Sweden

When to go

Weather

Warm summers (June-August), very cold winters (October-April). Even colder further north. Midnight sun visible May-June.

Festivals

Swedish festivals are generally organised around the seasons and are lively occasions as the Swedes like to enjoy themselves. The highlight of the year is the Midsummer Eve/Summer Solstice when the whole country parties into the night. Walpurgis Night is full of hearty celebration with bonfires and songs welcoming spring. Other festivals and events include Gõteborgskalaset, an annual party open to all-comers as the streets fill with cheering people. The Malmo Festival provides a wide variety of music performances for you to jig the night away.

Highlights

On average there are ten collisions on Sweden’s roads every day between cars and wild moose

Aurora Borealis

Also known as the Northern Lights, this natural light display is one of the most beautiful and strange sights on earth, filling the night sky with an array of swirling colours that will leave you speechless. As the sky fills with ethereal beams, recall the old rumours surrounding its origins and let yourself drift away. The best time to see this spectacle is in the darker winter months. To see the Lights you will have to travel to the very north of Sweden, near the border with Norway.

The Ice Hotel

Located near the tiny village of Jukkasjãrvi stands the world’s largest igloo. Built afresh every year, in various forms, the ice hotel stands firm until it finally melts away in the warmer months. Inside, there are bedrooms for at least 120 guests - the beds are made of ice and covered with reindeer hide. There’s also a bar, a chapel and an exhibition hall.

Stockholm

Built on a series of islands where the freshwater Lake Mãlaren meets the salt water of the Baltic, Stockholm has been labelled ‘Beauty on Water’. Visit the national parks and the pretty Old Town area. At weekends, the city fills up with revellers as the locals let their hair down.

Halland

Situated on the Golden Coast in the south-west, this long, narrow province is lined with sandy beaches, many fringed with pinewoods. Inland, the region is characterised by ridges and valleys that dominate the skyline with forests and moors skirting their ankles.

Being there

Etiquette

Normal European courtesies apply. Casual attire is acceptable for most occasions, though smarter dress is advised for more formal occasions, or when visiting restaurants or clubs. If you’re a guest at a meal you should refrain from drinking until the host has made a toast. It is polite to thank your host by saying, Tack för maten.

Food and Drink

The Scandinavian cold table, smörgåsbord, is traditional, and includes pickled herring with boiled potatoes, smoked salmon or anchovies, cold meat, sliced beef, stuffed veal or smoked reindeer, and hot dishes like small meatballs or omelettes. Snapps is usually drunk with the smörgåsbord. Beers come in four strengths.

Shopping and Souvenirs

Glassware, crystal, ceramics, stainless steel, silver, hemslöjd (cottage industry items).

Additional Info

People and Places

Capital: Stockholm.
Language: Swedish.
Population: 8,975,670.
Population Density: 19.9. (pop per km²)
Size: 449,964. (area km²)

Transport

Stockholm (STO) is 42 km from city. Gothenburg (GOT) is 25 km from city. Malmö (MMA) is 31 km from city.
Excellent road, rail, air and ferry network. Buses, taxis, and car-hire available.

Red Tape

National driving licence.
UK: 11 Montagu Place, London W1H 2AL, tel (020) 7917 6400, fax (020) 7917 6475, email ambassaden.london@foreign.ministry.se. USA: 1501 M Street, Suite 900, NW, Washington, DC 20005, tel (202) 467 2600, fax (202) 467 2699, email ambassaden.washington@foreign.ministry.se.
UK: Skarpögaten 6-8, PO Box 27819, 115 93 Stockholm, tel (8) 671 3000, fax (8) 661 9766, email info@britishembassy.se. USA: Dag Hammarskjölds Vag 31, 115 89 Stockholm, tel (8) 783 5300, fax (8) 660 5879, email StockholmWeb@state.gov.

State of the Nation

Life expectancy: M 78.19, F 82.74.

Finance: Credit cards and traveller’s cheques widely accepted.
Business hours: Flexible working hours.
GMT: + 1.
Voltage guide: 230 3-phase AC, 50 Hz.
Country dialling code: 46.