Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [0]
Destination Sweden
Getting Started
Events Calendar
Itineraries
History
The Culture
Food & Drink
Environment
Outdoor Activities
Stockholm
Southeast Sweden
Southern Sweden
Southwest Sweden
Central Sweden
Northern Sweden
Lappland & the Far North
Directory
Transport
Health
Language
Glossary
The Authors
Behind the Scenes
Legend
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Destination Sweden
There’s something almost otherworldly about Sweden – and we mean that in the most flattering way possible. It’s just a bit skewed, a bit removed from the norm, and one gets the sense that Sweden likes being that way. For travellers, too, it’s a delight to visit somewhere that, while it may not look terribly outlandish, still feels distinctly and wonderfully foreign.
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FAST FACTS
Population: 9.1 million
GDP (2007 estimate):
US$300.2 billion; per
capita US$41,100
Inflation: 0.9%
Unemployment: 2.5%
Labour force (2008 estimate): 4.4 million
Literacy rate: 99%
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This sense of strangeness is partly a result of Sweden’s out-there position on the map. But there’s more at work than geographical isolation. Sweden’s literature and cinema favour a weighty, Gothic sense of drama blended with gallows humor and stark aesthetics – all of which, in some form, at some point, will confront the visitor. For instance, it’s hard not to see something faintly hilarious, yet also quite lonely and sad, in the image of a single reindeer wandering crookedly along an all-but-abandoned Lappland highway in the murk of a winter afternoon. There’s also something poignant about a capital city that’s so far from the middle of anything, yet is so determined to be the centre of everything. Regardless of how it presents itself, the visitor will notice a particular tone in Sweden that hints at many things: depth of feeling, awareness of doom, absence of sentimentality, strength of principle, avoidance of conflict, a somber conviction that certain things simply matter. Of course, such intangibles won’t likely make it into your post-trip slide show, but nevertheless the mysterious Swedish sensibility enhances every aspect of a traveller’s experience.
It’s an exciting time to visit Sweden, too – the small country with its long history of consistent moderation just happens to be in the middle of a whirlwind of change. Swedish music, fashion, film, art and food couldn’t be more vibrant, and it’s even shaking things up in the often rather stolid world of politics. Don’t miss the chance to get in while it’s hot.
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Getting Started
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WHEN TO GO
COSTS & MONEY
TRAVELLING RESPONSIBLY
TRAVEL LITERATURE
INTERNET RESOURCES
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Travel in Sweden is extremely easy, and a bit of advance planning can help smooth over any rough patches. Historically an expensive place to travel, it’s now more or less in line with the UK in terms of cost. Still, booking ahead for accommodation and transport within the country will help save money, and look into discount travel cards for the major cities before you leave (Click here). Once you arrive, you will find the cities easy to get around and well serviced by public transport, with almost everywhere wheelchair-accessible.
WHEN TO GO
Despite its north European location, Sweden isn’t as cold as you might expect. The south has a year-round temperate climate and summer can be quite warm in the north. Sweden is at its best during summer and autumn (late May to September), but hikers and campers may wish to avoid the peak of the mosquito season (June and July). Due to the country’s high latitude, daylight hours are long in summer. Malmö gets 17½ hours of daylight at midsummer, and Sundsvall has constant light during the second half of June, but you have to travel north of the Arctic Circle to experience the true ‘midnight sun’: in Kiruna, the sun remains above the horizon for 45 days (31 May to 14 July).
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See Climate Charts for more information.
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Swedes are big on holidays, and even Stockholm shuts down