Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Where to go
FACT FILE
•
Sweden is the
third largest country
in
western Europe - behind only France and
Spain - stretching 1600km from north to
south. If the country were pivoted around
on its southernmost point, the top of the
country would reach as far south as
Naples in Italy.
•
There is no translation for the Swedish
word
lagom
, one of the most commonly
used terms in the language. Roughly
speaking, it means “just the right amount,
not too much but not too little”, a concept
that is the very essence of Swedishness.
•
More than half of Sweden's land surface
is covered with
forest
- mostly
coniferous - punctuated by an
astonishing
100,000 lakes
.
•
Sweden is home to the world's first and
largest
hotel
made entirely of ice and
snow.
Icehotel
is built in December using
blocks of ice cut from the local Torne River.
The hotel melts back into the river in May.
•
In northern Sweden frozen lakes and
rivers are used by drivers looking for a
shortcut to their destination. The national
road agency marks out “
ice roads
” and
decides when the ice is thick enough to
support a vehicle.
Sweden is principally a land of forests and
lakes. Its towns and cities are small by
European standards and are mostly located
in the southern third of the country, where
the majority of Swedes live. Of its cities,
serenely beautiful
Stockholm
is supreme.
Sitting elegantly on fourteen different
islands, where the waters of
Lake Mälaren
meet the Baltic Sea, the city boasts some
fantastic architecture, fine museums and by
far the best culture and nightlife in the
country. The 24,000 islands which
comprise the Stockholm
archipelago
are a
perfect antidote to the urban bustle,
offering endless opportunities to explore
unspoilt island villages and to go
swimming. On the west coast,
Gothenburg
,
the country's second city, is also one of
Sweden's most appealing destinations.
Gothenburgers have a reputation for being
among the friendliest people in Sweden,
