Time to Put Sweden on Top of Your 2016 Travel Checklist

If you consider yourself done with your 2016 travel checklist without the beautiful Kingdom of Sweden in it,

you should think again. Whether you are planning for a backpacking tour across Europe with your college buddies, preparing for an annual family vacation somewhere up north, or just looking for some peace and quiet with nature, then it is time to put Sweden on top of your list.

Most people prefer going to Sweden during the summer as the season presents a comfortable climate that is neither too warm nor too chilly. Hikers and sport fishermen also love the autumn season when leaves of various earthly hues are dancing through the air.

The most common means of transportation to go around Sweden is by car and by train. Any travel guide can flawlessly state that the country has a very advanced railway system. Further up north, buses are used in areas which are hard to reach by train.

Food in Sweden can be mostly enjoyed on the street kiosks and in lunch restaurants as they sell cheaper products compared with the fine-dining evening restaurants. Since dining inside is pricey in the evening, locals and tourists alike enjoy the reasonably priced lunch buffets or "Meals of the Day". These come complete with Swedish delicacies and other European specialties and usually include salad, soft drink and coffee. The meals of the day are usually served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., sometimes even to 3 p.m.

Accommodations are found in hotels, hostels, B&Bs, apartments and holiday homes. We strongly recommend to always book ahead, especially in Stockholm and Gothenburg as both cities have trade shows and congresses that can block all the local hotel capacity.

In the major cities Stockholm and Gothenburg it is advisable to buy a city card. These cards include museum entries, a free travel guide, public transport, and other perks.

A visit to the city of Stockholm, Sweden's capital, is a must. The city houses an assortment of sights from its amazing buildings to its beautiful museums with classical and modern themes, such as the Vasa Ship Museum and the ABBA Museum. Be sure to also visit the Kulturhuset, the arts and culture center of the city. It is considered as one of the most visited buildings, which houses exhibits, shops, restaurants, a live theater and Stockholm's major tourist information. Tourists can also ride the steamship "Mariefred" to Gripsholm Castle in Mariefred (Province of Sörmland) which is only a three and a half hour journey from the city.

A tour around Uppsala (north of Stockholm) can give anyone a lively vibe as its university town is home to many international students and its great campus life gives anyone a warm feeling of enjoying or reminiscing his youth.

To those who are in it for some cold air and snow sports, they can visit Lapland further up north. This province is a popular winter destination in any Swedish travel guide with its various skiing resorts and beautiful landscapes.

Walther Plette is the owner of http://www.swedentips.se, an online Sweden travel guide and booking portal. On his pages Walther presents Sweden's best travel destinations as well as useful Sweden travel tips. Walther lives in Gothenburg on the Swedish westcoast.