Insight Guides Pocket Sweden (Travel Guide eBook)

By Insight Guides

Insight Pocket Guide Sweden is a concise, full-colour travel guide to this enchanting Scandinavian country, combining inspiring photography with insider tricks and tips to help you uncover the best of Sweden. It tells you everything you need to know about the best places to visit in Sweden, from the beautiful capital, Stockholm, and the lively cities of Gothenburg and Malm to the verdant forests of the Central Heartlands and the remote landscapes of Norrland. Handy maps on the cover flaps help you find your way, and are cross-referenced to the text.

To inspire you, the book offers a rundown of the 10 top attractions in Sweden, followed by an itinerary for a Perfect Tour. The What to Do chapter is a snapshot of things to do in Sweden, including sports, shopping, entertainment and activities for children.

The book provides all the essential background on Sweden's culture, including a brief history of Sweden and an Eating Out chapter covering the national cuisine. There are carefully chosen listings of the best hotels and restaurants and an A-Z of all the practical information you'll need.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Insight Guides
• Release date: Apr 18, 2016
• ISBN: 9781786710246

Insight Guides

Pictorial travel guide to Arizona & the Grand Canyon with a free eBook provides all you need for every step of your journey. With in-depth features on culture and history, stunning colour photography and handy maps, it’s perfect for inspiration and finding out when to go to Arizona & the Grand Canyon and what to see in Arizona & the Grand Canyon. 

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How To Use This E-Book

Getting Around the e-Book

This Pocket Guide e-book is designed to give you inspiration and planning advice for your visit to Sweden, and is also the perfect on-the-ground companion for your trip.

The guide begins with our selection of Top 10 Attractions, plus a Perfect Itinerary feature to help you plan unmissable experiences. The Introduction and History chapters paint a vivid cultural portrait of Sweden, and the Where to Go chapter gives a complete guide to all the sights worth visiting. You will find ideas for activities in the What to Do section, while the Eating Out chapter describes the local cuisine and gives listings of the best restaurants. The Travel Tips offer practical information to help you plan your trip. Finally, there are carefully selected hotel listings.

In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.

Maps

All key attractions and sights in Sweden are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map], tap once to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.

Images

You’ll find lots of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of Sweden. Simply double-tap an image to see it in full-screen.

About Insight Guides

Insight Guides have more than 40 years’ experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides. We produce 400 full-colour titles, in both print and digital form, covering more than 200 destinations across the globe, in a variety of formats to meet your different needs.

Insight Guides are written by local authors, whose expertise is evident in the extensive historical and cultural background features. Each destination is carefully researched by regional experts to ensure our guides provide the very latest information. All the reviews in Insight Guides are independent; we strive to maintain an impartial view. Our reviews are carefully selected to guide you to the best places to eat, go out and shop, so you can be confident that when we say a place is special, we really mean it.

© 2016 Apa Digital (CH) AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd

Table of Contents

How To Use This E-Book

Sweden’s Top 10 Attractions

Top Attraction #1

Top Attraction #2

Top Attraction #3

Top Attraction #4

Top Attraction #5

Top Attraction #6

Top Attraction #7

Top Attraction #8

Top Attraction #9

Top Attraction #10

A Perfect Tour of Sweden

Introduction

Geography and Landscape

Varied Attractions

Rural Roots

Outdoor Pleasures

Partying and Celebrations

Jag älskar Sverige (I love Sweden)

A Brief History

Early Times

The Middle Ages

The Royal Dynasties

Freedom and Enlightenment

The Making of Modern Sweden

The 20th Century and Beyond

Historical Landmarks

Where To Go

Stockholm

Gamla Stan

Norrmalm

Djurgården and Skeppsholmen

Södermalm

Lake Mälaren and the Archipelago

Stockholm’s Surroundings

Uppsala

Around Lake Mälaren

The South

Skåne

Malmö and Lund

Blekinge

Småland

The Kingdom of Crystal

The Islands

Öland

Gotland

Gothenburg and the West

Gothenburg

Historical Sights

Walking Down the Avenue

Amusement Parks and Gardens

The Coast

The Lakes

The Central Heartlands

Dalarna

Falun

Gästrikland and Hälsingland

Gulf of Bothnia and the High Coast

Härjedalen and Jämtland

Norrland and the Arctic

Umeå and the Norrland Riviera

Luleå Archipelago

The Inland Way

North of the Arctic Circle

Kiruna and Beyond

What To Do

Sports

Spectator Sports

Participatory Sports

National Parks

Shopping

Where to Shop

What to Buy

Entertainment

Classical Music, Opera, Ballet and Jazz

Theatre and Cinema

Nightlife

Festivals

Children’s Sweden

Calendar of Events

Eating Out

When to Eat

Where to Eat

What to Eat

Husmanskost

Smörgåsbord

Fruits of the Forest

Coffee and Cake

Regional Specialities

Drinks

Aquavit

Reading the Menu

To Help You Order …

… and Read the Menu

Restaurants

Stockholm

Malmö and The South

Malmö

Skåne

Baltic Islands

Gothenburg and the West

Gothenburg

Göta Kanal

Halmstad

The Central Heartlands

Åre

Dalarna

Östersund

Norrland and the Arctic

Umeå

Gammelstad (Luleå)

Kiruna

A–Z Travel Tips

A

Accommodation (logi; see also CAMPING, YOUTH HOSTELS and the list of RECOMMENDED HOTELS)

Airports (flygplatser)

B

Bicycle Rental

Budgeting for Your Trip

C

Camping (camping)

Car Hire (biluthyrning; see also BUDGETING FOR YOUR TRIP, DRIVING and MONEY)

Climate

Clothing

Crime and Safety (See also EMERGENCIES and POLICE)

D

Disabled Travellers

Driving (See also CAR HIRE)

E

Electricity

Embassies and Consulates (ambassad; konsulat)

Emergencies (See also POLICE)

Etiquette (See also TIPPING)

G

Gay and Lesbian Travellers

Getting There

Guides and Tours

H

Health and Medical Care (See also EMERGENCIES)

L

Language

M

Media

Money

O

Opening Times (See also PUBLIC HOLIDAYS)

P

Police (polis; see also EMERGENCIES)

Post Offices (postkontor)

Public Holidays (helgdagar; see also OPENING TIMES)

T

Telephones (telefon)

Time Zones

Tipping

Tourist Information Offices

Transport

V

Visas and Entry Requirements

W

Websites and Internet Access

Y

Youth Hostels (vandrarhem)

Recommended Hotels

Stockholm

Around Stockholm

Malmö and the South

Baltic Islands

Gothenburg

The West

The Central Heartlands

Norrland and the Arctic

Sweden’s Top 10 Attractions

Top Attraction #1

iStockphoto

Central Heartlands

Archetypal Sweden, with a rich cultural landscape. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #2

Jessica Lindgren/imagebank.sweden.se

Sami

Immerse yourself in the culture of northern Europe’s own indigenous people. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #3

Julian Love/Apa Publicationss

Skansen

Step into Sweden’s past at Stockholm’s beautiful open-air museum. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #4

Göran Assner/imagebank.sweden.se

Gothenburg

Poseidon guards the great city’s theatres and galleries. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #5

Julian Love/Apa Publications

Stockholm

The nation’s beautiful capital, with plenty to do both on and off the water. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #6

Andreas Nordström/imagebank.sweden.se

Vimmerby

Astrid Lindgren’s enchanting stories come alive in her birthplace. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #7

Tomas Utsi - www.naturfoto.se

Midnight Sun

Casting its light over the vast landscape of the far north, it’s bright enough to play golf. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #8

Julian Love/Apa Publications

Kalmar Slott

The perfect Renaissance castle, with moat, drawbridge and secret passages. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #9

Justin Brown/imagebank.sweden.se

Malmö

Sweden’s third city, and a dazzling mixture of the old and the new. For more information, click here.

Top Attraction #10

Patrick Tragardh/imagebank.sweden.se

Kiruna and Beyond

Sample some of the most remote and beautiful scenery anywhere in the world. For more information, click here.

A Perfect Tour of Sweden

Day 1

Gothenburg

Kids will love Liseberg’s rollercoasters and Universeum. Others should take a boat tour of the canals, then walk down Avenyn to Röhsska Museet. Enjoy gourmet seafood, then round the day off with a archipelago cruise.

Day 2

Sweden’s ‘summer capital’

Get a taste of the beautiful Bohuslän coast by taking the bus to Marstrand, Sweden’s favourite summer resort. Explore the imposing Carlsten’s Fortress, potter around the town’s craft galleries, lunch on smoked prawns or fish and do a spot of afternoon sea bathing.

Day 3

Mysteries and murders

Continue up the craggy coastline to the enigmatic Bronze-Age rock carvings at Tanum. A short way north, the picturesque fishing village Fjällbacka is the setting for several Camilla Läckberg thrillers. Those blessed with time can sail from here to Sweden’s most westerly islands, the Väderöarna. Otherwise turn back for Gothenburg.

Days 4-5

Stockholm

Get a train to Stockholm. Explore medieval Gamla Stan and modern shopping streets, then visit City Hall. Devote the next day to culture: must-sees are Vasamuseet, Skansen, Fotografiska and ABBA the Museum.

Day 6

Steamship fun

Explore Stockholm’s watery surroundings with a day-long steamship excursion: choose between a visit to the 17th-century Drottningholm Palace, home of the Swedish royal family; or head for the lovely town of Mariefred and stunning Gripsholm Castle.

Day 7

Ancient Uppsala

A 40-minute train ride will take you to Sweden’s birthplace. First visit the ancient burial mounds at Gamla Uppsala, a delight for Viking buffs. Head back to town for lunch, then spend the afternoon investigating the Gothic cathedral and the Gustavianum’s creepy anatomical theatre.

Day 8

Heaven and hell

Catch the 8am train to Falun and spend the morning underground at Falun copper mine, the hellish source of Sweden’s ancient wealth. After lunch, take bus237 to the heavenly Carl Larsson-Gården in Sundborn, the birthplace of modern Swedish design.

Day 9

Lake Siljan, Dalarna

Hire a car or taxi in Falun, then head for the Björkberget tower near Siljansnäs for 360-degree views. Continue clockwise for the Zorn Museum and the Vasaloppet Museum, then nip up to Orsa to visit the bear park and lunch