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Photo by Suzanne Wright

Savoring Sweden in the Summertime

There are a lot of myths about Sweden. Such as, everyone would be blonde: the men would look like Bjorn Borg circa 1976, the women like the Swedish Bikini Team (not true.) The terms Nordic and Scandinavia were interchangeable (them's fighting words). Viking helmets had horns (they didn't).

During a whirlwind six-day excursion in July, I did affirm a few accurate perceptions: ABBA is the country's most recognizable export along with IKEA and Tiger Woods' wife; design is noteworthy (especially the glass); meatballs are tasty (and served with tart lingonberries); the land of the midnight sun really exists (at least in June and July).

Stockholm

Eight hours after leaving Newark, I landed in the capital, Stockholm, and boarded the Arlanda Express Train for the city. Nobel Prize winners, business titans and movie stars stay at The Grand Hotel; sadly, I did not. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the copious smorgasbord in the Grand Veranda which overlooks the Baltic Sea. The buffet included 10 herring dishes, cold cuts including reindeer, five types of gravlax, salads, cheese and meatballs all washed down with 1874 aquavit, a bracing schnapps flavored with fennel, aniseed, caraway and sherry.

Stockholm is one third water, one third greenbelt and one third city. Fourteen islands are connected by 57 bridges and there are 75(!) museums. Impeccably clean, a blend of modern and historic, the city is compact and walk-able-a good thing, since cabs are pricey (as is everything else). Socialist Sweden enjoys one of the highest standards of living in the world. The Absolut Icebar in the Nordic Sea Hotel is a kitschy and popular must-do. For about $15 (which includes your first drink), you can don an insulated silver cape and gloves and enter the frigid, tiny room (it holds 35) maintained at -5 degree Celsius (that's 23 degrees Fahrenheit) where you will drink from a glass made of solid ice. It's a novelty to sip elderflower juice with cinnamon -- for about 10 minutes.

You can stroll the cobbled streets of Old Town, Gamal Stan. You can wander past the Royal Palace with blue-clad uniformed officers. Or visit City Hall where the Nobel Prizes are awarded. You can tour Junibacken, where Pippi Longstocking's story comes to life. But the top attraction is the Vasa Musuem, the most visited museum in Scandinavia.

The Vasa was the grandest man of war ever built (for the Swedish Navy) and the museum is grandly dedicated to its spectacular failure. On August 10, 1628, less than an hour into her maiden voyage, she sank. The Vasa was salvaged in 1961 after 333 years on the sea's floor; it is the biggest and best preserved ship in world-and utterly awe-inspiring.

Sigtuna

Picturesque Sigtuna is Sweden's first town. Founded in 980 by King Erik the Victorious, the thousand-year old city plan remains the same today. Less than an hour north of Stockholm, you can amble down streets where Vikings once walked. You'll find original Rune stones (no other town in the world boasts as many), St. Mary's Church, with its Romanesque and Gothic influences, and, strangely, horsemeat sausage for sale in the grocery store. Photo courtesy of Lulea Tourism

Lulea and Gammelstad and More

A one-hour flight from Stockholm brings you to Lulea, the gateway to Lapland. It's an undeniable kick to cross the Arctic Circle and snap a picture for posterity. But a bigger thrill is seeing a reindeer on the side of the road (who is, alas, camera-shy). Lulea is just north of the 65th parallel; in winter days are short, while in summer, the days sunny and long.

Nearby Gammelstad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the country's best preserved church town. More than 400 cottages, painted deep red and grouped around a late medieval stone church, have been passed down through the generations and are still used on the weekends and during major religious festivals.

The only brackish water archipelago (with more than 700 islands) in the world is in Lulea. A short cruise to Sandon and you can enjoy a salmon lunch at Klubbviken and relax on sandy beaches. But my favorite stop was the fascinating Ajtte Swedish Mountain and Saami Museum, dedicated to the culture of the indigenous people of Laponia (a region which stretches over Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia). The gorgeous exhibitions include stunning taxidermy of regional animals, handicrafts, weaponry and stunning silver and textiles. The colorful clothing, a Saami guide explains, telegraphs a silent language.

Photo courtesy of Gammelstad Tourism That evening, like most Swedes, the extraordinary light emboldens me-a night owl-to stay up even later. The air is sweet and clear; it's nearly two a.m. and soundless, save for the occasional footsteps on the pavement below my hotel window. At last, the final dusky pink rays give way to a steel blue night sky. I'm glad this myth is true.

If You Go

Sweden has two distinct touring seasons, summer and winter. Your visit will be markedly different depending on weather. For information on Stockholm, visit Stockholm; for Sigtuna visit Sigtuna Tourism, and click Swedish Lapland to learn more about Lapland.

Want to Impress Your Friends? Things to Know About Sweden and Surrounding Areas

  • More than 11 million Americans have Scandinavian ancestry
  • Sweden boasts the highest density of moose in the world
  • The countries of Scandinavia are (mostly agreed upon as): Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway and the Faeroe Islands.
  • Culturally and historically, the north of Europe has been the political playground of the kingdoms of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Finland was a part of the kingdom of Sweden and Iceland belonged to Norway and Denmark. Besides a common history, politically and economically these five countries have followed a similar model known as the Nordic welfare state since the 20th century. One more time, these five countries are perceived as an unity by some and therefore called by the same name, Scandinavia.
  • Although they share a common body of water, the Baltic countries are the three young Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Neither the Baltic countries nor Greenland are considered to be Scandinavian or Nordic. The Baltic republics have been strongly influenced, culturally and historically, by the Scandinavian countries.
  • Closer to America than Europe, Greenland belongs politically to the kingdom of Denmark. Half of Greenland's historical and cultural heritage is Scandinavian and therefore these strong ties often bring Greenland together with the Nordic countries.
A former Navy brat who traveled and lived abroad extensively, Suzanne Wright is a fulltime, freelance writer based in Atlanta. She has written numerous travel, food and decor features for numerous international, national and regional publications. Her articles have appeared in Elite Traveler, Wine & Spirits, Veranda, Atlanta Magazine, The Tennessean, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Piedmont Review, Charlotte Place, Where, On Magazine and others. A suitcase is always packed and her passport always up to date.

© 2006

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