27 Days Culture Sweden Self Drive Round Trip
Here is a possibility for a self drive tour to experience the beautiful variation of Sweden nature and culture. This itinerary was made for a family with a lot of time to spend on their holiday in Sweden. You can also pick the part of the program that suites you best. Arrival and departure destination is optional! Here we start in Gothenburg/Göteborg, but we a lot of airports around to choose from. Here is also a link to map for a brief overwiev. Enjoy!
Accommodation vary from countryside gems to first class city hotels.
Suggested Tour Idea – Grand Tour Sweden
Day 1.Göteborg Arrival to Gothenburg/Göteborg and check in to your hotel in the city centre
Day 2. Day for sightseeing in Gothenburg,
Day 3. Värmland Pick up your rental car. Departure for Sunne in Värmland visit the home of Swedish Nobel Prize Author Selma Lagerlöf, Mårbacka, the first woman that got the price. Check in to your hotel set in the heart of region of Värmland, whith views over the open countryside and mountains and Fryken Lakes . Activity e.g in summertime, Sunne Waterpark with 10 exiting rides.
Day 4. Dalarna Artists and writers have sought inspiration along the shores of Lake Siljan in Dalarna since the 1800s. It is easy to understand why once one is here. The Tällberg Manor House is a hotel and pension with a long history filled with the traditions and ambience of the Dalarna region.
Day 5. Östersund Continue north to until about 100 years ago, Björknäs, with its beautiful position by Lake Revsundssjön, was the site of a tenement soldiers smallholding. This was then turned into accommodation for the manager of the important local timber industry- logs were floated from here down to the coast.
Day 6. Drive to Åre near the Norwegian border and experience the adventure with skill guides in the mountains. Try the zipline down hills, mountain bikes, water fall excursions and more. Accommodation in Åre for 2 nights.
Day 7. Adventure in the mountains.
Day. 8 From Åre we cross the country to another breathtaking beautiful region,
“Höga Kusten” on the east coast of Sweden.
The High Coast area in the north-eastern part of Sweden is a region where the hilly and beautiful nature always reminds us of the forces of the last ice time many thousands years ago. Hundreds of lakes and bays, earlier connected with the sea, is just one example of the impact of the still going on raising of the land, today about 8 Millimetre every year and together with the Finnish Kvarken world heritage area the highest land raising in the world. In the year of 2000 UNESCO made the Swedish High Coast area a world heritage area, a fact that makes the region interesting in a world nature perspective. In the ”World Heritage Area” of the Swedish ”High Coast”, situated on the northern side of the river ”Ångermanälven” you can find your hotel.
Day 9. Högakusten. This first day you will go by kayaks or canoes in a beautiful bay or lake close to the sea in the world heritage archipelago and also trek a part along the High Coast trail. Coffee and Lunch are made in a Swedish traditional open air manner in the nature over the open fire.
During the afternoon you trek together with your guides along the High Coast trail. Nowhere else in Sweden you have the possibility to trek so high, so close to the sea! From hills and mountains along the trail you have, by good weather, an amazing view over the coastline and the islands in the sea.
Day 10. Högakusten.Today you’ll go by boat to visit some of the beautiful and most famous islands in this World Heritage archipelago, for example Trysunda and Ulvön.These Islands are old fishing Camps from the 17th and 18th Century. The fishing cabins still intact and nowadays often used as summer cabins for the
local people. We take a look both at the special nature and the genuine culture on the islands.
Coffee and Lunch are made in a Swedish traditional open air manner in the nature over the open fire.
Day 11. Järvsö. Today we head south after breakfast. The hotel is a charming, rural, family hotel from the turn of the century. Set in one of Sweden’s most beautiful areas of forests and lakes. Pleasing public lounges, superb bedrooms and good food. Half way to Stockholm and a few days in the capital of Sweden
we suggest a free day for rest and just relax.
Day 12. Stockholm. After checkout we continue south to Stockholm for some days in the capital of Sweden. During our way we will visit the oldest town in Sweden, Sigtuna and the University town Uppsala. Check in to your first class hotel the centre of Stockholm. Here you can either drop off your car and use the boats, buses and commute trains while you are in Stockholm.
Day 13. Stockholm. Day for sightseeing in Stockholm, starting with a city tour and a walk in the old town. Visit Vasa Museum, city hall a lot of other unique and interesting venues. The Stockholm Card valid for 72 hours gives you free entry to 75 museums and attractions, free travel by public transport, free sightseeing by boat as well as several other bonus offers.
Day 14. Archipelago. Visit to the archipelago of Stockholm. Sandhamn is, for many people, associated with sailing. It is located in the outer part of the Stockholm archipelago. A nice boat trip though the archipelago will take you to our island. There are fast and comfortable boats to Sandhamn departing from Stockholm city. Tourists visiting Stockholm should at least spend one day in the archipelago of Stockholm. Sandhamn is perfect for a one day trip from Stockholm city.
Day 15. Stockholm – Vimmerby, Småland. Day for shopping on your own. Day off for for guide and driver, possible exchange of driver.
IF this is the Midsummer Holiday around 20th of June, Join the celebrations at the open air museum Skansen. The Midsummer celebrations will start at 2 pm and end in the late evning. See the maypole being raised, and join the ring dances. In the evening there is a folk dance display and dancing on Skansen’s outdoor dance floors.
In the afternoon drive down to Vimmerby in Smaland and explore the surroundings in this a amazing fairy tale part of Sweden. Check in to hotel in Vimmerby.
Day 16. Vimmerby. Visit the world of Astrid Lindgren especially if you children! In the late afternoon continue to Kalmar and the Kingdom of Crystal.This year, opening in June, we have a brand new glass hotel in the area.
Day 17. Smaland and “Kingdom of Crystal” Visit to the Glass Blowers Studios and the Crystal Designers. There is an adventure waiting round every bend in the road in this part of Sweden. You can stroll through deep enchanted forests and also let yourself be dazzled by the magic of glass. There are 15 glass works within a radius of a 50 km that create the everyday glassware and colourful works of art that are renowned world-wide for their beauty. Why not try your hand to glass blowing!
Day 18. Kristianstad, Skåne. After Breakfast drive alongside the coast to Kristianstad in the utmost south region of Sweden, Skane. You will find the landscape very variating and different here surrounded with the always present sea. The hazy lazy lifestylen in the eastern, and central Skåne is a contrast to the western part with influences from Copenhagen the capital of Denmark nearby.
Day 19. The Wetlands – excursion by boat and/or bus to experience the unique fauna and wildlife. The region is home to many plants and animals, and the surrounding countryside, including the country’s most extensive inland wet grasslands, is of unique cultural value to Sweden. Here too is one of the largest
reserves of groundwater in the whole of northern europe.
Day 20. Simrishamn, Östelen. After Breakfast, check out. Follow the coastal road down south to –
Simrishamn. Experience pictureresque fishing villages, long sandy beaches and charming white stone houses. It is said that nowhere is the sky closer than in Österlen. The sky and the sea as one, a ‘sky-sea’. Maybe it´s this meeting of the sky and sea that makes the light so special here in south east of Skåne.
and attracts so many to live and work in this region. Österlen has a laid back reputation that is perfect for vacation with long sandy beaches and resorts.
Day 21. Simrishamn. Sightseeing by bike from Simrishamn in the region with a lot of ancient remains to visit e.g Ale Stenar (Swedish Stone Henge), Glimminge Fortress and more.
Day 22. Skanör/Falsterbo. From Simrishamn follow the costal road to the west coast of Sweden. The sea
will be with you all the way or take a detour to visit some of the beautiful castles in the area.Visit the most southern edge of Sweden, Smygehuk and the Viking Fort in Trelleborg or Foteviken. In Skanör you will find a great long beach with dunes. Small colourful cottages climb on the dunes. Check into the hotel in Skanör.
Day 23. Malmö/Lund/Helsingborg After breakfast drive north passing Malmö, the third largest city in Sweden and connection to Denmark an Copenhagen with the bridge. Make a stop in Lund for a walk in town open air museum “Kulturen” and visit the impressive cathedral. In the afternoon continue to Helsingborg your hotel at the waterfront.
Day 24. Höganäs/Kullen Peningsula. Sightseeing in the northwest Skane, and Kullen Peninsula. Nearly half a million visitors from all over the world come here every year to experience the secrets of the rocks and forest. On the north side of the mountain the staled water from the Atlantic meets the coast and on the southern side the Öresund brackish waves hit the shores. On the edge they meet and causes not only a unique underwater fauna but also a drama with waves, wind and cliffs.
In the afternoon visit the Sofiero Palace and the Hamlet Castle(by ferry from Helsingborg).
Day 25. Båstad/Torekov. Sightseeing in the Bjäre Peninsula. Visit the Väderö Islands, outside Torekov, the tennis town Båstad and Norrviken Gardens. Due to the special soil and climate this region in Skåne supplies almost the whole of Sweden with potatoes!
Day 26.Westcoast and Göteborg and back where you started! After Breakfast follow the coastal main road to Göteborg and check in to your hotel. Time to say farewell and make a summary of the whole tour.
Day 27. Departure