Sweden is one of the nicest and most beautiful countries I’ve ever been to. As far as backpacking goes, it’s definitely on the expensive side, but nothing that is too overwhelming unlike its western neighbor. My travel ideas for Sweden bounced around a lot, but ultimately I visited Stockholm and also went to a small town known as Åre.
Since this was a winter visit, I had planned a ski trip in Åre along with plenty of Arctic adventures. Most of those adventures I ended up doing in Finland and Norway. As Sweden is a completely different country in the summer versus the winter, I plan to return sometime in the warmer months and enjoy some summer activities.
Explore Stockholm
Sweden’s capital and largest city, the greater Stockholm area is home to about two million people. Stockholm is where you’ll find some of the country’s best museums, such as the Vasa Museum with its restored 17th-century warship, the Nordic Museum, and many more. Stockholm is spread across 14 main islands, each with its own unique atmosphere, from the old town of Gamla Stan to the affluent Östermalm.
Explore Östersund & Åre
Östersund provides a great base to explore the small city itself as well as the surrounding attractions. Within Östersund you’ll find the famous interactive Jamtli museum, which is one of the best museums in the country. About 90 minutes west of Östersund you’ll find Åre, one of the most popular ski resorts in Sweden. Åre is also known for its hiking trails through the surrounding mountains, making the area worth visiting in both summer and winter.
