These beautiful islands, surrounded by a myriad of other tiny islands, just north of Gothenburg on Sweden's south west coast are so close you can virtually step from one to the other and yet are surprisingly different in landscape and even culture. Tjörn, the smaller of the two, is livelier and more cultural, with an internationally acclaimed Watercolour Art Gallery in Skärhamn and giant sculpture park in Pilane. Orust has yet to find its proper tourist mark but the landscape and stunning coastline more than make up for that lack. If live music is your thing then Slussens Pensionat, Sweden's Music Hotel, is well worth a visit. If you want a great place to cycle or kayak then the quiet roads and calm waters of this island make it ideal.

www.akvarellmuseet.org/
www.pilane.org/
www.slussenspensionat.se
+46(0)30437525

Google map: bit.ly/HgPOJZ

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Orust is one of the larger islands of Sweden's south western archipelago, and it's a fantastic place to stay while visiting some of the smaller islands. Beautiful scenery, gentle rolling landscapes, a fantastic coastline, some great hotels and restaurants, and a favourable climate to boot. I love it all year round but if you want a relaxing family holiday with great swimming spots and watersport opportunities then head there in summer. Bear in mind that Swedish kids go back to school in mid August and a lot of places open for the season will close then.

www.vastsverige.com/en/sodra-bohuslan
www.orust.se
Google map: bit.ly/ye5HjE

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Simply fantastic skiing and the most amazing tented BBQ-picnic spots all over the mountain. Breathtaking scenery and no French style lift queues. Having skied in Sweden it will take a lot of persuading to go back to the busy, concrete resorts in the Alps.

Google map: bit.ly/wvGTom

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Top venue in Stockholm with all the best bands making a stop there, probably holds 400-500 and the crowd are right on top of the stage, prices pretty reasonable given its Sweden. We paid about £14 to see the Horrors who were superb. Drinks about £5.50 a beer, you can book in advance on line

www.debaser.se
Karl Johans Torg 1, 111 30 Stockholm
+46 (0)8 30 56 20
Google map: bit.ly/yIBEnr

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The bright blue skies and startling snow and icy landscape during the day and a night sky lit by the incredible dancing Northern Lights takes your breath away. Four days of coming 'home' to the Retreat after a days husky driving, snowmobiling, cross country skiing or sledging was perfect - warm, cosy and intimate; lovely home cooked (mainly vegetarian) food; plenty of hot water and roaring log fires. Welcoming hosts, Mikael and Maya will arrange all the above and for those wanting something less adventurous there is, among other things, yoga, massage, cooking and felt making; and around Christmas time trips to visit Santa! With temperatures averaging -30 it is a real bonus that all the necessary Outerwear and boots are provided. We watched the Northern Lights 100yds from the guesthouse standing on the frozen Torne River with the snow laden forest stretching from the far bank towards Finland in the distance. A gem of a guesthouse in a remarkable setting.

www.auroraretreat.se
Box 19690062, Junosuando, Sweden
Nearest station/airport is Kiruna - pick up can be arranged also from Gallivare station, about 90 minutes.
Google map: bit.ly/ugdlUV

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I recommend the city of Stockholm, not only for its beauty but also for the mix of great shopping.
The Swedes are totally into fashion, H&M, hipster trends or uniform (black, black, black). But it is a city to be inspired of.
Most of all, I recommend Sodermalm, the south part of Stockholm with is total mix of affordable vintage, design furniture, catwalk brands and top end trainer shops and amazing cafes.

www.visitstockholm.com/en/
Google map: bit.ly/tWk8yD

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Astrid Lindgren’s World in Vimmerby (about 225 km SW of Stockholm) consists of “a theatre and theme park where visitors can experience characters from Astrid Lindgren’s books in their true settings. Everyone can meet the characters, they perform scenes from the books and improvise situations involving the children in the park”. Pippi remains a childhood favourite and who could resist seeing her come to life? While nearby you can also visit Astrid Lindgren’s childhood home, Näs, also in Vimmerby.

www.alv.se/en
www.astridlindgrensnas.se/1153/Engelska.html
Prästgårdsgatan 24, 598 36 Vimmerby, Kalmar Län, Sweden
+46(0)492 76 95 82
Google map: bit.ly/qtVqJF
More details (and other children's literature destinations in Sweden) here: www.playingbythebook.net/2011/01/21/kidlit-destinations-in-sweden/

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When you are walking through the parks in Stockholm, keep an eye out for allotments: they are nothing like the UK equivalents. More like small cottages with beautiful cottage gardens. Take a walk around, enjoy the atmosphere and the people taking a break from the city.

Tantolunden and Vitabergsparken, Sodermalm.
www.visitstockholm.com/en/To-Do/Attractions/tantolunden/1169

Google map: bit.ly/rmsE5i

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This is the museum of the Nobel Prize Organisation. Not large or overly technical; very interactive, including videos and interviews describing why the work of particular winners was so significant. Particularly enjoyed the displays of items that had been donated. Check out the way the 2010 Physics Prize winners managed to achieve something no one thought was possible- there is hope for us all!

www.nobelmuseum.se/en
Nobelmuseet Stortorget 2, Gamla Stan, Box 2245, 103 16 Stockholm
+46 8 534 818 18
Google map: bit.ly/rnryFV

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Walking in the late summer in Abisko, in the far north of Sweden, was a wonderful introduction to exploring the Swedish mountains. Suitable for novice walkers, families and experienced walkers, the Abisko region provides dramatic mountain scenery, Sami reindeer herds. beautiful autumnal flora and an opportunity to experience real wilderness.
A network of mountain huts provide overnight accommodation, cooking and camping facilities and an opportunity to meet fellow walkers.When we were there we found hut wardens baking fresh Swedish "bulla" for their guests and a mountain sauna fueled by a wood burning stove. During the war, these mountain huts were used by the resistance movement to cross into Norway. The network of huts can also be used in the winter months for long distance skiing.

www.svenskaturistforeningen.se/sv/upptack/Omraden/Lappland/Fjallstationer/STF-Abisko-Turiststation/

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Medieval week in Visby, Gotland provides an exuberant experience which contrasts with the more low key, tranquil Scandinavian holiday. We felt like we had stepped back in time as we got off the ferry into this walled, medieval city to join the jesters, jugglers and jousters, the musicians, the market stall holders and the multitudes of costumed visitors. When you have had enough of the festival, there's plenty to do in the rest of the island, which has an old fashioned charm.

www.gotland.net/en
Google map: bit.ly/nB7egm

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Taking it back to nature in the most peaceful and rawest forms, we hired bikes and started a six day cycle and bivvy between the two great lakes Vänern and Vättern, and along the Göta Canal. With the Swedish camping laws allowing you to camp anywhere, the Lantmäteriet (O.S. map) becomes your ‘Best of BnBs’ guide. Look out for the patches of land marked ‘Open Land’ next to the lakes (avoiding Sankmark [Marsh]!), and surrounded by forests and you’ve found Eden. Your home for the night looks out onto lakes feeling as endless as the sea, you’ll fall asleep to the gentle slosh-slosh of the waves with no fear of rising tides, and the sun slowly setting, and in the morning you can take a wonderful swim in your own private ocean. Don’t expect anyone to bring you a cocktail at the side of the pool, this holiday is not for the faint-hearted, but for those looking for the true beauty of Scandinavia, this is the way to find it. And the best time of year is as close to June 21st as you can get, finding your camp spot at 10pm, cooking at 11pm, and eating as the sun (almost) sets at midnight. Bliss.

Cykelkungen:
www.cykelkungen.se/
Chalmersgatan 19, 411 35 Göteborg
+(0)31 18 43 00
Google map: bit.ly/qxi34R

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On a work trip to Umea in February we experienced firsthand how the locals embrace the short but sunny northern Swedish days outside. The highlight was a trip to the Algen Hus (Elk House) 45 mins inland. Owner Christer introduced us up close to these huge but gentle animals then he and his son took us on a snowmobile safari. Not a low carbon activity but great fun! As the sun went down we walked into the birch forest and wearing nothing but (optional) swimsuits, entered a traditional sauna, a world away from the hotel version. Once warm we jumped into the outdoor, log fired hot tubs where we sat drinking Swedish beer until it was dark in the beautiful forest. It may have been -15 but we didn't feel a thing. Get someone else to drive home!

www.algenshus.se/
Bjurholms Turist AB, Västerbotten
+46 932 500 00
Google map: bit.ly/pcw6xL

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Flaton is a small island on the west coast of Sweden linked to the mainland by car ferries that are free. Once we arrived off the ferry to the hotel Handelsman Flink we felt instantly drawn to the serene location overlooking the sea and neighbouring islands. We hired a tandem bike to explore the island, its beaches and a viewpoint that allowed fantastic views across the surrounding islands. Other days were spent exploring the pretty fishing villages that dot the west coast all with their own individual characters. Evenings were spent watching the amazing sunsets while enjoying the freshest local seafood and fish with the locals or the many visitors that had moored up on the hotel's jetty for the evening.

www.Handelsmanflink.se
Flaton 47491 Ellos
+46 304 55051
Google map: bit.ly/mTnfJm

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The Haga district in Gothenburg is like stepping into a fairytale town. Having explored Kungsportavenyn (the Avenue) and the inner city area of Gothenburg, I was starting to get tourist fatigue. Craving some greenery, we headed for Slottsskogen, a vast and beautiful open space littered with open-air zoos, restaurants, and grand oak trees. It was on our walk there that we inadvertently stumbled across the Haga district. It was like walking straight into a fairytale; cobbled lanes with secrets to tell, tired looking shop fronts dripping with vintage nick-nacks, and row after row of delicious coffee shops. Far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, the Haga district emanates calmness and coolness, welcoming both tourists and locals alike. It felt like I'd wandered into the heart of a local Swedish tow, and was being welcomed as a regular, rather than just another visitor. Besides soaking up the atmosphere of the Haga district, it implores you to engage in the serious business of 'fika', right beside the locals. Fika, the Swedish practice of taking a break usually with coffee and cake, is best enjoyed in Cafe Husaren where they offer great coffee and the biggest, most generous cinnamon rolls. They were literally bigger than my head - not for the faint hearted. Although, after exploring the many cute cobbled streets and shabby chic shops, it's a well-deserved break. The attitude of this place offers a really unique edge to the city of Gothenburg, I would strongly recommend a visit, no matter how brief your trip.

www.cafehusaren.se/
Haga Nygata 28, 411 22 Gbg
+46(0)31 136 378
Google map: bit.ly/rstpLh

www.goteborgairport.se/eng/info/resenaerer/buss.asp
www.goteborg.com/en/

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For a bike ride with a difference try cycling along a former railway line - literally. You pedal trolleys which hook onto the rails and lift them off when someone's coming in the other direction to allow them to pass! The trolleys make an authentic clickety-clack noise as they rattle over the joints in the rails and take a passenger, sidecar-style. Great family fun and impossible to get lost.

www.svedjegarden.se/dressinse.html
Google map: bit.ly/qsIqtL

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Sweden is magical in winter when the countryside is transformed by snow. Hire a car and head west from Stockholm to the lakes around the pretty town of Nora (around 90 minutes drive). Head to nearby Lake Fåsjön and join families skating, with their dogs skittering behind them on the ice.
On the edge of the lakes you will find wooden smoke saunas (known as bastu). They are often close to where a stream joins the water so that you can plunge into the lake near the edge where it's not frozen. You feel surprisingly warm when you re-emerge to drink your cold beer!

In the quiet of early morning, when the mist still hangs over the water, you can often hear the eerie sound of the ice cracking.
Stay at the pretty 19th century Åkerby Herrgård hotel on the lakeside, or stop in for a coffee in their cosy library.

Åkerby Herrgård:
Fåsjöhyttan Åkerby, 713 93 Fåsjöhyttehäll
Google map: bit.ly/qr63Ef

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So many visitors to northern Sweden go straight to the Ice Hotel in Kiruna - point proved by the fact that Abisko is not even in this websites drop down menu!! [Noone has tipped about it yet - ed] I recommend keep going north on the train to Abisko, about an hour further into the Arctic Circle. There is a fantastic, huge, youth hostel in the middle of the Abisko National Park, more like a hotel. If you are visiting between October and May you can sign up to spend a night in the cafe on top of the Kungsleden mountain. It sounds bonkers (its not posh, you literally sleep on the floor of a cafe in sleeping bags) but you get to spend the whole night watching for the Northern Lights followed by the sun rising over the Lapporten, the famous Lapp Gateway. This mountain view is seeped in Sami traditions, legends and stories. I also recommend following your evening on the mountain up with a trip on a skidoo across the bright blue frozen lake with a local guide. NB: make sure you book the Abisko Mountain STATION (the youth hostel) not the Abikso Mountain Lodge (the posh hotel)
We did this for our honeymoon and even though we spent the whole trip in separate beds (or sleeping bags!) it was truly amazing. The closest thing to magic I have witnessed.

www.abisko.nu/vinter/englishpages/index.asp
Norrbottens Län, Sweden
+46 920 960 00
Google map: bit.ly/oVQcpc

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Stockholm has lots of veggie restaurants but this is the best. Great location on the river, loads of seats, huge buffet with lots of choice and which changes so if you visit more than once you'll get different dishes. Great for sitting over a huge plate of plate of food looking at the views of the city - really chilled.

www.hermans.se/
Katarina/Sofia, Fjällgatan 23B, 116 28 Stockholm
+46(0)8643 9480
Google map: bit.ly/qAnuuO

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This is a great YHA hostel, in the southern bit of Stockholm. It's set in parkland, next to some great allotments. We walked past one morning and a plot holder showed us round their plot and summer house. The hostel is easy to get to from public transport and the area has some good local restaurants.
The hotel room was simple but good, and affordable.

www.hihostels.com/dba/hostels-STF-Stockholm---Zinkensdamm-054007.en.htm
Zinkens väg 20, 11741 Stockholm
+46 8 6168100
Google map: bit.ly/quehyY

Zinkens väg 20
11741 Stockholm
Sweden

Tel. 46 8 6168100
Fax. 46 8 6168120
mail@zinkensdamm.com

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