Sweden
 

I've not seen much about Sweden on this board. Any reason I should visit there? If so what time of the year is best.

I've watched this message forum for about a year now. I've noticed that it should really be called the “Italy, France, UK forum” as most of the posts revolve around these. Some days it really seems to be the “London, Paris, Rome forum.” I've wondered if it's because many of the people seem to be anxious first-timers to Europe. Perhaps they find how fun and easy it is to travel in Europe and don't return to the forum. Or maybe some people never branch out from the “Big 3.” Oh well, just a lot of conjecture on my part. <BR><BR>Now to your Sweden question. I spent the last 2 weeks of June in Norway, Sweden and Finland this past summer. For Sweden it was Orebro for 2 nights. (Umlaut over the first “o”. I've admitted it before I'm accent mark impaired.) 3 nights in Stockholm.<BR><BR>The weather a bit cool at 70 degrees during the day. It was exactly what I wanted. I was watching the news and saw high 80's for Paris, yuck! The tourists weren't quite as thick yet as July and August are the high season. On the flip side some of the nicer hotels offer lower lower rates during the two months of high season.<BR><BR>The two cities I visited had a very historic feel to them. Orebro had a beautiful, stout castle, an historic village, several nice churches to visit and boating on the river and nearby lake. Stockholm had the beautiful city center “Gamla Stan” with the royal castle, the world's largest I believe. There was an historic village too, the restored 300+ year old Vasa ship, music museum, artillery museum, as I recall around 70 museums. <BR><BR>Great food, everyone spoke English and just a lot to see and do. When I left Stockholm for Finland I took an overnight cruise ship. Sailing out through Stockholm's archipelago as the sun set was incredibly beautiful.<BR><BR>I wouldn't let not hearing about Sweden with many posts on this board be a deterrent. I'd look at it as an endorsement of going somewhere beautiful in Europe that doesn't have quite so many tourists. If you keep “topping” the message to keep it in the top fifty you might have a better chance of running into people who will respond. <BR>

Hi<BR><BR>I lived in Sweden for some years.<BR>It is worth visiting.<BR>It is also cheaper now because the currency has weakened over the past few years to USD = SEK 10 (was SEK 7).<BR><BR>I'd say July is a good time to visit. Chance of better weather, cheaper hotels, more attractions open. Sweden never has the number of tourists who go to Paris, London etc.<BR><BR>Its a big country with quiet roads. Good for a driving holiday ?<BR><BR>Interesting cities and beautiful countryside<BR><BR>Peter<BR>

If you pick 'Sweden' as a keyword when posting a new message you might get more answers. You will be on top of that list longer.<BR>

Hi Ed,<BR>We visited Stockholm this summer as part of our holiday in Scandinavia. Like David, we took the overnight cruise from Stockholm to Helsinki and back, which was (can't believe I'm saying this -- not a cruiser) SO MUCH FUN!<BR><BR>We fell in love with Stockholm. There was so much to see, so much to do, 3 days wasn't enough. We were there in July, which was a great time, since it didn't really get dark at night. The sun dipped below the horizon about 10:30 p.m., and then you had this really beautiful impossible to describe midnight-bluish color in the sky that hung around until 3 a.m. when it became light again. Give it a 9 on the WOW factor.<BR><BR>We were lucky to have sunny warm weather, great for riding the ferries around, walking the Gamla Stan and the pedestrian streets, listing to all the street music, and people watching. And what a bunch of beautiful, friendly, people too! They had free summer rock concerts in the park and a great easy-going ambiance.<BR><BR>The further north you go during summer, the more day you have. It is a very curious (and interesting) thing to see people playing sports and mowing their lawns at 11 p.m.<BR><BR>So I'd say go in summer.