23 Best Places to Visit in Sweden During Summer (2024) -

Looking for places to visit in Sweden during summer? Sweden is the ideal spot for a summer vacation. It’s outdoorsy culture, and extended daylight hours make it perfect for enjoying the scenic beauty.

Being half Swedish, I grew up visiting Sweden every few years in the summertime; from childhood into adulthood.

I have many relatives in north Sweden, and have taken many road trips around the country. And what a beautiful country it is. When we drive around, it seems every turn you take brings you to another lake.

But Sweden offers much more than lakes – medieval castles and ruined abbeys, seaside fishing villages, open air museums, and archipelagos.

While my childhood visits to Sweden mainly brought me to Stockholm and the High Coast (Höga Kusten), I came to realize as an adult planning my own trips to Sweden that Swedish summer vacation ideas besides those.

Here recommendations for the best places to visit during your Sweden summer vacation.

Best Places to Visit in Sweden in Summer

1. Mölle

Mölle is a small town in south Sweden, just over an hour north from Malmö.

It’s most known for its scenic harbour, having the brightest lighthouse in Scandinavia, and being close to the Naturum Kullaberg (Kullaberg Nature Reserve.)

It has beautiful seaside cliffs, rocky shores, quaint cottages, and a lot of outdoor adventure activities – boating, wildlife spotting and hiking.

Things to do in Mölle in summer

Check out the Kollen Lighthouse, which is the brightest lighthouse in Scanidinavia. There is a small café inside the lighthouse
Go dolphin and whale watching on a boat with Kullabergsguiderna
Go hiking on trails in the Kullaberg Nature Reserve

The Grand Hotel Molle is in the centre of town and offers cozy rooms, a superb breakfast, help with planning activities

2. Gotland

Gotland is a large island east of Sweden, and a very popular summer vacation destination for Swedes.

It has cobbled roads, colourful buildings, beautiful towns and cities, unique seaside rock formations, and sandy beaches.

The ferry to the main city on Gotland (Visby) is 3 hours, or you can fly there in 35 minutes from Stockholm.

Things to do in Gotland in summer

Explore the medieval walled city of Visby. See the ruins of St. Karin and St. Nicolai which date back to the middle ages
Take a day trip to Fårö, an island just north of Gotland
Take in the breathtaking dramatic coastline along the Södra hällarna nature reserve, just south of Visby
Visit beaches. Tofta beach is one of the best beaches on the island and is a short bus ride from Visby
Explore the Lummelunda Cave, (said to be Sweden’s most amazing cave) just north of Visby

Find accommodations in Visby here

3. Uppsala

Uppsala is a beautiful city less than an hour’s drive from Stockholm. If you want to venture outside of the main city, Uppsala is makes a nice day-trip from Stockholm.

Uppsala has a medieval old town with a pagan Viking burial ground, churches and cathedrals from the medieval period, a beautiful botanic garden, and a castle.

Things to Do in Uppsala

Marvel at the Uppsala Castle and Cathedral
Spend time outdoors in the Carolinaparken
Take a guided tour of Sala Silver Mine, 1 hour drive east of Uppsala
Visit the Botaniska trädgården (Botanic Garden)

4. Sundsvall

Sundsvall is a coastal city roughly a 4 hour drive north of Stockholm.

Sundsvall is only an hour from the high coast, so we drive through here often to visit relatives in O-vik. However, Sundsvall is a very nice spot to spend a day or two.

While I wouldn’t say you need to make the 4-hour drive specifically just to see Sundsvall, I think it is worth a stop if you’re driving up to the High Coast or exploring more of Sweden.

Things to do in Sundsvall in summer:

Enjoy the fountain in the Vängåvan (town centre of Sudsvall)
Check out Gustav Adolf’s pink-coloured Church
Walk through the Norra Berget friluftsmuseum (open air museum)
Visit the Thai-inspired garden, which was built in the late 1800s to commemorate the visit of the then-king of Thailand to Sweden. (It’s so unusual to see these styles of buildings in Sweden!)

5. Gävle

Gävle is an underrated town 2 hours north of Stockholm. I drove through here many times when I was younger before realizing that Gävle is a gem and is worth more than just a quick stop through.

When you look into all the things there are to do in Gävle, you realize that its an amazing town to visit year round – but especially in summer.

Things to do in Gävle in summer

Walk through the narrow cobbled lanes of old Gävle, behind the Gavleån.
Go on a bear safari at Wild Sweden (40 minutes west of Gävle.)
Take a walk in the beautiful Boulognerskogen, which is a park within walking distance of the city centre. On-site, there’s a mini golf course, disc golf, and a kids playground.
Visit museums – Sweden Prison Museum, and the Railway Museum
Take a boat ride to Limön island in the Gävle archipelago
Visit Kybacka Farm, which allows you to get up close to

Find places to stay overnight in Gävle here

6. Örebro

Örebro is a beautiful city in central Sweden with the coolest castle.

It’s location about 2 hours west of Stockholm and on the river makes it a quaint place for enjoying the small town atmosphere, blooming flowers and Victorian buildings.

Things to do in Örebro

Visit the Örebro castle and museum
Eat dinner at the Svampen Skybar, which is a unique structure offering 360 panoramic views of the surrounding area
See unique sculptures, and admire beautiful gardens at the Stadsparken
Visit the Wadköping open-air museum that shows you what Örebro was like at the turn of the century

7. Padjelanta National Park

Padjelanta National Park is the largest national park in Sweden, and is located close to the Norwegian boarder in the far north.

It’s part of the Laponia area, and culturally significant for the Sami people. In fact, it gets its name from the Sami word Badjelánnda, which means “higher area”. It’s a protected area that is also a UNSECO World Heritage Sight.

The Padjelanta trail is one a favourite among Swedish hikers. It’s a total of 60 km (37 miles) and a multi-day hike.

There are cabins along the way where you can sleep or pay a day fee to access the kitchen. There is a good 20 km (12.5 miles) between cabins, so hiking this trail isn’t for the faint of heart. You need to be in decent shape and up for a physical challenge.

Plan your Padjelanta hiking adventure here

8. Ödeshög

Ödeshög is town in the central southern part of Sweden, in between Stockholm and Gothenburg.

It has less than 3,000 people but it also has a few little gems to see. Ödeshög is home to the fascinating ruined abbey, called Alvastra Monastery. The town is small, but a great little place to discover some of Sweden’s history.

Most of the things to do are within a 10-15 minute drive from the town of Ödeshög.

Things to do in and around Odeshög

Step back into time at the Alvastra Monastery, which dates back to the 1100s. It’s completely free to visit
Check out the Rök Runestone, which is one of the most famous rune stones in the world
Go for a hike at the Omberg Ecopark just north of Ödeshög; enjoy beautiful views of the coastline of the lake
Get some sweets at Narr Konfektyr, a candy factory
Visit Ellen Keys Strand located right on the shoreline. It’s the home of Swedish author Ellen Keys

9. Åsnen National Park

Åsnen National Park (Nationalparken i Åsnen) is on an island surrounded by the Åsnen lake in southern Sweden.

It’s the perfect place to really getaway and experience nature. It’s 4600 acres (1 800 hectares) of unspoiled wilderness and is home to incredible nature, including Sweden’s rarest birds.

To get to Åsnen National Park, you park at the Åsnen designated parking lot and take a boat to the island. There are a few different entrances, but the main entrance is Sunnabron.

In Åsnen, you can find walking trails, or you can rent a bike at Åshults Handelsbod to explore the island via cycling. In the summer, you book Viking adventures and games.

Visit the Åsen National Park website to plan your visit!

10. Karlsborg

Karsborg is a town on the Vanäs peninsula, on the coastline of the Vättern lake in southern Sweden.

It’s a scenic area with views of the lake, but has some fascinating Swedish history behind it too – museums, and most famously – the Karlsborg Fortress.

Things to do in Karlsborg

Visit the fortress (Festung Karlsborg) which was built in the 1800s as a defence for Sweden during the Finish and Napoleonic wars
Sit in a real pilot seat at the Aviation museum
Take a boat ride on the Vättern lake
Go hiking at Tiveden National Park, a woodland of 5,000 acres just north of Karlsborg

11. Bergslagen Forest

Bergslagen Forest is just 2 hours from Stockholm and is known for having the highest moose population in all of Sweden.

It’s also home to other Swedish wildlife, such as beavers, lynx, the great grey owl, wolves and brown bears.

The area surrounding the forest- Bergslagen, is also a historic mining district.

Bergslagen Forest is popular for those wanting to do hiking, photography and bird-watching. If you do decide to venture here from Stockholm, remember to be considerate of the nature and wildlife of the forest.

The park offers a guide book with hikes of varying degrees of difficulty, which you can check out here.

12. Höga Kusten

Höga Kusten translates to High Coast and is world’s highest coastline. The land also continues to rise at a rate of approximately 8 millimetres per year.

It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, and truly one of the most beautiful places in Sweden. This is where my family originates, and I have visited many times.

Above is a picture of the Höga Kusten suspension bridge – I always knew when we reached this bridge that we were almost ‘home’ in Örnsköldsvik.

Huga Kusten refers to an area along the coast, and it is full of national parks, as well as some towns and cities. The main towns include Örnsköldsvik, Kramfors, Härnösand, and Solleftea.

Near the bridge in the photo above, is the Hoga Kusten trail starting point, which you can read about here.

I also recommend spending some time at Skuleskogens National Park, which is famous for its large cliff walls.

Skuleberget in Höga Kusten

Skuleberget is a mountain located within the Höga Kusten (High Coast) and located at over 900 feet (200 metres) above sea lovel. It deserves a special mention because you absolutely shouldn’t miss it if you come far enough north to see it.

Skuleberget is doable with all ages and ability levels. We used to visit here often when we visited Sweden when I was a child.

While you can hike to the top, there is a chairlift that takes you to the top of the mountain in about 10 minutes.

Near the top, there are some walking trails, and a café where you can have fika. See visiting details here.

13. Göteborg (Gothenburg)

Göteborg (Gothenburg in English) is the second largest city in Sweden, and located on the western coast.

The city is famous for the invention of Volvos, and for being one of the world’s most sustainable cities.

Things to do in Gothenburg in summer

Admire islands and rocky shorelines on a boat ride of the The Gothenburg archipelago
Spend a day at Liseberg, a theme park with roller coasters and many other rides
Relax in the Gothenburg Botanical Garden, which is one of the largest botanical gardens in Europe
Walk through the Feskekörka, which is a historic fish market right on the harbour
Bike along the Kattegattleden, which is the coast from Helsingborg to Gothenburg.
Visit the Universeum science museum

Look for places to stay in Gothenburg here

14. Stockholm

Although its the capital and largest city in Sweden, I couldn’t leave out Stockholm when talking about Sweden in summer. Stockholm is a city on water and perfect for visiting in summertime.

I don’t have any family in Stockholm, but we usually made an effort to spend a couple days here during our many family trips to Sweden when I was growing up. It’s very family friendly, but a fun and romantic city for adults too.

Things to do in Stockholm in summer

Walk through the Old Town (Gamla Stan)
Take a boat ride and view the beautiful city from the perspective of the water
Spend a day at Tivoli (also known as Gröna Lund), Stockholm’s amusement park right on the harbour
Head to Djurgården, an island in Stockholm, to visit the maritime museum, Vasa Museum, as well as the Skansen open-air museum

Search Stockholm overnight accommodations here

15. Rättvik

Rättvik is in the province of Dollarna in central Sweden, which is famous for the Dala Horse, an iconic symbol of Sweden. Rättvik, along with other nearby towns are known for their large Midsummer celebrations.

Rättvik is located right on Lake Siljan – and in addition to many activities, has stunning views of the lake.

Here are some things to do in Rättvik and nearby in summer

Get 360 views from the Vidablick utsiktstorn observation deck
Try traditional Swedish tunnbröd at the Rättviks Flatbread Bakery
Drive out to Falun (40 minutes from Rättvik) a small town important for its Swedish history, and home to the Falun mine (which is a UNESCO World Heritage site)
Take a day trip to Avesta, which is known for having the largest Dalarna horse in the world, at 42 feet (13 metres) tall

16. Öland

Another Swedish Island, Öland is south east of Gotland. Gotland is much closer to mainland Sweden than Gotland, and has extensive history dating back to the Viking period.

Öland has a unique flavour of Swedish history. There are stone circles, medieval buildings, museums and art galleries,

The bridge to the island of Öland is called the Ölandsbron bridge, and it’s the largest bridge in Sweden. You can either drive, or take a bus.

Things to do on the island of Öland

Visit Borgholm Castle, which is an impressive and well-preserved building dating back to the 13th century
Admire Byrums raukar, which are impressive and strange looking rock formations along the shore
Check out the Ismantorp Fortress ring fort
See Swedish wildlife at the Trollskogen wildlife reserve
Step into history at the Museum Himmelsberga, which preserves what daily life was like on Öland in the olden times

Grab a place to stay on Öland island here

17. Åre

Åre is located in central western Sweden, not far from the Norwegian boarder. It’s a sought after tourist destination in the winter, because of downhill skiing and other winter sports.

However, with its high mountains and vast lakes – it is not only one of the most beautiful places to visit in Sweden in summer, but it has offers quite a bit in terms of outdoor activities. Åre in the summer is buzzing with hikers, cyclists and people wanting to enjoy the ‘alp village’ of Scandinavia.

Here are some reasons you should visit Åre in summer:

Go hiking and wildlife spotting in Naturreservatet Vålådalen (Vålådalen Nature Reserve)
Take part in the Åre bike festival, which happens in July
Visit Tännforsen, Sweden’s largest waterfall (just 20 minutes from the village of Åre)
Enjoy home baked goods and homemade ice cream at one of the many cafés
See other summer vacation ideas in Åre here

Check out places to stay near Åre here

18. Skanör-Falsterbo

Skanör-Falsterbo is located about 30 minutes south of Malmö, and is known for its sandy beach and colourful cottages on the coastline.

It makes a nice day trip from Malmö for those looking for some pristine nature and a quieter setting. (Although don’t be fooled – it can get busy here in the summertime.)

One of the things I really associate with Sweden, especially in summer, is the colourful wooden houses – and Skanör-Falsterbo is one of the good places to admire them, except they are more colourful than what you typically see.

The colourful cottages of Skanör-Falsterbo are actually bathing huts for those wanting to swim.

Things to do in Skanör-Falsterbo in summer:

Have a beach day at the Skanör beach to see the quaint wooden cottages, and enjoy the sandy beach and views of the sea
Visit the Falsterbo photography museum and the art gallery
Learn about local history at the Falsterbo Museum
Walk through the open-air Foteviken Museum, just 10 minutes from Skanör-Falsterbo

19. Vimmerby

Vimmerby is mainly known for being the hometown of the author of Pippi Longstocking, and the location for a theme park named after her, called Astrid Lindgren’s World.

Vimmerby is about 3 hours from both Stockholm and Gothenburg.

Things to do in Vimmerby in summer:

See the Pippi Longstocking world come to life at Astrid Lindgren’s World. Families can get a day pass for 1 to 3 days
Go on a moose safari at the Virum Älgpark
Hike to the Runkesten, which is a large rock in the middle of a forest which many hikers struggle to find.
Visit the childhood home of Astrid Lindgren, which inspired her famous stories. Book tickets at the Astrid Lindgren’s Näs website

20. Östersund

Östersund is a small city in central Sweden, about 3 hours west of the High Coast.

I used to see signs for it all the time when we used to visit family in Hoga Kusten. It wasn’t until I was an adult that it was worth making our way out here for a day trip. Östersund is pretty cool city, with some unique attractions related to Swedish history

Things to do in Östersund

Climb the Frösötornet observation tower, and have fika from the Frösötornet café with a bird’s eye view of the surrounding land
Check out the northernmost rune stone in Scandinavia, called Frösöstenen.
Watch a glass-blowing demonstration at Storsjöhyttan
Visit the Nationalmuseum Jamtli, which is an open-air museum showcasing history of the area. In the summer, they have people role-playing inhabitants from that time period
Shop for Swedish souvenirs, and have fika at the Hamngatan 12 Café & Bistro

21. Malmö

Malmö is Sweden’s third largest city (after Stockholm and Göteborg/Gothenberg), and is known for connecting with Copenhagen by a bridge.

Malmö has the largest shipyards in the world, museums, cuisine and nightlife. It has a mix of modern buildings and excitement, but also some old world charm as well.

Things to do in Malmö in summer

Check out the Slottsmöllan, which is called Castle Mill (pictured above)
Refresh in the Ribersborgs open-air bath on the harbour
Spend time outdoors in Kungsparken, in downtown Malmö
Check out the impressive Malmö Library
Visit the bright red Malmö Castle

22. Vaxsjö

Europe’s Greenest City, because of its efforts since the 1960s to run entirely on renewable energy. As a result, half of the city is covered in lush forest.

Vaxsjö has a beautiful mix of nature, medieval buildings, and a descent shopping scene.

Things to do in Vaxjö in summer

Admire the bright red Växjö Cathedral. Parts of it date back to the 1100s
Enjoy gardens and some time outside in the beautiful Linnéparken.
Get a tour Vartorps kvarn, which is a beautiful mill used for processing flour. There is also a playground on site for kids
Get views of the Bergkvara Castle, a ruined castle on an island on the Bergkvara lake

23. Jukkasjärvi

Jukkasjärvi is a town in the far north of Sween known for hosting the famous Ice Hotel. While the ice hotel isn’t open during the summer, it is still a very popular place to visit for a summer vacation in Sweden.

The name Jukkasjärvi means “meeting place by the water” in the Sami language. In the summer, you can enjoy rafting and hiking, and experience the Midnight Sun at its best.

Apart of the hotel still stands in summer, and you can still see ice made with art.

Here are some other reasons to make your way to Jukkasjärvi in summer:

Challenge yourself at the jungle park with high ropes and obstacle courses
Take an ice-sculpting class (yes, available all summer long)
Go white water rafting,
Meet adorable reindeer calfs who are born in the month of May

Explore places to stay in Jukkasjarvi here

Things to Keep in Mind About Visiting Sweden in Summer

Midsummer is held in mid-June and is one of the largest holidays in Sweden after Christmas. Plan your trip so that you’re not flying in or out of Stockholm on Midsummer weekend (3rd weekend in June.)

Many parts of Sweden experience a midnight sun, which means the sun doesn’t set in the summertime. How strong of a midnight sun depends on how far north you go. Stockholm for example, has around 19 hours of daylight in the summer time. I recommend renting places that have black-out blinds, and bringing a sleep mask.

Summer in Sweden FAQ

Here are the most commonly asked questions about vacationing in Sweden in the summer

Is Sweden worth visiting in summer?

Sweden is absolutely worth visiting in summer. It’s the warmest time of year, and in some areas, you can experience the midnight sun. Sweden is covered in forests and lakes and there are many places to enjoy the outdoors.

Where do Swedes go on summer vacation?

Swedes often rent a cabin on a lake for summer vacation, and spend time hiking. Swedes very commonly visit places like Gotland,

Final Thoughts on Visiting Sweden in Summer

Sweden holds a special place in my heart, but I am certain you will love it too. As you can see from this article, there is so much to see in Sweden beyond Stockholm.

When I was planning my own trip to Sweden without my grandfather, my eyes were really opened to all the things there were to do in Sweden in summer. Our itinerary changed quite a few times because I kept changing my mind and there were a lot of difficult decisions.

These are some of the best places to visit in Sweden during summer, and I believe you can’t go through with any of them.