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Hiking in Swedish Lapland
Hiking by the sea in Swedish Lapland.
Photo credit: Lucas Nilsson

Three climate zones means varied nature

Sweden’s wealth of nature, which stretches from Arctic tundra in the north, to the mountains of the north west and the thick forests and mighty rivers at the centre, right down to some of Europe’s largest beech forests in the southern county of Skåne.

Then there’s the coast, from the sandy beaches of Skåne’s Österlen and the rocky outcrops of the Stockholm and Gothenburg archipelagos. The many unusual hotels make great launch pads for discovering Sweden’s nature.

From the Icehotel, Treehotel and others in Swedish Lapland, guides from the indigenous Sami people will take you on husky or snowmobile safaris deep into the frozen tundra, where you can meet reindeer, fish through the ice and experience some of their unique culture.

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Building a hotel of ice

Ice is not the most practical construction material, but an art exhibition and hotel built entirely of natural ice and snow creates one of the most unique overnight experiences in the world. Every winter blocks of ice is harvested from nearby Torne River. The ice is the building material and also the basis for all the artworks.

Photo: Asaf Kliger/Icehotel/imagebank.sweden.se

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Building a hotel of ice

Photo: Asaf Kliger/Icehotel/imagebank.sweden.se

Treehotel

Photo: Tina Stafrén/imagebank.sweden.se

Dog sledding with Jokkmokksguiderna

Photo: Anna Öhlund/imagebank.sweden.se

At the Aurora Safari Camp in Swedish Lapland, activities offered include fishing for perch and pike, kayaking on the river or hot air ballooning.

At the Kolarbyn Eco-lodge, around two hours north-west of Stockholm, guides will take you on elk and beaver safaris and then teach you bushcraft techniques, such as how to chop wood and light fires.

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Aurora Safari Camp in Swedish Lapland

Under the stars. A beautiful camping experience at Aurora Safari Camp in Swedish Lapland.

Photo: Swedish Lapland

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Aurora Safari Camp in Swedish Lapland

Photo: Swedish Lapland

Kolarbyn Ecolodge in Västmanland

Photo: WildSweden

Sauna at Kolarbyn Eco-Lodge, outside Köping

Photo: Lennart Trollvad

Kolarbyn, unique accomodation in Bergslagen

Photo: Per Groth

Do the North”, in Sankt Anna, a 2.5 hour drive from Stockholm via Norrköping, combines trips in the St Anna and Gryt archipelagos with showing guests how to forage and cook wild food.

Söderåsen National Park, a 45-minute drive north of Malmö in southern Sweden, is one of the largest uninterrupted expanses of deciduous forest in northern Europe, making it stunning in autumn when the leaves turn into a blaze of gold, and in spring when it’s the freshest green. Riders can hire horses at Söderåsens Turridning in the village of Svenstorp.

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Söderåsen National Park, mountain bike

Söderåsen National Park covers 1625 hectares and is located in Skåne. It has a varied landscape consisting of valleys, cliffs, forests and even a lake.

Photo: Mickael Tannus

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Söderåsen National Park, mountain bike

Photo: Mickael Tannus

Söderåsen National Park, walking

Photo: Mickael Tannus

Sweden also boasts several fine sandy beaches, such as Sudersand and Böda on the islands of Gotland and Öland, Tylösand on the west coast and Knäbäckshusen in southeast Skåne, to name just a handful.

Trouville Beach on Sandhamn (or Sandön), one of the most outlying islands in the Stockholm archipelago, has a Mediterranean-like feel, particularly in the peak summer season when the sands are populated with locals and the waters with kite surfers.

Beach life

Sudersand beach on Fårö, is one of the nicest beaches on Gotland. Its a long and wide beach with fine grained sand and with a shallow child-friendly bay. The beach is lovely for walking and recreation, all year round.

Photo: Tina Axelsson/imagebank.sweden.se

Soft adventures – all the adventure, less of the effort

Adventure doesn’t have to be too energetic. Try activities from lakeside saunas and inner city kayaking to cycle riding or even ice bathing.

A trip to Sweden – an experience that truly offers something else

With its inventive food scene, thrift and designer stores and enlightened city planning, there are many reasons to travel to Sweden besides its vast forests, picturesque islands and thousands of lakes.