Sweden Holidays

Effortlessly cool cities, thousands of islands and coffee breaks elevated to an art form. Sweden is the Scandi city break that delivers stunning architecture, world-class food and that famously relaxed lifestyle, all just a couple of hours from the UK & Ireland.

Holidays to Sweden 2026 and 2027 Highlights

• Two brilliant cities with Stockholm spread across 14 islands and Gothenburg serving up west coast seafood and Liseberg, one of Scandinavia's biggest theme parks

• Fika culture where sitting down for a cinnamon bun and a proper coffee isn't just a break, it's a way of life

• Island hopping on your doorstep with Stockholm's archipelago of 30,000 islands reached by boat straight from the city centre

• Design capital from sleek Scandi interiors and fashion to the ABBA Museum, the Vasa warship and cutting-edge contemporary art

Good to Know for your holidays to Sweden

• ☀️ Summers are warm and bright at 20-25°C with incredibly long days (Stockholm gets nearly 19 hours of daylight in June). Winters are cold at around 0°C but atmospheric, with cosy cafes, Christmas markets and the chance of northern lights

• 💷 Sweden uses the Swedish Krona (SEK), not the euro. A pint of beer costs around 70-80 SEK (roughly £6-8), a main course at a mid-range restaurant about 150-200 SEK (£14-21) and a coffee with a cinnamon bun around 80-100 SEK (£6-8). It's not cheap, but almost everywhere takes card, even market stalls

• 🏝️ Sweden has a "right to roam" law (allemansratten) meaning you can walk, cycle and camp almost anywhere in nature for free. Stockholm's archipelago ferries are included in the city's public transport pass

A holiday in Sweden is perfect for you if...

• You want two very different city breaks in one country: a big one built on islands, and a smaller, laid-back one by the sea.

• You think a coffee should come with a cinnamon bun and half an hour of doing absolutely nothing.

• You'd rather spend an afternoon on a boat through the islands than in another museum queue (though the Vasa is worth it).

• You like Sweden for city breaks that are easy: clean, safe, walkable, and where speaking English really isn't an issue.

• You want summer evenings that just don't get dark.

🏨 Top Hotels for Sweden Holidays 2026 and 2027

💑 What are the best hotels for a couples' city break in Sweden?

• NOFO Hotel - A boutique hotel in Stockholm's SoFo, the coolest corner of Södermalm, with a wine bar and a cobbled courtyard that turns into a bar in summer.

• PIGALLE - Belle Époque Paris in the middle of Gothenburg, with a rooftop terrace and a restaurant made for a long, slow dinner. Five minutes' walk from Central Station.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Which hotels are best for a family holiday in Sweden?

• Biz Apartment Hammarby Sjöstad - Apartments with fully equipped kitchens and laundry in a waterside Stockholm neighbourhood, a short walk from the metro. Proper space for a family to spread out.

• Gothia Towers - Directly opposite Liseberg's gates and a short walk from Universeum, so the two biggest days out in Gothenburg are on your doorstep.

✨ What are the best luxury hotels for Sweden holidays?

• Ett Hem - A small, private-house hotel in a quiet corner of Östermalm, with a library, open fires and a restaurant now in the Michelin Guide. More like staying with very stylish friends than at a hotel.

• Dorsia Hotel & Restaurant - Gothenburg's most theatrical design hotel, all velvet and art, with its own bakery and bistro.

🎉 Which Sweden hotels are best for a group trip?

• Downtown Camper by Scandic - A rooftop bar plus an outdoor rooftop pool and sauna (for guests aged 16 and over), a short walk from Gamla Stan.

• Avalon Hotel - Home to a glass-bottomed rooftop pool that juts out over Kungsportsplatsen, right at the start of Avenyn's bars and restaurants.

💰 Which hotels are best for cheap holidays to Sweden?

• Scandic GO Upplandsgatan 4 - A smart, no-frills Stockholm hotel with a lounge bar and grab-and-go breakfast, so more of the budget goes on the city.

• Spar Hotel Majorna - Breakfast buffet included, a free gym and sauna, and a tram stop a couple of minutes away in one of Gothenburg's friendliest neighbourhoods.

👉 See all Sweden hotels

🏔️ Must-Dos on your Sweden Holidays

Sweden does culture, design and the outdoors brilliantly, and both cities punch well above their weight for things to see and do.

• Gamla Stan, Stockholm - one of Europe's best-preserved medieval old towns, with narrow cobbled streets, colourful buildings from the 1600s, the Royal Palace and plenty of cafés for a fika stop

• Vasa Museum, Stockholm - the world's only preserved 17th-century warship, pulled from the harbour after 333 years. It's enormous, incredibly detailed and one of the most visited museums in Scandinavia

• ABBA The Museum, Stockholm - even if you're not a fan, this interactive museum is brilliantly done. Sing your heart out in the audition booth, step on stage as the fifth member of the band and relive the greatest pop export Sweden ever produced

• Liseberg, Gothenburg - one of Scandinavia's biggest amusement parks, with rollercoasters, live music and entertainment. Brilliant in summer for thrill rides, and from mid-November to the end of December it turns into one of Sweden's best Christmas markets

• Feskekörka, Gothenburg - the "Fish Church" is back after a four-year renovation, with fish counters selling shrimp and smoked salmon straight from the source and four restaurants under its soaring roof. A must for seafood lovers

• Stockholm Archipelago - hop on a boat from the city centre and within an hour you're weaving through thousands of islands. Swim, hike, kayak or just sit on a rock with a picnic and enjoy the silence

🏘️ Where to Stay on your Sweden Holidays

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families

• Stockholm The bigger city with more to keep kids occupied. Djurgarden island has the Vasa Museum, ABBA Museum, Skansen open-air museum and Grona Lund amusement park all in one area. The public transport is excellent and the city is clean, safe and easy to navigate with children.

• Gothenburg Liseberg theme park is the obvious draw for families, but Universeum (a science centre with a rainforest, sharks and interactive exhibits) and the big green spaces of Slottsskogen park are brilliant too. More compact and relaxed than Stockholm.

💑 Couples

• Stockholm Trendy Sodermalm for hipster cafes and vintage shopping, Gamla Stan for romance and history, and the archipelago for a day trip that feels like escaping to another world entirely. The food scene is world-class, with several Michelin-starred restaurants.

• Gothenburg The Haga district is pure couples territory, with cobbled streets, boutique shopping and cinnamon buns the size of your head. The southern archipelago is gorgeous for a sunset boat trip, and the seafood here rivals anywhere in Scandinavia.

🎉 Groups

• Stockholm More nightlife options, rooftop bars, boat tours through the canals and plenty of quirky activities like the ABBA Museum karaoke booth. Sodermalm has the best bar scene, and the city's escape rooms are a solid group shout.

• Gothenburg A brilliant group destination with Liseberg for thrill-seekers, craft beer bars in the Haga district, and a more laid-back atmosphere than Stockholm. Hotel G has a nightclub on site if you want to keep the party going.

🗣️ Local Lingo

• Hej (hey) - hello

• Snälla (SNEL-ah) - please

• Tack (tahk) - thank you

• Skål! (skoal) - cheers!

• Notan, tack (NOH-tan, tahk) - the bill, please

• Jättegott! (YET-eh-got) - delicious!

• God morgon (goo MOR-on) - good morning

• Var är...? (var air) - where is...?

• Ursäkta (oor-SHEK-tah) - excuse me

👀 Sweden Travel Guide 2026 and 2027

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What are the best things to do on a family holiday to Sweden?

• Skansen, Stockholm - the world's oldest open-air museum, with historic buildings, a zoo of Nordic animals (moose, bears and seals) and seasonal events. Kids love it and you can easily spend a full day here

• Liseberg, Gothenburg - rollercoasters, gentle rides for smaller kids and live entertainment from late April to September, plus a huge Christmas market from mid-November. Families can happily spend a full day here

• Universeum, Gothenburg - a science centre with an indoor rainforest full of sloths, toucans and monkeys, plus sharks in its ocean zone. Brilliant for rainy days and curious kids of any age

• Archipelago boat trip, Stockholm - take a family boat trip out to one of the closer islands like Vaxholm or Fjäderholmarna. Pack a picnic, let the kids run around on the rocks and enjoy the scenery

• Fika with kids - Swedish cafés are almost universally child-friendly. Order a kanelbulle (cinnamon bun) and a hot chocolate and let them colour or play while you enjoy the most civilised coffee break going

💑 What are the best things to do for couples on a Sweden city break?

• Södermalm, Stockholm - the trendy south island with vintage shops, independent cafés, rooftop bars and some of the best restaurants in the city. Fotografiska, the photography museum, sits on its waterfront

• Gothenburg Archipelago - take a ferry to the southern islands for swimming, seafood lunches and that amazing Scandinavian light. Couples looking for a slower pace will love it

• Fine dining in Stockholm - the city has a thriving Michelin scene. Frantzén holds three stars, and at Ekstedt (one star) everything is cooked over open fire. Both are worth a special-occasion booking

• Haga district, Gothenburg - cobbled streets, boutique shops, and Café Husaren, home of the Hagabullen, quite possibly the biggest cinnamon bun in the world

• Live music at Pustervik, Gothenburg - a concert venue, club and bar on Järntorget, with gigs most nights and dancing late at weekends

🎉 What are the best things to do in Sweden on a group holiday?

• ABBA The Museum, Stockholm - get the group into the audition booth and take turns on stage as the fifth member of the band. It works even if half your group claims they don't like ABBA (they do)

• Craft beer in Gothenburg - Sweden's west coast city has a brilliant craft beer scene. Brewers Beer Bar and the Stigbergets taproom in Majorna are good starting points

• Canal boat tour, Stockholm - see the city from the water with your crew. Several operators run tours through the canals and out into the archipelago, and some include food and drinks

• Paddan boat tour, Gothenburg - a fun sightseeing trip through the city's canals from April to October, where you have to duck under low bridges. Funnier after a couple of beers

• Liseberg by night - in summer the park stays open late with live music, rides and a buzzing atmosphere. Brilliant for a group evening out

🌍 More Destinations

Swedish Cities

• Stockholm Spread across 14 islands with a medieval old town, world-class museums and an archipelago of 30,000 islands on the doorstep

• Gothenburg West coast charm with Scandinavia's biggest theme park, brilliant seafood and a laid-back atmosphere

More Scandinavian Destinations

• Copenhagen Colourful Nyhavn, Tivoli Gardens, New Nordic cuisine and the most bike-friendly city in the world

• Oslo Fjords on the doorstep, world-class museums and a thriving waterfront food scene

• Helsinki Saunas, design, island-hopping and the gateway to Finnish Lapland

• Lapland Northern Lights, Santa Claus Village, husky safaris and glass igloos under the Arctic sky