From ABBA to IKEA, Pippi Longstocking to The Woman with the Dragon Tattoo, the Nobel Prizes to Ingmar Bergman, Sweden has offered so significantly to the world – and it’s similarly generous to tourists. 

Stretching from the Arctic tundra of Lapland to the fertile farmlands and sandy seashores of Skåne, Europe’s fifth-premier region has something for each individual fascination: fascinating cities, picturesque modest towns, intriguing historic internet sites and pristine, varied nature in just effortless arrive at, no make a difference exactly where you obtain by yourself. Here are some of Sweden’s most unmissable destinations.

Handful of towns blend background, culture and nature as effectively as Stockholm. Founded about 1252, Sweden’s cash straddles 14 islands in which Lake Mälaren fulfills the Baltic Sea. With scenic views galore, unique neighborhoods and abundant eco-friendly room, it’s a fantastic spot to basically wander.

Investigate the winding cobblestone streets of Gamla Stan, stroll alongside the waterfront boulevard Strandvägen, get a boat trip into the gorgeous archipelago or halt for a espresso and pastry at just one of the city’s several cafés. For far more centered sightseeing, Stockholm has endless sights to keep you occupied, from City Hall and the Royal Palace to best-notch museums these kinds of as Skansen, Fotografiska and Vasamuseet.

Sweden’s next city in terms of sizing, Göteborg, as it is recognised domestically, has a laidback west-coastline vibe that sets it apart. Streetcars rattle earlier 17th-century canals, energetic squares and the broad boulevard Kungsportsavenyn, lined with pubs and restaurants.

Together with verdant parks, various going for walks neighborhoods and wonderful buying and eating, Göteborg has an fantastic town history museum and an artwork museum with an outstanding assortment of paintings by Nordic artists. Ship fans will not want to miss out on Maritiman, where by you can climb aboard vessels which includes a historic lightship, a submarine and a destroyer.

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Sandwiched among Göteborg and the Norwegian border, Bohuslän is an attractive combine of lovely coastal landscapes, idyllic compact towns and fascinating background.

Examine the remarkable 17th-century Carlsten Fortress atop Marstrand island, ponder the mysteries of hundreds of historic petroglyphs in the vicinity of Tanum, kayak the fjords close to the region’s many islands, hike a coastal trail or just rest and soak up the all-natural elegance and lively summer atmosphere in picturesque waterfront communities, such as Smögen, Fjällbacka and Grebbestad.

Several spots have formed Sweden’s worldwide impression as a lot as Dalarna, a location abundant in cultural background and custom. The area around Lake Siljan is a centre for people tunes, dance and handicrafts, which includes iconic wood Dala horses, which you can see getting carved and painted by hand at factories in Nusnäs.

In Falun, Sweden’s most vital copper mine, which shut in 1992 soon after running for a thousand decades, is now a intriguing vacationer attraction with underground excursions. Other highlights include the homes of artists Carl Larsson and Anders Zorn and composer Hugo Alfvén. 

Uppsala has been an important heart for learning, religion, society and ability for at the very least 1500 a long time. At Gamla Uppsala, north of the metropolis centre, a few massive royal burial mounds attest to the site’s significance in the 6th century, and its adjacent museum has intriguing reveals about the area’s background.

Sweden’s far north, Lapland is a enormous area, so in which to go depends on your certain interests. Looking for majestic alpine surroundings and wilderness hiking? The location has both in spades, including several countrywide parks and a single of the world’s great extended-length trails, Kungsleden. 

Hoping to see the Northern Lights? Abisko Countrywide Park is especially renowned for ideal aurora situations, however you will have superb chances all over northern Sweden in autumn and winter season.

Want an uncommon lodge knowledge? Head to the Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi or Treehotel in Harads. Want to find out about Scandinavia’s indigenous men and women? Jokkmokk is one thing of a Sámi funds, with an intriguing cultural museum, Ájtte, and a lively yearly wintertime sector. 

Among Härnösand and Örnsköldsvik, the High Coast has been rising steadily because the end of the final Ice Age, elevating the historical shoreline as considerably as 286m (938ft) previously mentioned the current-day coast. Climbing trails, a chairlift and a via ferrata lead to the top of Skuleberget, which has panoramic sights.

Head to Skuleskogen Nationwide Park for far more hiking trails showcasing the region’s fascinating geology, or discover the beautiful islands just offshore, including Ulvön and Trysunda. More south the E4 highway crosses Sweden’s longest suspension bridge an overlook at the north close offers sights of the impressive framework.

Earlier a Danish county, Skåne only became a long term element of Sweden in 1658, and the region’s one of a kind historical past is apparent in its unique dialect and in the fifty percent-timbered homes of its medieval cities and cities, these types of as Lund and Ystad. Malmö, Sweden’s 3rd-biggest town, is an eclectic blend of record, lifestyle and chopping-edge architecture, which includes the iconic Turning Torso. 

Skåne also has remarkable normal magnificence, from the white-sand beach locations of Österlen and the jagged shoreline of Kullaberg to deep forests and golden agricultural landscapes with extensive skies, and its lots of splendid castles and palaces include Sofiero, recognised for its attractive gardens. 

To the west is Glasriket, a forested location known as the Kingdom of Crystal, that is dwelling to additional than a dozen numerous glassworks, in which you can observe artisans work, store at organization outlets and potentially even attempt your possess hand at glassblowing. The most renowned, Kosta Boda, dates from 1742.

Future doorway, the Kosta Boda Artwork Hotel has stunning artwork glass in all places, together with a stunning blue-glass bar. For a totally diverse design and style, head to Malerås, which makes distinctive painted and engraved artwork glass.

A hotly contested hub of Baltic trade for hundreds of years, Sweden’s major island is dotted with sheep farms, fishing villages, historic ruins, medieval churches and sea stacks (raukar) carved by the things into fantastical shapes. Charming Visby, the premier town, has one particular of Scandinavia’s ideal-preserved medieval cores, a mainly intact city wall and an fantastic museum tracing the island’s heritage.

A short free of charge ferry trip from Gotland’s northeastern idea lies gorgeous, windswept Fårö, beloved by director Ingmar Bergman. Off Gotland’s west coastline, the island of Stora Karlsö is well-known for its massive seabird colonies.

Just a bridge away from Kalmar, the lengthy, slender island of Öland is a world aside in terms of landscape and mother nature. Southern Öland has starkly wonderful surroundings, with stone partitions, wildflowers, windmills and rocky pastures. In the north lie Böda Sand, a impressive, massively common seashore, and Trollskogen, a magical forest with pine trees twisted by the factors into fantastical styles.

Two scenic lighthouses, Långe Erik and Långe Jan, punctuate the island’s northern and southern recommendations respectively. Other highlights include things like the impressive ruins of 17th-century Borgholms Castle and the lush park at Solliden Palace, the royal family’s summer season house. Öland is also a person of Sweden’s top birdwatching locations, with numerous character reserves that entice equally resident and migratory species.