Skiing in Sweden: Resorts Compared
Åre, Sälen, Vemdalen, Idre and the Arctic resorts compared: 2026/27 season dates, sportlov weeks to avoid, trains, buses, helmets and off-piste safety.
Activities
Winter sports
Are: Sweden's Biggest Ski Resort
Åre's 2026–27 season area by area, night trains from Stockholm, Malmö and Gothenburg, lift passes, sportlov crowds and avalanche forecasts.
Cross-Country Skiing for Visitors
Most Swedish ski tracks are free and floodlit. When a track may charge, the etiquette locals use, where to check grooming, and renting skis.
Dog Sledding in Swedish Lapland
When to go dog sledding in Swedish Lapland, passenger ride or driving your own team, what to wear, and the Swedish rules that protect sled dogs.
Snowmobile Tours in Lapland
Any driving licence works on a guided snowmobile safari in Sweden. What changes if you rent alone, age limits, helmets, alcohol and where you may ride.
Ice Skating on Natural Ice
Skating Sweden's frozen lakes: the 10 cm core-ice rule, the kit Swedish skaters carry, Stockholm's ploughed tracks, archipelago risks and guided tours.
Seeing the Northern Lights: Tours vs. Doing It Yourself
In Kiruna the aurora shows on about every other clear night. What a guided tour adds, what going on your own takes, and the road and ice risks to know.
Salen Ski Guide: Sweden's Biggest Ski Area
Sälen's resorts and who runs them, which lift pass covers what, 2026–27 dates, flights to Scandinavian Mountains Airport, and the winter-tyre law.
Elljusspar: Sweden's Lit Exercise Trails
Nearly 1,700 free floodlit trails for running, walking and skiing. When the lights go off, bikes and dogs, fees, and what changes when snow falls.
Snowshoeing in Sweden
Snowshoeing is free under Sweden's right of public access. Keep out of ski tracks, share snowmobile trails, beware snowy ice and slopes over 25 degrees.
Ice Sailing and Kite Skiing on Frozen Lakes
Iceboats and kites pass 100 km/h on Swedish lakes. What you need, why clubs won't give joyrides, how visitors can try it, and why thick ice isn't enough.
Sledding and Winter Fun for Kids
Free town sledding hills, the helmet answer (no law, but 1177 says yes), no sleds on ski pistes, and where in Sweden the snow is reliable.
En Svensk Klassiker: Vasaloppet, Vatternrundan, Vansbrosimningen and Lidingoloppet
Ski, cycle, swim and run four Swedish races in 12 months. Which races count, 2027 dates, entering from abroad, wetsuits, and how to claim the diploma.
Water activities
Kayaking in the Stockholm Archipelago
Where you may land and camp by kayak, Stockholm bird-sanctuary dates, the 2025 national park, ship fairways, wind, life jackets and kayaks on the ferries.
Canoeing in Sweden: Varmland and Dalsland
Paddle Dalsland-Nordmarken, Glaskogen or the Klarälven: what allemansrätten allows, the campsite cards, fire periods, life jackets and lock fees in 2026.
Swedish Beaches: The Best of a Surprising Coast
Which Swedish coasts have sand and which have rock, where to check tomorrow's sea temperature, the jellyfish 1177 says to avoid, and local dog rules.
Swimming in Stockholm: Best City Beaches and Water Quality
Where you may swim in central Stockholm, which city beaches are tested, 2026 water results, monthly water temperatures and why there are no lifeguards.
Surfing in Sweden: Where the Waves Actually Are
Sweden's waves come with the wind: Apelviken and Torö, the autumn-to-spring season, SMHI wind in m/s, winter wetsuits and where kitesurfing is banned.
Swimming Lessons: Why Swedish Schools Must Teach Kids to Swim
Swedish pupils must swim 200 m, 50 on the back, to pass PE in year 6. What the rule says, swim badges, and what newcomer parents should do.
Timber Rafting on the Klaralven
Build a log raft and drift the Klarälven for 1–8 days: who can go, where you sleep, river rules, high-water cancellations and why log driving ended here.
Stand-Up Paddleboarding in Sweden
No licence needed to paddleboard in Sweden, but a board counts as a vessel. Life jacket and leash advice, offshore wind, cold water and closed areas.
Cycling
Cycling in Sweden: Rules, Routes and Rentals
Cycle paths are compulsory, pavements are off-limits and a red light costs 1,500 kr. E-scooter rules, lights, helmets, national routes and city bike hire.
Kattegattleden: Sweden's Coastal Cycle Route
Kattegattleden's eight stages from Helsingborg to Gothenburg: surfaces, direction and wind, bikes on Öresundståg, the season, and where to sleep.
Taking Bikes on Trains and Buses in Sweden
Regional trains carry bikes free; SJ only in a bag, VR not at all. Stockholm rush-hour rules, e-bikes, Skåne bus racks and the Denmark bike ticket.
Gotland by Bike
Gotlandsleden is about 540 km, mostly on shared roads. Where you may camp, the free Fårö ferry, water, wind and the busy weeks to avoid in 2027.
Bikepacking Sweden: Allemansratten on Two Wheels
Ride private gravel roads and tent a night or two free under allemansrätten. Seven red-signed national routes, e-bike limits, trains, water and wind.
Bike Theft in Swedish Cities: Locks, Marking and Insurance
46,500 bikes were reported stolen in Sweden in 2025. Which lock insurers want, how visitors report a theft on 114 14, and the risk in a cheap used bike.
Winter Cycling in Sweden: Studded Tyres and Cleared Bike Paths
Studded bike tyres are legal all winter but not required. The lights rule, the helmet rule, which bike paths get plowed first and renting a bike in winter.
Fatbiking in the Swedish Winter
Ride snow, trails and frozen lakes free under allemansrätten. Why ski tracks are off-limits, when an e-fatbike needs permission, and the 10 cm ice rule.
Mountain Biking in Are and Beyond
Åre's 40-trail bike park, pass tiers and helmet rules, what the trail colors mean, where allemansrätten lets you ride, and why e-MTBs need permission.
Fishing
Fishing in Sweden: Licenses, Rules and Seasons
Fish free on the Swedish coast and in five big lakes; elsewhere buy a local fiskekort. The exceptions, the 2026 cod ban and salmon limit, and bait rules.
Free Fishing in Sweden: The Coast and the Five Big Lakes
Where rod fishing is free in Sweden, stretch by stretch: salmon, oyster and trolling limits, public water, and what you may keep from each big lake.
Buying a Fiskekort: How Swedish Fishing Permits Work
No national license, but most inland water needs a fiskekort from the local owner. Where it's free, how to buy one, and the species visitors can't fish.
Pike Fishing in Sweden
Fish pike free on Sweden's coast and big lakes. Keep only 40–75 cm on the Baltic, three a day; spring closures, the trolling trap and safe release.
Salmon Fishing at Morrum
Fish Mörrumsån on a Kronolaxfiske permit: 2026 season 21 March–30 Sept, 750 kr a day, fly or spin only, 1 fish a day and 2 a season. Train to Mörrum.
Ice Fishing in Sweden for Beginners
Jigging through the ice is free on Sweden's coast and five big lakes, but tip-ups aren't for visitors. The 10 cm ice rule, closed areas, kit and guides.
Crayfish in Sweden: Fishing Rules and the Kraftskiva
Crayfish aren't part of Sweden's free fishing: you need the owner's permission. Vättern's public weekends, crayfish plague rules and the August tradition.
Swedish Fishing Rules: Catch Limits, Sizes and Protected Species
What you may keep in Sweden in 2026: no Baltic cod, one fin-clipped salmon, pike 40–75 cm, and the protected fish you must release. Rules by sea area.
Fly Fishing in Swedish Lapland
State-water fishing cards, 35 cm grayling limits, fly-only and quota waters, the Abisko fishing ban and 2026 Torne salmon rules, from the county boards.
Sea Trout Fishing on the Swedish Coast
Sea trout on the Swedish coast: free rod fishing, 45 or 50 cm, and four closed-season regimes from the west coast to Gotland and the Bothnian Bay.
Hunting
Hunting in Sweden as a Foreign Visitor
Foreign hunters need a host's invitation, a 400 kr state hunting card and, for their own gun, a police permit or EU pass. Plus moose-season dates.
Bringing Your Firearm to Sweden for Hunting
EU hunters with a Firearms Pass need no Swedish permit for 3 months; others need a 990 kr police permit. Forms, Customs steps and the 2026 Weapons Act.
The Swedish Hunting Year: Seasons and the Moose Hunt
Moose opens 1 September in the north and 8 October in the south. Roe deer, boar, grouse and duck dates by region, and what changes on 1 July 2027.
Booking a Guided Hunt in Sweden
What a guided hunt in Sweden includes and what stays your job: the 400 kr hunting card, the guide's rifle vs your own, state-land permits and trophies.
Hiking During Hunting Season: What to Know
The forest stays open during Swedish hunts. How to spot an active hunt, what to wear, why your dog must be leashed, and the busiest weeks in 2026.
Boating sailing
Boating in Sweden: A Visitor's Guide
No license below 12 x 4 m, jet skis excepted. Right of way, 5 and 7 knot zones, anchoring under allemansrätten, the toilet ban and the 0.2 drink limit.
Guest Harbors: How Gasthamnar Work
How Swedish gästhamnar work: what you get, buoy, boom and stern-anchor mooring, paying when unstaffed, and the toilet-waste ban for all boats.
Renting a Boat in Sweden: Rules and Licenses
No license below 12 × 4 m, but rental firms set their own rules. Jet ski förarbevis, deposits and excess, insurance and your consumer rights explained.
Sailing the Stockholm Archipelago
License limits, big-ship fairways, anchoring under allemansrätten, reserves and sanctuaries, SXK buoys, wind and 2026 charts for sailing near Stockholm.
The Gota Canal by Boat
190 km and 58 locks from Vänern to the Baltic: what a canal ticket costs, how the seasons work, the rules on the water, and canoeing and cycling the canal.
Family activities
Sweden's Theme Parks: Liseberg, Grona Lund and More
Liseberg, Gröna Lund, Kolmården, Furuvik, Skara Sommarland and Astrid Lindgrens Värld compared: seasons, ride passes, car-free access and height limits.
Astrid Lindgren's World: A Practical Guide
Astrid Lindgrens Värld in Vimmerby: when it's open, season tickets, Swedish-only shows, the train to the gate, and rules for pushchairs, dogs and carers.
Skansen: Stockholm's Open-Air Museum
Skansen is open every day; children 0–15 enter free since 2025. Seasonal hours, ticket rules, the animals, the hill and how to get there by tram or ferry.
Kolmarden Wildlife Park
Kolmården from its own pages: 2026 open dates, what the entry covers, the Safari cable car, the dolphinarium's status, bus 420 and accessibility.
Junibacken: Stockholm for Astrid Lindgren Fans
Junibacken on Djurgården for ages 0–8: the Story Train in English, timed tickets, 2026 hours, no strollers inside, and when it is least crowded.
Horse Riding in Sweden: Icelandic Horse Treks and Riding Schools
Icelandic horse treks or riding-school lessons in Sweden: helmets, weight limits, where allemansrätten lets you ride, and how to pick a safe stable.
Trotting and V75: Sweden's Horse Racing and Betting Culture
V75 ended in 2025; Saturday trotting is now V85. How to visit Solvalla, Åby or Jägersro, Elitloppet 2027, kids free, and why visitors rarely can bet.
Heritage Railways and Draisines: Rail Biking on Old Tracks
Rent a draisine (dressin) on an old Swedish rail line: seasons, booking, who gives way, rules for children, and summer steam trains on museum railways.
Golf in Sweden: Green Cards, Visitor Rules and Midnight Golf
No Swedish green card needed: a foreign handicap of 54 or better counts, though clubs set lower limits. Pay & Play courses, tee times and midnight golf.
Padel in Sweden: The Boom and How to Book a Court
How to book a padel court in Sweden, rent a racket and get into unstaffed halls, the 2026 rule changes, and what the boom and bust left behind.
Disc Golf in Sweden
About 870 courses, most free in public parks. How to find one, borrow a disc, play a safe first round with kids, and when a license is needed.
Via Ferrata in Sweden
Sweden's verified via ferratas, from Skuleberget's four routes to Funäsdalsberget and Kittelfjäll: the 40–120 kg rule, age limits, gear and wet days.
Rock Climbing and Bouldering Outdoors in Sweden
Climbing in Sweden is free under allemansrätten, but bolts need permission and many crags close for nesting birds. Where to go and how to check access.
Geocaching in Sweden
Finding geocaches in Sweden is free under allemansrätten. Hiding one needs landowner consent, reserve checks and distance from ancient monuments.
Running Races in Sweden: Stockholm Marathon, Goteborgsvarvet and Midnattsloppet
Stockholm Marathon and Göteborgsvarvet 2027 sold out in 2026; Midnattsloppet opens 1 November. Dates, resale queue, seeding, refunds and kids' races.
Rainy Days With Kids: Indoor Play Centers and Swimming Halls
Swimming halls, free libraries, state museums free for under-19s and 20 science centres. Under-12 pool rule, play-centre safety and holiday-week crowds.
Wellness
Sauna in Sweden: Etiquette and Where to Go
Nude or swimsuit? How Swedish public saunas work, why you sit on a towel, where to find a sauna, and what 1177 says about heat, alcohol and cold dips.
Winter Swimming and Cold Baths: The Kallbadhus
Sweden's cold-bath houses: nude bathing and separate sides, what the house rules say, and how to take a winter dip safely, from the ice-safety council.
Gyms in Sweden for Visitors: Day Passes, Access and Etiquette
How visitors get into Swedish gyms: drop-in and single tickets, trials, 24/7 app entry, the personnummer issue, indoor shoes and free outdoor gyms.
Spa Hotels in Sweden: How a Swedish Spa Weekend Works
How a Swedish spa package works: the spa access window, robes and swimwear, age limits, treatments, no 14-day cancellation for stays, and alcohol rules.
Utegym: Sweden's Free Outdoor Gyms
Sweden's outdoor gyms are free, open to visitors and unbookable. Who may use them, why kids should not, fenced exceptions, winter ice and smoking rules.