, this is Sweden’s closest entry point to Denmark and is situated on the northern side of the Oresund strait. The Landborgen ridge runs parallel to Helsingborg on the eastern side.
Helsingborg has a maritime temperate climate with mild winters, which result in occasional snowfall, and warm summers. This is due to Skåne being surrounded by the Kattegatt Sea, the Øresund and the Baltic Sea on its three sides. Winter is the best time to take in the beauty of the scenic coastal locales and rich heritage of Helsingborg.
With a population of about 1,23,000, Helsingborg is the country’s ninth largest municipality. The major industries are those of service, trade, transportation and tourism.
Lund is the seat of the Lund Municipality, Skåne County in southern Sweden. It is the country’s second oldest town and is well known as a ‘Cathedral and University city’.
This climate here is much more favourable than in other areas in Sweden. With mild winters and warm summers, any time is ideal for a visit.
Though Lund became an important Roman Catholic centre in the twelfth century, it was badly destroyed by the Danish-Swedish conflicts in the seventeenth century. Thereafter, it was taken over by the Swedes and the University of Lund was set up in 1668.
With a population of about 90,000, Lund is a bustling activity centre with a variety of businesses. Tetra Pak, the manufacturer of milk/fruit juice cartons, and Sony Ericsson have their production units here. The hospital and the university also employ a large number of people.
The great Domkyrka cathedral in Lund
Malmo
The port city of Malmo is the third largest city in Sweden and is situated in the southern part of the country in the province of Scania.
This picturesque city overlooks the Baltic Sea and parts of the city are encircled by canals. Due to its southern location, the city has a temperate climate with average temperatures above 10°C in summers and −3°C in winters.
Malmo has a population of approximately 270,000 people. It is one of the most multicultural cities in Sweden and has many immigrants from countries such as Yugoslavia, Denmark, Iraq and Poland.
Malmo was originally founded in the year 1275, and the culture of the city represents its ancient heritage as well as the traditions of the various ethnic groups that inhabit it. The city also has a vibrant modern culture with many plays, operas and art exhibitions.
Windmill in Malmo
The statue in Malmo was unveiled in 1896 and depicts the king who conquered Skåne who conquered Skåne from Denmark
Öland Island
Öland Island, the second largest island in Sweden, is situated off the coast of Småland in the Baltic Sea in Kalmar County. The island is connected to the mainland by the Öland Island by the Öland Bridge. Öland was under the sea for around 10,000 years after the Ice Age and as a result, limestone and shale make up its bedrock.
It is best to visit this place during spring and early summer. During winter, it might snow heavily and the temperature occasionally drops below 0°C. The weather is quite unpredictable with heavy rains and wind.
Excavations on the island reveal that settlement took place around 8,000 BC. During the Middle Ages, the island was reserved by the Swedish royalty as exclusive hunting ground.
With a population of about 25,000, the main economic activities here are agriculture and related activities.
Stone circles and windmills in Öland Island
Stockholm
Stockholm lies on the Swedish East Coast, between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city centre is built on fourteen islands. The climate is varied because of the sharp difference between summer and winter daylight time. The capital of Sweden (776,000 population) is the site of National Government and the residence of King Carl Gustaf XVI.
It was founded around 1250, but its golden age was in the XVII century, when Sweden was one of the main European powers. However, after the golden century the city went through a period of demographic and economic stagnation. Only in the late XIX century were new industries founded and Stockholm experienced a new renaissance.
Two UNESCO World Heritage sites are based in the Stockholm area: the Drottningholm Royal Palace and the Skogskyrkogården Forest Cemetery.
The city is also famous for many museums, around seventy, visited by millions of people every year. In the oldest part of Stockholm the first choice is usually to visit the Royal Palace and the main museums, like Livrustkammaren (the Royal Armoury) and Skattkammaren (the Royal Treasury) and the Changing of the Guards in the Outer Courtyard.
In Gamla Stan, there are also the Nobelmuseet (the Nobel Museum) and Riddarhuset (the House of Nobility).
Stockholm is a vibrant water city, where we can find parts of Venice and Amsterdam at the same time. Moreover, its centre has a lot of parks and gardens.
Stockholm in winter
Riddarholmen is a small island in the center of Stockholm
A winter afternoon at sunset, view over Riddarholmen and the Old Town
Uppsala
Uppsala is the fourth largest city in Sweden and is located about 70 km north of Stockholm.
The city is situated amidst fertile flatlands, surrounded by lush vegetation. The beautiful Fyris River adds to the charm of this picturesque landscape. Uppsala has four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Spring and summer are the best time to visit with temperatures ranging from 5 to 30 °C. Winters are extremely cold with temperatures ranging from –5 to –30 °C.
Uppsala has a population of approximately 130,000 people. The city has a long and glorious history and culture; it has also been the seat of Sweden’s archbishop since 1164. The city houses Scandinavia’s oldest university, the Uppsala University.
Church Steeple
Landscapes in Sweden
Every child’s fantasy is to meet Santa Claus. With a trip to Lapland in Sweden, home to Santa Claus, one can come close to this fantasy by visiting Santa World at Mora in Dalama. Skokloster Slott Castle is worth a visit for its innovative interiors, baroque architecture, paintings, books etc. Apart from being a castle, it is also a museum and houses a restaurant. For some Viking-style experience, one can visit the towns of Birka and Visby.
Castles of Sweden
Here are some of the most popular castles that you should visit when you come to Sweden!
Skokloster Slott Castle
Stockholm Royal Palace
Wik Castle
Bohus Castle
Ekenäs Castle
Kalmar Castle in February
Tjolöholm Castle
Charlottenborg Castle
Trolle Ljungby Castle
Malmo Castle
Ellinge Castle
Getting Around Towns and Cities
Public transport is efficient, comprehensive and well-integrated. Stockholm has bus, trams, metro (T-banan) and local rail services. Pre-purchase multi-tickets and passes are sold, though single tickets can also be obtained on the bus. There are trams in Gothenburg and Norrköping. Taxis are widely available; large taxi companies are cheaper than independents. Several of the main cities, particularly Stockholm, have boat excursions and services.
