Sweden
Sweden
Capital city description
Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. The city is Sweden’s financial capital, home to the nation’s central banks and the largest insurance companies. The Stockholm Stock Exchange, located in the town, is Sweden’s primary stock exchange. The city capital is the official seat of the government of Sweden in addition to its agencies. The official residence of the prime minister and those of the Swedish Monarch is located in Stockholm.
The monarch conducts its official duties in the Stockholm Palace, and the Royal Family lives in the Drottningholm Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city has 57 bridges that allow circulating between the different neighborhoods. It also has a large number of theaters, museums, and operas. Stockholm has a hundred museums. The most famous museums are the Vasa Museum, the Skansen, the Historical Museum, the Stockholm Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Fine Arts, Science and Natural History, and the Nordic Museum.
Climate
Sweden has four different climate types. The medium part of central Sweden experiences a mild continental climate, and the northern half of Sweden has a cool continental climate. The southern part of Sweden has a temperate oceanic climate.
Spring: March to May
Summer: June to August
Autumn: September to November
Winter: December to February
Languages spoken
Swedish is the official and widely spoken language of Sweden.
Fun/Fascinating Facts
- Sweden house the famous Ice Hotel. Built and then dissolved by the sun each year, it’s a feat of snowy engineering and a mesmerizing one at that.
- Swedish passport is one of the best passports globally. It allows Swedish to enter without a visa to 124 countries globally.
- Sweden has a large moose population, with 300,000 and 400,000 moose roaming freely in the woods.
- Sweden is one of the largest countries in the world and is the 4th largest country in the European Union.
- Sweden has the highest number of Mcdonald’s restaurants per capita in all of Europe.
Unique Customs/Traditions
- Traditionally, In Sweden, decorative, neon-colored feathers are everywhere during Easter. Children were ringing at your doorbell, dressed as witches (girls and boys), requesting candy.
- The people of Sweden have plenty of festivals and cultural activities in different seasons. Swedes gather around bonfires singing choral. The Walpurgis Night is observed as a custom on April 30th every year.
- The midsummer feast is another tradition observed between the 19th and 25th of June. There is a culture of leaving the urban areas and camping in the countryside and cottages. The Crayfish Party held in August is another tradition. Crayfish consumption is a cultural ritual surrounded by many accessories, including colored lanterns.
- Forming an orderly queue is expected of everyone when waiting to be served in a shop or bank. Almost no excuse is good enough to get in front of the people who arrived before you. Many places use a "queuing tickets" system, whereby you take a number from a ticket machine when you first enter the store.
- It is Sweden's customary to have a small present for the host to thank you for their hospitality when invited for dinner or other occasions.
- There are the Lucia celebrations in the lead-up to Christmas, where processions of boys and girls in white gowns holding candles charm the crowd with beautiful songs. Christmas is celebrated on December 24th. https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/about-university/visit-lund-university/swedish-culture-and-traditions
Popular universities
Name | Description | |
---|---|---|
KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Kungliga Tekniska högskolan) | The KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Kungliga Tekniska högskolan) is a public research university in Stockholm, Sweden, established in 1827. Its robust research reputation has reinforced the university’s position as one of the most prominent technical universities in Europe and a force to be reckoned with globally. KTH Royal Institute of Technology offers more than 60 master’s programs taught in English and conducts world-class research in various technology and engineering fields. | |
Uppsala University | Uppsala University is a public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Uppsala University was established in 1477 by Archbishop Jakob Ulvsson of Uppsala. The university has been providing high-quality education in various fields for five centuries. Uppsala University has many campus buildings across Uppsala and a campus in Visby, Gotland, offering education in law, humanities, science and technology, languages, social sciences, educational science, and theology. Blasenhus provides education and research facilities in pedagogy, educational studies, didactics, and psychology. | |
Lund University | Founded in 1666, Lund University is one of the oldest universities globally at 353 years. It regularly features amongst the top 100 universities in the world. The university is renowned all across the globe for its excellent research facilities. It offers 9 Bachelor's degree programs over 100 Master's programs. Some of the well-known subjects that the university is famous for are geography, nursing, finance, environmental sciences, hospitality, etc. | |
Chalmers University | The Chalmers University of Technology is a Swedish university located in Gothenburg that concentrates on research and education in technology, natural sciences, architecture, mathematics, maritime, and other management areas. Chalmers offers a comprehensive technological and scientific education in bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Chalmers promotes knowledge and technical solutions for a sustainable world with scientific excellence as a basis. | |
Stockholm University | Stockholm University is a public research university in Stockholm, Sweden, founded in 1878. Stockholm University is a leading center for higher education and research, offering over 75 international master’s programs in science, social sciences, humanities, and law. | |
University of Gothenburg | University of Gothenburg (Göteborgs Universitet) is a public higher education institution in Sweden. The university comprises eight faculties and 38 departments. Its eight faculties offer training in the Creative Arts, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Humanities, Education, Information Technology, Business, Economics and Law, and Health Sciences. | |
Linköping University | Linköping University (Linköpings Universitet, LiU) is a public university in Linköping, Sweden. It offers many professional degree programs in medicine, education, business, economics, and engineering. Research is conducted within various disciplines, with robust internationally recognized research environments, e.g., materials science, information technology, and disability studies. | |
Karolinska Institutet | Karolinska Institutet is the largest center for medical education and research in Sweden. It is among the best medical universities in the world. Karolinska Institutet offers bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and short-term executive and professional programs in medical sciences. The master’s programs are offered in Biomedicine, Health Informatics, Bioentrepreneurship, Global Health, Health Economics, Policy and Management, Molecular Techniques in Life Science, Nutrition Science, Public Health Science, and Toxicology. | |
Mälardalen University | Mälardalen University is a public higher education institution with two campuses located in Västerås and Eskilstuna. The university offers academic facilities through its four schools, is one of its most prominent higher education institutions, and offers health, engineering, business, and education programs. | |
Jonkoping University | Established in 1977, Jonkoping University is a non-profit higher education institute in Sweden. Operating in agreement and affiliation with the Swedish Government, this university adheres to national degree regulations and quality specifications. This university provides more than 80 different programs at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Under the Jönköping University Foundation, there are six divisions, including Jönköping International Business School, the School of Health and Welfare, the School of Engineering, and the School of Education and Communications. |
Festivals & Events
Valborg
Date: 30th April
Valborg, commonly known as Walpurgis Night, celebrates St Walpurgis and the coming of All Hallows Eve six months before Halloween on April 30.
Valborg is celebrated by lighting large bonfires, singing spring-themed songs, and blasting fireworks. Much south and central Sweden come out for massive bonfires, feasts, and socializing.
Kivik Apple Market Festival
Date: September
Kivik Apple Market Festival is held during the end of Sweden’s harvesting season and is completely free for everyone. The festival offers a wide range of delicious food items inspired by the apple fruit, including apple desserts, pies, cider, and much more.
Artists show their creative side through the many mosaics and colorful paintings, which are all based on the apple fruit.
Summerburst
Date: June 3-4
One of the best and most massive festivals in Sweden, Summerburst, is held annually for two days in Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg during the summer season. This music festival displays some of the best-talented dance performers worldwide and popular local bands.
The heart-pumping electronic music and many other performances by well-known stars like Tiesto and David Guetta are hosted here.
Stockholm Pride festival
Date: End of July
The Stockholm Pride festival celebrates Sweden's gay and lesbian community, the Nordic region's largest Pride festival since 1998. Thousands of people come to Stockholm for the event at the end of July every year, which usually runs into the beginning of August.
Most of the events occur in Pride Park, including plenty of music, food, and performances.
Gothenburg Culture Festival
Date: August
Gothenburg Culture Festival takes place annually during August on the streets of Gothenburg. It portrays the Swedish festivals through various art and cultural performances.
This festival offers a festive street party with several musics, drama, and dance performances, like Street Theatre, Ballet, Jazz Music, Hip-Hop Music, and Symphonic Works. The art exhibitions held here exhibit various creative artifacts in the best way possible.
Stockholm Early Music Festival
Date: June
Stockholm Early Music Festival is one of the most famous music festivals in Sweden, in Stockholm every June. The best music artists, majorly from Scandinavia, and some budding musicians from around the globe, flock together to show their talents.
Their performances are based on medieval, baroque, and renaissance music. The whole event is conducted in an exquisite and classy manner. Many stalls offer the best of Swedish cuisine.
Midsummer Festival
Date: June
Midsummer Festival is one of the important festivals celebrated by almost every family in Sweden. It is a nationwide event hosted at every park and garden in Sweden, and many people come together and sing songs and devour the herring pickles throughout the day.
During this festival, many different communities come together dressed up with flowers in their hair and dance under the sunshine while raising maypoles.
Attractions / Top Sights
Ystad
When to visit: May to September
Ystad is a remarkable and historical town situated in the south of Sweden on the shore of the Baltic Sea. It houses plenty of historic sites and lively culture.
The beautiful town is also home to many galleries, beaches, and museums, and the Film Museum and the Grey Friar’s monastery dates back to the 12th century, or Saint Petri’s Church.
Vasa Museum
When to visit: May to September
The Vasa Museum in Stockholm is Sweden's most famous museum and most visited attraction drawing around a million visitors annually. The Vasa is the best-preserved seventeenth-century ship globally and a unique art treasure. More than 98 percent of the vessel is authentic, and it is decorated with hundreds of carved sculptures.
The 69 meter-long warship Vasa sank on its maiden voyage in Stockholm harbor in 1628 and was salvaged 333 years later in 1961. The three masts on the roof of the tailor-made museum show the height of the ship's original masts.
Gamla Stan
When to visit: May to September
Gamla Stan is a stunning Old town in Stockholm Town boasting authentic architecture along its narrow stone-paved lanes and cobbled streets around its squares, especially the main one, Stortorget, surrounded by old merchants' houses.
The narrow winding cobblestone streets, with their buildings in so many different shades of gold, give Gamla Stan its distinctive character. All of Gamla Stan and the adjacent island of Riddarholmen are like a living pedestrian-friendly museum full of sights, attractions, restaurants, cafés, bars, and places to shop.
Drottningholm Palace
When to visit: May to September
When to visit: https://www.drottningholmpalace.se/
Drottningholm Palace on the island of Lovö is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and lies about 11 kilometers west of Stockholm city center. The fairy tale palace is now the official residence of the Swedish Royal Family.
The picturesque terraced park is bronze sculptures from Bohemia and Denmark, brought back as war trophies. The original interior was added between 1760 and 1770 under the direction of Jean Eric Rehn for Gustav III's youngest brother, Duke Fredrik Adolf. The guest floor is one of the Royal Palace's three representation floors.
Stockholm
When to visit: May to September
Stockholm is often the "Venice of the North.", surrounded by water, and around 30,000 islands lie in Stockholm's wondrous archipelago (skärgården).
Phenomenal red and yellow timber summerhouses occupy some islands, while others remain unspoiled. The place offers a perfect boat sightseeing tour to discover the best and most beautiful parts of the Stockholm archipelago in a short period.
Umeå
When to visit: May to September
Located in eastern Sweden, Umeå is a town with plenty of museums to visit, including the Bildmuseet Museum of the Image, the Museum of Women’s History, and the Västerbotten Museum, where there is an open-air display with edifices from several eras and areas in Sweden’s history.
It is home to the Seven Rivers Art Route and numerous galleries and art museums.
Göta Canal
When to visit: June to September
The Göta Canal is one of the country's famous tourist attractions and offers a great viewpoint on Sweden's heartland. It features 47 bridges and 58 locks; the canal stretches from Sjötorp at Lake Vänern to Söderköping on the Baltic Sea. Cycling, canoeing, and walking are great ways of exploring and discovering this beautiful canal.
Ice Hotel
When to visit: In between December to April
The fabulous Ice Hotel is situated in the small village of Jukkasjärvi in Northern Sweden. The hotel, including the chairs and beds, is also constructed from snow and ice blocks; the bar is carved from ice, and the glasses are made from ice.
The structure remains below freezing, around −5 °C (23 °F). The entire hotel is rebuilt using snow and ice blocks taken from the nearby Torne River every year. And you can only stay in the Icehotel between December and April of each year.
Abisko National Park
One of the most picturesque northernmost parks, Abisko National Park, is situated in the Lapland region of Northern Sweden. The park houses the Abisko Scientific Research Station.
Hiking in the park is a favored thing to indulge the scenic view. The famous Kungsleden hiking trail is nearly 500 km (300 miles) long, and it starts right from Abisko. In the winter, there are also opportunities for skiing and snowboarding.
Are Ski Resort
When to visit: December to Apri
When to visit: https://aresweden.com/en/alpine-skiing-in-are-ski-area/
Located in the region of Jämtland, the stunning Are Ski Resort is one of Sweden’s most fabulous winter sports destinations, and it offers over 100 slopes and more than 40 ski lifts. There are three major ski areas to choose from Björnen, the High Zone, and Duved-Tegefjäll. Björnen is ideal for families, boasting longer slopes.
There are 89 pistes in Åre’s ski area, which consists of the centrally located Åre By Ski Area, the Björnen Ski Area, and the Duved and Tegefjäll areas (about 10 km west of Åre) which are easily reached by ski bus or car.