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Travel to Sweden

The breathtakingly beautiful Scandinavian country of Sweden offers plenty of pristine nature, charming cities and the typical Swedish liberalism. A visit here can be hard on your pocket, especially for entertainment and accommodation; however, if you can afford it, you’ll find your journey is rewarded with a well organised infrastructure, impressive attractions, perfectly preserved nature and delicious cuisine.

The tiny and relaxed capital, Stockholm, is spread mainly across 14 islands, giving you endless photo opportunities. Gamla Stan (the old town) dates from the 13th century and retains its medieval feel with a tangle of cobbled lanes, stairways and arches. The main attraction is Kungliga Slottet, the largest royal castle still in use in the world. It features more than 600 rooms dating mostly from the late 17th century.

Also fascinating is the Vasamuseet (Royal Warship Vasa), a 17th century man-of-war. It is the worlds oldest identified and complete ship and represents an incredible achievement in marine archaeology. The Djurgården offers wonderful parklands and a concentration of fine museums, especially the interesting open-air museum of Skansen.

One of the most beautiful towns in Sweden, Vadstena, is nestled along Lake Vättern. The Renaissance castle Vadstena Slott looks straight over the harbour and lake. The castle’s abbey has both Gothic and Renaissance influences and an interior filled with art and sculpture from the period. Also of interest is the more industrial port city of Gothenburg, which is equally charming. It boasts a lively atmosphere, several excellent museums and the wildly popular Liseberg amusement park.

The tiny historical town of Malmö, in the south, is the gateway to Denmark. Everything moves at a slower pace in this historic west coast port. The old city of Malmö is encapsulated by a system of canals which are criss-crossed by bridges. The city centre offers a continental mix of old and new clustered around a grand square, with shops, restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues coming together to make Malmö one of Swedens most enjoyable destinations.

Visby (on the island of Gotland); boasts more than 40 ominous towers and the ruins of numerous great churches. The contemporary ruins of Drotten, St Nicolai, St Lars and St Carin are all within the town walls. A historical museum, Gotlands Fornsal, offers an excellent display of the Gotland picture stones of the pre-Viking period.

Also worthwhile is Öland, a tiny island housing ruins, fortifications and around 400 windmills. Gråborg is a massive fort in the south of the island that is well worth seeing. Nearby, Eketorp has been partly reconstructed as a museum to show what a fortified medieval village must have looked like. The island’s lighthouses are also worth seeing. ' '
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