The country is known for its thousands of islands and northern lights! Prominent places to visit in Sweden include capital Stockholm and Kiruna, Abisko for northern lights
Best time to visit
Summer time from June to August for visiting cities. In case you want to experience northern lights, winter time from December to February is good
Visa
Schengen visa is valid here
Currency- Swedish Krone
Euro might be accepted in large hotels and tourist spots, but better to have small change in local currency
Getting In and around
Stockholm is the capital and hub for trains and flights. Cities are well connected through trains within the country. You can use public transport and walk within cities
Cruises operate between Stockholm to Copenhagen- an option to consider overnight travel which can be cheaper in case you want to travel from Norway or Denmark
Overnight trains might require reservations in even if you have a Eurail pass. Reserve separately ahead of travel
Places to visit in Sweden
Stockholm is the most visited place, capital of the country. Abisko is popular for northern lights
Stockholm
Gamla stan, the island which is at the centre of the city. Riddarholmskyrkan and Storkyrkan are nice churches worth a visit. You can take a ferry to one of the islands if you are interested in visiting the archipelago, or a boat tour that goes below the bridges of the city
Kungliga Slottet or Stockholm Palace: You can see change of guard at 12:15 PM on weekdays and 1:15 PM on Sundays, lasting 40 minutes
Vikings museum: If you are really keen on understanding the Viking history, bit on expensive side costing $18
Take one of the free walking tours that operate on tips only basis. They cover Mårten Trotzigs gränd, Stockholm’s narrowest street, Statue of St. George and the Dragon, Stortorget, the main square of Gamla Stan, the Royal Palace and many more narrow alleys of the city
How much does it cost
Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world
- Flights: $700-900. Indigo with Turkish Airline code share offers cheaper flights
- Accommodation: Hostels cost $25+ per night and mid-range can be around $100. We took night trains and stayed at a friend’s place to save up on accommodation. You can take a night cruise from Copenhagen if you want to save on accommodation costs
- Travelling around: Budget $20-30 per day for public transport
- Food: $25 for simple takeaways. Coffee can be easily $10. Finding vegetarian options is quite difficult, so better to cook or make your own sandwiches from supermarket purchase