Sweden travel guide

What to do, where to stay and why you’ll love it

Why you’ll love it

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For a country with a population of little more than ten million, Sweden certainly has its share of dynamic cities. Easily Scandinavia’s most photogenic capital (sorry, Copenhagen), Stockholm is a multicultural blend of innovative design, trendy art galleries, historic museums and irresistible, sustainable dining. Built across 14 islands, Stockholm’s districts each have their own distinct vibe — from posh Östermalm to hipster Södermalm, from historic Gamla stan to modern Kungsholmen.
Stockholm’s more laid-back west-coast sister, Gothenburg, is home to Sweden’s best shellfish and radiates a hipster vibe with cool nightlife venues and plenty of on-trend cafés for taking fika (coffee breaks, ideally paired with cardamom, not cinnamon, buns). Gothenburg is also home to the country’s largest fish auction and market, so life in this part of the country revolves heavily around seafood.

Beyond Stockholm and Gothenburg, further south, Malmö provides a mishmash of culinary influences and is the best part of the country for international cuisine. As fans of Scandic noir know only too well, Malmö is a quick 35-minute drive or public transportation ride across the Öresund Bridge from Copenhagen, making it a perfect weekend getaway for Danes as well.

Away from the cities, you’ll find medieval fishing towns and mesmerising seascapes along the country’s roughly 3,200km coastline, framed by both the Baltic and North Seas. The popular islands of Gotland and Öland off Sweden’s east coast are where locals go to hide away during summer months. The southernmost region of Skåne provides lush rolling countryside, historic Helsingborg across the bay from Denmark, and the well-known university town, Lund. And visitors should venture upwards, too, towards the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden which offers opportunities to experience the country’s great outdoors, indulge in winter sports and learn about indigenous Sámi lifestyles.

What to do

Ninety-seven per cent of Sweden’s surface area is made up of uninhabited pine forests, mountain ranges, and tundras. Throw in over 25 national parks, and it’s safe to say that you won’t struggle to find the great outdoors during a visit to Sweden. From experiencing the midnight sun in city parks during summer months to chasing the northern lights around the Arctic Circle in the winter, there are plenty of reasons to get out among it too.

The summer months remain the best time to go island-hopping around Stockholm’s archipelago as well as various west-coast island groups. Backcountry hiking in national parks and swimming in pristine bays is also popular. Do as the locals do and retreat to remote cabins, camp, sail the waterways and indulge in centuries-old Midsummer traditions, including joining a kräftskiva, or crayfish party.

If you’re willing to brave northern Sweden in the winter months, you will be rewarded with some truly unique activities: husky sledding, reindeer safaris, tracking moose or snowmobiling and skiing are all popular at this time of year. If city-slicking is your thing, all Sweden’s major cities have their own versions of a cobbledstoned Gamla stan for strolling around, and enviably efficient transportation, making flitting around town easy. Among the galleries and open spaces, you’ll find ample shopping opportunities for sleek Swedish designs and local handicrafts.

Where to stay

From monochromatic ubermodern hotels to vibrant technicoloured boutique hotels, both Stockholm and Gothenburg offer a slew of memorable lodging options for travellers visiting Sweden. A laid-back Swedish culture deeply intertwined with the great outdoors means you’ll also be bedding down with nature in some way or another — whether it’s the accommodation-meets-art-installation Ice Hotel in Jukkarsjärvi or innovative Treehotel in Harads, both in northern Sweden, or glass cabins and falu-red summer cottages around the west coast. For the ultimate maritime experience, several boat hotels (botels, no less) allow you to sleep in docked vessels and ships lining waterfronts in Sweden’s major cities of Stockholm and Gothenburg.

Don’t miss

While Stockholm and Gothenburg are culinary powerhouses when it comes to new Nordic cuisine, locals know to head to the west coast and villages such as Smögen, Grebbestad, Fjällbacka and Ljungskile for some of the best seafood. Here you can join a “shellfish journey”, going in search of west Sweden’s very own Big Five (crayfish, oysters, mussels, lobsters and shrimps) with seasoned fishermen full of salty tales.

Professional aurora chasers converge on Abisko National Park, a couple of kilometres north of the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden. Along with Svalbard, it’s renowned as one of the best parts of the region to see the northern lights. A scientifically proven ‘blue hole’ patch of sky gives Abisko its own microclimate and clear weather, upping your chances of catching the sky-filling phenomenon in action. You can take a chairlift up to the Aurora Sky Station, perched on Mount Nuolja, for the best panoramic views.

If you’re in search of Viking and medieval history while visiting Sweden, the World Heritage town of Visby on the island of Gotland celebrates Medieval Week every August. During this time of year, you’ll find jousting tournaments and stage performances, as well as cosplay storytellers, magicians, jesters, and ‘peasants’ strolling Visby’s narrow cobblestoned lanes wearing medieval costumes.

When to visit

You can’t get a Swede out of Sweden during the perfectly temperate summer months of June-August, while northern Sweden comes alive during the winter months of December-March with northern lights and winter sports.

FAQs

When is the coldest month in Sweden?
February. Consolations include northern lights, winter sports and the longstanding (four centuries and counting) indigenous Sámi market and festival in Jokkmokk, northern Sweden.

Do most Swedes speak English?
The more appropriate challenge is finding a Swede who doesn’t speak English.

What’s a popular Swedish dish?
Forget Swedish meatballs and potatoes. The quintessential räksmörgås — open-faced shrimp sandwich — is what both locals and travellers visiting Sweden reach for on menus.

Currency Swedish Krona (SEK)

Take me there

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