Sweden Travel Tips and Holiday Guide

Swedish tourist attractions include trendy Stockholm and its shops, restaurants and culture, the Midnight Sun and the Northern Lights in Lapland and the gorgeous islands in the Swedish archipelago. Here are some tips to help plan a holiday in Sweden.

Best Ways to Travel to Sweden

Stockholm is the main air travel hub in Sweden and SAS is the national carrier. There are daily flights to Stockholm from several cities in Europe and Finnair provides connections via Helsinki. Many European budget airlines fly to Sweden, sometimes to smaller airports.

Ferries operate between Sweden and Finland, Denmark, Norway, Germany and several other European countries. There are train services from other parts of Europe and Eurolines offers coach trips from several European cities.

The Öresund bridge connects Copenhagen in Denmark to Malmö, Sweden’s third largest city, and makes travel by train and car between Sweden and Denmark easy and fast.

The modern and efficient train network makes travel around the country easy and comfortable. Boats and ferries operate between Sweden’s islands and on its lakes and canals.

Tips for Planning a Holiday

The best time to view the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) is between September and March and the best place to see them is the northernmost part of Lapland, above the Arctic Circle.

To experience the Midnight Sun in Sweden, the best time to travel is from late June to around mid-July. In Kiruna, in the north of the country, the sun does not set at all in June and July.

The busiest holiday times in Scandinavia are late June, July and August, and Christmas is another peak season. During the busiest season accommodation and flights can be much more expensive than outside the peak times.

Practical Tips for Visitors

The Swedish currency is the krona (SEK) and there are 100 öre to one krona.

Standard of life in Sweden is one of the highest in the world and like the rest of Scandinavia, it is an expensive holiday destination. Hotels are generally of a high standard, and there are some unique hotels in Sweden including the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi near Kiruna. A summer holiday in a cottage by a lake or on one of the beautiful islands is an unforgettable experience.

For budget travellers, youth and family hostels (vandrarhem) offer affordable accommodation. There are also campsites in gorgeous spots around Sweden.