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Planet In1 Destination Europe - Sweden

Sweden is the third largest country in western Europe. Bordered by Finland and Norway, the country is long and narrow and the landscape is very different from the far north to the deep south. Sweden has a wide variety of climates, activities and scenery, with countless lakes and waterways, surrounded by vast pine and spruce forests in the north, mixed with romantic oak, birch and other leafy forests further south. Sweden has majestic mountains and glaciers, fresh clean air, wide-open countryside, interspersed by small idyllic villages and vibrant cities such as the capital, Stockholm. Well known for Abba, IKEA, Volvo cars and Absolut vodka, Sweden has much more to offer the discerning visitor.

Northern Sweden is perhaps best known for the midnight sun, the Northern Lights (aurora borealis), which is a magnificent spectacle. Lappland is the region with Sweden's longest winter, bitterly cold with metres of snow and thick winter ice. Around October, the annual building of the Icehotel is started – the world's most famous hotel with rooms, suites, cinema and the renowned Absolut Icebar all made of ice! Walking, cycling, fishing, canoeing, white-water rafting, rock climbing and mountain-biking as well as skiing in the wintertime keep visitors busy all year round. If you want to do nothing and just listen to the silence, there are also many places to get away from it all.

The Stockholm archipelago, from Väddö in the north to Landsort in the south, with beautiful nature, wildlife, fjords, narrow channels and straits, is comprised of 24,000 islands and endures up to 20cm (8in) of ice through a lot of the winter.

Stockholm, the capital, is beautifully located where Lake Mälaren meets the sea. Built on 14 islands, there is nearly always a view of the water. Gamla Stan, the “old town” with cobblestone streets, is where Stockholm originated in the 13th century. Many historical buildings are housed here, including the Royal Castle and the magnificent church “Stor Kyrkan” where, among others, the present king and queen were married. Today, Stockholm stands for advanced technology, a strong history of design, extremely high culinary standards and trendy inhabitants.

The friendly maritime city of Gothenburg, or Göteborg, is a logical starting point from which to explore the west of the country, famous for its pretty fishing villages, wonderful seafood and historic stone carvings. Göteborg, Sweden's second biggest city is situated on the west coast and houses Liseberg, Scandinavia's biggest amusement park. Close by is Universeum, Sweden's national science discovery centre. Göteborg is one of the leading cities in Northern Europe for holding top events. The World Athletics Championships was held here in 1995.

In Southern Sweden are many sandy beaches and Smaland, the Kingdom of Crystal and home to Pippi Longstocking and other wonderful Astrid Lindgren characters. Sweden's third largest city, Malmö, a commercial centre, is in this region. Malmö is also a multi-cultural city, with a population that speaks more than 100 different languages. Malmö's beautiful parks and green open spaces are renowned and it is possible to walk to most places, with a large part of the centre comprising pedestrian shopping areas. Malmö Music Theatre has one of Sweden's foremost stages for opera and musicals, and the Malmö Symphony Orchestra is internationally renowned.