Sweden

Sweden is less populated than most other parts of Europe, especially northern Norrland. Large cities are often located by the coast and rivers. An exception is Jonköping which is right by the shore of the Vättern, Sweden’s second largest lake. The inland mostly has smaller cities, lone houses, and a huge amount of forest interspersed with moors and lakes. The north of Sweden is dominated by the Scandinavian Mountains and coniferous forests, while the south has more mixed woodland and some agriculture.

Culture

Sweden has some Old Towns: Stockholm’s Old Town, Uppsala, Visby, Karlskrona and others, as well as several Royal palaces and castles: Drottningholm in Ekerö just outside of Stockholm, Gripsholm in Mariefred, Solliden on Öland, etc.

As mining and metallurgy have been the backbone of Sweden’s economy since the Middle Ages, many mines and mills have been preserved, with Falun and Fagersta recognized by UNESCO.

Among more unusual UNESCO World Heritage sites are the Woodland Cemetery in southern Stockholm, the Grimeton Radio Station in Halland, and the Struve Meridian Arch in Norrbotten.

Cities

• Lund – A university city in Scania.
• Kristianstad
• Sigtuna – Sweden’s oldest city, near Stockholm-Arlanda airport.
• Umeå – A university city in Norrland.
• Uppsala – A lively pretty old university city. Fourth largest city in Sweden.
• Örebro – An old shoe manufacturing centre, about halfway between Stockholm and Oslo.

Nature

Although there are some worthwhile towns, castles, gardens and museums, the country’s main attraction is the great outdoors. The Swedes have certainly realized this, and a battalion of signposts and flyers exists to lead tourists (and the Swedes themselves, who rather appreciate their own nature) to the most interesting parts of the countryside.

Most of the time, just typing in the name of a national park, nature reserve or other nature destination into your GPS will lead you to a parking lot with an info map and rather clean public toilets (but don’t be surprised if it turns out to be an outhouse! With toilet paper and hand sanitizer).

Naturums

Naturums are small visitor centers located at Sweden’s more popular national parks and nature reserves. They tend to be fairly small and not warrant a trip on their own, but they make for a nice rest stop when hiking through the area.

All Naturums have free public toilets and a parking lot in the vicinity. A small exhibition gives information on the geography, flora, fauna and culture of the area, oftentimes in several languages (Swedish, English, German). This information can include e.g. plant and animal specimen, objects to view through a microscope, historical tools, and aquariums. There’s also usually a comfy reading area with several books about the nature and culture as well as an arts and crafts corner for kids (with e.g. coloring pictures). Sometimes binoculars are available for observation.

Several offer drinks for free or a very small fee. A person by the counter is available for questions (they usually speak English extremely well and are very happy to help).

The Naturums and their closer vicinity are generally accessible for wheelchairs. If Sweden’s usual narrow and uneven hiking trails are not possible for you, stopping by directly at the Naturum is a great way to take in at least some of its beautiful nature.

National Parks

Sweden has 30 national parks distributed across the country. The national parks are nature habitats that are considered to be particularly worthy of protection. They are signposted and have several parking lots as well as color-marked hiking trails and free public toilets.

Sweden’s national parks

• Djurö – Encompasses several islands right in the middle of the Vänern. It is not easy to access – you’ll need your own boat or take a boat taxi from e.g. Mariestad.
• Garphyttan – One of Seweden’s oldest national parks known for its beautiful spring flowers.
• Laponia National Park
• Store Mosse – Sweden’s largest moor outside of Lappland. The naturum there is particularly cozy – giving you a chance to switch your muddy boots for comfy slippers and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea while you explore the small exhibition in this wooden hut.
• Söderåsen – Large area of beech forest with ridges and streams.
• Tiveden – Pine forest with a thicket of heather, blueberries and lingonberries, and large boulders.

Nature Reserves

Nature reserves are areas of nature that are smaller than national parks and have a weaker protection. However, they still feature beautiful and often unusual landscapes that are well worth a visit. Like national parks, they are signposted with parking lots and a map of hiking trails, and often have free public toilets.

• Danska Fall – Forest with river and waterfall south of Simlångsdalen.
• Dumme Mosse – Moor and pine forest in the vicinity of Jönköping; very popular with the local Swedes for berry picking and barbecue.
• Gamla Varberg – Moraine area with burial mound by the coast near Varberg.
• Haverdal – Beach and forest of twisted pines near Halmstad. Has Sweden’s biggest sand dune.
• Kinnekulle – Table mountain at the eastern coast of the Vänern. There is a wooden tower at the top, but it’s only open on weekdays 5-8 pm. The entry fee is SEK 10; cards are not accepted.
• Kjugekull – Hill with pine forest and large boulders lying about, in the area of Kristianstad. A popular place to practice climbing.
• Kullaberg – Cliffs and grottoes near the town Mölle.
• Skurugata – A ravine with a hiking trail right through it, in the vicinity of Eksjö.
• Trollegater – Gaps between the rocks in this nature reserve near Rimforsa, east of the lake Vättern, form narrow caves that can be freely explored. Bring a torch and wear suitable clothing! The caves are very narrow – you will definitely get bruised and dirty. Guided tours are available. This is a great trip for children.

Other

• Hovs hallar – Cliffs on the Bjäre peninsula.
• Falsterbo – This peninsula is a resting place for migrating birds.
• Fegen – Lakeland area that’s popuar for boating.

Other Destinations

• Gotland – The largest island of Sweden as well as the Baltic Sea. Its capital Visby is on UNESCO’s World’s heritage list. A common vacation spot for mainland Swedes.
• Öland – Sweden’s second largest island, connected to the mainland by a bridge.
• Riksgränsen – A ski resort at the very north, with snow well into June.
• Åre – One of Sweden’s largest ski resorts, with 44 lifts.
• Österlen – A picturesque southeastern district of Scania.

The year in Sweden

Swedish weather is best during summer (late May to early September). If you like snow, go to Norrland or Dalarna in January to April.

Be aware that daylight varies greatly during the year. In Stockholm, the sun sets at 3 PM in December. North of the Arctic Circle one can experience the midnight sun and Arctic night. However, even at Stockholm’s latitude, summer nights exist only in the form of prolonged twilight during June and July.

The major holidays are Easter, Midsummer (celebrated from the eve of the Friday between June 19 – 25), Christmas (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day are all considered holidays), and the “industrial vacation” throughout July. Expect closed establishments, heavy traffic (for the holidays) and crowded tourist resorts (for July).

Note that most Swedish holidays are celebrated on the day before (Midsummer’s Eve, Christmas Eve etc), while Swedish people do hardly anything on the holiday proper.

Allemansrätten (Everyman’s Right)

Due to the Allemansrätten, most of Sweden’s nature can be freely accessed unless the area is specifically protected or close to a house. This means that you can walk, camp and swim almost everywhere. Berry- and mushroom-picking is largely unrestricted, except of course in gardens and plantations. Angling is allowed in seawater (including the Baltic Sea), as well as major lakes (Vänern, Vättern, Mälaren, Hjälmaren and Storsjön). Fishing in other bodies of water often requires a license. However, you are supposed to be mindful while doing any of this. Picking or even collecting protected plants, disturbing protected animals and leaving trash behind are among the things that are definitely not okay!

Before you make use this right, carefully research the dos and don’ts: Allemannsrätten in Sweden

Hiking

There are many hiking trails in Sweden from short ones of only a few kilometers to some that require days to finish. One well-known hiking trail is the Kungsleden which runs through Norrland.

The hiking trails are generally well sign-posted; maps of the trails in the area can be found at most parking lots in the countryside. Often (in e.g. national parks and some nature reserves) additional info on distance, accessibility and highlights of the trail is given. Many hiking trails have resting spots with benches, a fireplace, and sometimes wind shelters (if you are hiking for several days).

Boating

With its many lakes that often have several islands, Sweden is wonderful for boating. The Allemansrätten allows you to put an unmotorized boat on pretty much any body of water (in proper distance to houses and adhering to signs that tell you if an area is off-limits at certain times to e.g. allow birds to nest undisturbed). So boating is as easy loading your boat in your car and driving around until you see a lake that looks interesting. You’ll find that the most difficult part is finding a suitable place for putting your boat into the water. If your boat is small, looking out for “bathing place” (“badeplats”) signs (a swimming person pictogram) is very useful – these usually are areas with little vegetation by a shallow shore and have a parking lot in the vicinity.

Particularly worthwhile lakes are those that are longer than wide and have a shore with many bays and peninsulas. A popular destination for boating is the lakeland area Fegen, which stretches over several kilometers and has many islands.

If you don’t have your own boat, there are lots of places where you can rent one. You can even have your own lake – or part of a lake – during your vacation. Many holiday cottages are right next to a lake, and several of these have a boat as part of the facility.

Watching Wildlife

There are some wildlife watching tours of moose/elk, beaver, brown bears, and wolf tracking. People who want to see elks in a more comfortable and reliable settings can go to one of the several Älgparks (elk parks).

Sweden also offers many opportunities for watching birds. Falsterbo, a peninsula at the southern coast, is a resting place for migrating birds and as such a very popular destination for bird watchers in late summer/early fall. Other places are the Hornborgasjön, a lake between the Vänern and the Vettern, and lake Täkern east of the Vättern, both of which are breeding spots for many water birds.

Picking Berries and Collecting Mushrooms

Berries and mushrooms can be found in most of Sweden’s forests; and the Allemansrätten grants you the right to collect them. This is even true in many national parks; so long as you are mindful of protected species. Particularly common berries are blueberries and lingonberries, but also blackberries and raspberries. All of them can be eaten raw, though lingonberries are generally too sour and bitter for this, and are thus mostly turned into jam (though adding sugar makes them much more palatable). Do not pick berries or gather mushrooms unless you are knowledgeable, potentially deadly species of both exist in Sweden!

Shopping and Nightlife

Stockholm and Gothenburg have great nightlife and shopping opportunities.

Sweden has Scandinavia’s biggest discounter: Gekås (in Ullared), which attracts several million customers per year. Aside from simple parking lots and parking houses, it also has a hotel (of course with a cat walk in room), camping site, and small village of holiday cottages. Even if you do NOT intend to buy several shopping carts full of bed covers, groceries, riding gear, clothes, handbags, lamps, toys, and cosmetics, stopping by could be worth it – just to witness the oddity of it all.