Sweden offers you a chance to immerse yourself in the essence of Scandinavia. You’ll find the relaxed waterfront cafés of Malmö in the south and the vast boreal forests of Lapland in the north, with stylish Stockholm and hip Gothenburg between. Our specialists have explored from the snow-dazzled depths of the Arctic Circle to the sunny shores of Stockholm’s archipelago, and can help you discover the aspects of the country that interest you. On a tailor-made vacation to Sweden with Audley, you’ll see the scenic highlights — and much more — your way.
We’ll arrange a food walking tour so you can sample fresh herring and the richest, most luxurious hot chocolate in Stockholm. You can spend time mingling with reindeer herds and the Sámi who depend on them in the Arctic. And, you might follow in the footsteps of King Erik the Victorious in the oldest town in Sweden, or learn more about the ultra-modern Øresund Bridge connecting Malmö to Copenhagen.
Suggested tours for Sweden
These tours give you a starting point for what your vacation to Sweden could entail. Treat them as inspiration, as each trip is created uniquely for you.
Suggested activities for Sweden
Whatever your interests, our specialists will build activities into your trip that connect to how you want to experience Sweden.
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Ice dining under the northern lights Ice dining under the northern lights
Swedish LaplandIce dining under the northern lights
You can explore a different side of the Lapland wilderness with a private meal on a frozen lake. Sit on reindeer hides under a traditional Sámi tent and enjoy a three-course meal as you watch the dark skies for the aurora borealis.
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Archipelago sailing adventure from Vaxholm Archipelago sailing adventure from Vaxholm
StockholmArchipelago sailing adventure from Vaxholm
Sail aboard a yacht to see some of the 30,000 islands that form Stockholm’s archipelago. Your captain will tailor the route to your interests, whether you want to focus on wildlife or local culture, with a traditional Swedish lunch served on board.
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Sigtuna and Uppsala day trip Sigtuna and Uppsala day trip
StockholmSigtuna and Uppsala day trip
Enjoy a day filled with history as you explore two important Swedish towns, Sigtuna and Uppsala, with a private guide. The tour is tailored to your interests, but you might see cathedrals, runestones, traditional wooden houses and medieval ruins.
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Why travel with Audley?
- 100% tailor-made tours
- Fully protected travel
- Established for over 25 years
- 98% of our clients would recommend us
Best time to visit
Our specialists advise on the best months to visit Sweden, including information about climate, events and festivals.
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Useful information for planning your vacation in Sweden
The official language of Sweden is Swedish, which has several regional dialects. In the north, a number of Indigenous Sámi languages are spoken by around half of the Swedish Sámi population. Swedes are generally fluent English speakers and you’re not likely to encounter any issues being understood.
The currency of Sweden is the krona (kr or SEK). You’ll find ATMs in all cities and towns, and credit and debit cards are widely accepted, even for small purchases.
In Sweden, a discretionary service charge is nearly always added to the bill, and an additional tip is not expected. If a service charge is not added, then rounding up the bill or adding 5-10% is perfectly acceptable, but not expected. Drivers and guides will also appreciate a tip. Your specialist can advise on appropriate amounts closer to your travel dates.
Sweden may be known for its traditional meatballs, pickled herring, and cinnamon buns, but a modern focus on local, seasonal, and organic produce have made it a star of the Nordic culinary scene. You’ll find a host of Michelin-starred restaurants in Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö, while coastal regions are known for their wild salmon, herring, and trout. Often served as part of a smorgasbord, a selection of open sandwiches served buffet-style, they may be accompanied by rye breads, foraged vegetables, and lingonberry jam.
Perhaps the most essential Swedish culinary tradition is fika. Translated as 'coffee and a cake', fika is an essential part of Swedish culture. What you eat or drink is largely irrelevant — more important is the companionship and taking time to slow down to connect.
Craft brewing has also become popular in Sweden in recent years, as has viticulture, particularly in the southern states near Malmö.
For the latest travel advice for Sweden, including entry requirements, health information, and the safety and security situation, please refer to the State Department website.
Sweden’s historic cities, thousands of islands, and Arctic landscape offer a host of experiences from sailing and dog-sledding to fine food and world-renowned museums. You could get an insight into the neo-Nordic culinary scene on a food-themed walking tour, visit castles, palaces, and runestones on a trip to Sigtuna and Uppsala, or sail around archipelagos to see fishing villages, summer houses, and seabirds.
In the north, you could spend a day with the Indigenous Sámi to learn about their way of life, their reindeer herds, and how to lasso like a local. You could hike the northern forests under the midnight sun, or kayak on the Lule River to get into the Arctic wilderness.
In winter, Sweden offers a whole different set of experiences from dog sledding and winter sports to the chance to stay in an ice hotel or watch the northern lights ripple across the night sky.
In style-conscious Sweden you can stay in cutting-edge concept hotels, historic buildings with contemporary interiors, boutique guesthouses, and classically elegant urban hideaways. For example, you could stay in a stylish Art Nouveau boutique hotel set in a former girls’ school, enjoy the charm of Gothenburg’s historic post office, now a sleek urban hotel, or opt for a futuristic treehouse in the forests of Lapland. For more ideas, browse our collection of places to stay in Sweden.
Sweden is a large country, but most visitors choose to visit Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, and Lapland. In stylish Stockholm, you’ll find a cosmopolitan capital where cobbled lanes are flanked by brightly painted 17th- and 18th-century buildings but also avant-garde architecture, world-class museums, and a cutting-edge restaurant scene.
Hip Gothenburg’s large student population gives it a lively energy and it has a thriving coffeehouse culture as well as a vast collection of art at the Konstmuseum, which covers everything from the Scandinavian masters to the French impressionists, and contemporary photography. Gothenburg is also the gateway to the Bohuslän archipelago and its 8,000 islands.
Malmö also has a well-preserved old town thick with Dutch-Renaissance-style gabled townhouses while the redeveloped waterfront is home to the towering Turning Torso, Scandinavia’s highest building. In the boreal forests of Lapland you can get an insight into Sámi culture or experience the midnight sun.
It takes around eight hours to fly from the East Coast of the US to Sweden, and around 12 and a half hours from the West Coast.
The time zone in Sweden is UTC+1 hour. Daylight Savings Time is observed from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.
The best way to get around in Sweden is by road, rail, and air. Sweden is a large country with many islands, and you might need to combine road trips with rail journeys or internal flights to cover larger distances, and then take boat trips or cruises along the coast to see the islands. If you’d prefer not to drive yourself, we can also arrange for a private vehicle with a driver-guide to take you between destinations.
US citizens don’t need a visa to travel to Sweden. However, any time spent in Sweden is counted towards your 90-day limit for travel in the Schengen area.
Your doctor is best placed to provide you with immunization advice for Sweden, but you should also ensure you’re up to date with routine vaccinations at home. You can also check the recommended vaccinations by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Check that your passport will be valid for a minimum of three months beyond your date of departure from Sweden and has at least two blank pages.
Sweden in pictures
Our expert guides to traveling in Sweden
Written by our specialists from the viewpoint of their own travels, these guides will help you decide on the shape of your own trip to Sweden. Aiming to inspire and inform, we share our recommendations for how to appreciate Sweden at its best.
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Top 10 Christmas markets across Europe Top 10 Christmas markets across Europe
Top 10 Christmas markets across Europe
Each winter, Europe’s towns and cities sprout Christmas markets, sparkling with spangled trees, twinkling lights, spiced wine, and wooden pavilions selling treats and trinkets. We asked our specialists which ones they like best, from Croatia to Oslo to Edinburgh.
Read this guide
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