Officially a royal kingdom (Carl XVI Gustaf rules), Western Europe's third-largest country extends from the Arctic Circle down to Skane.
It's nature's wonderland and an ideal weekend destination, within easy reach of the UK and Ireland. Several airlines offer cheap flights to Sweden. Home to moose, deer, bear, elk and fox and in its waters, salmon and salmon trout, it is covered in forest, studded with lakes, and has thousands of islands and skerries off its coasts.
The aurora borealis lights up the sky in the far north and, in the south, the island of Öland receives more sun than anywhere else in Sweden. Up north, Lapland is home to the native Scandinavians, the Sami people. Down south, Skåne has 400km of white sandy beaches. Even its largest cities - Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo - are clean and green.
The Swedes' appreciation of nature is wrapped up in the idea of Allemansrätten, which gives people the right of public access. This soul-enriching philosophy is matched by a couple of belly-filling concepts: fika, which means to have coffee and cake, and smorgasbord, a spread of small dishes including herring, meatballs, salads, eggs, bread and potatoes.
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The climate in Sweden is milder than it should be (as far as its latitude is concerned). The Gulf Stream has a warming effect, and Norway shields Sweden from the worst of the weather. The south has a warm, temperate climate, although the weather in the south west of the country – from Gothenburg to Malmo – is influenced by the ocean. On the east coast, the Baltic Sea often freezes in winter (see trip skating, below) and is much colder. In the north, the climate is sub-Arctic.
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Peak Season:
The geographical position means that most of Sweden has very long days in summer and very short days in winter. The best time to search for flights to Sweden visit is between June and August. Spring and autumn can also be pleasant. North of the Arctic Circle, there are 24 hours of sun in midsummer and 24 hours of twilight in midwinter.
Sweden celebrates Midsummer, the summer solstice, in a big way. Walpurgis Night on April 30 is a night for lighting bonfires to ward off evil spirits. The feast of Saint Lucia the light giver, who fed famine-stricken Sweden centuries after her death, (so legend says) falls on December 13 and marks the start of Christmas.
Off Season:
Winter (November to March) is unsurprisingly off season.
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There are several airlines offering domestic Sweden flights. These include Skyways, SAS, Direktflyg, FlyNordic, Malmo Aviation and Gotlandsflyg.
The rail network is extensive. SJ is Sweden's largest railway company and offers inter-city trains and overnight sleeper trains. Other rail companies include Tagkompaniet, BK Tag, Connex and Inlandsbanan.
Swebus Express is the largest bus operator, which serves 300 destinations throughout Sweden.
Car rental is available at airports. The motorways and roads are well-maintained and it is possible to drive the length of the country.
For a different way of seeing the country, there is the Gota Canal, which has 58 locks and 47 bridges. It runs from Mem/Soderkoping on the Baltic Sea to Sjotorp at Lake Vanern. There are also ferries that run along the coast – the Stockholm archipelago, the islands of Gotland and Oland and the West coast.
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- From about November, the Baltic Sea freezes around the islands off the coast around Stockholm and the Swedes go skating. "Trip skating" is a very popular sport. Skaters can cover up to 200km (124 miles) a day. Less-experienced skaters should hire a local guide to take them onto the open ice.
- Gotland in the Baltic Sea is Sweden's largest island. Visby is the capital, considered to be the best-preserved medieval town in Scandinavia. It dates from the 10th century. Of most interest there is the ring wall that encircles the town and its “saints” ruins including St Mary Cathedral. In total, there are the ruins of 23 churches and abbeys. In August, Visby goes back in time to 1361 (when it was a powerful Hanseatic town) for the Medieval Week. During the week there are tours and talks, markets, mystery plays and a jousting tournament.
- Tanum in western Sweden is where you will find ancient rock carvings depicting men, ships and animals (including reindeer). The rock carvings are Unesco World Heritage sites and date from the Bronze Age. There is a famous rock in Vitlycke that is more than seven metres (23 feet) high and 20 metres (65 feet) long.
- Dala Horses are the souvenir to bring back from Sweden. The small wooden horses, usually painted red with colourful harness and other details, hail from the province of Dalarna. Tourists can visit workshops there to see how the horses are carved and painted. The world’s biggest "Dalahast" stands near Avesta. Unveiled in 1989, it is 13 metres (42 feet) high.
- Abisko National Park is in Norrbotten County in the north. Things to see include the Abisko Canyon and Mount Nuolja, which can be scaled by chair-lift (runs year-round). From the mountain, tourists can experience the midnight sun between May 27 and July 18.
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Stockholm Arlanda Airport (STO) is 42km (26 miles) north of the city.
Gothenburg Landvetter Airport (GOT) is 24km (15 miles) east of the city.
Malmo Sturup Airport (MMX) (website: www.lfv.se) is 32km (20 miles) east of the city.
Malmo City Hovercraft (HMA), 200m (650ft) from the Central Station, is now the city’s main terminal for international air passengers using the hovercraft service operated by SAS which connects with flights at Copenhagen Airport.
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The borderless region known as the Schengen area includes the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. All these countries issue a standard Schengen visa that, in principal, allows the holder to travel freely within the borders of all. All visitors are required to have visible means of support.
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British nationals may enter Sweden with a valid passport, and no visa is necessary for passport-holders endorsed British Citizen or British National Overseas, for a stay of up to three months in any six-month period. Other British passports require a visa.
Irish nationals require a valid passport, but no visa is necessary for a stay of up to three months in any six-month period.
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