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| General Information |
| Sweden is the third largest country in
western Europe. If turned on its axis it would reach all the way down
to Rome! Thanks to it's long, narrow shape and northerly location, the
landscape is extremely varied, from an ever-changing coastline stretching
for thousands of kilometres from Haparanda to Norway, countless lakes
and waterways, deep pine forests in the north and romantic birch forests
in the south, majestic mountains and glaciers, wide open countryside,
idyllic small villages and colourful cities such as Stockholm, Sweden's
capital city. Southern Sweden is made up of four counties: Skåne, Blekinge, Halland and Småland. The southernmost county is Skåne, famous for its beech forests, golf courses, castles and manor houses, and home to Sweden's third largest city, Malmö. Blekinge is a small county, known as the Garden of Sweden and renowned for small fishing villages and a beautiful archipelago. Halland is famous for endless sandy beaches and Småland is the kingdom of crystal and home to Pippi Longstocking. West Sweden encompasses the regions of Bohuslän, Dalsland andVästergötland. The friendly city of Gothenburg is an obvious starting point from which to explore the region. North of the city you will find Bohuslän, famous for its idyllic fishing villages, wonderful fish and seafood and historic stone carvings. Eastern Sweden is made up of the island provinces of Öland and Gotland, as well as Östergötland. Öland is reached by bridge from hanseatic town Kalmar. Long sandy beaches and unique landscape ensure that everyone can enjoy a wonderful holiday here, including the Swedish royal family who have their summer residence here. The larger island also has great beaches, as well as the unique raukar - stone statues formed by the elements of nature. No visit to Gotland would be complete without a trip to its main town, Visby, a well-preserved medieval hanseatic walled town. Back on the mainland, attractions in Östergötland include Northern Europe's largest animal park, Kolmården. Central Sweden Sweden is a dream region for those interested in culture.The attractions and entertainment you'll find in the capital, Stockholm, give other European cities a run for their money.; Värmlands deep forests are perfect for active holidays, while Dalarna is known as Sweden's folklore district, from where famous artists such as Anders Zorn and Carl Larsson drew their inspiration.; Södermanland is known for its manor houses, Närke for its interesting capital, Örebro, and in Västmanland and Uppland you will find a rich variety of cultural and historical attractions. Northern Sweden accounts for half of Sweden in terms of area - even though only one-seventh of the country's population lives there. It's a vast region of wide open spaces, majestic mountains, pure air, fresh water and magnificent views. The area is perhaps best known for the Midnight Sun, the Northern Lights and the Sami culture. It's also ideal for outdoor activities like walking, fishing and exciting adventures with snow scooter or dog-sledge. In addition to the gigantic area of Lapland, northern Sweden includes several provinces, each with its distinctive character. The most southerly is Gästrikland, one of Sweden's smallest provinces, with the region's oldest town, Gävle, on its coastline. The blue mountains and countless lakes of Hälsingland attract many visitors who enjoy active holidays like walking, fishing or cycling. The lavishly-built and richly-decorated farms of Hälsingland are well worth seeing, as well as major folk-dance events like the annual Hälsinge Hambo which attracts more than 1,000 dancing couples in colourful costumes. Medelpad and Ångermanland have some magnificent scenery, not least along the so-called High Coast, where the mountains plunge right down into the sea. Sundsvall is the largest town in the north, with a summer carnival, concerts, outdoor cafés and busy shops. The area also has many cultural landmarks and ancient rock carvings, and you can sample the prehistoric lifestyle in Gene Fornby, a reconstructed Iron Age village. Keen skiers head for the mountains in Jämtland and Härjedalen during the winter, while summer visitors are attracted by the walking, canoeing, white-water rafting, climbing or mountain-biking. Ski resorts like Åre and Funäsdalen have also become something of a summer paradise, not only for those looking for some strenuous activities but also for families and anyone just wanting to relax in a magnificent landscape. Västerbotten and Norrbotten stretch north along the Gulf of Bothnia, and it is here that you can discover the "Nordic Riviera", which often boasts more hours of sunshine than anywhere else in Sweden. The inland area has magnificent mountain ranges, rivers and spectacular waterfalls. Swedish Lapland, the Land of the Midnight Sun, is the home of the Lapps - or the Sami as they call themselves - who have their own culture and their own language. In Lapland you can drink crystal-clear mountain water direct from sparkling streams and enjoy walking through a majestic, silent mountain landscape along the popular Kungsleden trail and other long-distance paths. There's midsummer skiing at Riksgränsen, and in the winter you can go on safari with a snow scooter or a dog sledge, staying at the famous Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi - the hotel which is rebuilt with blocks of ice every winter and melts away again when spring comes! Geography Size: 449 964 km2 (Of which 54% forested, 16% mountainous, 8% agricultural land and 9% water). Length: 1574 km Width: 499 km Highest peak: Kebnekaise 2111 metres. Climate Average temperature: January / July Malmö: - 0,2°C / + 16,8°C Stockholm: - 2,8°C / + 17,2°C Kiruna: - 16,0°C / + 12,8°C Daylight hours: January / July Malmö: 7 hours / 17 hours Stockholm: 6 hours / 18 hours Kiruna: 0 hours / 24 hours Population Size: 8,9 million Stockholm/surroundings: 0,7/1,8 million inhabitants Göteborg/surroundings: 0,5/0,8 million inhabitants Malmö/surroundings: 0,25/0,5 million inhabitants Non-Swedish citizens: 6% Citizens born outside Sweden: 10,6% Population density: 20 inhabitants/km2 Average life expectancy: Men 76,1 years, women 81,1 years. Language: Swedish Religion: 87% Lutheran church State State: Constitutional monarchy. Head of State: King Carl XVI Gustaf (since 1973). Prime Minister: Göran Persson, Social Democratic minority government since March 1996. Getting There : The main international airport is Arlanda, half an hour's bus ride north of Stockholm. There are daily services to and from most European capitals. Most flights from North American and Asian centres fly through Copenhagen where you may have to change planes. An airport departure tax of Skr95 is included in ticket prices. Buses and trains link up with ferries to provide services to and from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Germany, Poland, Estonia and the UK. Swedish ports of entry include Gothenburg, Helsingborg, Malmö and Stockholm, although ferries from northwest Finland head straight for Umeå and Skellefteå in northern Sweden and services to Germany leave from Trelleborg. Getting Around Daily domestic flights crisscross the country, but Sweden's extensive bus and train systems render flying unnecessary unless you're really pressed for time. Trains are the basis of Swedish transport outside cities, serving regional centres more quickly than buses. Buses are often the only option once you get off the beaten track. Swedish roads are of a high standard, marred only by their popularity with moose, reindeer and elk around dawn and dusk. You need only a recognised full licence to drive in Sweden: an international licence is unnecessary unless you want to rent a car. Women should ask for discounts (tjejtaxa) in Stockholm taxis at night. The motorways are not open to cyclists but the long, specially designed and scenic cycle routes are better anyway. Archipelago boats sail around Stockholm and Gothenburg, and steamers on lakes such as Vättern, Siljan and Torneträsk in Lapland make popular summer cruises and handy links if you are cycling or walking. Skippering your own boat can be perilous, given the dramatic changes in water level. Expect to encounter difficulties upon the slightest divergence from marked channels. Attractions : Lapland Lapland is regarded as the largest intact wilderness in Europe covering a quarter of the total area of Sweden yet with only 5% of the population. Lapland is probably best known as the home of Santa Claus, indeed a visit to Santa World at Mora in Dalarna is what most children dream of. Lapland is both an inviting as well as a magical and unusual place. There are plenty of outside adventures to be had - climb Sweden's highest peak, Kebnekaise; walk in the national parks of Sarek and Padjelanta; or try cross-country dog-sledding, snow-mobiling and skiing. Stay in the Ice Hotel at Jukksjärvi, a very unusual experience! Skokloster Slott Castle Skokloster Slott Castle is a magnificent 17th-century castle as well as being one of the most fascinating baroque museums in Europe. It is renowned for its unusual interiors as well as its vast collections of paintings, furniture, applied art, tapestries, arms and books. The castle also houses a restaurant, conference facilities and an automobile museum. The Viking Town of Birka Birka is situated on a lush island in Lake Mälaren, about 18 miles from Stockholm. It was a major port over 1,200 years ago. A new museum houses finds from extensive excavations around the site. Visit the museum and see how the Vikings lived. The Hanseatic town of Visby A former Viking site on the island of Gotland, Visby was the main centre of the Hanseatic League of the Baltic from the 12th to the 14th century. Its 13th-century ramparts and more than 200 warehouses and trading establishments from the same period make it the best preserved fortified commercial city in Northern Europe. Gripsholm Castle Gripsholm Castle is located in the small town of Mariested on Lake Maaleren outside Stockholm. A stunning renaissance castle, it was first built in 1540. The castle contains exceptional Renaissance interiors as well as a theatre and the world's oldest and largest portrait collections. Sareks National Park The enchanted landscape of Sareks National Park plays hosts to over 100 glaciers as well as mountains reaching over 2,000m. It should only be experienced with the help of a guide unless you’re an expert in outdoor survival. The best views are over the lake and delta of Laiture on the Rapa älv, near the eastern edge of the park. Öland Öland is a tiny island boasting many ruins, fortifications and nearly 400 windmills! The biggest Iron-Age ring fort on the island, Gråborg - with a diameter of 200m - is an incredible sight. Nearby, Eketorp has been partly reconstructed as a museum to show what a fortified medieval village must have looked like. Equally impressive are the ruins of Borgholm Castle which was eventually burned and abandoned early in the 18th century. Also prominent are the lighthouses at the northern and southern tips of the island. Öland is reached from Kalmar via a 6000m bridge - the longest in Europe. Öland is a popular place to celebrate Midsummer. Old Uppsala Located just outside modern day Uppsala, Old Uppsala is regarded as the most important prehistoric monument in Sweden and the cradle of Swedish civilization. The three "Kungshögarna" or royal mounds are situated on a ridge and can be seen from miles away. There is a cairn in the centre of each mound where the actual grave was situated. The dead king was burned on a funeral pyre together with his grave gifts which generally included jewellery and gold. There is information provided nearby in numerous languages in addition to an exhibition. A fascinating site, there is plenty of interpretive material on site to guide you through the long and interesting history of the area. The Kingdom of Crystal The Kingdom of crystal is located in the province of Småland, in southeastern Sweden. Many of the world’s most famous glassworks can be found here. The Kingdom of Crystal came into existence when the first batch of glass was melted at Kosta in 1742. Kosta is now the oldest glasswork in Sweden and is still making handmade glass. In the Glasshouse see the glass-workers work in front of the furnaces. This trip is a must, especially if you are looking for bargains in crystal treasures. Stockholm click here to preview attractions place in stockholm ... Shopping Guide : Ceramics There is excellent ceramics production in Sweden. At many factories, you can make real findings. These ceramics can also be bought in most glass stores and department stores. Cigarettes and tobacco There are a whole range of Swedish, American and English cigarette brands in Sweden. Cigars of a variety of brands are commonly bought at tobacconists. Tobacco can be bought almost everywhere. For specific blends, go to a tobacco shop. Clothing You can buy a whole range of foreign branded clothes and shoes. There are plenty of boutiques, as well as department stores. Clothings and shoes can be found at a variety of prices. Glass Art There is excellent glass production in Sweden. At glassworks, especially in Sm?land, you may make a real find. These works of art, as well as other glass goods, such as plates, drinking glasses, bowls, and the like, can also be bought in most glass stores and department stores. Wooden arts There is excellent wood production especially in the northern parts of Sweden. These works of art, as well as other wooden goods, can be bought either at the location where they are made, or in most department stores. Food and Drink : Eating Out Sweden has attained an international reputation for culinary excellence in recent years and standards are high at all levels. Emphasis is placed on high-quality natural ingredients - notably fresh, pickled and smoked seafood (particularly herring, crayfish, salmon, eel) and game meats such as elk and reindeer. The famous Swedish smörgåsbord is rather less common these days, but most hotels offer a smörgåsbord-style breakfast and if you're there before Christmas you may wish to sample the traditional "julbord" (Christmas buffet). Today's multicultural society has also resulted in a wide variety of ethnic restaurants and an exciting "crossover" style in which traditional Swedish dishes are reinvented with new foreign influences. You will also find all the usual fast-food outlets and pizzerias, and if you're after a good value, tasty snack, you're never far from a hot dog stand selling popular "varmkorv" (from just SEK 10) Typical meal prices: Reckon on paying about SEK 300-500 for a three-course meal with wine in a medium-price restaurant. Value for money: A "Dagens rätt" (dish of the day) is available in most restaurants at lunchtime, which is served from about 11am to 2pm. It costs from about SEK 50 for a main course (often with a choice), bread and butter, salad, soft drink and coffee. There are plenty of cafés and cafeterias for lighter snacks. Drinking The main alcoholic drink is lager/pilsner type beer, available in five strengths. The strongest is "starköl", with a strength of 5.6% alcohol by volume, while light beer (lättöl) is less than 2.8%. Wines, spirits and strong beer are sold only through the State-owned Systembolaget, with branches all over the country open from Monday to Friday. Light beer can be bought at normal grocery shops and supermarkets. Wine prices are on a par with the UK but spirits are rather more expensive because of high excise duty. Minimum age for buying alcoholic beverages is 20 at Systembolaget, 18 at pubs and bars. Buying Food Some foodstuffs may be more expensive than in the UK, but out-of-town supermarkets offer excellent value for money and there are always plenty of special offers. |
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