Sweden Disney Travel Agents Near Me

Overview

Introduction

In Sweden, the home of Volvo and Vikings, you can travel quickly from the sophisticated to the wild. Ride a train north from Stockholm to Lapland, and you'll be transported from one of the most cultured, orderly cities in the world to the untamed beauty of Arctic wilderness.

Whether you prefer strolling through museums or looking for moose in the forest, you'll find that Sweden is something special.

Geography

Sweden is a diverse land filled with lakes, forests, mountains, valleys, beaches, islands, quaint villages and urban centers. There's a feeling of spaciousness in many regions because of Sweden's low population density. Most people live in cities and villages in the southern third of the country.

The north, which includes Lapland, is known for its midnight sun (summer), northern lights (winter), vast tracks of wilderness and the Sami people (Sweden's aboriginal culture). More than 50% of the country is forested.

History

Though the earliest traces of human dwellings in Sweden date to 12,000 BC, most modern-day Swedes are descended from the ancient civilizations of the Bronze Age.

The region is perhaps best known for the Vikings, fierce fighters who spread through coastal Europe and visited parts of North America, Russia and the Middle East. Despite their reputation for mayhem, the Vikings spent more time exploring, trading and setting up towns than raiding and pillaging. Their golden age was relatively brief, lasting roughly from AD 800 to 1050.

Voyaging Vikings eventually evolved into settled farmers as Christianity gained strength in the region during the 11th century. The country—a collection of semi-independent provinces—took shape in the late 13th century under King Magnus Laudulas.

By 1397, the Scandinavian crowns (known as the Kalmar Union) unified, only to separate in 1520, after the Danish king ordered the beheading of 80 Swedes, mostly noblemen, in an event known as the Stockholm Bloodbath. Angered Swedes deposed the Danish king and elected Gustaf Vasa in 1523. The reign of Vasa saw the founding of the Swedish national state.

Sweden gained and lost territory through wars in the 17th and 18th centuries, and by the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1814, Sweden ruled only itself, the Caribbean Island of St. Barts (resold to the French in 1878) and neighboring Norway (an uneasy union that dissolved peacefully in 1905).

Sweden has followed a relatively neutral course, staying out of both World Wars I and II. This policy of neutrality blurred somewhat in 1995, when the country joined the European Union. Sweden's membership in the EU has not included an adoption of the euro: The nation's well-educated population pays high taxes to support a system of government that promotes private enterprise (Ericsson and Ikea are local companies) and provides a cradle-to-grave social welfare system.

Some of the starry-eyed optimism of the perfect welfare state dulled after an economic crash in 1992, resulting in cost-cutting measures that strained the social-benefit safety nets. The spirit of social welfare remains strong, and the country is in the top few nations considered best places to live worldwide.

Snapshot

Sweden's foremost attractions are sailing, skiing, shopping, camping, Stockholm, hiking, glassworks, good food, festivals, Viking history, art, culture, beaches and beautiful scenery.

The country will appeal to travelers who want to spend time outdoors, and to those who enjoy a slow pace and sophisticated cultural experiences. Those who are on a tight budget or have an aversion to cool weather will find the country less to their liking.

Potpourri

Sweden has its own version of the Loch Ness monster—they call her Gryttie. Observations of a large, mysterious freshwater creature have been made in Lake Gryttjen, located in the middle of the country. A scientific team has been researching the sightings, with one hypothesis being that Gryttie is actually some kind of sea cow.

The Ice Palace in the James Bond film Die Another Day is based on the real structure in Jukkasjarvi in Lapland. Made entirely of ice, the Icehotel was first built in 1989 (it looked like a modest igloo).

Some of Sweden's great scientists include Anders Celsius, who devised the 100-degree thermometer; Carlous Linnaeus (or Karl von Linne), who developed the classification system for animals and plants; and Alfred Nobel, who developed dynamite and used his fortune to found the Nobel Prizes. Other inventions by Swedes include the safety match, the three-point seatbelt, the crescent wrench, the implanted pacemaker and the modern ball-bearing.

A Swedish law of custom called allemansratt provides for the right of public access to private land. Anyone can traverse private property while hiking, bicycling or camping. If you take advantage of this law, be sure to avoid residences and ask permission from the owners before pitching a tent.

The pedestrian bridge linking Sweden and Norway was designed from plans originally drawn up by Leonardo da Vinci.

The central province of Jamtland has been half-jokingly trying to secede from Sweden since 1963. Once part of Norway, Jamtlanders feel closer to that nation than to Sweden and have declared themselves independent. Few officials in Stockholm take them seriously, but Jamtland has its own flag, national anthem, website and a summer festival where residents celebrate their (pseudo) independence.

Swedes gather for "fermented herring season" parties in September. The pungent fish, usually served outdoors because of its pungent aroma, is featured along with potatoes, crisp-bread and copious amounts of aquavit (spiced schnapps), although some prefer to wash it down with milk.

For an unusual week in Sweden, rent a fully stocked wooden raft and cruise down the Klaralven River, which ends near the town of Karlstad on Vanern Lake.