More and more travelers are venturing to Sweden to experience its stunning forested wilderness and cozy and clean-lined Scandinavian style. From its capital city Stockholm to the Swedish Lapland in the north, innovation and nature are always present across the country, presenting a destination of a different nature.
Fusing history and modern urbanity, Stockholm is the capital of both Sweden and all of Scandinavia. Offering the best in luxury dining, accommodations, activities, and shopping, the capital is also home to fantastic hotels such as the Grand Hotel and Ett Hem. Amidst its cultural sophistication and modern architecture, the dynamic metropolis is the epicenter of a thriving tech-innovation community and numerous outdoor restaurants and cafés. Also many don’t know that the city center consists of 14 islands and it integrates nature into its tapestry, with abundant ways to enjoy the outdoors.
Navigating the city is a breeze allowing visitors to see the imposing Nordic Museum (Nordiska Museet) and the Royal Palace, the King’s official residence, along with each of the seven districts in the city. From Södermalm which is known for its creative atmosphere, Östermalm for its elegance, and Norrmalm for its vibrant energy, the capital is a go-to destination to see the past and the present, promising a wealth of experiences and is proudly tolerant and inclusive. When visiting the capital, make sure to take a stroll through Gamla Stan as it is reminiscent of a children’s fairytale book, with many historical buildings and attractions and pastel-colored shops. Another must is Djurgården’s tranquil waterside and woodland trails, as this island boasts the popular open-air Skansen museum along with the Vasa Museum housing the warship Vasa which sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was salvaged 333 years later
The vibrant and sustainable restaurant scene spans the gamut from Michelin-starred restaurants to innovative food trucks, which can often be found at Södermalm. Stockholm is one of the world leaders in Nordic cuisine, presenting clean, simple yet sophisticated creative cooking, becoming the European Capital of Gastronomy in 2023. From Lilla Ego, Solen, the Michelin two-starred Aira, the vegan Hermans and Sturehof, visitors looking for Swedish comfort food (‘husmanskost’) should head to Bakfickan, part of Operakällaren, in the downtown park of Kungsträdgården.
To experience a culture-rich natural wonderland, a visit to the Swedish Lapland is a must. A one-and-a-half-hour flight from Stockholm to Lulea opens a unique world, immersing visitors in nature along with authentic Sámi culture and culinary specialties. The vast woodlands, rolling hills and roaring rivers of the Swedish Arctic is the perfect place for an elevated adventure. A region unlike any other in the world, it is home to mountains, forests, marshes, wild rivers, and archipelagos. It is the land of the Midnight Sun (when the sun never sets in the summer) and the Northern Lights, which can be seen between early September and late March.
Between sunset and sunrise, the midnight sun radiates a magical glow from just below the horizon, and at Arctic Bath, you’re right in the middle of this dazzling phenomenon. Floating in the Lule River, this unique hotel is an oasis of wellness and design. From late May to the middle of July, the sun shines 24 hours a day and allows guests to explore the river and go for a midnight swim. After a day out seeing plenty of the beautiful places around the hotel, you can sleep in one of the six floating water cabins, surrounded by the refreshing currents of the Lule River, granting you a private immersion into its cool embrace. There are also suites nestled amidst the bitch trees surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass and Land Cabins big enough to sleep up to five guests. Chef David Staf makes use of local, pure, and sustainable products to present a fine dining experience weaving the region’s bounty with innovative techniques to present a gastronomic odyssey that is as pleasing on the eye as it is in flavor.
Just a short 10-minute ride from Jokkmokk and Ájtte Museum, the largest Sami museum in Sweden, leads you to the Peace & Quiet Hotel, an off-the-grid luxury hotel that allows guests to feel the freedom of the vast surroundings. Whether sleeping in an aurora hut, a floating glass room, or a mountain glass room, guests can enjoy off-the-grid luxury, kayaking, and dinner in the wild outdoors. Founded by Björn Hedlund Länta, a former mountain guide, the hotel is designed to seamlessly blend with its natural surroundings and allow guests to rediscover themselves in the peace and quiet of the surrounding pristine nature. Guests are presented with a traditional Swedish fika in the mid-afternoon as well as modern interpretations of Nordic cuisine over an open fire, or on the river ice during winter. Due to his background and knowledge of the surrounding area, Björn also provides guests with a range of activities (from dogsledding, ice-fishing, a Sami reindeer experience, skiing, and more) that enable guests to connect with nature and the local culture.
Niehku Mountain Villa
After a visit to Ajtte, Sweden’s largest Sami museum, a drive up north is a must, with a stop at the historical Hjalmar Lundbohmsgården for a fika along the Luossajärvi Lake. The two-hour drive to Niehku Mountain Villa puts you just over 200 km north of the Arctic Circle and just steps from the Norwegian border. Up in the north-westernmost reaches of Sweden, the landscape is wild, wondrous, and ever-changing; and it is here where you will experience an unforgettable hiking experience. Amidst the landscapes of northern Lapland, the once-in-a-lifetime heli-hiking experience starts with a 10-minute helicopter ride to Kårsavaggi before traversing off-the-beaten-path trails in the Abisko national park. Other hikes offered include exploring the fjords just beyond the border to Norway and other historical places, like the Kuokkel mining field. Their 14 guest rooms offer superior comfort and service after a long day out adventuring, for a quick respite before a special five-course culinary journey. Sitting in the rustic dining room split in the middle with a glass floor showing the vast wine cellar below, the kitchen uses local products and the rich variety of the seasons to take guests on a journey through Sweden via their taste buds. Chef Ragnar Martinsson has been at the Villa since its onset and presents a cuisine characterized by nature’s pantry, local products, and the changes of the seasons, while pastry chef Annie Hesselstad – responsible for the dessert at the 2022 and 2023 Nobel prize banquet – makes the most of the northern berries such as lingonberries and cloudberries, grown and picked in the region and filled with the rays of the midnight sun.
Other world-class accommodations that harness its natural surroundings in the Swedish Lapland include Icehotel and Treehotel. There are also plenty of cultural experiences to be had and some of the amazing sites include the moose farm at Cape Wild and Gammelstad Church Village. The village is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which presents charms with its 15th-century stone church, medieval streets, and the best-preserved example of a unique type of village found in northern Scandinavia. Other options include the cultural and natural landscape of Laponia and Struve Geodetic Arc. Covering a quarter of the country, the Swedish Lapland crosses off many items on an adventurer’s bucket list as it offers endless options, from hiking and fishing to dog sledding and skiing.
From the metropolitan hub of Stockholm to the wonders of the Swedish Lapland, this scenic and friendly country presents a dichotomy of bustle and beauty, modernity and mother nature, and presents many cultural experiences to enrich your summer itinerary.