Sweden

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    For a country with abundant outdoor activities that are not overcrowded, Sweden is the place to go. It’s perfect for outdoor sports like hiking, fishing and winter sports. The northern part of the country is even less crowded than the southern region and the lakes and beaches are clean, relaxing and fresh.

    Skiing is a national favourite in winter as in Scandinavia and Norway, it is used as a form of daily transport for much of the northern population.  During the snow season, most ski resorts are fully booked, at exorbitant prices; Åre, Idre, Sälen and Riksgränsen are the most popular of these resorts. Therefore, advance bookings or package holidays are essential if you’re hoping to visit one of these resorts in peak season.

    Northern Sweden offers skiing from the end of October until April; from late May to the end of June, skiing can be organized under the midnight sun at Riksgränsen in Lappland. This is also the best place for snowboarding. Kiruna is a good choice for other winter activities such as dog sledding, snowmobiling, ice fishing. However, take into consideration that it’s one of the coldest parts of Sweden where mountain temperatures plummet to -50°C at its coldest!

    Like Scotland, Sweden’s Allemansrätten guarantees right of public access – i.e. you’re free to walk across any of Sweden’s more than 40 long-distance routes; overnight accommodation is available in mountain refuges and huts. The most popular route is Kungsleden, the King’s Route, which is still enjoyable even in July when it is extremely busy. Between Abisko and Hemavan, the 460km route covers some of Sweden’s most incredible isolated and wild landscape in the northwest as well as the country’s highest mountain, Kebnekaise (2,102m).

The extensive stretches of rivers and canals and nearly 100,000 lakes provide optimal conditions for canoeing, which is especially popular in the Stockholm archipelago. You can also rent a raft to explore the Klarälven River in Värmland; some tour companies even let you construct a raft yourself before beginning your explorations.

    Saunas are extremely popular, usually electric and steamy; they can generally be found in the smallest towns in addition to swimming pools and hotels. Inside temperatures range from 70°C to 120°C; additional steam is made by throwing water over hot elements. It is common to find delightful smelling, traditional wood-burning saunas in the countryside. All public saunas are separated by sex since they forbid the wearing of swimsuits as sweat builds up and soaks into the wooden benches. It is also standard to cool down after using the sauna by taking a cold shower or rolling in the winter snow. In rural areas, people tend to swim in the lakes. For the thrill-seeking swimmers who enjoy skinny-dipping, Sweden has nearly 100,000 lakes – and one of the smallest populations in Europe. It makes it easy to strip off without the fear of being caught.

Finally, Sweden is a dream destination for anglers. In Stockholm’s centre, across from the Parliament building, the water is clean and fishing is free, so salmon is frequently caught here. The coastline and larger lakes – including Vänern, Vättern (particularly good for salmon and char) and Mälaren – are also good for fishing. In northern Sweden, top-notch mountain fishing for char and trout is offered in Tärnaby; the fly-fishing for trout, char and grayling are good in Sorsele. The river through the Torne Valley is ideal for salmon. However, permits are needed to do freshwater fishing in most areas so be sure to confirm this with the local tourist offices.