Sweden
Hip. Regal. Progressive. Sweden is Scandinavia’s front-runner.
Stockholm needs no introduction, but strike out beyond Europe’s coolest capital and you’ll discover a wild adventure playground. Come for the polar night skies or spend endless midsummer days sailing crystal lakes and hiking deep boreal forests, while you work up an appetite for the groundbreaking New Nordic Cuisine.
Experiences
Head to Skokloster Castle to enjoy a medieval jousting tournament; visit the astounding 17C Vasa, the giant warship that was salvaged after 333 years on the sea bed; fly fish for Arctic salmon; raft down the Klarälven River; be blown away by Gothenburg’s experimental food scene; wander Gamla Stan’s maze of winding medieval alleyways with the best guides; join a raucous traditional kräftskiva (crayfish party) with the locals; fascinate your children with a Viking themed adventure; cruise out to the waters of Lake Mälaren and discover the tranquil Stockholm archipelago of 30,000 islands, islet rocks, and skerries; take a helicopter to Åre for the food theatre of Magnus Nilsson’s two Michelin star, Faviken; journey deep into the Arctic Circle and discover the magic of Swedish Lapland’s winter wilderness.
Where to Stay
Stockholm’s hip boutique design hotels; lofty tree house cabins; igloos and ice hotels; pastel-painted summer cabins on the islands.
When to Go
June to September is best for Stockholm and the islands. The Arctic regions are most magical from November to April.