Sweden Holidays

How to reach Sweden

Flight time: Flights to Sweden - including Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö - take around 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours from London.

Transfer time:

• From Arlanda airport, 45km north of Stockholm, the express train will take you to Stockholm’s central station in just 20 minutes.

• Gothenburg and Malmö airports offer quick bus services, with transfers taking 20–30 minutes.

Price:

• Arlanda Express costs around £28 for a one-way ticket, while a bus will set you back roughly £10.

• Taxis can cost £40 to £50 to central Stockholm; similar prices apply for Gothenburg and Malmö.

Weather and best time to visit Sweden

This will depend on what you want to do during your holidays to Sweden; the weather is likely to influence your decision.

March to May:

• The driest time of the year in Sweden, this is also the time of the thaw and the arrival of spring flowers.

• Temperatures rise from around 5°C in March to a more comfortable 12°C in May, with rainfall between 30–60mm.

• Bars and cafés start opening their terraces, although blankets and heaters are usually still needed.

June to August:

• The best time to visit Sweden – north or south.

• Summer weather in Sweden is similar to that in southern Britain, though there are more hours of sunshine and less rain.

• In the north, it’s the period of the Midnight Sun, where the sun barely sets.

• By the end of August, the leaves in northern Sweden start to change colour and night frosts are not uncommon.

September to November:

• The first snow falls in September, typically in October in Stockholm; by November, the ground is usually covered in a blanket of snow.

• September is still mild, averaging 15°C, but November can dip to 3°C, with shorter days (7 hours of daylight) and increased rainfall of around 80mm.

December to February:

• Winters in the south of Sweden are often mild while in the north you’re likely to encounter very heavy snow and temperatures can fall to -30C.

• There’s limited sunshine (3–5 hours daily), but it’s the best time to catch the magical Northern Lights.

Practical information

• Spoken languages: Swedish is the official language, though English is widely spoken, especially in larger cities.

• Local habits and customs: On meeting, friends of both sexes usually hug rather than kiss each other. In more formal situations, people shake hands while saying their name. Swedes are known for their love of lagom—a sense of balance and moderation, while the tradition of fika, or a coffee break with friends, is a popular custom you’ll likely encounter.

• Currency: Sweden uses the Swedish Krona (SEK). Cash is rarely used, as most places accept card payments.

• Getting around: Public transport is reliable and convenient. In Stockholm, single fares cost about £3 on the metro, with day passes for £12–15. Buses, ferries and trams run well in the cities, and the nationwide train network is modern and comfortable. Most public transport tickets are purchased via mobile apps or at kiosks.

• Electricity and plug types: Sweden uses type C and F plugs with a 230V supply. UK travellers will need an adaptor.

• Time zone: Sweden is in Central European Time, which is 1 hour ahead of GMT and observes Daylight Saving Time.

Best things to do in Sweden

Sweden combines stylish, sophisticated cities with a vast wilderness of dense forests and crystal-clear mountain lakes.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• Djurgården ferry: Ride the ferry across Stockholm harbour for some of the best views of the city.

The best districts

• Gamla Stan, Stockholm: Enjoy a traditional Swedish fika (coffee and cake) in one of the open-air cafés in Stockholm’s atmospheric Old Town. You might also want to check out our holidays to Stockholm.

• Lilla torg, Malmö: This beautiful cobbled square in the city centre is a fine place to down a beer or two and rest your feet and mind. Don’t miss our holiday packages to Malmö as well.

• Haga, Gothenburg: Famous for its traditional wooden houses and bohemian vibe, there’s no better place in Sweden to experience fika culture - try one of Sweden's biggest cinnamon buns at Café Husaren. Discover more of Sweden by exploring our holiday to Gothemburg.

Museums

• Vasa Museum, Stockholm: After lying in mud for 333 years at the bottom of Stockholm harbour, the mighty Vasa has been restored to her former glory and you can see her right here.

• Konstmuseum, Gothenburg: Poseidon stands guard outside Gothenburg’s art museum – home to some of Sweden’s finest paintings from the turn of the last century.

• Utvandrarnas Hus, Växjö: The exhibition of the poignant stories of millions of Swedes forced to emigrate to the United States in the 19th century is an essential stop on any visit to Småland.

Historical monuments

• Domkyrkan, Lund: Beneath the finest Romanesque cathedral in northern Europe lies the eerie crypt where Finn the Giant is said to have been turned to stone.

• Kalmar Castle: Sign up for a tour around one of Sweden’s finest castles, and marvel at its medieval magnificence.

• Gamla Uppsala: Royal burial mounds and a beautiful medieval church add mystery to this ancient pagan settlement.

Parks and gardens

• Millesgården, Stockholm: The astonishing outdoor sculpture collection of Carl Milles (1875–1955), one of Sweden’s greatest sculptors. Phalanxes of gods, angels and beasts sit on terraces carved into the island’s steep cliffs which overlook the distant harbour.

• Linnéträdgården, Uppsala: Sweden’s oldest and most beautiful botanical gardens, established in 1655 by Olof Rudbeck the Elder, contain around 1300 varieties of plants; some of the species he introduced and classified still survive here.

Day trips in the area

• Lapland: Sights such as Jokkmokk market and Fatmomakke village in Lapland are monuments to the thriving culture of Sweden’s indigenous population.

• Stockholm Archipelago: The 24,000 islands which comprise the Stockholm archipelago are a perfect antidote to the urban bustle, offering endless opportunities to explore unspoilt island villages and to go swimming.

• Bohuslan Coast: Sweden’s most enchanting stretch of coastline with smooth rocky outcrops perfect for sunbathing.

• Gotland: The Swedish destination, Gotland’s charms are legendary: cobbled medieval streets and alleyways, superb sandy beaches and a party atmosphere that lasts all summer long. Skål!

Activities for families in Sweden

Sweden is famously family-friendly, with all kinds of attractions and activities on offer from Viking museums to river rafting, theme parks to wildlife sanctuaries.

• River Rafting: Build your own raft and glide down the graceful Klarälven River, taking in some of Sweden’s most magnificent scenery - a terrifically fun family outing.

• Viking history: Kids will love exploring Sweden’s thrilling Viking past, for example at Birka or the Foteviken Viking Museum at Skanör.

• Theme parks: Strap yourself into some white-knuckle rides at Gröna Lunds Tivoli in Stockholm or Liseberg Amusement Park in Gothenburg, or visit Pippi Longstocking at Astrid Lindgren’s World at Vimmerby.

• Interactive museums: In Stockholm, don’t miss the Skansen open-air museum and the Vasamuséet’s magnificent ancient warship; in Gothenburg head for the fun, interactive Universeum science museum.

Free things to do in Sweden

It may well be one of Europe’s most expensive countries, but that doesn’t mean to say there aren’t hundreds of ways to save money on your Sweden holidays.

• Beaches: Sweden’s beaches are not only fantastic but free. Two of the best are Sjaustrehammaren beach on the east coast of Gotland, which is the perfect place for a tan, though the turquoise waters of Sandhammaren beach in Skåne are equally sublime.

• Free festivals: The highlight of the year is the midsummer festival when the whole country gets involved and wild parties last well into the early hours. Great fun too are crayfish parties held in the August moonlight across the country to say a wistful farewell to the short Swedish summer. Competitions are often held to establish the season’s best and tastiest crayfish.

Nature and outdoor activities in Sweden

Sweden is a wonderful place if you love the great outdoors, with fantastic hiking, fishing and, of course, opportunities for winter sports.

• Skiing and snowboarding: In northern Sweden you can ski from the end of October well into April, and at Riksgränsen in Lappland you can ski under the midnight sun from late May to the end of June when the snow finally melts. Riksgränsen is also the place to head for if you’re into snowboarding.

• Hiking: A network of more than 40 long-distance footpaths covers the whole of Sweden, with overnight accommodation available in mountain stations and huts. The most popular route is the Kungsleden, the King’s Route, which stretches for 460km between Abisko and Hemavan, passing through some spectacular landscapes in the wild and isolated northwest of the country.

• Canoeing and rafting: On summer afternoons taking to a canoe is a popular pastime; a good area for this is the Stockholm archipelago. Another excellent alternative is rafting down the Klarälven River in Värmland; one of the companies offering rafting tours even allows you to build your own raft before departure.

• Fishing: Sweden is an ideal country for anglers. Fishing is free along the coastline and in the larger lakes, including Vänern, Vättern (particularly good for salmon and char) and Mälaren. In the north of the country, Tärnaby offers top-class mountain fishing for char and trout, and nearby Sorsele is good for fly-fishing for trout, char and grayling.

Local dishes in Sweden

From meatballs to marinated herring, cloudberries to cinnamon buns, Swedish food is always tasty - and will inevitably be one of the most memorable aspects of your holidays to Sweden.

Some typical dishes

• Herring: The quintessential Swedish dish, usually served marinated; best enjoyed with a cold beer or a punchy shot of akvavit.

• Köttbullar: Potato and meatballs served with a brown creamy sauce and lingonberries.

Meat dishes

• Sjömansbiff: Sailors’ beef casserole: thin slices of beef baked in the oven with potatoes and onions, topped with parsley.

• Wallenbergare: Burgers made of minced veal mixed with cream and egg yolks.

Fish and seafood dishes

• Gravad lax: A Swedish take on cured salmon, this dish is marinated with dill and sugar and served with mustard sauce on crisp bread.

• Surströmming: Baltic herring fermented for months until it’s rotten and the tin it’s in buckles – very smelly and eaten in very, very small quantities. Not for the faint-hearted!

• ål: Eel, smoked and served with creamed potatoes or scrambled eggs (äggröra).

Sweets and desserts

Sweden’s love of fika (coffee break) ensures there are plenty of sweet treats on offer. Cinnamon buns, cardamom-flavoured pastries and sweet almond tarts are all fika favourites. Sweden is also known for semlor (cream-filled buns) and the classic prinsesstårta, a bright green marzipan-covered sponge cake layered with whipped cream.

Local drinks

• Aquavit: Made from potatoes, served ice-cold in tiny shots and washed down with beer. It comes in dozens of weird and wonderful flavours, from lemon to cumin-and-dill.

• Glögg: Mulled wine, usually fortified with spirits to keep out the cold, and drunk at Christmas.