Clean air, sparkling lakes and modern cities that effortlessly lead the way in everything from pop music to interior design: there’s a lot to like about Sweden. As a travel destination and as a place to live, it has a huge amount to offer, whether you want to take a road trip in a Volvo, embrace Stockholm’s cool café culture, or find peace and tranquility among the mountains and rivers of Lapland, home to one of Europe’s last remaining wilderness areas. Our travel guide has all the info you need to plan the perfect trip. Chances are, you’ll love Sweden as much as we do.

Before you go	Destinations	Getting around	Money
Travel tips	Accommodation	Tours	Events

Before you go

•When’s the best time to visit?	• Useful apps to download for your trip	• Getting a Swedish sim card
• Sweden for veggies and vegans	• What’s Sweden famous for?	• Why you need travel insurance
• Tips for learning Swedish	• Visa requirements	• Overland travel to Sweden
• Is Sweden safe?	• Swedish books worth reading	• Ask a question in our forum

 

Destinations

Sweden is a surprisingly varied destination with enough to keep you busy for a month or more. Most visitors start with one of the big cities – usually Stockholm or Gothenburg – but with a little bit longer you can make trips out into the beautiful countryside, home to lakes, forests and some wonderfully isolated islands. For a real taste of adventure, head to the far north, where you’ll be able to see reindeer, sled dogs and – if you’re lucky – the spectacular northern lights.

 

Money

• What currency does Sweden use?	• Can I still pay with cash?	• Tips for saving money
• What’s a good daily budget?	• Is Sweden expensive?	• What things cost in Sweden

Transport and getting around

Sweden has a great public transport network and you’ll find that even fairly remote places are served by frequent buses and trains. Prices are also quite low, as long as you plan ahead. Just bear in mind that distances can be deceptively long – if you’re heading to the north of Sweden and are on a tight schedule, you might want to consider taking a domestic flight.

 

Travel tips and ideas for your trip

• Backpacking in Sweden	• Seeing the northern lights	• The best places to visit in Sweden
• Doing the Icehotel on a budget	• Where to find Vikings in Sweden	• Visiting during Midsummer
• Crayfish season in Sweden	• Swedish shops worth visiting	• Swedish fast food worth trying
• Where to see the midnight sun	• Christmas in Sweden	• Skiing in Sweden
• Honeymoon ideas	• A beginner’s guide to fika	• Dog sledding in Sweden
• Surströmming: trying Sweden’s stinkiest food	• Kungsleden: Walking the King’s Trail	• Where to see cherry blossoms in Sweden

Accommodation

One of the best things about visiting Sweden is getting the chance to try some really unusual accommodation. There are quirky places to stay right across the country, from hip hostels in Stockholm to incredible, one-of-a-kind hideaways like the Treehotel and the Icehotel. You can get a good idea for what hotels, hostels and Airbnb rentals cost in this guide.

 



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Tours and tickets

There are plenty of guided tours on offer in Sweden, giving you the chance to learn more about the country and its people from local experts. Even if you’d prefer to explore alone, consider getting an Interrail or Eurail pass – these can really help to keep costs down when you’re travelling long distances in Sweden.

 

MORE TOURS AND TICKETS

Events

Festivals and traditions are a big part of life in Sweden, from celebrating Christmas and Midsummer’s Eve to toasting the beginning of crayfish season with a big outdoor feast. Use our events calendar to find out what’s happening during your trip to Sweden.

MORE EVENTS IN SWEDEN

Exploring Stockholm

MORE TIPS FROM STOCKHOLM

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About our Sweden travel guide

Routes North is the web’s number one travel guide to Scandinavia. It’s also the only travel guide to Sweden that pays its own way. We don’t take freebies or discounts from the travel companies we feature, which means we’re free to say what we really think.