Sweden travel guide
When you talk of 'Swedish nature', distinguish between people and land. Swedes live up to their archetype: friendly, smart, egalitarian. But their landscape can be far more untamed and prone to drama – deserted forests stalked by wolves, a centre where cottages share ancient woods with bears, shores where surreal rock formations mix with standing stones and medieval ruins. In the north, the Sami provide a window into an ancient Arctic culture enjoying a resurgence through distinctive arts.
Swedes are warmly civilised folk – in a country where wild north, deserted islands and dramatic coast are a perfect complement.
Despite their urbane reputation, nature is key to the Swedish sense of self via the principle of Allemansrätt – the right to roam freely around the land. Join locals delving island archipelagos, skiing snowy taiga, foraging woods to rustle up Swedish delights. Finding a good balance is part of Swedish nature – and our Sweden travel guide.
Sweden Is/Isn't
Sweden is...
an enchanting mix of forested wilderness, fantastic shores and rich history.
Sweden isn't...
ABBA, IKEA, Bjorn Borg and dull Scandi stolidity.
Our Sweden Holidays
Sweden activity holiday, Stockholm countryside
Multi-activity tour in Stockholm's picturesque countryside
From
SKr8995
7 days
ex flights
Sweden holidays, Wolves, Moose and Beavers
Wildlife holiday in Sweden with full focus on large mammals.
From
£1250
5 days
ex flights
Sweden family holiday, Ecolodge short break
Wildlife break at Sweden's most primitive hotel.
From
£595
4 days
ex flights
Sweden walking holiday, self guided
Self-guided hiking through Stockholm's picturesque countryside
From
SKr10695
8 days
ex flights
Sweden self guided cycling holiday, Stockholm countryside
Self-guided cycling in Stockholm's picturesque countryside
From
SKr7295
6 days
ex flights
Sweden cycling holiday, Stockholm archipelago
Self-guided cycling in Stockholm's fantastic archipelago
From
SKr7895
6 days
ex flights
Sweden kayaking and camping holiday
Kayaking and wild camping among thousands of islands, Sweden
From
€670
5 days
ex flights
Sweden holidays, self guided canoeing
Self-guided canoeing in Stockholm's picturesque countryside
From
SKr9295
7 days
ex flights
Treehotel and Northern Lights holiday, Sweden
Luxury tree hotel in Northern Sweden
From
£965 to £1495
4 days
ex flights
Winter holiday in Stockholm & the Baltics
Explore some of Europe's prettiest old towns
From
£1249 to £1329
8 days
inc UK flights
Northern lights & Arctic Circle railway holiday
Be sure to watch the sky for a chance to spot the Northern Lights in their full glory!
From
£2329
9 days
ex flights
Swedish Lapland Christmas holiday
Northern Lights & wildlife holiday in Swedish Lapland
From
£2180
6 days
ex flights
Stockholm hiking holiday
Hiking adventure with base in beautiful Stockholm city
From
SKr5395 to SKr6495
6 days
ex flights
Kayaking in Sweden, foraging and food
Culinary Adventure in the Swedish Wilderness
From
€905
4 days
ex flights
Swedish Lapland luxury winter holiday at the Loggers Lodge
Luxury private lodge holiday in Swedish Lapland
From
£3495 to £3948
4 days
ex flights
New year northern lights & wildlife holiday, Swedish Lapland
Celebrate New Year with us under the Northern Lights!
From
£2350
6 days
ex flights
Swedish Lapland new year holiday, northern lights and activities
New Year activities & Northern Lights in Swedish Lapland
From
£1935
5 days
inc UK flights
Sweden treehouse holiday, Grano Beckasin
Treehouse and active holiday in Swedish Lapland
From
£890
5 days
ex flights
Sweden wildlife holiday, Moose expedition
Wildlife expedition in Europe´s most remote wilderness area.
From
€2375
8 days
ex flights
Lapland Northern Lights and moose tracking short break
Moose, reindeer, dog sledding and Northern Lights!
From
£2180
6 days
ex flights
Stockholm archipelago walking holiday
Self-guided walking in the beautiful Stockholm archipelago
From
SKr8395
7 days
ex flights
Scandinavia small group tour
Soak up a little Scandinavian minimalism
From
£4680 to £5255
21 days
ex flights
Lapland adventure holiday, Northern Lights & Icehotel
A week of winter activities and arctic fun
From
£2449 to £2499
7 days
inc UK flights
Sweden kayaking short break
Solo travellers! Explore the Swedish Archipelago by kayak.
From
€860
5 days
ex flights
Sweden cycling holiday, self guided
Cycle through a landscape of countryside and culture
From
SKr10995
9 days
ex flights
Northern Lights tour, Sweden, Finland & Norway
Visit Sweden, Finland and Norway in a handcrafted itinerary
From
£3315 to £3615
9 days
inc UK flights
Lynx watching and Northern Lights in Swedish Lapland
Watching for Lynx & Northern Lights in Swedish Lapland
From
£2195
7 days
ex flights
Swedish Lapland activity week
Ice-fishing, a husky safari and a snow shoeing
From
£2399 to £2499
7 days
inc UK flights
What we rate & what we don't
Underrated
Wildlife
The stars of Sweden's bestiary are northern predators like bears, Arctic lynx and wolf - stalking elk, reindeer and Arctic hare. But it's a twitcher’s idyll too, from Lapland to Oland. Migratory visitors include crane, eider and goldcrest, while Swedish skies are patrolled by raptors like Gyr falcon, osprey and White-tailed Eagle. Seals, meanwhile, disport themselves along gorgeous rocky shores.
Stockholm archipelago
Officially, around 24,000 islands lie within this unique archipelago – a mecca for kayaking, hiking and swimming spreading 80km out from the capital. Highlights include Stendörren Nature Reserve, gorgeous Uto with its bird-filled woods, seductive beaches and glorious cycle trails, plus historic spots like 17th century Trosa, the Tullgarn Palace and fortress Vaxholm. Traditional floating bathhouses beckon for cool dips.
Ancient history
Alongside Viking mementoes and ravishing medieval towns like Lund, Falkerberg and Visby, Sweden has a host of distinctive ancient sites. Ales Stenar is a Nordic Stonehenge on a sweeping southern coastal headland, near an imposing Bronze Age burial site at Kivik. Bohuslan's Tanum Plain, meanwhile, is a UNESCO-listed natural gallery for eye-popping 3,000-year-old rock carvings – many erotic!
Villages
Sweden does traditional villages as entrancing as the countryside they nestle in. Think red and yellow cottages, cobbled lanes, fishing huts perched by bouldery shores. Eksjo is a symphony in wood, Trosa a historic harbour idyll, Sigtuna a ravishing timewarp dotted with holy ruins. Ornskoldsvik is just one fishing beauty along the atmospheric Hoga Kusten ('High Coast').
Rated
Wilderness
Northern Sweden claims Europe's most remote point, amid lonely mountains and taiga explorable on foot, husky sled or skis. But other spots beckon. Magical archipelagos frame each coast: historic Ostgota in the east, sandy southern Oland, woody Lulea by the west. Bergslagen and Halsingland, meanwhile, offer bear, wolf and elk in the heart of Sweden, just 2-3 hours from Stockholm.
Swedish food
Sweden's larder is renowned for the brilliantly fishy: multiple ways with herring; dazzling crustacea; succulent oysters and mussels; freshwater treats like pike perch; superb caviar - the red Kalix is served at Nobel banquets. Wild herbs and a panoply of berries are foraging favourites, flavouring everything from mains to crispbreads. Add novel meats like moose and reindeer, superb cheeses and potent Swedish aquavits.
Northern Lights
Between October and March, Sweden's vast, sparsely populated northern interior provides optimal conditions to view the aurora light show. Unlike Atlantic Ocean spots like Iceland, the weather is generally clearer too. One of the best places is the Abisko National Park, where the Aurora Sky Station takes advantage of Sweden's driest climate. Snowy expanses and frozen lakes provide beautiful reflectors.
Sami culture
Intriguing human life rivals wildlife in Swedish Lapland (aka Sapmi). Delve traditional culture at vibrant festivals in the Sami capital Jokkmokk. Try indigenous delicacies like elk or reindeer sauced with cloudberry, mopping up the juices with gahkko bread. For deeper engagement, learn to track animals on skis, make wood and textile crafts, or work with ice to build snow homes.
Overrated
Central Stockholm
Stockholm’s forested surrounds and vast archipelago are a multifaceted natural jewel, but much of the city centre is let down by bland corporate architecture, tourist hordes clogging its 57 bridges, traffic swirl and a certain capital city smugness. Many prefer the laidback creative buzz of west coast Gothenburg, the Bohuslan gateway with a fine gourmet scene and industrial can-do edge.
Ice hotel
When first built in 1989, the Ice Hotel near Kiruna was truly cool – a startling igloo palace unlike anything else on Earth, melting away each spring then rebuilt with new twists each winter. 25 years on, it remains a glittery oddity - but distinctive rivals in Norway, Canada, Finland, Japan, Romania and Switzerland now blunt its cachet.
IKEA
IKEA does pleasant-enough pale wood furniture but its giant stores feel like part of a corporate cult that traps you on an inescapable circuit inside a blandly tasteful vision of Scandi design. It's far removed from the mid-century modern dynamic forged in the 1950s and 60s, and continued by contemporary Swedish names like Kasthall and Bjorn Dahlstrom.
Restaurant prices
While not as eye-wateringly expensive as Norway, eating out in Sweden can be tough on your wallet. Always check prices before sitting down in a restaurant, and factor in often high wine costs. For bargain daytime scoffing, avail yourself of widespread dagens lunch (lunch of the day) deals, generally offering a salad, main and drink for a bargain price.
Food, shopping & people
Eating & drinking in Sweden
Fika is more than ‘coffee break’ – it's an institution involving great caffeine, delicious pastries and socialising.
Crayfish star in messy outdoor feasts (kraftskivor) every August, washed down with beer or aquavit – lip-smacking herby schnapps.
Crayfish star in messy outdoor feasts (kraftskivor) every August, washed down with beer or aquavit – lip-smacking herby schnapps.
Herring (sill) is a distinctive delight in Swedish hands – forget prejudices, just try it multiple ways!
Debates on the best Rakmacka (shrimp sandwich) exercise foodie Swedes – though Gothenburg is agreed to have the top contenders.
The popular green-hued cake Prinsesstarta is named after three 1930s Swedish princesses who loved it as much as their compatriots.
Our top Sweden Holiday
Sweden walking holiday, self guided
Self-guided hiking through Stockholm's picturesque countryside
From
SKr10695
8 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2019: 1 Jul, 6 Jul, 8 Jul, 13 Jul, 15 Jul, 20 Jul, 22 Jul, 27 Jul, 29 Jul, 3 Aug, 5 Aug
2019: 1 Jul, 6 Jul, 8 Jul, 13 Jul, 15 Jul, 20 Jul, 22 Jul, 27 Jul, 29 Jul, 3 Aug, 5 Aug
Helpdesk
Hello. If you'd like to chat about Sweden or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help. Rosy & team.
People & language
If Swedish sounded difficult in the films of Ingmar Bergman or TV series like Wallander and The Bridge, don't panic - English is widely spoken. But a few Swedish words are always good.
Hej (‘hay’) is hello, Hej da (‘hay daw’) is goodbye.
Tack (‘tak’) is both please and thanks.
Talar du engelska? (taa-lar doo eng-el-ska) is ‘Do you speak English?’
It is common to remove shoes indoors, so try to wear nice socks!
Nude swimming is widespread - take a cue from the locals and relax.
Hej (‘hay’) is hello, Hej da (‘hay daw’) is goodbye.
Tack (‘tak’) is both please and thanks.
Talar du engelska? (taa-lar doo eng-el-ska) is ‘Do you speak English?’
It is common to remove shoes indoors, so try to wear nice socks!
Nude swimming is widespread - take a cue from the locals and relax.
Gifts & shopping
Handmade wooden Dala horses are a pretty traditional souvenir. They come in various sizes, with small ones starting around £10.Swedish glass is justly renowned, with Kosta Boda perhaps the most famous name. It isn't cheap - but a bowl or vase will add gorgeous Scandi style to any home.
Hand-tufted moss rugs from Urnatur are a beautiful and unusual memento.
A bottle of local aquavit/akvavit will provide a potent cockle-warming reminder of Sweden – the most famous brand is OP Anderson.
Lagom is a concept dear to Swedes – roughly, 'not too much or too little, just the right amount'.
How much does it cost?
Main course in budget restaurant: £9
Half-litre of beer: £5
One-way sleeper train ticket Stockholm to Kiruna: £55
Stockholm archipelago island hopping ferry pass: £37 (five days)
A brief history of Sweden
For a country whose global image is so peaceable, Sweden's modern history has had some dark moments. The street murders of respected Prime Minister Olof Palme in 1986 and Foreign Minister Anna Lindh in 2003 shocked a country priding itself on calmness and tolerance. Its famed neutrality in WW2 also threw up issues as Sweden steered a course between Nazi Germany, Russia and the western Allies. So on one hand, Sweden took in refugees and downed Allied airmen, while saving thousands of Jews from the death camps by sheltering them under the Swedish flag inside “neutral houses” in places like Hungary. On the other, it allowed German forces free passage through its territory to invade Denmark and Norway, and sold key materials to the Nazis until 1944. Best perhaps to acknowledge such acts as real politik spurred by a desire to survive unscathed. Read more
More about Sweden
The best time to visit Sweden is best explained using our temperature & rainfall chart as well as taking a peek at our month by month guide and our cultural pick from the Sweden calendar.
Did you know that Sweden covers an area twice the size of Britain? So if you’re looking to make the most of your time and find out a few of our favourite places to visit in Sweden check out our interactive highlights map and don’t forget to write a postcard.
Our top activities in Sweden aren’t just based around cycling or paddling around the Stockholm archipelago, although that is a rather nice area to start.
Anyone who’s ever been travelling in Sweden with kids will surely testify that the locals just love their little ones and if you’re looking into activities for families in Sweden then read on and find out what our experts recommend for your next family holiday.
Read a few tips from our friends in Sweden as you learn what our experts Maya Rao, Carmen Hamdi and Marcus Eldh have to say with regards to things to do and how to travel safely in Sweden.
Doing your research into Sweden responsible travel issues starts here as we’ve got the low down on why preserving Sami culture, defending human and animal rights, and protecting woodland areas will help you travel better in Sweden.
All our Sweden guides. Find all of our Sweden guides in one place, for particular places in Sweden such as Stockholm or Swedish Lapland. Or perhaps you would like to know more about the different types of holidays we offer such as walking or cycling in Sweden.
Why book with Responsible Travel
Photo credits: [Page banner: Mikael Sundberg] [Is/Isn't: Oscar Nilsson]
[Underrated: Andrea Pokrzywinski]
[Rated: Ville Palmu]
[Overrated: 12019]
[People & language: Familjen Helsingborg]
[How much does it cost?: Vidbynäs Golf Club]
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