Sweden is one of the most attractive Nordic Countries that has to offer something for everyone. This country is a beautiful blend of historical heritage of the past with the modern trend setting innovative present. Sweden is a multilingual country where everyone speaks more than one or two languages. Swedish is the official language followed by countless languages including English, Finnish and Yiddish. Sweden’s passion and dedication towards environmental cleanliness plays a major role in generating a good environment for the citizens. Therefore, the average life expectancy in Sweden is around 81 years. This coffee loving nation is also famous for their punctuality, productivity and fika culture. If you are an art lover, it can be seen most commonly at the metro stations along with museums and art galleries.
Whether you are visiting Sweden for witnessing the exclusive Northern Lights or exploring the untouched nature, historical towns, exclusive cultural attractions, modern day innovations or diverse landscapes; Whatever your plan is, it is guaranteed that Sweden will provide you an unforgettable journey of your lifetime.
Let’s begin with some of the attractions which we can rarely explore anywhere else apart from Sweden.
NORTHERN LIGHTS:
Sweden is famous worldwide for its natural Northern Lights that appear naturally and creates a mesmerizing view where sky glows ethereally during the cold nights of winter. There is a saying that these northern lights are generated through a unique natural phenomenon when electrically charged particles collide with earth’s atmosphere, the variety of colors produced due to variation in the gas particles involved in the process. Mostly, the green color appears when oxygen is low lying whereas the red color is produced when oxygen is higher while the blueish purple color occurs due to nitrogen.
Every tourist who visits Sweden for the first time, he has a dream to witness this magical sight. As a tourist, you should make sure that you plan your visit during winters particularly from September to March. Try to go towards the north and as remote as possible to get a clearer view.
Although Northern Lights can be seen all over Sweden once in a blue moon, chances of sighting these magical lights are much higher above the Arctic Circle. Abisko in particular is considered as the best place to explore the Northern Lights.
ICE HOTEL:
Ice hotel is the world’s first hotel that is made of ice completely. This Ice Hotel provides you an opportunity to explore the place in reality which you can only imagine in your dreams. This exclusive hotel was created in 1989, 200km north of the Arctic Circle in the Swedish village of Jukkasjarvi. This hotel provides a new flavor of ice each year, designed by the various creative artists during the winters and it continued for almost 30 years.
Although the Ice Hotel remains open throughout the year and offers a variety of activities, still the best time to visit the Ice Hotel is during winters. As the Ice Hotel is covered with snow all over naturally and tourists can easily view the Northern Lights with a clearer view. Visiting the Ice Hotel is one of the most unique experiences that a tourist can explore once in a lifetime.
TREE HOTEL:
Tree hotel is yet another masterpiece of the country, located in the Harads village in Northern Sweden. If you are looking for a small break from your hectic life, or you want to go for a relaxing honeymoon with your wife or you are simply a nature lover; Tree Hotel is the best place for you.
You can enjoy beautiful nature on foot by exploring forests along with the Lule River. This is a highly recommended place to make your visit a memorable one.
PIONEER OF WASTE MANAGEMENT AND RECYCLING:
Sweden is considered a pioneer of waste management and recycling it into energy and reusing it. The country recycles 99% of household waste. This high level achievement makes Sweden one of the most environmentally friendly countries.
Swedish people are so expert in recycling waste that sometimes they don’t even find enough waste to recycle. Therefore, they import waste from Norway and the United Kingdom and recycle it too. It provides a double benefit to the Swedish economy. First of all, they receive payments to clear the wastage from other countries. Secondly, they recycle it in renewable energy which can be utilized again for other purposes. They even provide the opportunity to public to recycle waste by using public recycling machines.
You can even have a view through this video how people recycle empty bottles by using recycling machines in Sweden.
FIKA CULTURE:
Fika is a Swedish culture to take a break from work where workers enjoy coffee, pastries, sandwiches, chat and relaxation. It is more like a socializing and relaxation break along with eating.
Fika is a recognized break which can be taken anytime during the day, mostly it is taken twice during the work where workers can relax and enjoy.
Fika culture plays an important role in maintaining the mental health of individuals and shows the importance they give to every human being in their environment. Fika culture is a regular part in factories, offices, schools and hospitals.
ACCORDING TO THE NATIVE LOLA FROM SWEDEN:
SUN NEVER SETS IN SUMMER AND NEVER RISES IN WINTER:
Another eye-catching fact about the North of Sweden is that the sun never sets in summers and never rises in winters. Specially the parts of Sweden which are situated above the Arctic Circle, follow this exclusive phenomenon. The highly recommended places to explore midnight sun during summers are none other than Abisko and Kebnekaise.
It is an unbelievable experience for a tourist to explore a midnight sun during summers or experiencing continuous long nights for many months during winters. Earlier, these things we could only imagine in the supernatural cartoon of 1991 “Beauty and the Beast” where there was no sunrise near the Beast’s castle region; but we can explore them in reality in Sweden.
For more details amount the polar nights in winter and midnight sun during summers, you can explore this documentary made by the native Jonna Jilton from the North of Sweden.
FAMOUS CUISINE IN SWEDEN:
KLADDKAKA:
Chocolate cake is a famous Swedish dessert known as Kladdkaka. This mouthwatering delicious cake is prepared from eggs, cocoa, chocolate, butter, sugar and flour. There is a saying that during baking the center of the cake should remain moist while outer layers should be crunchy. This is a traditional dessert enjoyed during Fika break with coffee.
SEMLA:
Semla is a traditional dessert in Sweden made from a simple wheat bun filled with vanilla cream. The final topping is done with the layer of powdered sugar at the top of the bun.
HERRING:
Herring is a delicious fish dish prepared by using fish, vinegar, salt, and sugar solution along with peppercorn, bay leaves onion. If you are a fish lover, then it is a must try dish.
NOTE: We are thankful to the following for the research work.
https://www.discover-the-world.com/experiences/icehotel-holidays
https://visitsweden.com/where-to-go/northern-sweden/swedish-lapland/abisko-and-northern-lights
https://www.fieldmag.com/articles/tree-hotel-sweden-how-to-visit
https://www.campervansweden.com/blog/about-sweden/facts-about-sweden
https://www.strawberryhotels.com/blog/food-fun/5-classic-swedish-dishes-you-need-to-try
https://aurora-nights.co.uk/tour/the-complete-icehotel-winter-experience
https://www.wherethewildis.co.uk/accommodation/sweden-icehotel
https://www.nordicvisitor.com/blog/best-time-place-see-northern-lights-sweden
https://www.discover-the-world.com/accommodation/treehotel
https://greenbestpractice.jrc.ec.europa.eu/node/166
https://www.campervansweden.com/blog/travel-information/sweden-midnight-sun
https://adventures.com/sweden/attractions/cities-towns/stockholm