Vincenzo Davari

When you have summer holidays on your mind, one of the ideal places to visit would be Sweden. This article aims at helping you chalk out that perfect Sweden summer holiday so you leave with memories of a lifetime! Read on to find out how to make your tour rewarding. When Does Summer Start In Sweden? Planning your Swedish summer holiday requires you to know in advance when the season will be. There are plenty of online platforms that offer this information every year to enable you to have accurate dates to make your plans. In general, though, summer tends to arrive by June and end by the end of August. With this range, you can make bookings in advance for things like your accommodation, flights, travel guides, tours and much more. If you're looking to make savings during your travels through Sweden's tourist destinations, make bookings during off-peak seasons before summer. Payment rates for various destinations and activities are usually lower, which means you'll have extra money to buy trinkets when you finally arrive for your holiday. It's good to remember that Sweden is counted among the few western European countries with stable summers. You may experience light rain showers now and then. However, these only add to the season's appeal since they create a cooling effect on rather hot days. It's a worthwhile experience that you should indulge in whenever the opportunity arises. What to Expect with Swedish Summers No Darkness With summer in Sweden, the region blooms as temperatures soar and the various cities change from their usual routines to accommodate the weather changes. You'll even get to experience a natural phenomenon as cool as the midnight sun. Also called the polar day, it refers to uninterrupted days of sunshine for regions located either south of the Antarctic Circle, or north of the Arctic Circle. Sweden falls within that geographical area. With the midnight sun, you get longer days to do more exploration of Sweden's sites. Twenty-four hours of sunshine to be exact. However, as someone new to the region during that period, you should pack a sleeping mask to help you get some shut-eye when the need arises. If you forget to, though, don't worry. You'll notice that most accommodation options you'll come across will have blackout curtains. These are thicker than ordinary curtains to help create a dark atmosphere whenever you're ready to sleep. Cordoned Off Streets However, the never-setting sun isn't the only change you'll notice. As you walk about the various streets, you'll experience a few other differences in line with the season. That's, especially, if you've previously visited Sweden during different times of the year. For starters, schools tend to close for the entire period of the summer holidays. However, did you know that some businesses also close up in the main cities? That's right. Whenever you see a sign that reads semesterstängt, that's Swedish to indicate that the establishment or office is closed for the holidays. The streets also change with gågator, which means pedestrian streets, coming up. You'll notice that certain areas get cordoned off to vehicles to give more space for other activities. These include pop-up cafe's called uteservering, which translates to outdoor seating, and loppis, which is Swedish for flea markets. You get the chance to experience Swedish culture without having to go too far from your hotel if you're staying within major cities. Top 5 Places to Visit in Sweden During Summer Depending on the type of Sweden summer holiday experience you're going for, Sweden offers several sites and activities to keep travellers well occupied. Browse through the list below to find some of the top places for tourist sites, gastronomic exploits, nature trails and even off the beaten track adventures. 1. Abisko and Kebnekaise If the midnight sun fascinates you, then travelling to Sweden's highest mountain, Kebnekaise, guarantees that you get unobscured views of the spectacle at midnight. There are also hiking trails at Abisko which you can traverse while away the day. Just ensure you have hiking boots in case you come across muddy places. 2. Various Activities at Kiruna From trips to the world's largest underground iron ore mine to gold panning for keeps and even feeding reindeer, Kiruna comes packed with summer activities for solo travellers or those with family members of all ages in tow. 3. Stockholm Bike Travels Forego public transport and hiring a vehicle to try out electric steps and bikes instead. These enable you to travel through more of Stockholm, thanks to the city's bike lanes. You have the option to either join a bike tour or hire one and go it alone. Start your tour at Gamla Stan, where Stockholm was founded, before riding out to Djurgården. There, you can tour the Nordiska Museum and the Vasa Museum for a history lesson into Sweden's culture. 4. Drottningholm Palace Boat Tour Book a boat tour across Lake Mälaren to the Drottningholm Palace. Built in the 1600s, the palace has been well-preserved over the years, since it serves as the Swedish royals' private residence. It's currently protected by the Swedish Military, although certain parts are still open for public tours. 5. Jukkasjärvi's Ice Hotel Summer temperatures in Sweden may be high, but that doesn't stop the Ice Hotel from standing tall. Thanks to the 24-hour sunshine, the hotel's solar panels get enough power to keep the hotel nice and cool. Apart from booking a stay in the cold and warm rooms, the Thorne River offers several fun activities for visitors. You can go fishing, river rafting, or even try your hand at ice sculpting. 6. The Stendörren Nature Reserve Leave the city behind and head over to the Stendörren Nature Reserve. Located just an hour from Stockholm, in Sörmland, you will find yourself surrounded by clean water on every side. Depending on whether you'd like to tour on foot or by boat, there are two separate sections to visit. For those looking to trek, the suspension bridges will guide your way. For those on boats, you can access the fishing port of Aspnäset with ease. You can also do a bit of barbecuing while you enjoy the sites. The reserve has unique fire pits spread throughout for those who'd like to do some outdoor cooking.

Vincenzo Davari

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