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Top Attractions in Sweden |
Lapland
Lapland is regarded as the largest intact wilderness in Europe
covering a quarter of the total area of Sweden yet with only 5% of
the population. Lapland is probably best known as the home of Santa
Claus, indeed a visit to Santa World at Mora in Dalarna is what most
children dream of. Lapland is both an inviting as well as a magical
and unusual place. There are plenty of outside adventures to be had
- climb Sweden's highest peak, Kebnekaise; walk in the national
parks of Sarek and Padjelanta; or try cross-country dog-sledding,
snow-mobiling and skiing. Stay in the Ice Hotel at Jukksjärvi, a
very unusual experience!
Skokloster Slott Castle
Skokloster Slott Castle is a magnificent 17th-century castle as
well as being one of the most fascinating baroque museums in Europe.
It is renowned for its unusual interiors as well as its vast
collections of paintings, furniture, applied art, tapestries, arms
and books. The castle also houses a restaurant, conference
facilities and an automobile museum.
Website: Skokloster Slott Castle
The Viking Town of Birka
Birka is situated on a lush island in Lake Mälaren, about
18 miles from Stockholm. It was a major port over 1,200 years ago. A
new museum houses finds from extensive excavations around the site.
Visit the museum and see how the Vikings lived.
Website: Birka
The Hanseatic town of Visby
A former Viking site on the island of Gotland, Visby was
the main centre of the Hanseatic League of the Baltic from the 12th
to the 14th century. Its 13th-century ramparts and more than 200
warehouses and trading establishments from the same period make it
the best preserved fortified commercial city in Northern
Europe.
Gripsholm Castle
Gripsholm Castle is located in the small town of Mariested
on Lake Maaleren outside Stockholm. A stunning renaissance castle,
it was first built in 1540. The castle contains exceptional
Renaissance interiors as well as a theatre and the world's oldest
and largest portrait collections.
Website: Gripsholm Castle
Sareks National Park
The enchanted landscape of Sareks National Park plays hosts
to over 100 glaciers as well as mountains reaching over 2,000m. It
should only be experienced with the help of a guide unless you’re an
expert in outdoor survival. The best views are over the lake and
delta of Laiture on the Rapa älv, near the eastern edge of the
park.
Öland
Öland is a tiny island boasting many ruins, fortifications
and nearly 400 windmills! The biggest Iron-Age ring fort on the
island, Gråborg - with a diameter of 200m - is an incredible sight.
Nearby, Eketorp has been partly reconstructed as a museum to show
what a fortified medieval village must have looked like. Equally
impressive are the ruins of Borgholm Castle which was eventually
burned and abandoned early in the 18th century. Also prominent are
the lighthouses at the northern and southern tips of the island.
Öland is reached from Kalmar via a 6000m bridge - the longest in
Europe. Öland is a popular place to celebrate Midsummer.
Old Uppsala
Located just outside modern day Uppsala, Old Uppsala is
regarded as the most important prehistoric monument in Sweden and
the cradle of Swedish civilization. The three "Kungshögarna" or
royal mounds are situated on a ridge and can be seen from miles
away. There is a cairn in the centre of each mound where the actual
grave was situated. The dead king was burned on a funeral pyre
together with his grave gifts which generally included jewellery and
gold. There is information provided nearby in numerous languages in
addition to an exhibition. A fascinating site, there is plenty of
interpretive material on site to guide you through the long and
interesting history of the area.
Website: Old Uppsala
The Kingdom of Crystal
The Kingdom of crystal is located in the province of
Småland, in southeastern Sweden. Many of the world’s most famous
glassworks can be found here. The Kingdom of Crystal came into
existence when the first batch of glass was melted at Kosta in 1742.
Kosta is now the oldest glasswork in Sweden and is still making
handmade glass. In the Glasshouse see the glass-workers work in
front of the furnaces. This trip is a must, especially if you are
looking for bargains in crystal treasures.
Stockholm
Check out our guide to the top ten attractions in
Stockholm
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