Sweden tourist attractions: what to see in Sweden

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Sweden is a country with an interesting mix of natural, cultural and historical attractions, the country that is famous for its high standard of living of its inhabitants has been able to reconcile development with the preservation of nature. Sweden has a good variety of landscapes, from Nordic landscapes of Lapland, to the forests and lakes of Southern and Central Sweden, and to the rugged coastline along the Baltic Sea, and along the arms of the North Sea, the Skagerrak and Kattegat.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF SWEDEN: STOCKHOLM

The most popular destination for tourists is the capital Stockholm, built on some islands along the Baltic Sea, is a city full of parks and green, but also modern and functional, which contains a very charming medieval old town. In the immediate vicinity of the capital, 20 km west from the city center, is the royal palace of Drottningholm, which UNESCO has included in the list of World Heritage Sites.

Around Stockholm are other interesting places to visit, such as Uppsala, seat of a famous university with a large cathedral of the thirteenth century, or as the ancient town of Sigtuna, which is considered the oldest city in Sweden, and that still retains much part of its medieval center. You should also visit the archaeological sites of Birka and Hovgarden, where are the ruins of ancient Vikings settlements dating back to a period between the eighth and tenth centuries. Between Stockholm and Gothenburg is a large area of lakes, including the largest lake in Sweden, Lake Vänern, and vast forests.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF SWEDEN: SOUTHERN SWEDEN

In the southern part of Sweden there are several important historical cities, including Gothenburg, the second city of the country, full of parks, museums and life. To the north of Gothenburg begins the coast of Bohuslän, a rocky coast full of bays and islands, and in this area there are also the famous rock carvings in Tanum from the Bronze Age and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

At the southern end of the country is Malmö, located in front of Copenhagen, the city has an interesting historical center with churches and ancient buildings. To the north of Malmö is the beautiful university town of Lund, with an ancient Romanesque cathedral built between the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Ystad, which is located to the east of Malmö, is another picturesque medieval town.

Going back to the north and to Stockholm along the coast of the Baltic Sea we pass near Karlskrona, a city with baroque buildings, and we reach the town of Kalmar, where is one of the most beautiful castles in Sweden, the Kalmar slott, founded in the twelfth century.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF SWEDEN: THE ISLANDS

From Kalmar is possible to visit the long and narrow island of Öland connected by a bridge to the mainland. This island is a popular destination for holiday Swedes, because of its beaches, and its bucolic landscape, dotted with ancient windmills and prehistoric remains. The southern part of the island for its unique agricultural landscape has been inserted between the localities of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Further offshore and to the north-east of the island of Öland is the largest Swedish island, Gotland, one of the most important tourist attractions of the country, here are indeed beautiful beaches, a relaxed nature, prehistoric remains, medieval churches, and a wonderful medieval city, the Hanseatic city of Visby, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, almost completely surrounded for more than 3 km from walls built between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, Visby is the best-preserved medieval city of Sweden.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF SWEDEN: CENTRAL SWEDEN

Central Sweden holds, in the region of Dalarna, some interesting destinations rich in folklore, among them the town of Falun with the mining area of the Great Copper Mountain, an open-pit copper mine and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the idyllic area of Lake Siljan, and the decorated farmhouses of Hälsingland. Along the coast of the Baltic Sea, the most beautiful part is that of the so-called High Coast (Höga kusten), formed by glaciers, is a series of islands, lakes, bays and high cliffs. Also on the coast, but at the northern end of the Gulf of Bothnia is Luleå, where it is to visit the ancient town of Gammelstaden.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF SWEDEN: LAPLAND

The charm of northern Sweden are its Arctic landscapes that culminate in Lapland, the wildest part of the country, with mountains, river valleys, waterfalls, forests and grasslands grazed by reindeer, here nature is protected by seven national parks. The culture and traditions of the Sami peoples are another unique aspect of Lapland. Among the curiosities of Swedish Lapland the famous ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi.

Among the most famous natural phenomena in the Nordic countries and also in the north of Sweden are the Midnight Sun and the Northern Lights.

AURORA BOREALIS IN SWEDEN

The northern lights are a phenomenon caused by particles from the sun in contact with the Earth’s atmosphere causing colored lights. The Aurora Borealis can be seen in the skies over northern areas of the planet. The best time to see the Northern Lights in Sweden are the months between September and March, the most suitable is the area above the Arctic Circle.

MIDNIGHT SUN IN SWEDEN

Only the northern tip of Sweden, the so-called Swedish Lapland lies beyond the Arctic Circle, only from sites located north of the line of the Arctic Circle you can see the particular phenomenon of the Midnight Sun.

	MIDNIGHT SUN
Jokkmokk	June 8 – July 3
Gällivare	June 4 – July 12
Kiruna	May 30 – July 15

The table below shows the sunrise and sunset times throughout the year in Stockholm and Kiruna:

	Stockholm		Kiruna
Period	Sunrise	Sunset	Sunrise	Sunset
January	8:47	14:55	Darkness 24 hours
February	8:01	16:01	8:59	14:45
March	6:48	17:12	7:02	16:41
April	6:17	19:26	5:52	19:33
May	4:52	20:37	3:43	21:29
June	3:47	21:44	Sun does not set
July	3:40	22:02	Sun does not set
August	4:35	21:13	3:02	22:29
September	5:46	19:50	5:08	20:10
October	5:54	17:21	5:53	17:04
November	7:08	15:54	7:50	14:55
December	8:19	14:54	10:14	12:41