Introducing Sweden
The midnight sun, the snowbound winters, meatballs, herring, Vikings and Volvos, ABBA and the Hives - whatever your pre-existing notions about Sweden may be, a visit to this multifaceted country is bound to both confirm and confound them. Though you’re unlikely to be greeted at the shore by throngs of mead-swilling berserkers in longships, evidence of the Vikings and their pillaging days is easy to find. A stroll through the Swedish countryside will often lead to a picnic on some ancient king’s burial mound. Cycling routes frequently pass through fields crowned with ship-shaped stone graves. In cities and alongside roadways, rune stones staunchly declare the historical equivalent of ‘Ingmar was here’. But Sweden’s days as a warlike nation are long gone. Instead, its domestic and international policies serve as models of neutrality and consensus-building. This is, after all, the birthplace of the Nobel Peace Prize. Travellers today are more likely to be slayed by visions of pastoral beauty - intense green countryside, impenetrable forests, little red cottages atop remote islands and, everywhere, Sweden’s famously clear blue water.
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That’s not to say all the excitement ended thousands of years ago - far from it. While tradition reigns in places like Dalarna in the Swedish heartland and the Sami territory up north, much of Sweden today buzzes with a more contemporary energy. A wave of immigration in recent years has added spark and variety to the cultural milieu. Urban centres like Stockholm, Göteborg (otherwise known as Gothenburg) and Malmö consistently churn out cultural artefacts for an international audience (think IKEA, H&M, Absolut Vodka). The Island of Gotland, lying roughly equidistant between Sweden and Latvia, is Sweden's most richly historical area but also has a hip party vibe. Travellers come to Sweden as much for the flash clubs and ground-breaking new restaurants as they do for wilderness hikes and visits to wooden-horse factories.
In short, try the meatballs and dig the Vikings, but don’t stop there - history hasn’t.
Make it happen
Ready to go? These recommended partners make it easy:
- Explore Sweden's estates, lakes and forests by bike
- Go for a Scandinavia Explorer across Sweden, Norway and Finland
- Sail around the Stockholm Archipelago
- Or do it by kayak
- Discover Sweden's exciting Viking history
Last updated: Jan 19, 2012
Tips & articles
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Sweden’s winter Sámi festival
31 January 2012
Despite the chilly temperatures, more than 30,000 people flock to Swedish Lapland every February to revel in the history of...
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A galloping gourmet’s guide to Europe
19 January 2012
From Somerset to Sweden, spend a weekend sampling top quality produce and plonk across the continent.1. Feast on gourmet cuisine...
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Fine tune your table manners
19 January 2012
You think that emptying the bottle into your guest’s glass is polite… little do you know that you just designated...
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Sweden
Things to do
- All things to do (986)
- Activities (91)
- Entertainment (144)
- Restaurants (307)
- Shopping (131)
- Sights (309)
- Tours (4)
Make it happen
Our Top Picks For Sweden
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1 Gamla Stan
Stockholm’s Old Town, a labyrinth you’ll love to get lost in
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2 Lappland
Superior mountain scenery and epic wilderness
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3 Drottningholm Slott
The royal residence, surrounded by sculptured gardens, with echoes of Versailles
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4 Gotland
Pastoral cycling paths and delicious beaches
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5 Visby
Medieval walled city full of partying Swedes on holiday
Fast Facts about Sweden
- Population (estimated July 2005)
Population (estimated July 2005) : 9 million
- Area
449, 964 sq km
- Head of government
Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt
- GDP (2004)
GDP (2004) : US$255.4 billion
- Life expectancy
men 78.19 years, women 82.74 years
- Head of state
King Carl XVI Gustaf
- Inflation rate (2004)
Inflation rate (2004) : 0.4%
- Unemployment rate (2004)
Unemployment rate (2004) : 5.6%
Our favourite Sweden Blogs (beta)
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Getting to and from the airport in Gothenburg (and what to do while you’re there)
Blog: Heather on her travels - 31 January 2012
If you’re flying into Gothenburg you’ll probably land at Landvetter airport if you’re flying with Scandinavian Airlines or British Airways and at the City Airport if you’re flying with Ryanair. Neither airport is very far from the city centre and although you can easily get a taxi, the cheap and efficient way to get into [...]
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Eight Swedish foods to try in Gothenburg – video
Blog: Heather on her travels - 25 January 2012
Gothenburg has a well earned reputation as a gourmet destination offering everything from wonderful seafood to traditional Swedish dishes to cosy cafes to sip a hot chocolate or have a fika break with a strong coffee and cinnamon bun. Here are some of the Swedish tastes that you might enjoy in Gothenburg and West Sweden; [...]
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Chocolate with sea salt – a taste of West Sweden at Flickorna Kanold in Gothenburg
Blog: Heather on her travels - 17 January 2012
On a chilly winter’s day in Gothenburg you might well need a hot chocolate to warm you through and you’ll find the perfect spot in Café Kanold. I might not go so far as to call myself a chocoholic but let’s just say that when there’s a box of chocolates in the house, my husband [...]
