| 1. The Best Christmas |
If you love Christmas then go (preferably with kids to Mora, in the heart of the Swedish Lakeland region where you’ll find Santaworld. Santaworld is an amazing wonderland surrounded by frozen lakes and glittering waterfalls and there you’ll find Santa’s little village, cosily tucked in amongst the snow drifts. Out of season, whilst Santa is resting you can visit the kingdom of the trolls, the lands of the lady of the wood, the fairy grounds, the elf village and many other fairy tale places.
In the evenings, the King and Queen of Winter come for a torch-lit visit with sparkling fireworks. The Witch and the Fairy Godmother love to play tricks on all the children and don’t be surprised if you bump into the living Christmas tree Juleljus or Dusty the Snowman. It’s a very well organised theme park that children and adults will love.
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| 2. Swedish Glass |
Sweden is famous for the quality and creativity of its glass making industry. Founded by German immigrants in the 14th and 15th centuries the southern province of Småland is home to sixteen glassworks making a range of beautiful pieces. In any one of the glassworks you can learn about the history and making of glass, look at some of the very intricate designs the skilled artisans have crafted and have a go yourself at blowing a piece which you can take home.
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| 3. Sami experience |
The north of Sweden and neighbouring Finland form the area known as Lapland. Here, the Sami people have lived and worked for millennia, fighting against the bitter winter cold and dark nights to maintain their existence. Proud of their heritage they have built an exhibition site at Jokkmokk where you can meet Sami people and see collections of their art and culture. Here too you can learn about their way of life amongst the 70 cone shaped huts in the old village of Lapp Staden. Nearby Arjeplog also has an interesting museum of Lapp heritage called the Silvermuseet.
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| 4. Liseberg Amusement Park |
In Gothenburg you can treat yourself to a visit to one of the largest amusement parks in Europe, the Liseberg Amusement Park. The park opened in 1923 and is the largest and one of the most visited amusement parks in Scandinavia, attracting around 3 million visitors annually. Its wooden roller coaster Balder was twice voted as the best wooden tracked roller coaster in the world in an international poll. The park has also hosted concerts by a variety of artists including Marlene Dietrich and ABBA. Nearby, you will find the Scandinavium, a large sports arena which can seat up to 12,000 which has also hosted big events such as the Eurovision Song Contest.
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| 5. Gothenburg |
This city is the largest port in Scandinavia and the destination of many flights to Sweden. Nearly a million people live here and the city has an enormous range of attractions to keep a tourist busy. You can enjoy an afternoon walking through the scenic Castle Wood Park or look at the Old Masters’ paintings at the Museum of Art. The city also has an internationally acclaimed orchestra in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra which plays regular concerts in the Gothenburg Concert Hall.
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| 6. Hiking |
For those that love hiking in areas untouched by man, the northern regions of the country have a rugged beauty that makes the place perfect for many outdoor activities such as hiking. Swedish law provides the right of public access for anyone provided that they respect both other people and nature. Here you’ll look down on sparkling indigo lakes surrounded by mile after mile of spruce that fills the air with its scent. The air is so clean and clear you’ll sleep well at night!
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| 7. On the Water |
And there’s plenty of it; the country has over 24,000 islands, 100,000 lakes and rivers and a long coastline so boating and sailing are integral parts of everyday Swedish life. Many companies offer tours to take you sightseeing around the Swedish coastline. Tourists often choose to ply the Gota Canal in barges but there are lots more locations that are also great for the traveller afloat and boat rentals are easily obtained and can come with or without a skipper.
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| 8. Linkoping Cathedral |
This architectural masterpiece, built 800 years ago in Ostergotland is worth a visit to see examples of Swedish Gothic architecture and medieval religious art. The building stands on the site of an older one, built nearly a thousand years ago but which was pulled down to make way for the current larger one. The cathedral is the burial place of a fifteenth-century bishop and is also decorated with priceless paintings gifted by King John III. Visitors can also see rare manuscripts at the Diocesan Library and visit the Bishop's Palace, detailing the lives of the incumbents over the centuries, which are nearby.
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| 9. The Arefjallen Resort |
The Arefjallen resort boasts of more than a hundred kilometres of ski runs and hosts what is considered to be the world's biggest downhill ski race. The race is held at the resort every April. Sweden offers some of the finest locations for skiing, especially in the mountainous north where unspoilt pistes and a small number of skiers in the resorts make for a more relaxed experience.
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| 10. Riksgransen |
A popular destination for teenagers and young people is the extreme north resort of Riksgransen. It is best known for its snowboarding championships and 24/7 skiing during the late spring when the sun never sets. It’s worth a visit for this alone but the snowboarding, considered to be the best in Europe and the young crowd it attracts, makes this a lively resort.
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