Sweden Tourist Information

Dear tourist, before you go on a trip to Sweden, carefully read the package of documents. You must have a visa to Sweden, affixed to your passport, accommodation voucher, air ticket and insurance policy.

Sweden: location. According to Thesciencetutor, Sweden is located in the eastern and southern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Sweden borders Norway in the west and Finland in the northeast. The Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea border Sweden from the east and south. Three straits Øresund, Kattegan, Skagerrak separate Sweden from Denmark. The two Big Islands of Gotland and Öland in the Baltic Sea belong to Sweden. The island of Öland, which is called the land of windmills, has the Stora Alvarez plateau, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the north-west, Sweden and Norway are divided by the Scandinavian Mountains, the highest mountain in Sweden, Kebnekaise 2123 m. Gotland Island is located 100 km from the mainland, more than 650 treasures of the Viking Age were discovered on the island, and in our time, the island of Gotland is one of the most popular resorts for Swedes and tourists. During the summer it is visited by thousands of people. The Kingdom of Sweden is the 54th largest in the world – 449,964 sq. km. From south to north, its length is 1574 km, from east to west – 499 km. The state of Sweden has not taken part in wars since 1814, and since 1905, the borders of Sweden have not changed.

Sweden: landscape. The territory of Sweden can be divided into two natural regions – southern and northern. The relief of the north and west is dominated by plateaus and mountains. The southern peninsula of Skåne is mostly flat. The Norland plateau lies in the east of Sweden. There are more than 900 nature reserves on the territory of Sweden, which are home to 70 species of mammals, 340 species of birds, 160 species of fish and 16 national parks. 53% of Sweden is covered with forests.

Sweden: transport. Airports, air communication is very developed both on domestic and international flights, the railway has a length of more than 13,000 km. The countries adjacent to Sweden can be reached by traveling by rail. Roads in Sweden are of high quality and are over 550,000 km long. Most of the roads in the cities of Sweden are equipped with quality bike paths, as well as many rental offices or travel agencies. This makes cycling around Swedish cities very popular among Swedes and tourists. Sweden has a highly developed maritime transport and recreation on cruise ships, on which you can travel to other Scandinavian countries.

Sweden: to climate. Thanks to the warm sea current of the Gulf Stream, Sweden’s climate is mostly temperate. The Scandinavian mountains, which protect the country from the Atlantic winds from the north, west and east, gradually turn into picturesque plains covered with taiga forests, small and large rivers and lakes. Winters in the northern part of the mainland are cold, summers are short, the average temperature in January is -16 degrees, in summer +12, in the mountains in summer +2. The southern and western part of Sweden (from Gothenburg to Malmö), thanks to the warm Atlantic winds, has milder climatic conditions – winters are warmer, summers have a large number of warm days with rains. The average temperature in winter is -3, in summer +22.

Sweden: population. The population is about nine million people, of which 93% of the state’s population is Swedes. Northern Lapland is inhabited by the Saami, who are recognized by the UN as the original inhabitants of northern Sweden.

Sweden: religion. The main one is the Evangelical Lutheran Church eighty-seven percent. Other concessions are also widely represented: Orthodox, Muslims, Jews, Catholics. The church center of Sweden is located in the city of Uppsala.

Sweden: capital. The capital of Sweden was founded in 1252. The population of Stockholm is over 911,000 people. The city consists of 14 islands, which are connected by bridges. Stockholm is the cultural, economic and political center of Sweden. The capital of Sweden is the museum center of Europe, there are more than eighty of them. Water transport is developed in Stockholm, the Stockholm metro includes 47 underground stations and 53 ground stations, buses and trams also run. Taxis must have yellow numbers, and upon request, a check is issued upon request. In the city, you should definitely visit the Wadsten Abbey, the Medieval Museum and the Vasa Museum.

Sweden: major cities. Gothenburg has a population of more than five hundred thousand people, Malmö has a population of more than three hundred thousand people, Uppsala has a population of more than one hundred and forty thousand people.

Sweden: currency. Approximate rate for 1 dollar = 8.3 NOK, rate for 1 euro – 9.4 NOK. Credit cards of international systems Visa, Master Card, American Express, etc. are accepted. Attention! Banks charge a commission for currency exchange from 2% to 5% or a fixed amount. Exchange offices and banks are open on weekdays from 9:30 to 15:00, in Stockholm from 9:00 to 17:00.

Sweden: mobile communications. GSM 900/1800 mobile communication standards. Telephone code (+46).

Sweden: electrical voltage. In Sweden, the standard voltage is 220 volts.

Sweden: public transport in Stockholm. Public transport bus routes, city trains, metro (105 stations), tram lines. Developed water transport to the islands belonging to the territory of the city. The city’s bicycle rental network operates.

Sweden: languages. The official language is Swedish. Almost all residents over the age of 18 are fluent in English.

Sweden: visa. For citizens of Ukraine it is necessary to obtain a visa to Sweden. Processing time – from 10 working days.

Sweden: features of customs control. Swedish customs regulations restrict:

• import of alcohol (up to 1 liter of drinks stronger than 22 degrees, 2 liters of fortified and 2 liters of other wines);
• import of tobacco products (200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco);
• firearms, gas cartridges, explosive and narcotic substances;
• food products, except for tea (100 grams) and coffee (500 grams);
• medicines without a prescription;
• 50 ml of perfume and 250 ml of toilet water;
• without additional tax, goods for personal use in the amount of not more than 1700 kroons.

Sweden: tips. “ For tea” is almost always included in local restaurants, about 7-10%, so there is no particular need to leave additional tips.

Sweden: time. Minus 1 hour from Ukraine.

Sweden: weekends and holidays.
January 1 – New Year
January 6 – Epiphany
April-May – Good Friday
April-May – Easter
May 1 – Labor Day
June 3 – Pentecost
June 6 – Swedish Independence Day
November 1 – All Saints Day
December 24 – Christmas Eve
December 25-26 – Christmas