Tours in Sweden
Discover the Destination
Sweden is a country that rewards curiosity. It stretches over 1,500 kilometres from the beech forests of Skåne in the south to the Arctic fells of Lapland, which means you can spend a morning in a design store in Stockholm and, a day later, be watching reindeer move across open tundra. Few countries in Europe offer such range in a single trip.
Stockholm alone is built across fourteen islands, with the medieval alleys of Gamla Stan on one side of the water and the cafés and galleries of Södermalm on the other. Beyond the capital, Gothenburg serves some of the best seafood on the Baltic coast, the walled town of Visby on Gotland looks much as it did in the Hanseatic era, and the archipelago scatters some 30,000 islands into the sea east of the city. Everywhere, the allemansrätten — the right of public access — means the forests, lakes and shorelines are genuinely open to everyone.
Timing your visit depends on what you're after. Summer brings long, light evenings and the best conditions for island-hopping and coastal walking, with June and July the warmest months. Autumn is quieter and cheaper, with the forests turning colour. Winter is the season for Lapland — the northern lights, dog sledding, and the ice hotel at Jukkasjärvi — though days in the far north are very short. Spring is the shoulder season: fewer visitors, mild weather, and lower prices in the cities.
Available Tours
- Baltic Sea Treasures in 10 days — 10 days, from €1445
- Capital: Stockholm
- Population: 10,6 million
- Currency: Swedish krona (SEK, kr)
- Area: 450,295 sq km
- Time Zone: CET (UTC+1)
Taste of the Country
Köttbullar
Swedish meatballs done properly — with cream sauce, lingonberry jam and pickled cucumber. Order them at least once.
Gravlax
Salmon cured with salt, sugar and dill, sliced thin and served with sweet mustard sauce. A smörgåsbord staple.
Kanelbulle
The Swedish cinnamon bun, spiced with cardamom and topped with pearl sugar. Essential to fika, the daily coffee break.
Räksmörgås
An open sandwich piled high with hand-peeled prawns, egg and dill on dark bread. Far more substantial than it sounds.
Prinsesstårta
Sponge, jam, vanilla custard and whipped cream under a dome of pale green marzipan. Sweden's celebration cake.
Toast Skagen
Prawns folded through dill and crème fraîche on fried bread, topped with roe. A classic Swedish starter.
Cities to Explore
What to Bring Home
- Dala horse (dalahäst) — The hand-carved red wooden horse from Dalarna, painted with floral kurbits patterns. Sweden's most recognisable folk object.
- Swedish glass — Glassware from Kosta Boda and Orrefors, made in Småland's Kingdom of Crystal. Everything from drinking glasses to signed art pieces.
- Salty liquorice (salmiak) — An acquired taste Swedes are devoted to. Hard to find outside the Nordics, so buy more than you think you need.
- Swedish design textiles — Table linen and homeware from Svenskt Tenn, including Josef Frank's floral prints. Travels flat in a suitcase.