The Danish island of Bornholm is known for its four round churches built in the 12th and 13th centuries — four of only seven such churches in all of Denmark.
Exploring the Norwegian Fjords: The Hardangerfjord
If the Sognefjord is the King of the Fjords, then the Hardangerfjord is the Queen. At 179 kilometers (111 miles) long, it’s Norway’s second-longest fjord and is easily accessible from Bergen and other places along the southwest coast. The main fjord carves inland from the Atlantic Ocean about 80 km (50 mi) south of Bergen before splitting…
Sweden’s National Day: Flags, History, Strawberries, and Song
Sweden celebrates its National Day on June 6, a date that is associated with significant events in the nation’s history.
Public Transportation in Stockholm: Getting to and around Sweden’s Capital
Stockholm has an excellent public transportation network of commuter trains, subways, and buses, making it easy to get around the city and its suburbs. For trips on the city’s abundant waterways, there are passenger ferries and excursion boats into the archipelago on the Baltic Sea side and into Lake Mälaren. The city also has extensive rail, bus, and air links to destinations throughout Sweden and beyond.
The Dala Horse Factories of Nusnäs: Where Sweden’s Most Famous Handicraft is Made
Few symbols of Sweden are more famous than the painted wooden Dala horses from the province of Dalarna, in the Swedish heartland. People have been carving wooden horses as toys and decorative items for hundreds of years, but it was in the early 1800s that the Dala horse began to take its classic shape, with bright colors and painted flowers. The production of Dala horses was localized to four villages outside Mora, especially the small community of Nusnäs, where they are still produced today.
Exploring the Norwegian Fjords: The Sognefjord
Sometimes called the King of the Fjords, the Sognefjord is Norway’s longest and deepest fjord, stretching 204 kilometers (127 miles) and reaching depths of up to 1,308 meters (4,291 feet). It’s the second-longest fjord in the world, surpassed only by Scoresby Sund in Greenland.
The Nobel Museum in Karlskoga and the Story of the Prizes that Almost Never Were
The prizes established by Swedish inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel in his will are generally considered the most prestigious awards in the world. Yet the Nobel Prizes almost didn’t end up existing at all. During the last years of his life, Alfred Nobel spent the summers at Björkborn, a 17th-century manor in Karlskoga in the…
Interview: Stefan von Bothmer on Organic Gardening, Permaculture, and Life in Sweden’s Koster Islands
Stefan and Helena von Bothmer have lived in the Koster Islands, the westernmost inhabited islands in Sweden, for more than two decades. They run Kosters Trädgårdar (Koster Gardens), an organic garden, permaculture center, and restaurant on South Koster Island. Much of the Koster archipelago is part of Kosterhavet National Park, which was established in 2009.…
On the Viking Trail through Scandinavia
A thousand years after Scandinavian raiders went a-Viking throughout Europe, their story continues to fascinate. The Viking legacy remains in the thousands of runestones scattered throughout Scandinavia, as well as in archaeological sites and museums where you can learn about how they lived, fought, and sailed the seas even beyond the boundaries of the known world.
A Walking Tour of Stockholm’s Old Town
No one knows exactly when people first settled the place now known as Stockholm, but the city was first mentioned in writing in 1252 in documents signed by the regent Birger Jarl and his son, King Valdemar. Walking through Gamla Stan is like walking through Swedish history.
Mine, All Mine! The Underground World of Sala Silver Mine
Deep underground at the Sala Silver Mine, my guide, Marcus, begins to sing. I close my eyes as the words of the psalm reverberate around me in the appropriately named Echo Chamber. There’s no other sound except this single voice bouncing off the soaring stone walls, 155 meters (more than 500 feet) beneath the surface. It’s unexpected and altogether magical.…
What to Read Before You Go: Scandinavian Crime
There must be something in the water in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark that helps authors write good mysteries, because Scandinavian crime writing has taken the world by storm. If you’re dreaming about an upcoming trip to Scandinavia—or reliving memories of a past visit—check out these authors. Stieg Larsson: Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the…
The Stave Churches of Norway: Architectural Treasures from the Middle Ages
Among Norway’s most striking historical buildings from the Middle Ages are its wooden stave churches. Erected at a time when other parts of Europe were raising great cathedrals in stone, they are, in the words of UNESCO, “one of the most elaborate and technologically advanced types of wooden construction that existed in North-Western Europe during the Middle Ages.”…
Bringing Light in the Winter Darkness: Celebrating St. Lucia Day in Sweden
On December 13, one of the most famous of all Swedish celebrations takes place: St. Lucia Day, a festival of light in the long, dark Scandinavian winter. Traditionally the oldest girl in a family rises early on St. Lucia Day. Dressed in a white gown with a red sash around her waist and a wreath of…
This Day in History: Swedish Traffic Switches Sides – September 3, 1967
You’ve heard of D-Day, but have you ever heard of Dagen H (Swedish for H Day)? H stands for Högertrafikomläggningen, or the Right-Hand Traffic Diversion. On Sunday, September 3, 1967, Sweden changed from driving on the left-hand side of the road to driving on the right. As you might imagine, this switch was anything but easy.
From Copenhagen to Oslo (or Vice Versa) by Sea
One of the easiest and most comfortable ways to travel between Copenhagen and Oslo is to go by overnight cruise-ferry. DFDS Seaways operates two ships, the Pearl and the Crown, that depart at 4:30 p.m. daily from each city, arriving in the other at approximately 9:45 the following morning.
A Night of Bonfires and Song: Celebrating Valborgmässoafton (Walpurgis Eve) in Sweden
In the Swedish calendar, the last day of April is known as Valborgmässoafton (Valborg for short), or Walpurgis Eve. Throughout the country people gather around bonfires to celebrate spring and herald the coming of summer.
Some Valborg celebrations begin in the afternoon with picnics and other gatherings, but things really get going as the sun starts to go down. That’s when the crowds gather, the bonfires are lit, and fireworks are set off. Swedes love to sing, and a big part of Valborg celebrations is the singing of traditional songs of spring around the fire.
Crossing the Heart of Sweden on a Göta Canal Cruise
For a leisurely, scenic way to experience south-central Sweden, a cruise on the Göta Canal is not to be missed. Stretching for 190.5 kilometers (just over 118 miles), the canal route passes through 58 locks and numerous lakes between Mem near Söderköping and Södertorp on Lake Vänern, the largest lake in Sweden.
Magical Light and Shifting Sands: Skagen and Its Artists
At the far northern tip of Denmark is a narrow finger of land jutting into the waters of Kattegat and Skagerrak, the two great straits that join the Baltic and North Seas. This is the Skagen Peninsula, a land carved by wind and waves, whose constantly shifting sand dunes have shaped both the landscape and the human life here – so much so that the town’s 14th-century church had to be abandoned in 1795 after it became increasingly difficult for the congregation to dig through the sand to attend services.
Moose and Beavers and Bears, Oh My! Swedish Safari Tourism on the Rise
Wildlife-loving travelers dream of going on safari Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana…and Sweden? Yes, that’s right, Sweden. It may not have the elephants, lions, and giraffes, but if you forego the African animals in favor of Nordic species such as bear, elk, beaver, and seal, you’ll find that Sweden has a great deal to offer in the way of wildlife tourism.
Midsummer in Sweden: Origins and Traditions
Given Scandinavia’s long, dark winters, it’s not surprising that the arrival of summer is a big deal throughout the Nordic countries. In Sweden, Midsummer’s Eve is one of the most important days of the year, rivaling Christmas with its festive spirit and traditions.
Syttende Mai: The Most Norwegian Day of the Year
Syttende Mai (May 17) is Norway’s national holiday, the day the Norwegian Constitution was signed at Eidsvoll in 1814, declaring Norway to be an independent nation after more than 400 years under Danish rule. However, a brief war between Norway and Sweden in the following months led to a loose union between the two countries, with Sweden the dominant partner. Full Norwegian independence did not come until the dissolution of the union in 1905, but it is still May 17 that is celebrated as the country’s official national day.
From Medieval Monks to Henning Mankell: Exploring Ystad’s History and Mystery
Located on Sweden’s southern coast, overlooking the Baltic Sea, the small town of Ystad is an idyllic sort of place, with flower-filled cobblestoned streets and half-timbered houses that reflect its medieval origins. It’s not the sort of place you’d associate with murder and mayhem, but thanks to author Henning Mankell’s bestselling series of crime novels about police detective Kurt Wallander, Ystad is now known as much for mystery as it is for history.
Hardangervidda High: Crossing Norway’s Vast Mountain Plateau on the Bergen Railway
The railway between Norway’s two main cities, Oslo and Bergen, is one of the world’s most scenic train rides, passing through green agricultural valleys and across the country’s “roof,” the barren yet beautiful Hardangervidda plateau.
Stockholm by Boat: Getting Out on the Water in the Venice of the North
Water dominates Stockholm, making a boat excursion a great way to get a feel for the city, which has been dubbed the Venice of the North. A wide range of guided boat tours is available both within Stockholm and to places nearby, and there are also countless opportunities to get out on the water for independent exploration.