Things to do in Sweden

Sweden runs long and thin, from the Baltic coast in the south to Sápmi and the midnight sun in the far north. About 10.5 million people live here. Most of them, and most of what gets booked, sit in the south-east around Stockholm.

How the country divides

• Stockholm and its county. The capital plus its own archipelago of roughly 30,000 islands, the country's clear centre of gravity.
• The west coast. Gothenburg and the sea, a different, saltier character than the capital's inland waters.
• The south. Skåne and Malmö, closest to Denmark, a half-hour train ride across the Øresund Bridge from Copenhagen.
• Gotland and the Baltic islands. Limestone coast and a medieval walled town at Visby, reached by ferry from the mainland.
• The north. Sparse, forested and Arctic near the top, home to Sápmi, Kiruna and the ICEHOTEL, rebuilt fresh from river ice every winter.

What the country is for

Water and forest carry most of it: archipelago boats, lakes, and light that keeps people outdoors past ten at night. Midsummer matters more than any single sight. Cities empty out for it, and the same rhythm of light, food and water runs through the rest of the country.

Practical

• Weather. Stockholm's summer highs reach about 22C and winter lows sit around -3C; the north runs colder, often well below -10C in winter with summer highs near 16C. Daylight in the south runs from about 18 hours in June to six in December, and the far north gets weeks of midnight sun in summer against a dim polar twilight in winter.
• Getting around. Trains link Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö in three to four hours; the far north is a domestic flight away, not a drive.
• Money. Sweden is close to cashless; cards, including contactless, are expected everywhere, even for a coffee.
• Booking ahead. Midsummer weekend empties the cities and fills the archipelago; book around it rather than during it.
• Rhythm. Fika, a proper coffee break, is a fixed part of the day, not an occasional treat, and most shops still close early on Sundays outside the big cities.