Sweden is a very beautiful and interesting country to visit. You have amazing cities, full of history and you have a lot of natural environments. If you like nature and outdoor activities, a trip through Sweden is a great idea to combine culture and nature.
If you are thinking of taking a trip through Sweden and visiting different places, here is a list of the 20 most beautiful places to see in Sweden. And I add several tips so you can organize your trip.
THE 20 MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO SEE IN SWEDEN
1. Stockholm and its charming historic center
Stockholm is the main city to visit in Sweden. Either on a weekend or as the start of a trip around the country. It is an essential stop on any trip to Sweden.
The capital of the country is a colorful and interesting destination with many places to visit. It is very easy to fall in love with the historical center of Stockholm, the Gamla Stan. The historic center is very colourful, with well-preserved traditional buildings, alleys that lead you to charming cafes, shops selling local products... The atmosphere is very warm despite being in a Scandinavian country.
Posts about Stockholm that may interest you:
2. The Stockholm Archipelago
Taking a boat route through the Stockholm Archipelago is one of the essential things to do on any trip to the Swedish capital. It is impossible to visit the almost 24,000 islands in the Stockholm archipelago, but with this boat trip you have the option of getting to know the natural environment that surrounds it. It's completely worth it.
The landscape surrounded by vegetation, with clear waters and red summer houses is one of the most popular images of the country.
3. Malmo
Malmö is the third largest city to see in Sweden. In it you will find a medieval historic center that contrasts with the modernity of the Turning Torso, the main point of interest in Malmö. The Turning Torso is a futuristic skyscraper and the tallest building in Scandinavia. It is a small city that can be visited in one day.
4. Gothenburg, an essential thing to see in Sweden
Gothenburg is the largest port city in Scandinavia and the second largest city in Sweden. It was founded in the 17th century, when the Swedish Empire was at its height. Thanks to its very important port, it became rich thanks to industries such as shipbuilding.
Gothenburg is a very green city, with many parks. It is a beautiful and quick city to visit (you can visit it in one day).
Posts about Gothenburg that may interest you:
5. Drottningholm Palace, one of the most beautiful places to see in Sweden
Drottningholm Palace is one of the essential places to visit if you travel to Stockholm for more than two days. It is located very close to the capital and is known for being the residence of the Swedish royal family since 1981. The palace was built in the 17th century and stands out for its old halls, its large gardens and its beautiful Chinese pavilion.
6. The walled city of Visby and the island of Gotland
Gotland stands out for being the largest island in Sweden and one of the main tourist destinations to see in the country. It is located in the middle of the Baltic and offers many outdoor activities. There is only one city on the island, the beautiful walled city of Visby. This old walled city has preserved most of its historic buildings.
In addition to the city, the entire osta offers beautiful landscapes and beaches with very original rock formations. If you plan to get here to visit it, I recommend that you spend two days.
Posts from Visby and the island of Gotland that may interest you:
7. Höga Kusten, high coast
It tends to go unnoticed by travelers arriving in Sweden and many do not include it in their itinerary, but for me, the high coast "Höga Kusten" is one of the most beautiful places to see in Sweden. It is a mountainous region, located between the towns of Härnosand and Örnsköldsvik.
It is usually left out of the itineraries since it is 450km from Stockholm, but if you are thinking of doing a road trip through the country, add it to your itinerary. You can do trekking that will take you to viewpoints from where you can appreciate the Baltic Sea surrounded by nature.
In this area you can find the Skuleskogen National Park and the Ulvön Island Nature Park.
8. Kungsleden and Swedish Lapland
Swedish Lapland is one of the most beautiful places to see in Sweden. Whether you visit in summer to enjoy the midnight sun or in winter to be amazed by the northern lights. Furthermore, Swedish Lapland is inhabited by the indigenous Sami people.
In this area you have small and rural populations, surrounded by nature. With many natural places to visit such as Kungsleden, with more than 400km of trails where you can go trekking.
9. The Gothenburg archipelago and the Bohuslän coast
Despite the fact that many people think that the city of Gothernburg is not very pretty, I personally liked it a lot. In addition to the places of interest to see in Gothernburg, you have the possibility of knowing the archipelago and the Bohuslän coast. This is the west coast of Sweden stretching north from the mouth of the Göta River to the town of Strömstad on the Norwegian border. There are several routes that you can do by boat and you can hire them at the computer points located in the city.
10. Siljan Lake
Lake Siljan is located in the Dalarna region. In summer it is a very popular area, since it hosts a series of concerts that attract a multitude of tourists and locals.
The best thing about the area is its natural environment and the number of activities that can be done; horseback riding, kayaking, fishing, trekking trails or cycling routes...
If you dare to climb to the top of Mount Gesunda you will have beautiful views of Lake Siljan, the most beautiful place in the region.
11. Abisko National Park, one of the best places to see the Northern Lights in Sweden
This national park is located in Swedish Lapland, very close to the Arctic Circle. It is known to be one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights. It is located very close to Kiruna, the northernmost city in Sweden.
The Park has many routes for hiking and delving into Swedish nature.
12. Ystad and Ales Stenar
To the east of the city of Ystad you will find the imposing megalithic monument of Ales Stenar. It consists of 59 rocks aligned in the shape of a boat. Most of the ship-shaped constructions used to be funerary monuments at the time. For this reason, they say that the legendary King Ale El Fuerte is buried there. Although no grave has been found, so it has given rise to other speculations.
Ystad is a very interesting and pretty seaside town. Its picturesque buildings in pastel colors and cobbled streets give the place a very special charm.
13. Tylosand beach
Tylösand is a beach located in the town of Halmstad and is the most beautiful sandy beach in Sweden. Next to it is the Tylösand spa hotel with bars, clubs and the art gallery “Tres Hombres Art”. The largest gallery in Sweden with more than 400 works.
14. Kosterhavet National Park
Sweden has many national parks. Although without a doubt, Kosterhavet is one of the most visited. It is located right next to the sea. It was the first marine national park in the country. In fact, the park has more than 6,000 species of marine life, some of which cannot be seen anywhere else in Sweden.
It is common to dive the coral reefs of Kosterhavet to observe these species or rent a kayak. Although if you don't dare to get into the water, you can settle for seeing the picturesque fishing villages that look like postcards.
15. Lund and its beautiful cathedral
Lund Cathedral is one of the most important in the country. It was built in the 12th century and is the oldest and best preserved Romanesque church to see in Sweden. The towers of the cathedral are 55 meters high and are the landmark of the city's skyline. Inside you can not miss the astronomical clock, which dates from around the year 1425.
Lund's historic center is beautiful, its cobbled streets lined with low, colorful houses made of exposed red brick.
16. Lake Vättern
This lake is the second largest in Sweden and has a prominent city on its southern shore, Jönköping.
Nearby you will also find the beautiful town of Gränna, the island of Visingsö, the ruins of Brahehus or the town of Vadstena.
17. Sigtuna, the oldest city to see in Sweden
Sigtuna is the second oldest city in Sweden and is only 45 minutes from Stockholm. At the beginning of the year 970 the history of the city began to be written. The picturesque center of its medieval city is beautiful. Walking through its streets and observing the old wooden buildings is like moving to the Sweden of centuries ago. It is a mid-morning visit, so you can include it in your road trip through Sweden, or even take a half-day excursion from Stockholm. You can get there by public transport or by renting a car.
18. Rosendal Palace and Gardens
Located in Stockholm on the island of Djurgården is the Rosendal Palace and Gardens. I recommend a visit walking from the Djurgården bridge along the left bank until you first reach Rosendals Trädgard, to then visit the palace.
19. Marstrand and its fortress
Marstrand is a small island located near Gothenburg. Its main attraction is the Carlsten fortress, which dates back to the 17th century.
The island is very well connected by public transport, so it is easy to get there in less than an hour from Gothenburg.
This island is an ideal place to enjoy good fresh fish in its restaurants and many activities related to the sea.
The coast of Marstand is beautiful, rocky, with crystal clear waters, luxurious houses that contrast with small traditional houses...
20. Åre, the ideal place for skiers
One of the best places in Sweden, at least for me, is Åre. Incredible ski slopes where you can enjoy winter sports. Numerous ski world championships have been held there. It is the largest ski resort in the country. And it is well connected with Stockholm. In summer, it is also typical to go hiking in the area, especially around its lake.
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Sweden a lot and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!