SWEDEN

Sweden is the country of the Nobel Prize; Greta Garbo and Ingmar Bergman; Electrolux and Ericsson. A country which is close enough to continental Europe to be very much a part of the mainstream, yet far enough north to actually jut into the Arctic Circle. Sweden is known for its lovely lakes (a staggering 100,000 of them!), its mountains, its forests and the sheer beauty of the countryside. It is also known for the fact that it has managed to preserve a strictly neutral foreign policy despite two World Wars.

Long shunned by travellers on a shoestring budget, Sweden is now somewhat more affordable- although not yet exactly cheap. But paying the odd kronor or two extra, just to be able to feast your eyes on the beautiful countryside, swig some of the excellent aquavit and party all night in Stockholm’s nightclubs is all quite worth it, as you will see!

Capital: Stockholm

Best time to visit:

  1. Winter, unless you’re fond of snow and ice, is not a good time to visit Sweden, moreover as a lot of tourist attractions- and some accommodation facilities, including youth hostels- close down during this period.
  2. If you do decide to visit Sweden in the winter, try and limit your itinerary to the larger towns, and plan your trip well in advance.
  3. Sweden is at its best during the summer months, May to August, although August can be pretty rainy and hot. June is the time when the tourist season reaches its peak, and is the best time to see much of the country.

Min Days Required:  5 days

Places of Interest:

  1. Stockholm – Skansen, Gamla Stan, Stockholm Palace, ABBA : The Museum, The Drottningholm Palace, Vasa
  2. Gothenburg – Liseberg, Universeum, Viking, Majorna, Hisingen. Skansen Kronan

Climate:

  1. Sweden is on the edge of the Arctic Circle (part of the country actually falls within it), so it’s hardly a surprise that heavy snows, icy breezes and subzero temperatures are very much a part of life for the Swedes, especially those living in Norrland.
  2. The polar climate is, however, somewhat tempered by the passage of the warm Gulf Stream in the waters around the Scandinavian Peninsula. Precipitation occurs both in the summer, particularly in August, which can get quite wet, as well as in the winter in the form of snow.
  3. An important feature of Sweden’s climate is the pronounced difference in the length of days and nights through the years.
  4. During the summer, nights are restricted to a few hours of semi-darkness, whereas in winters, the days are usually just a few hours of half-light.

Currency:Swedish Krona

Things to carry:

  1. Everything you’re likely to need – including medicines, cosmetics, toiletries and the like, are easily available in Sweden, although you might like to stock up beforehand if you’re headed for the wilds or other out-of-the-way places.
  2. Even if you’re going to be staying in large cities, it’s advisable to carry extra supplies of any special medicines you might be using; the same goes for special brands of toiletries and cosmetics, if you’re choosy about what you use.
  3. Summers across Sweden are generally quite pleasant, but winters can be freezing, so carry lots of woolens (and an umbrella) if you’re visiting in the winter.

How to get there:

Air:

  1. Sweden’s main airport is Arlanda, which is about half an hour’s drive from Stockholm.
  2. The airport is linked to most European capitals, with flights coming in almost daily.
  3. If you’re coming to Sweden from outside Europe, you have two options: you can catch a flight to one of the European airports which has flights to Arlanda; or you can come to Copenhagen (which has links from Asian and North American cities), and then get a connecting flight to Arlanda.