Sweden travel guide

Due to its fine pebble stone beaches and proximity to Kullaberg Nature Reserve, this cute little fishing village has been a summer holiday spot for more than a century. There are charming wooden houses and several traditional seaside hotels. However, in off season it can feel quite deserted.

How to describe Nimis. It’s a crazy labyrinth slash sculpture made of driftwood and a shedload of nails located on a deserted beach. The construction was started in 1980 by the artist of Lars Vilks, who declared it an independent nation with the name of Ladonia. The local government has never been very happy about it - which explain the lack of road signs leading to Nimis - others have also tried to burn it down, but nevertheless the construction has grown over the years. Today, it has become semi-famous and the local government must now appreciate the flow of visitors it creates. It’s an art piece you move around it, through its narrow corridors and up into the high watch towers, some looking and feeling dangerously frail. There is another art piece, Arx, by Lars Vilks 100 m further down the beach from Nimis. The walk from the parking lot to Nimis and Arx is about 1 km through forest on a steep slope (again no signs).

Sweden's second largest island is so beautiful that the Swedish royal family has their summer palace here. It's a landscape dominated by open plains, which are home to many rare flowers and birds - and many old wooden windmills (more than 350). Öland's rich history has also left many ancient monuments like Iron Age grave fields, viking fortress, rune stones and castles. And then there are the long white sandy beaches, which are a rarity elsewhere in Sweden. During the summer months Öland attracts crowds of Swedish sunseekers, but the rest of the year Öland is oldly deserted. The agricultural landscape on the southern part of the 140 km long island is enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can drive to Öland over the elegant bridge from Kalmar.

Scandinavia is normally known for its Vikings, but long before, in the Bronze Age (about three thousands years ago), the region was home to hunting communities that carved their spiritual world and daily life into flat rocks. To this day, these mystical figures, farmers, animals, boats and patterns are still easily seen in Tanum, one of the prime areas for these Nordic rock carvings, and consitute a peek into an ancient world. Their numbers are remarkably high here and they are still half hidden in the pine forest as they probably have been for millenniums. There are four main sites in Tanum, Vitlycke (right next to the museum), Fossum, Aspebjerget, and Litsleby, all within a few minutes drive from each other.
Tanum is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Cute Sigtuna is a true charmer. It was the first capital of Sweden (before Uppsala and then Stockholm), so the main street dates back to the 10th-century and is believed to be the oldest in Sweden. There are several stone ruins of Medieval churches and the town hall (the smallest in Sweden) still stands as it was, when it was built in 1744. The houses (old and new) along the main street are colorful and the small marina is popular.

Skogskyrkogården is a huge woodland cemetery in Stockholm. It was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994 due to its unique landscape and chapels. The cemetery was created between 1917 and 1920 by two young architects, Asplund and Lewerentz. Their design blends vegetation on sites with architectural elements, taking advantage of the topography of the site. Additional chapels, each designed by Asplund or Lewerentz, were added between 1923 and 1940. The design was groundbreaking due to lack of symmetry and order. There are only a few footpaths and graves were laid out within the forest without excessive alignment, apparently inspired by ancient Nordic burial sites. Asplund and Lewerentz’s design has since had a profound influence on landscape architecture afterwards.

As European Old Towns go, Stockholm's historical centre does not get the attention it deserves. Dating back some 700 years, the collection of cobble-stones alleyways and archaic architecture have had their ups and downs. Housing some of the city's most important landmarks and buildings (parliament, cathedral, museums) there was a time when the islet was considered a slum. However, years of effort and a bunch of cash have seen the old centre restored to its former beauty. Nowadays, the past and the present are inter-tangled with old shops, cafes and hotels attracting countless visitors every year. While the main thoroughfares can get a little congested with tourist hordes, with a seemingly endless supply of tiny little back alleys, solitude is never too far away.

Store Mosse (Big Marsh) is the largest marsh area in southern Sweden. The national park covers almost 77 km2 of bogs, lakes, forest and pastures. It's a great place for bird watching, particularly from the lookout tower at the visitor center. There are several walking trails (more than 40 km in total), partly on board walks over the bog.

Tiveden is a forest-covered and dramatically rocky national park with many deep blue lakes. It's a very organized park with campsites and several well-marked trails. Expect lots of roots and rocks on the hikes. The campsites are all located near one of the many lakes, and are well-maintained with shelters and fireplaces with free pre-chopped firewood. Some campsites have composting toilets and there is even a lake beach at the campsite Entré Vitsand.

Most of Sweden's coastline consists of boulders of granite, but there are a few sandy stretches. Beautiful Tylösand Beach, outside Halmstad, is considered one of the best in Sweden. The wide beach has soft white sand and shielded by big dunes covered in lyme grass. Tylösand is very organized with boardwalks and paths, and the very attractive real estate behind the dunes are filled with holiday cottages and a few hotels - there is even a golf course.