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My expat journey has taken me from my home in the US, to South Africa, to England, and now to Sweden and I can say that without a doubt, this country is my absolute favorite to live in.

I can’t quite put my finger on what makes Sweden such an attractive place but here are a few things that I have come to learn (and appreciate) about this country:

1. A strong emphasis on appreciating nature is instilled in every Swede from birth

2. Virtually all Swedes speak flawless English (among other languages)

3. Swedes usually keep to themselves but will help you out if you ask for it without hesitation

4. Midsummer is the most important national holiday, coinciding with the longest day of the year

5. Fika (a coffee break) is an institution; many jobs yield time for a fika or two during the work day

As far as cities go, you can never go wrong with the Swedish capital of Stockholm. Nearly a quarter of the population live there and it is scattered across a 14-island archipelago. Gothenburg is the 2nd largest city in Sweden, situated on the West coast of the country and is dramatically different than the capital city. Malmö is the 3rd largest city, also in the Southwest of Sweden and easily accessible from Copenhagen in Denmark. Lund and Uppsala are known as the ‘university’ cities in the country and are easily accessible from Malmö and Stockholm, respectively. Lastly, Helsingborg lies in Skåne, the South part of Sweden where the people speak Swedish with a strange accent, which make them very difficult to understand if you’re trying to learn the language! Kalmar is situated on the southwest coast of Sweden and features a very impressive castle, while its neighboring island of Öland is also worth visiting. The Swedish island of Marstrand, on Sweden’s Western coast is worth the trip as well!

If you like some of my photos that you have come across, just know that I have many prints showcasing a variety of landscapes, including Sweden, available for purchase below! (Sold as Posters, Canvas, or in Metal-Frames).

I have written about each one of these cities and have summarized all of them in this article for your convenience. Feel free to read each dedicated blog post for a more in-depth look into each city!

Stockholm

(See Blog Post - Why Stockholm is the Best Scandinavian Capital)

When compared to other cities in the world, Stockholm’s size by population is humbling (around 2.5 million people in the metropolitan area), and yet each island that make up this 14 island archipelago of a capital, has something unique to offer. 

• Stortorget, Rådhuset, Stenbock Palaces, The Royal Palace - all great places to see located in the Gamla Stan area

• Kungsträdgården, Djurgården - Wonderful green spaces and good for people watching

• ABBA, Vasa, and Fotografiska Museums

• Monteliusvägen, Skinnarviksberget, Erik’s Gondolen, Norra Riddarholmenshamn - great for golden hour and sunsets!

• Vete-Katten, Kajsas Fisk, Orangeriet, Greasy Spoon, La Neta City, Stampen for food/entertainment

• Solna Centrum, Solna Strand, Universitetet, Stadion, Tekniska Högskolan - artsy tunnelbana stations

Stockholm Tunnelbana

(See Blog Post - The World’s Longest Art Gallery: Riding on the Stockholm Tunnelbana)

It seems quite ununsual that one of the things people suggest you do in Stockholm is to simply ride the metro system. However, you will find that this is particularly the case, not just for this city but a few others in the world as well (Moscow, London, New York). The Tunnelbana in Stockholm is considered the world’s longest art gallery, as many of the stations themselves feature works from [mostly] swedish artists.

Gothenburg

(See Blog Post - A Tour of Gothenburg: Sweden's 2nd Largest City)

Gothenburg is Sweden’s 2nd most populous city, located on the west coast of the country and within close proximity to Norway (to the north) and Denmark (to the south). This strategic location makes Gothenburg the largest port in all the Nordic countries. From here, you can take ferries to Germany and Denmark. Considered to be the ‘biggest little city’ in Sweden, Gothenburg is easy to navigate (by tram and buses), and offers plenty of attractions to take in as a weekend (or longer) visitor. Furthermore, the archipelago just off the coast provides an excellent escape to those wishing to flee the city noise (more on this below).

• Gunnebo House, Skansen Kronan historical sites

• Seminarieparken, Slottsskogen, Palm House (Horticulture Gardens)

• Slottskogsobservatoriet Museum

• Feskekörka, Stenpiren/Lilla Brommen for good views

• Haga/Lejontrappen, Röda Sten Konsthall, Liseberg

• Gothenburg Archipelago:

  • North - Vinga, Fotö, Hönö, Grötö, Kalvsund, Öckerö, Björkö, Hälsö, Källö-Knippla, Hyppeln, Rörö.

  • South - Asperö, Brännö, Köpstadsö, Vargö, Stora Förö, Knarrholmen, Styrsö, Donsö, Kårholmen, Sjumansholmen.

Malmö

(See Blog Post - Take a weekend break in Malmö, Sweden)

Malmö is Sweden’s 3rd largest city (6th largest in Scandinavia), situated in the southern region of Skåne. What was once a very industrialized city has now evolved into a biotech and IT hub. Half of the population of the city has a foreign background due to the influx of refugees that Sweden has accepted in recent years. This has turned the city into a melting pot of cultures giving it a different feel than traditional Swedish cities. A weekend trip to Malmö is a worthy proposition for those looking to experience a city with many modern conveniences but with cultural and historical entities of Sweden’s storied past.

• Malmö Castle - originally built by Denmark in 1434.

• Gamla Väster - old charming area in the city center.

• St. Peter’s Church - a brick Gothic church located just Northeast of Gamla Väster.

• Kungsparken and Slottsträdgården - both park lie near the Malmö City Library and Malmö Castle

• Ribersborgsstranden - beach with a great view of Øresund bridge and access to the Open-air bath.

• Turning Torso, Øresund bridge, Lilla Torg, Malmö City Library, Malmö Lighthouses - cool places

Uppsala

(See Blog Post - Uppsala: the hidden gem just North of Stockholm)

Most people who come to Sweden only really know about Stockholm, or maybe even the second largest city of Göteborg (Gothenburg), but Uppsala usually doesn’t come to mind (Sweden’s fourth largest city). Uppsala is a short 40 minute train ride from Stockholm Central which makes it ideal for a day/weekend trip and is easily walkable. It’s known as a university town as Uppsala University is the oldest in the country (established in 1477). 

• Linneanum, Uppsala Castle, Uppsala Cathedral, Gamla Uppsala - historical sites

• Stadsparken, Engelskaparken, and Hågadalen-Nåstens Naturreservat

• Linneanum Orangery and Tropical Greenhouse - museums

• Gotlandsparken for great views

Lund

(See Blog Post - A Day Tour of the University town of Lund)

Lund is one of the two university towns in Sweden (the other being Uppsala). That means it is at its most lively when school is in session. Interestingly enough, its founding dates all the way back to 990 when it was then a part of Denmark (there have been so many wars fought between these Scandinavian neighbors that at one point Denmark ruled everything, and then Sweden did, and then repeat).

• Lund Cathedral, All Saints Church - historical sites and landmarks

• Lundagård, Botanical Garden - parks

• Kulturen - museums

• Stora Torget - place to see

Helsingborg

(See Blog Post - Just a few reasons to see Helsingborg in the South of Sweden)

Helsingborg is a coastal city in the south of Sweden, otherwise known as Skåne. It sits just a few miles away from Helsingør, Denmark on the Øresund Strait. It is the 9th largest city in Sweden by population with about 112,000 inhabitants. It is one of the oldest cities in Sweden, as it was first permanently settled in 1085. It’s strategic position on the coastline was very important to Denmark, because controlling both sides of the Øresund Strait allowed the Danish King to tax transit through it.

• Kärnan, Rådhuset - historical sites

• Slottshagen for parks

• Örestrandsbadet for good views

• Helsingborg Lighthouse and Pilot House, Helsingør, Ven are some cool places to see

Kalmar

(See Blog Post - Kalmar: The town you should know more about in Sweden)

Kalmar is located in the Southeast corner of Sweden and sits on the Baltic Sea. As the 30th largest city in Sweden, you may not understand why there is a draw to go there. This small town is really defined by its collection of 17th and 18th century buildings still standing and for its castle that served it well during the Scanian War. Currently, the city has been instrumental in its drive to remove its dependence on fossil fuels by initiating a variety of reform programs.

• Kalmar Cathedral, Kalmar Castle, Tripp Trapp Trull historical sites

• Laboratorieholmen, Stadspark, Svinö for nice parks

• Kalmar Konstmuseum

• Kalmar Slottspark for great views

Öland

(See Blog Post - A Day Tour of the Swedish island of Öland)

It wasn’t until my visit to the small Swedish city of Kalmar, that I had first heard about the island of Öland, which lies right next to the city, accessible by a bridge and is full of old relics of Sweden’s past. So you can rest assured that I took some time out to explore this island when visiting Kalmar. The origins of Öland date back to around 8000 BC where early settlers were able to access the island (and present-day Kalmar) by using an ice bridge that formed across the Kalmar Strait. The island is full of Viking-age burial grounds and ring forts, all of which have yielded about 24,000 artifacts to date.

• Ismantorp Fortress, Borgholm Castle, Eketorps Borg, Träby Borg are some historical sites

• Köpingsvik Beach, Lerkaka, Karl X Gustavs Mur are nice parks

• Långe Jan, Långe Erik for some cool lighthouses!

Marstrand

(See Blog Post - A day trip to the Swedish island of Marstrand)

Marstrand has always been one of those places I have heard about since living in Sweden, but was never really a priority for me to see. It’s not so much a city, but an island, situated about an hour north of Sweden’s 2nd most populous city of Gothenburg. The island is a popular spot for sailing and boat races. It has a population of around 1,320 inhabitants and is part of Västra Gotland county. The best thing to do on this wonderful island is to walk along its periphery and take in the wonderful coastlines, especially if you are coming in the spring and summer months. Then end up at one of the local cafes and have a coffee and Cardamom bun.

• Carlstens Fästning is an absolute must see

Visby

(Blog Post - A Closer Look at the Hanseatic Town of Visby in Gotland, Sweden)

Visby is a Medieval walled city, located on the Swedish island of Gotland, that houses roughly 40% of the Gotland population. The Old Town itself is in such an exceptional state that Visby was crowned a UNESCO World Heritage site back from 1995. And appropriately enough, the city hosts a Medieval Festival every year. Visby is also called the City of Roses/Ruins, and its names comes from Old Norse of the words ‘Vis’ and ‘by’ meaning ‘place of sacrifices’ and ‘village’, respectively. The city can only be reached by flying directly into Visby airport or by taking the ferry from Nynäshamn or Öland.

Fårö

(Blog Post - A Guide to the Swedish island of Fårö)

The Swedish island of Fårö sits just off the coast of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. Outside of the largest city of Visby on Gotland, it is the most popular place to visit within Gotland county. It has some spectacular natural rock formations, which I will discuss in this blog post, as well as old fishing villages and plentiful beaches to swim in the usually cold water.

Gotland

(Blog Post - A Guide to the Swedish island of Gotland)

Gotland, located in the Baltic Sea, is the sunniest part of Sweden and arguably the best destination in Scandinavia. Its extensive shoreline and warmer climate (compared to the rest of Sweden), along with its long medieval history and intact walled city at Visby, easily made it one of my favorite places to see in Sweden. The population of Gotland is roughly, 57,000, with about 40% living in the county capital of Visby. The island can be reached by air via the Visby airport or by ferry from either Nynäshamn (via 1.5 hour train South from Stockholm) or Öland.

The Castles of Sweden

(Blog Post - A Tour of Sweden's Coolest Castles)

The castles that were built by the Swedes no doubt played a major role in the defense of the country. There are even some castles that were built by Swedish enemies, on conquered Swedish land at the time, which were subsequently taken back under control. As you can imagine, the history of each individual castle must be long and storied. I will talk about a handful of the castles I have been to myself and give a brief historical rundown on its existence and place in history, but bear in mind that this list is nowhere near comprehensive.

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