A photograph of Sweden

Country guide

Sweden

Sweden runs from 55°N to 69°N — long enough that its north and its south keep different weather and different daylight in the same week. Of its 450,295 km², bui...

Photograph · Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0

2,967 Places
1Cities

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Sweden runs from 55°N to 69°N — long enough that its north and its south keep different weather and different daylight in the same week. Of its 450,295 km², built-up land accounts for 1.5 per cent, and 88 per cent of the 10,610,485 people counted in October 2025 live in towns concentrated in the south and the centre. That is the practical division for a visitor: the southern counties hold Stockholm and most of what fits into a weekend, while the rest of the 21 counties trade density for distance. Choose by how far you are willing to travel between two things.

Checked 2026-08-25

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Swedish
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+46
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Swedish krona (SEK)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C and F · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Safe from the mains
Municipal drinking water is subject to Swedish food-safety controls

Planning a visit

Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.

  1. January: seasonal closure recorded
  2. February: seasonal closure recorded
  3. March: seasonal closure recorded
  4. April: seasonal closure recorded
  5. May: seasonal closure recorded
  6. June: seasonal closure recorded
  7. July: seasonal closure recorded
  8. August: no seasonality data recorded
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Chinese Pavilion at Drottningholm Chinese Pavilion at Drottningholm
    07 45 min

    Chinese Pavilion at Drottningholm

    Kina slott

    The Chinese Pavilion at Drottningholm, called Kina slott in Swedish, is a royal pleasure pavilion on Lovön near Stockholm.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  2. Rosendal Palace Rosendal Palace
    08 45 min

    Rosendal Palace

    Rosendals slott

    Rosendal Palace, known locally as Rosendals slott, is a royal palace situated on Djurgården island in central Stockholm. The palace was constructed as a pleasure palace for King Karl XIV Johan in the 1820s.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  3. Ulriksdal Palace Ulriksdal Palace
    09 45 min

    Ulriksdal Palace

    Ulriksdals slott

    Ulriksdal Palace, or Ulriksdals slott, is a royal palace in Solna, north of Stockholm city centre. The palace belongs to Sweden’s royal heritage and sits within extensive parkland and gardens.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  4. The House of Culture The House of Culture
    10 45 min

    The House of Culture

    Kulturhuset

    The House of Culture, known locally as Kulturhuset, is a prominent cultural centre located in central Stockholm. It occupies a significant position within the city's cultural infrastructure, serving as a multi-purpose venue for artistic and community activities.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  5. Theater Confidencen Theater Confidencen
    11 45 min

    Theater Confidencen

    Confidencen

    Theater Confidencen is a Stockholm theatre whose identity is created by live performance rather than by a permanent exhibition. Its character comes from the meeting of performers and audience, the production chosen, and the particular occasion announced in the programme.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  6. Karlberg Palace Karlberg Palace
    12 45 min

    Karlberg Palace

    Karlbergs slott

    Karlberg Palace, or Karlbergs slott, is a historic palace complex in Stockholm’s Karlberg district beside the water.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  7. af Chapman af Chapman
    13 45 min

    af Chapman

    Af Chapman

    Af Chapman is a full-rigged steel ship permanently moored on Skeppsholmen in central Stockholm. Built in 1888 as Dunboyne in Whitehaven, it later served as a training vessel before becoming a youth hostel in 1949.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  8. Axel Oxenstierna Palace Axel Oxenstierna Palace
    14 45 min

    Axel Oxenstierna Palace

    Axel Oxenstiernas palats

    Axel Oxenstierna Palace is a historic Stockholm building named for Axel Oxenstierna, the Swedish statesman who served as Lord High Chancellor during the reigns of Gustavus Adolphus and Queen Christina.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  9. Arvfurstens palats Arvfurstens palats
    15 45 min

    Arvfurstens palats

    Arvfurstens palats is a palace building in central Stockholm and a distinctive part of the capital’s built heritage. Its importance for a traveller lies primarily in the architecture and the building’s position within the historic city centre.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  10. Wrangel Palace Wrangel Palace
    16 45 min

    Wrangel Palace

    Wrangelska palatset

    Wrangel Palace, or Wrangelska palatset, stands on Riddarholmen in central Stockholm. Built for Count Carl Gustaf Wrangel during Sweden’s seventeenth-century great-power era, it is a prominent example of Swedish Baroque architecture.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  11. Tessin Palace Tessin Palace
    17 45 min

    Tessin Palace

    Tessinska palatset

    Tessin Palace stands in Stockholm’s Gamla Stan and was designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger as his private residence. The building represents Swedish Baroque architecture and reflects the ambitions of one of Sweden’s leading court architects.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  12. Bonde Palace Bonde Palace
    18 45 min

    Bonde Palace

    Bondeska palatset

    Bonde Palace, also known as Bondeska palatset, is a historic Stockholm building associated with noble residence and the city’s older urban fabric. Its architectural presence reflects the long political and social history of central Stockholm.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  13. Ulvsunda Castle Ulvsunda Castle
    19 45 min

    Ulvsunda Castle

    Ulvsunda slott

    Ulvsunda Castle, known locally as Ulvsunda slott, is a historic castle and manor house in western Stockholm.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  14. Hessensteinska palatset Hessensteinska palatset
    20 45 min

    Hessensteinska palatset

    Hessensteinska palatset is a historic palace in Stockholm, Sweden. The building represents classical Swedish architectural heritage and stands as one of the notable palatial structures in the city.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  15. Gustav III's Pavilion Gustav III's Pavilion
    21 45 min

    Gustav III's Pavilion

    Gustav III:s paviljong

    Gustav III’s Pavilion is a royal pleasure pavilion in Hagaparken, north of Stockholm. Built for King Gustav III in the late eighteenth century, it is a notable expression of Swedish Gustavian architecture.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  16. Hässelby Castle Hässelby Castle
    22 45 min

    Hässelby Castle

    Hässelby slott

    Hässelby Castle, or Hässelby slott, is a historic landmark in Stockholm's western Hässelby district. The castle extends Stockholm's heritage beyond the central islands and offers a different scale of city experience, shaped by historic architecture and its surrounding setting.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  17. Klara Church Klara Church
    23 45 min

    Klara Church

    Klara kyrka

    Klara Church, or Klara kyrka, is a historic church in Stockholm’s central Klara district. Its tower is a visible part of the city skyline, and the building remains both a landmark and a functioning place of worship.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  18. Swedish House of Nobility Swedish House of Nobility
    24 45 min

    Swedish House of Nobility

    Riddarhuset

    The Swedish House of Nobility, known in Stockholm as Riddarhuset, is a historic institution and building in Gamla Stan. It is associated with Sweden's noble families, their records, and the country's earlier system of estate-based political representation.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  19. Styckekranen Styckekranen
    25 45 min

    Styckekranen

    Styckekranen is a mapped place in Stockholm, Sweden, identified by its name and location in OpenStreetMap. Its value lies in adding a less familiar location to a Stockholm walk and in encouraging attention to the city's working and historic landscape.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  20. Stenbockska Palatset Stenbockska Palatset
    26 45 min

    Stenbockska Palatset

    Stenbockska palatset

    Stenbockska Palatset is a historic palace in central Stockholm, associated with the Stenbock family and the city's aristocratic architectural heritage.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm
  21. Sager House Sager House
    27 45 min

    Sager House

    Sagerska huset

    Sagerska huset, known in English as Sager House, stands as a prominent building in Stockholm. The structure holds official significance within the Swedish capital's urban fabric.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Stockholm

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Sweden be?

Seven to ten days gives Stockholm three or four days and allows one rail-linked city, archipelago stay or northern extension. A journey into Swedish Lapland needs extra nights and should be planned as a distinct leg.

What entry documents are needed for Sweden?

The Swedish Migration Agency sets visitor and short-stay requirements. Check whether the passport needs a visa and which Schengen state should process an application for the complete itinerary.

What is the best way to travel around Sweden?

Stockholm Arlanda is the largest gateway; Gothenburg and the Copenhagen–Malmö route provide alternatives. Long-distance trains link the principal cities, while ferries, regional buses and domestic flights reach the wider country.

When is a practical time to visit Sweden?

May through August brings long daylight and the broadest summer access. Winter aurora or snow travel is a separate seasonal product, particularly in the north, with different transport and clothing requirements.

What money and payment basics apply in Sweden?

Sweden uses the krona (SEK), not the euro. Current cash and card acceptance is Not recorded in this file; check the operator’s stated payment method, particularly for unmanned or rural services.

What practical safety details should I save for Sweden?

Call 112 for emergencies in Sweden. Type C and F sockets operate at 230 V, and the recorded guidance says mains tap water is safe.