Based on 25+ Visits, These Are My 12 Favorite Places to Visit in Sweden

I randomly sat down and thought about how many times I’ve visited Sweden, and at that point, I realized that I’ve been there almost 30 times. This includes day trips, overnight stays, weekend adventures, and longer trips through the country and neighboring ones. I visited frequently when I still lived in the UK, and now that I’ve moved to Copenhagen—which is a short train ride away—the trips have increased further. 

Besides regularly visiting Sweden, I also lived there for a while. So, I can say with confidence that I know what I’m talking about when it comes to the best places to visit in the country. While I still have so much to see, I’ve been to several regions, towns, and cities already. 

Sweden has a lot more to it than many people think, and there’s something for everyone here. I love visiting when I want to hike outdoors, and it’s just as handy if I want a city break or to simply have a change of scenery. Based on my numerous trips to the country, I’m putting together this guide of what I think are the best places to visit in Sweden. 

We spent most of our time in Ulvöhamn, which is the main settlement on the island. Everything here is along one main street. My favorite place to visit was the Ulvö Museum, which is where we learned more about the notorious fermented fish commonly referred to as “surströmming”. While I have tried fermented shark in Iceland, I have to say that surströmming is still a step too far for me. Maybe one day, though…. Or maybe not. 🙂

In Ulvöhamn, we also had a nice lunch at Bistro Ruben. This place is only open during the summer, but you will probably visit Norra Ulvön at this time of the year anyway. I strongly recommend going here when you’re feeling hungry. We did a nice hike to Lotsberget, too, which is relatively easy and close to the village. 

You can visit the island throughout the year, but I recommend visiting in the summer. Firstly, you’ll have more daily ferry departures. Beyond that, everything will be open. I would say that July and August are the best times to visit. 

Käringön is not an easy island to reach, which is frankly one of the reasons why I like it so much. The island itself is very small, and you can see everything within a 24-hour stay. However, I would have loved to stay for longer just because it’s really, really nice. I may or may not have been searching for summerhouses here when I got back, but that’s not for me to say. 

The island is car-free, and when you arrive, you’ll be in what I think is one of the most peaceful places on this planet. You’ll find plenty of those stereotypical red wooden houses from across Sweden, and the views of the sea are lovely in all directions. While you’re here, you can go swimming in multiple spots and generally just take things very easy. 

I can fully recommend dinner at Petersons Krog, and Simsons Vincafé is a nice place to have some drinks (and pastries). Most of the visitors to Käringön are other Swedes who come here on their summer vacation. 

Getting to Käringön

While you can visit Käringön year-round, everything will be open in the summer—and this is also when the island is livelier. Having said that, I can definitely see the charm of visiting in the off-season. Either way, you’ll need to take a ferry from Tuvesvik. You can buy tickets and check the public transport schedule in the Västtrafik To Go app, which is available on iOS and Android. 

To get to Tuvesvik from Gothenburg, driving is by far the easiest option. You can take public transport, but it requires a lot of changes. In my opinion, it’s more of a hassle than you need. 

When you arrive, the main attraction is the Kullaberg Nature Reserve. Here, we hiked to the namesake cliff; it was a clear day, and we had great views of the Öresund Strait. Although some parts were steep, I didn’t think that it was a very difficult hike.

The Kulla Peninsula has a number of pretty towns and villages, too. We stayed just outside of Mölle, and I also enjoyed visiting Arild. While in Mölle, I can 1,000% recommend getting the pizza—and the breakfast—at Mölle Krukmakeri. 

I wrote a full guide on visiting the Kulla Peninsula, with an itinerary, if you’re interested in visiting. Even though it’s most popular in the summer, I loved going here in April. You can visit year-round, though winter will be windy, dark, and occasionally stormy. 

The Kulla Peninsula is more difficult to get around without a car, and if you’re going to do this, I’d recommend visiting in the summer. Cycling is one option, and you’ll also find numerous hiking trails. There is a hike from Mölle to Arild, but this is marked as hard, and you therefore should not do it if you aren’t an experienced hiker. 

Gothenburg has plenty of experiences for all ages and travelers. For example, Slotsskogen is one of my favorite parks in the Nordics. I also think that the city has some excellent restaurants and plenty of shopping opportunities, too. While you’re here, I can also suggest going to the Karlatornet observation deck—known as Gothenburg View—which opened in 2026. I went here in the middle of summer, and the views on a clear day are great. 

Besides the city itself, I love visiting the nearby Gothenburg Archipelago. You can reach these easily on public transport, and visiting at least one of the islands is ideal on a day trip. I’ve written a comprehensive guide with a list of things to do in Gothenburg if you’re planning to visit the city.

Getting to Gothenburg

You can fly directly to Gothenburg from London, Manchester, and several other cities in Europe. These flights operate year-round, and you can browse your options on Skyscanner. From Landvetter Airport, the bus journey to Nils Ericsson Terminalen—the main bus station in Gothenburg—is around 45 minutes. 

From Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm, you can easily take the train or bus. I don’t recommend flying from these cities, since it’s needlessly expensive. Plus, when you factor in getting to the airport, going through security, etc., you don’t really save any time. You can reach Gothenburg from each city within 3.5 to 4.5 hours. 

Buses to Gothenburg are generally cheaper than trains. However, you can often find some good deals if you’d rather take the train. You can compare both here. 

As it goes, I was wrong to think so little of the city beforehand. Umeå is another of my favorite places in Sweden, and I would happily have stayed here for a few extra days. The city isn’t very big, and to be honest, you will find prettier places in Sweden. However, the atmosphere was really nice—and there were plenty of interesting things to see. 

While in Umeå, I can fully recommend the Västerbottens Museum. Here, we learned about the history of this part of Sweden. While it’s a bit of a walk from the city center, it’s worth seeing. We also went to a nice pizza restaurant close to the river while we were back in town. 

You can visit Umeå throughout the year. Temperatures in the winter can be brutal, and you’ll also have limited daylight hours. However, seeing the city covered in snow is worth the trade-off. You can check out my Umeå travel guide and itinerary if you want some ideas on how to spend your time. 

Getting to Umeå

The train from Stockholm to Umeå takes just over six hours. You can also fly here within an hour, which makes a bit more sense than if you were flying to Gothenburg from another Swedish city. Still, I think that it’s much better to go by train, as you’ll arrive right in the city center.

If you’re arriving internationally, you’re better off going to Stockholm first and continuing to Umeå from there. From Finland, you can take the ferry from Vaasa. Our journey was quite nice, and from the ferry terminal, we took a bus to the city center. The journey is just over three hours. You can check the timetable and book your tickets here. 

We did *a lot* of hiking while we were on the High Coast, including to Skuleberget. It was sadly foggy at the top, and we couldn’t see much. We did, however, get some nice waffles from the café here. Plus, the hike itself was very fun. I wrote all about these experiences in my Höga Kusten summer itinerary. 

Besides hiking, it was nice to just stay in nature for a few days and feel properly disconnected. The towns and villages are lovely here, too, and you’ll find some nice places to eat along the way. Norrfällsviken is another place worth seeing while you’re here; it’s a pretty harbor with a nice pizza restaurant during the summer. 

To get around the High Coast, you really need your own car. While there are some bus services, public transport is more scarce here than in much of Sweden. I recommend picking up your rental car in Örnsköldsvik, which is the biggest town on the High Coast. You can browse rental options here. You can then drop your car off in Sundsvall, which is just south of Höga Kusten. While you’re at it, it’s worth spending a day there. 

Getting to the High Coast

I recommend starting your trip in Örnsköldsvik and picking up your car from here. It’s just over an hour from Stockholm by plane, and the train will take you around six hours. From here, you can drive around the region. I suggest choosing one or two bases and taking day trips.

Where Should You Stay on the High Coast?

We stayed in Mjällom, which was quite nice. It’s a bit off the main road, but it was worth the drive. 

Örnsköldsvik is also a solid base, and if you have a car, you’ll find plenty of accommodation throughout the region. You can browse all your options here. 

I would add Råå as an extension to your Southern Sweden itinerary rather than specifically visiting from Copenhagen on a day trip, but it’s worth seeing nonetheless. You can easily take the bus from Helsingborg; the journey will take you around 20 minutes. 

You can visit Råå year-round. Having a stroll around (and perhaps a swim) are the main things to do here, and if you’re into photography, you’ll find the town to be very picturesque. 

I could spend all day talking about Stockholm. Sweden’s biggest city has enough to keep you entertained for a week, with stunning architecture and some great boat tours, too. For example, I really enjoyed the Stockholm Highlights boat tour. You’ll find a number of excellent restaurants from around the world, along with some amazing hotels if you want more of a luxury getaway. 

Stockholm is worth visiting throughout the year; I’ve been in all seasons, and there are numerous activities regardless. Autumn is a particularly pleasant time to visit, but summer has some advantages—despite the crowds—such as longer daylight hours and the option to visit the City Hall tower. 

You can visit the Swedish capital for a city break or as part of a bigger trip through the country and other parts of Scandinavia. Three days is a good amount of time for your first trip, but I’d encourage you to stay for longer if you have the luxury to do so. 

Since I don’t want this section to get ridiculously long, I encourage you to read my full guide on the best things to do in Stockholm if you plan to come here 😛.

Getting to Stockholm

I suggest using Arlanda Airport if you’re flying into the city. The city center is easy to reach by train or bus; if you’re on a budget, I’d recommend taking the bus. You can buy tickets at the airport when you arrive. And if you choose to take the train, it’s worth paying the extra money for the Arlanda Express, in my opinion. This is what I normally do.

From Copenhagen, you can take the train or bus to Stockholm. Direct trains take around 5.5 hours, and if you can’t find a direct train from Copenhagen, you can change in Malmö. From Sweden, many of the main towns and cities have trains to Stockholm. You can also get the ferry from Finland, Latvia, and Estonia to Stockholm. 

This part of Skåne is surprisingly easy to reach; you can take a bus from Malmö or drive from Copenhagen. It’s a great place to watch birds migrating, which is actually the main reason that I came here. You’ll find some nice beaches, too, that are worth your time. 

When you’re here, you’ll find some nice restaurants close to the harbor as well. If you’d like to stay a bit longer, you can do so at the campsite here. Skanör-Falsterbo is best to visit in the warmer months, and you’ll find a number of hiking opportunities nearby, too. 

Lund is a lovely little place, with a beautiful cathedral and some nice cobblestone streets nearby. To be honest, I mainly just enjoy walking around with my camera while I’m here. Dipping in and out of bakeries is also fun, and the city isn’t short on restaurants, either. 

The main reason why Malmö is such a popular day trip from Copenhagen is because it’s super easy. Direct trains run throughout the day, and the journey isn’t very long. It’s super easy to visit both cities on the same weekend. 

In addition to being easy to reach, Malmö is a nice place to spend a day or two in general. My main reason for visiting is, if I’m totally honest with you, food. The falafel here is great, but you can also get great pizza, lovely cinnamon buns, and some nice Asian food. I’ve written a full guide on my favorite things to do in Malmö with several recommendations. 

While Malmö is easy to reach from Denmark (including and especially Copenhagen Airport), it’s also not difficult to get to from Gothenburg or Stockholm. Direct trains and buses run daily. I’d mainly recommend visiting as either part of a bigger trip in Southern Sweden or a weekend trip to Copenhagen, but if you’re close by anyway, it’s worth your time. 

I visited Marstrand as part of a bigger sailing trip along Sweden’s West Coast. The town’s architecture is lovely, and I really liked its church and castle, in particular. It was a pretty lively place in the summer, too, with several bars along the waterfront. I also went to a nice bakery here, and if you want, you’ll find plenty of swimming spots. 

Getting to Marstrand

You can get from Gothenburg to Marstrand in just over an hour, and you do not need a car. It’s marginally shorter if you do drive, but if you’re only visiting these two places, I don’t think that renting a car is worth your money. 

To get to Marstrand by public transport, you can take a bus from Gothenburg. Like elsewhere in the region, you can check timetables and buy tickets via the Västtrafik To Go app. After that, you’ll need to take a quick ferry across the water to Marstrand.

The Best Places in Sweden to Add to Your Bucket List

Sweden is one of my favorite countries to visit, and even though I’ve been here almost 30 times now, I still never get bored. I’m finding plenty of new places to explore, and when I go back to ones I’m more familiar with, I tend to discover new things every single time. 

Regardless of when you visit, the country is full of amazing experiences. Moreover, you’re not short on interesting towns, cities, national parks, and more. 

Now that you’ve read this guide, you should hopefully have some inspiration and ideas for your own trip. You’re more than welcome to leave a comment if you need any further help planning your trip. And if you’re visiting in the summer, I suggest checking out my two-week summer itinerary.