Spring is the season when Sweden slowly wakes up and then bursts into life. The days are getting longer, nature boasts its splendour and the crowds have yet to arrive. If you wish to experience Sweden with all your senses, spring is the time to come.
Roughly, spring in Sweden is said to be from March through May. However, according to The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), spring arrives on the first day of seven with a temperature above 0°C. As Sweden is a very long country, the arrival of spring varies significantly between the northern and the southern parts. For an up-to-date report on how far spring has come in Sweden, look at SMHI:s season arrival map.
Spring
White anemone nemorosa ('vitsippa') blooms in early spring and is found throughout Sweden, except in the northernmost parts.
Photo: Thomas Adolfsén/Scandinav Bildbyrå/imagebank.sweden.se
Spring
Photo: Thomas Adolfsén/Scandinav Bildbyrå/imagebank.sweden.se
Cherry bloom in Stockholm
Photo: Lola Akinmade Åkerström/imagebank.sweden.se
Midnight sun
Photo: Asaf Kliger/imagebank.sweden.se
The beautiful sound of bird songs, the subtle scent of flower buds, the bonfires with a promise of a bright future … where do we even begin?
Nature lovers are in for a treat. The past winter’s melting snow and ice create a spring flood, making this the best time to discover Sweden’s accessible waterfalls. If you go on a hike, you will most likely get rewarded with Swedish spring signs like snowdrops, coltsfoot and maybe even a sea of wood anemone.
If you come for a city break in Stockholm, Gothenburg or Malmö, you might be lucky to catch the cherry blossoms. Spring also means opening the outdoor areas of restaurants, bars and cafés, and you’ll see locals flocking under blankets, sharing a ‘fika’ while soaking up the sun.
The light is another spring benefit in Sweden. The days grow longer rapidly, and when the clock is adjusted for daylight savings time on 30 March, you can expect long and bright evenings. If you visit northern Sweden at the end of May, you’ll be able to experience the spectacular phenomenon of the Midnight Sun.
Another benefit of visiting Sweden in spring is that you get to experience the country before the crowds during the summer season. Hotels are generally more affordable, visitors to attractions are fewer and it’s entirely possible that you can have that nature experience all by yourself.
Two dancing cranes among other cranes at Hornborgarsjön
Two dancing cranes among other cranes at Hornborgarsjön, West Sweden.
Photo: Roger Borgelid/vastsverige.com
Two dancing cranes among other cranes at Hornborgarsjön
Photo: Roger Borgelid/vastsverige.com
Skiing, Riksgränsen
Photo: Lapland resorts
Dairy cows
Photo: Anders Tedeholm/imagebank.sweden.se
Watch 27,000 cranes dance together at Lake Hornborgasjön in West Sweden – a true spring sign many travel far to see. Most cranes come at the end of March and stay for a week.
Ski above the Arctic Circle. Sweden’s northernmost ski resorts are open until the end of May and there’s no better time to visit them than during the sunny spring-winter.
Watch a ‘kosläpp’ – the moment when the cows are let out to grass for the first time in the year. It’s impossible not to crack a smile watching the happy cows skipping around and jumping joyfully. ‘Kosläpp’ is usually held in April. Ask your local tourist office if there is one close to where you are visiting.
