Travelguild jaya

sweden

Travel Guide

Introduction O nce a dearly-expensive destination, travel in Sweden has become economically much more attractive in recent years. Now that the nation’s midnight sun, slick cities and historical sites can be enjoyed at a more affordable price, tourism is likely to be on the way up for the Scandinavian state. Stockholm, the capital, hits all the right spots: at once modern and medieval, the city bears testimony to its 13th century origins, as medieval streets are wo-

ven together through a myriad of stairways, arches and lanes; and a fine collection of museums, including a hugely popular open-air museum, accent the city’s appreciation of the past. At Gothewnburg, however, we find Sweden’s most popular destination: Liseberg, Scandinavia’s largest - and one of the world’s best - amusement parks.

Sights & Activities Drottningholm Palace Drottningholm is a small locality in the Ekerรถ municipality to the east of the city of Stockholm itself.

The only reason to come here, makes for a nice half daytrip: TheDrottningholm Palace and its gardens.

This royawl domain is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and was originally built in the late 16th century. It served as a residence of the Swedish royal court for most of the 18th century. Apart from being the private residence of the Swedish royal family, the palace is a popular tourist attraction.

Apart from the palace and its gardens, there are also the theater and Chinese Pavilion which deserve a visit. Drottningholm is easily reached by taking the metro to T-Brommaplan and an onward bus (lines 301-323 and 176/177 go there on a regular basis).

Dog sled adventure During the winter the north of Sweden offers lots of different dog sled tours. Check if they take good care of their huskies and that your guide will be the owner of the dogs. Some of the best dog sled companies you will find at Natures Best, eco tourism certification system.

Ajtte, Sami and Mountain museum In the Ajtte, Sami and Mountain Museum and you can find information about nature in Lapland. There is also lots of focus on the Sami culture and the Swedish seattlers in Lapland. Ajtte is located in Jokkmokk, north of the Arctic Circle.

Laponia World Heritage Area Laponia is a nature and culture World Heritage area. Sarek National Park, Padjelanta National Park, Muddus National Park and many more are part of this World Heritage. The Sami culture is strong and alive. The best entry to Laponia is via Jokkmokk or Gällivare.

Gotland Gotland is the largest of the Baltic Islands and one of Sweden’s most important historic sights. This wonderful island is dotted with over a 100 medieval churches and home to countless prehistoric sites. A highlight is the medieval city of Visby and its magnificent walls. This Hanseatic town is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

There is also wonderful biking to be found between the churches and great day hikes. There are over 30 hostels to travel between that do get booked in the summertime.

Höga Kusten Höga Kusten is one of the most beautiful coastline areas of Sweden. This stunning area is located between Härnösand to Örnsköldsvik, which are decent towns. Home to many glacial lakes and rolling hills one can spend days enjoying the fresh sea air and gentle breeze. There are also several nice traditional fishing villages to enjoy also.

Mount Kebnekaise Mount Kebnekaise is the tallest mountain in all of Sweden and is located in Lapland. Its highest peak is 2,104 metres (6,900 feet) and is glaciated. From the summit travellers can see 9% of Sweden’s surface area. After climbing the mountain there is a nice lodge to take a break at and have a coffee. Remember to take a break and try to spot

Skogskyrkogården Skogskyrkogården (The Woodland Cemetery) is one of those extraordinary examples of beautiful cemeteries. Scandinavian cemeteries are almost designed to walk in and are an attraction in its own right and this one tops the list for sure. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, it combines a natural setting with the development of architecture, making a great mix to walk around for a couple of hours. It was designed in 1915 by Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz and work began in 1917.

It is located in the Enskededalen, south of Stockholm’s Södermalm and easily reached by metro in 5 minutes or so. The cemetery is just east of the metrostation and excess is free of charge. Please not that there are hundreds of funerals each year, so respect the fact that people might not be here to see the cemetery but instead bury a loved one! The most famous person that has its final resting place here, probably is Greta Garbo.

Weather

Trelleborg Trelleborg is the collective name for six viking villages and forts that are located in present day northern Denmark and southern Sweden. Most of them were built in the late 10th and early 11th century. These impressive towns helped to rain havoc on most of the NorthernEurope for several years. Many of the ones in Sweden are located near present dayTrelleborg.

Sweden has a continental climate in most of the country with generally warm summers and cold winters. Only the southwestern coastal area between Goteborg and Malmo has milder weather during winter because of the influence of the waters from the Atlantic Ocean. Winters are much colder and from south to north temperatures decrease. The number of mean temperatures below zero increase from 71 in the south, 120 around Stockholm and close to 200 in the upper north. Temperatures in the north are known to drop to around -50 °C in extreme cases, though generally winterdays from December to March are between -10 °C and -20 °C. In the southern parts, Stockholm is around zero during the day, -5 °C at night. Further south, temperatures are even several degrees milder. Summers are warm throughout the country, with around 20 °C or 21 °C in most of the country. Although on average a bit colder, warm days in the north are not less than in the south. Precipitation is quite evenly distributed throughout the year, with some more rain in summer, when heavy showers can occur. Winters have snow, especially in the northern half of the country.

Getting Around

By Plane

By Boat

By Bus

SAS is the main domestic carrier in Sweden and service about 30 airports in the country, mainly from

There aren’t that many passenger ferries in Sweden, except from a number of lines useful when visiting the archipelago around Stockholm.

Destination Gotland operates a three-hour ferry ride from Oskarshamn in Småland and Nynäshamn near Stockholm. During summertime the ferry also runs to Grankullavik on Öland. The Gota Kanal travels from Gothenburg to Stockholm. Note that some ferry services might not operate in winter.

Connex and Swebus are the main operators on a number of efficient bus connections throughout the country. Even more remote smaller towns are linked regularly with bigger cities in the south. They also offer bus passes in the Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo areas.

By Car Sweden has a well maintained network of roads, although most highways are concentrated in the south and around Stockholm.

All international companies have rental cars on airports and bigger cities and a national driver’s licence is sufficient. Traffic drives on the right and headlights should be used at all times. Be careful with animals, like reindeer, especially when it’s dark. Sufficient insurance (green card) is recommended.

By Train Swedish State Railways runs an excellent network of fast, reliable, comfortable and efficient trains throughout most of the country.

Although most lines are concentrated in the south, there are services to the forested areas in the central and northern parts of the country. There are sleeper and restaurant cars on many trains.

Money

Safety

Work

The krona (plural kronor, SEK) is the official currency of Sweden One krona is subdivided into 100 öre. Banknotes are in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 kronor. Coins come in 1, 5 and 10 kronor. The 50 öre has been removed by the government and is no longer in use.

Sweden enjoys a comparatively low crime rate, and is generally a safe place to travel with violent crime being rare. Use common sense at night, particularly on weekend nights when people hit the streets to drink, get drunk, and in some unfortunate cases look for trouble. Mind that it is likely that your home country is less safe than Sweden, so heed whatever warnings you would do in your own country and you will have no worries. Pickpockets are rare but not unheard of. They usually work in tourist-frequented areas, such as airports, rail stations, urban rail, shopping areas and festivals. Other than that, some extreme cold during the dark winter months, especially in the north, can be a danger if not prepared.

EU and EEA citizens are allowed to work in Sweden without a permit. Citizens of some non-EU countries are permitted to work in Sweden without the need to obtain a visa or any further authorisation for the period of their 90 day visa-free stay. Working Holiday visas are available for Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and South Korean citizens aged between 18-30, permitting the holder to work for one year. Citizens of other countries need a work permit, and getting one can be quite a hassle. Swedes, foreign citizens already living in Sweden, and EU/EEA citizens have preference over others in obtaining work in Sweden. Also, if the offer of work is for more than three months, you will also require a Swedish residency permit.

Other Sights and Activities

• Old Towns - Enjoy the traditional architecture in many of Sweden’s older towns.

• Palaces - Explore the royal palaces in Stockholm and Riddarholmen to get a glimpse of grace.

• Turning Torso - Go see the tallest building in Scandinavia with is amazing design.

• Riksdag Building - Watch the social welfare state in action in the Swedish Parliament.

• Skiing - Get the thrill or peace of great downhill and crosscountry skiing.