Where to Go in Sweden

Stockholm
Built on a string of islands, Stockholm was founded 700 years ago by King Birger Jarl at the strategic point where the fresh water of Lake Mälaren meets the salt water of the Baltic. A good starting point for an exploration of the city is the ‘Old Town’ (Gamla Stan), a cluster of old buildings and narrow cobbled streets which formed the original Stockholm. The old buildings are beautifully preserved and the main streets, Österlånggatan and Västerlånggatan, are pedestrian precincts with a host of boutiques, handicrafts and antique shops. The Old Town has three churches of historic interest, Storkyrkan and Riddarholm Church, both dating from the 13th century and the German Church with its magnificent Baroque interior. Overlooking the harbor is the Royal Palace, which contains the State Apartments, the Crown Jewels, the Hall of State and Chapel Royal, Royal Armoury and Palace Museum. Within easy reach of the Old Town, in a magnificent setting on the edge of Lake Mälaren, is Stockholm’s elegant City Hall (Stadshuset), inaugurated about 60 years ago. There is a spectacular view of the capital from the top of the 100m (350ft) tower. Another spot for a magnificent view is the observation platform on the Kaknäs communications tower which, at 155m (508ft), is the highest building in Scandinavia.
The island of Djurgården, can be reached either by bus from the city center or by ferry across the busy harbor. The best-known attraction here is the purpose-built Vasa Museum housing the restored 360-year-old wooden warship which was recovered from the depths of Stockholm’s harbor in 1961. Also in Djurgården is Skansen, an open-air folk museum which celebrated its centenary in 1991. It has about 150 traditional buildings from different regions of Sweden, as well as an open-air zoo and an aquarium. Across the road is Gröna Lund, a lively amusement park.
The city boasts over 50 museums. No fewer than eight can be visited in the Djurgården area, including the Nordic Museum (Nordiska Museet), Waldemarsudde House, which was the home of the artist Prince Eugen until 1947, and Liljevalchs Konsthall. The Historical Museum (Historiska Museet) has some priceless treasures and implements from prehistoric Sweden, as well as examples of medieval art. The National Museum is Sweden’s central museum for the national collections of painting, sculpture, applied arts, printing and drawings.
Every visitor to Stockholm should invest in a special discount card, the ‘Stockholm Card’ (Stockholmskortet) which cuts sightseeing and entertainment costs. Cards of longer validity are available at an extra charge, in Stockholm from the Stockholm Visitor's Board (tel: (8) 508 28500; website: www.stockholmtown.com).

Excursions
There is a whole armada of boat excursions on offer. ‘Under the Bridges of Stockholm’ takes a circular tour through part of the harbor as well as Lake Mälaren. A longer trip can be taken out into the archipelago to resorts like Saltsjöbaden, Sandhamn or Vaxholm. Visitors can also take a boat from the City Hall to Drottningholm Palace. The Royal Theater has been preserved in its original 18th-century form and plays are still performed there in period costume. There is also a museum depicting the development of the theater since the Renaissance period.

Gothenburg
The history of Sweden’s second city Gothenburg (Göteborg) is closely tied to the sea. The basic pattern of the city owes much to the Dutch architects who designed it; the spacious streets are laid out at right angles and there is a network of canals. The Nordstaden Kronhuset area houses the oldest building of the city, built in 1643 and now the City Museum. Nearby is Kronhusbodarna, an arts and craft workshop center dating from the 18th century. The Botanical Gardens (Botaniska Trädgården) contain a rock garden regarded as one of the most impressive in the world, with about 3000 species of Alpine plants. In the city center is the beautiful Garden of Trädgårdsföreningen with its Palm House, built in the style of London’s destroyed Crystal Palace. The Liseberg Amusement Park is an ideal spot for children. There are also many museums, such as the Maritime Museum (Sjöfartsmuseet) which illustrates Sweden’s maritime history and the development of its shipbuilding industry.
The Gothenburg Discount Card offering free admission to many tourist attractions can be purchased from the Gothenburg tourist office (tel: (31) 612 500; website: www.goteborg.com/en).

Excursions
One of the best ways of sightseeing in Gothenburg is on one of the famous Paddan boats (30 April-25 September). Departure is from the terminal at Kungsportsplatsen for an hour-long tour under 20 bridges and out into the busy harbor. Another popular boat trip is to the 17th-century Nya Elfsborg Fortress built on an island at the harbor mouth. There are also sightseeing tours of varying duration by bus with an English-speaking guide. A cheap way of traveling around the city is to buy a 24-hour ticket on the tram network. Gothenburg and Stockholm are both starting points for the classic four-day trip through Sweden’s great lakes and the historic Göta Canal.

The Golden Coast
This area is situated in the southwest of Sweden and has vast stretches of beaches, warm sea and holiday resorts reaching for 400km (250 miles) from Laholm in the south to Strömstad in the north. Here there are flat, sandy beaches, bare rocks and fjord-like inlets with meadows stretching down to the seashore and tiny fishing villages.

Halland
This is a long, narrow province strung out along the picturesque west coast. Unlike its northern neighbor, Bohuslän (see below), its landscape is gentle, with mile after mile of long sandy beaches, often fringed with pinewoods. Inland, the scenery changes as it meets the tableland of Småland and the landscape is characterized by a series of ridges and valleys. There are also vast forests and heather-covered moors.
Areas of note are Kungsbacka, a northern market town and the nearby Onsala peninsula, ideal for bathing, sailing and fishing, and Fjärås Bräcka, an unusual gravel ridge formed during the Ice Age. Further south is Varberg, one of Halland’s main coastal resorts, dominated by the 13th-century Varberg Fortress. Other resorts are the port of Falkenberg and Tylösand, with its long sandy beach sheltered by dunes and pine trees. Halland’s capital is the important seaport and industrial town of Halmstad. Warmed by the waters of the Gulf Stream, the west coast is a natural choice for seaside holidays.

Bohuslän
The long narrow province of Bohuslän has countless spots where visitors can enjoy an idyllic holiday in the sun. The coastline is deeply indented and there are hundreds of rocky islands. All along the coast are picturesque villages with their typical red-painted huts where the nets are hung out to dry. The province is also one of the most important centers of ancient Swedish civilization and there are many archaeological relics dating back to the Bronze Age and Viking times.

Excursions
Other towns worth visiting include Bovallstrand, Hunnebostrand, Kungshamn, Lysekil, Smögen and the islands of Orust and Tjörn.

Skåne
At the southernmost tip of Sweden is the province of Skåne, an area of fertile fields and meadows which was ruled by the Danes until 1658. To this day the Skånians have maintained their own distinctive dialect. As a reminder of the days of Danish rule there are more than 200 castles and manors scattered over the province, often forming part of a farm. This region is famous for its food (in particular the smörgåsbord), and the landscape is characterized by rolling fields and pastures and forests but only a few lakes. The best spots for swimming and fishing are along the east, south and west coasts. Inland there are countless small lanes ideal for cycling tours. For golfers, Skåne has some of the finest and most beautifully located courses in Sweden. Other main regional attractions include the medieval town of Lund which has a 12th-century cathedral and 14th-century astronomical clock, Båstad, Falsterbo, Helsingborg, Mölle and Ystad. There is also the Oresund bridge, the world’s longest single bridge carrying both road and railway traffic, which links Denmark and Sweden.

Malmö
Founded in the 13th century, Malmö is Sweden’s third largest city and offers a wealth of parks, gardens, restaurants and a beautiful beach. City sights include the main town squares, Mamöhus Castle and St Petri Church. Konsthallen and Rooseum museums are famous for their art collections. Especially recommended is the ‘Malmö Card’ which can be purchased at the Malmö Tourist Board (tel: (40) 341 200; website: www.malmo.se) and entitles visitors to free travel on local buses, free admission to museums and discounts on a wide variety of purchases.

Småland & Blekinge
In the middle of the 18th century, German immigrants established the province of Småland, north of Skåne, as the home of the Swedish glass-making industry. The ‘kingdom of crystal’ forms only a small part of Småland, a very large province that is also a good holiday country with vast forests, pleasant lakes and winding lanes along which red cottages are dotted. In the province of Blekinge there are large oak forests and softer landscapes. This region has many coastal towns that stretch along the Baltic. The Mörrumsån River is noted for salmon and sea trout and Lake Vättern for char fishing. Boat trips are available to the island of Visingsö on Lake Vättern. High Chaparral is a reconstructed wild west town.
Three-quarters of the Swedish glassworks are found in the counties of Kalmar and Kronoberg. They are located off the beaten track surrounded by vast tracts of forest and attract many visitors each year. Each of the 16 glassworks are open to visitors Mon-Fri 0800-1500, where the craftspeople can be observed and top-quality products can be purchased. Visitors may also be invited to a hyttssill – a traditional evening of entertainment including food of fried herrings, sausages and potatoes baked around the glass furnace, served with beer and schnapps. Most of the works have their own shops.

Gotland and Öland
These are Sweden’s largest islands, situated off the southeast coast in the Baltic Sea. There is more sunshine here than elsewhere, making it a favorite summer holiday spot with the Swedes and, as a result, the beaches are rather crowded. The islands are of particular interest to ornithologists and botanists and there is a wealth of historic sites – there are Stone, Bronze and Iron Age sites on both islands. Several ferries serve both islands and daily coach trips are available to Öland over one of Europe’s longest bridges, starting just outside Kalmar on the mainland. Cycles can be hired on the islands.

Gotland
On Gotland are the Lummelunda Caves with their spectacular stalactites and stalagmites and a preserved medieval town at Kattlundsgård. Visby is the main town.

Öland
On Öland are the royal summer residence at Solliden; Borgholm Castle; a restored medieval church at Gärdslösa; a recently excavated fortified village at Eketorp; and many Viking stones and local windmills. Borgholm is the main town.

Swedish Lakeland
This region comprises the nine provinces of Dalsland, Värmland and Västergötland in the west, Dalarna, Närke and Västmanland in the north, and Östergötland, Södermanland and Uppland to the east. These form a large part of Sweden with a mixture of open water, vast lakes, plains and meadows and large areas of wild natural scenery. The provinces in the west are dominated by Vänern, Sweden’s largest lake, while in the north and east are the lakes of Vättern, Mälaren, Hjälmaren and Siljan as well as the Baltic Sea. The whole region is considered the cradle of Swedish culture, and it is here that the majority of Swedes live. For visitors there is a wide variety of hotels, campsites and country inns.

Excursions
Västergötland has the castle of Läckö, the Trollhättan hydro-electric waterfalls, canoe trips and fishing. Närke contains the Stjerhov Manor, and a 17th-century inn can be visited at Grythyttan in Västmanland. In Dalarna, visitors can meet Father Christmas at the Santaworld theme park. On the island of Sollerön there are Viking graves and in Kolmården there is a zoo and safari park. Gripsholm Castle is in Södermanland. The university city of Uppsala boasts Scandinavia’s largest Cathedral and the Baroque Castle of Skokloster, with a vintage car museum.

The Midnight Sun Coast
The Midnight Sun Coast is a 1500km (900 mile) stretch of Baltic coastline which runs all the way to the Finnish border. In the south are the spruce forests of the province of Gästrikland; immediately to the north of this region is Hälsingland with its spectacular views, extensive lakes and typical wood-built mansions. Forestry has traditionally been the dominant industry of Medelpad, today one of Sweden’s most industrialized areas, although there are plenty of opportunities for visitors who want to fish in unspoilt outback country or rent a cottage in the middle of a countryside rich in prehistoric monuments and relics of ancient cultures.
In the province of Ångermanland is some of Sweden’s most breathtaking scenery, consisting of forests, lakes, islands, fjords and mountains plunging dramatically to the sea. This magnificent district is called the High Coast. Västerbotten offers unspoilt wilderness and the Norrland Riviera coastline is ideal for a relaxed holiday. There are also countless clear lakes and rivers teeming with fish, and excellent roads lead inland to the southern part of Lapland.
Further north along the coast at Lövånger there are hundreds of renovated timber cottages which are rented out to holidaymakers. Nearer the Arctic Circle the air and water temperatures in the summer are much the same as in the Mediterranean and this area has an excellent sunshine record. Norrbotten is a fisherman’s paradise with plenty of mountain streams and sea fishing.

Lapland
The enormous expanse of Lapland, one of Europe’s last wildernesses, covers a quarter of the area of Sweden but has only 5 per cent of the population. It is both inviting and inhospitable: fell-walkers who leave the marked routes do so at their own risk. The best-known route is Kungsleden, which also gives experienced mountaineers the chance to climb Sweden’s highest peak, Kebnekaise. Other favorite areas for walking are the national parks of Sarek and Padjelanta. In the west the mountains soar up towards the Norwegian border and the region experiences rapid changes in the weather.
Jämtland, bordering southern Lapland, has plenty of good hiking and fast-flowing rivers for fishermen. It is known for its skiing. Wildlife is abundant in Härjedalen, with reindeer, buzzard, beaver, lynx and Sweden’s only herd of musk ox.

Excursions
The small northern village of Jukkasjärvi has received international reknown for its sculpted Ice Hotel, constructed from tons of snow and ice from the Torne River. It is rebuilt every winter after the summer thaw but attracts a number of tourists eager to experience the ‘ice beds’ and drinks from the Absolut Icebar. For further information, check online (website: www.icehotel.com). Lapps celebrate their annual church festivals in Gällivare. In Jokkmokk there are collections of Lapp art and culture, and a Lapp Staden, an old village of 70 cone-shaped Lapp huts. Arjeplog has an interesting Lapp museum. Iron Age burial grounds and a medieval church are on the island of Frösö. The cable-car trip from Åre leads up to the summit of Åreskutan. Ski resorts include Åre and Sälen.


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