Sweden: Overview
The attractive Kingdom of Sweden is located in the Scandinavian Peninsula, north of Europe and it is a member of the EU. The country shares borders with Norway to the northwest, Finland and the gulf of Botnia to the east, the Baltic Sea to the south and the North Sea to the west.
Climate
Swedish climate varies from north to south, always moderated by the waters of the gulf. Winters are very cold, especially in the north, where days are shorter and heavy snow storms can be expected. Summer is generally warm and pleasant. The best time of the year for visiting the country is between ends of May and ends of July. August, although warm is usually quite wet. You should keep in mind that during winter many areas outside the main cities are restricted and you may not be able to carry out some outdoor activities.
Important Information
Entry requirements for Sweden vary according to the tourist's nationality. Scandinavian citizens do not have a stay limit, while South Americans should ask in a Swedish embassy or consulate what the necessary documentation is. In most cases you need nothing else than an effective passport for an up to 90 days visit to Sweden.
The official currency is the crown, and the main credit cards and traveller’s checks are also accepted. ATMs are plenty and they generally operate with MasterCard and Visa.
Restaurants usually add a charge for service in their bills, but it is a custom tipping 7-10% for each meal. Besides this, taxi fares are usually rounded up.
There are no big risks concerning health for tourists travelling to Sweden, although it is recommended to take precautions against ticks when visiting the southern coastal areas, including the Stockholm archipelago, and the forests. It also advisable to be careful with dishes containing eggs or poultry; eat them well cooked and hot, for there have been some cases of bird flu. Medical care level is excellent and there are health agreements with other countries of the EU; those citizens of the United Kingdom who have an European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will receive lower cost medical attention.
There are no safety issues, since this country has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe, nevertheless it is recommended to be careful with the pickpockets and petty crimes, especially in tourist areas during high season.
Where to go
Medieval Stockholm is the capital of the country and it includes the Stockholm archipelago in the Baltic sea, it is also one of the main destinations in Sweden. Here you can walk along the alleys in Gamla Stan, the historical centre in the island of Stadsholmen; visit the parks and museums of Djurgarden, or the outdoors museum and the zoo of Skansen.
Göteborg, in the west coast, it is the second city port in the country and the most important in the Scandinavian Peninsula. Besides its imposing port, you can visit the boulevard, the incredible amusement park Liseberg, the numerous museums, like the one of Ostindiska huset, the central museum Konstmuseet, that houses an important collection of the masters in European painting, and the marine museum Sjöfartshistoriska, where you can learn about the history of sailing in the 12th and 13th centuries.
The walled city of Visby, characterized by its cobbled streets and located in the island of Gotland, you can see the prints of the Hanseatic past. You can also see more than 40 towers, the buildings of St. Lars, St. Carin, Drotten and St. Nicolai, the ruins of the old churches and the important Santa María Cathedral. There is also an anthropological museum, the Gotland Fornsal that houses interesting copies of the pre-Viking period.
The small island of Öland stands out for its ruins, windmills and fortifications. It is also here where Graborg, the fortified biggest circle in the Iron Age, is. Near it you can visit a medieval village, Eketorp, partially reconstructed to function as a museum. North of the island you can visit Borgholm’s ruins, a castle that was burnt and abandoned in the beginning of the 13th century.
Vadstena, one of the calmest Swedish populations, is located along the shores of lake Vättern. Here you can got to Vadstena slott castle, built in a mixture of Renaissance and Gothic styles, from where you can enjoy incredible views of the lake and the port. This castle is also an excellent place to see furniture and paintings dating from those times. Klosterkyrkan is an abbey dating of the 14th century and it was built in the same styles than the castle; there you will find sculptures of the late Middle Ages and Santa Brigit’s relics. Finally, you can visit an old convent which was a royalty residence, the Bjälboättens palats.
Festivals
In Sweden there are several pagan and official festivals to enjoy. Among them is the Midsummer Festival, which takes place on the summer solstice and is one of the most cheerful. On December 13th people celebrate the Festival of Lucia to commemorating the Sicilian saint's martyrdom and celebrating the proximity of Christmas with processions, songs and glögg. Other typical festivals are New Year's Eve, a witches' party a pagan tradition similar to Easter, and Walpurgis’ night which celebrates between blazes and artificial fires, the end of winter on April 30th.
