Sweden - This is a country in northern Europe, located in the southeast of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The form of government is a constitutional monarchy, therefore Sweden is a kingdom.
Sweden shares the western borders with Norway, the northeastern borders with Finland, and the eastern and southern territories are washed by the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea.
In Sweden, freedom of religion is constitutionally enshrined. Favorable conditions have been created for the spread of any religion. Their number is large, the most representative are Lutheranism (79%), Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Islam and Judaism.
About 9.5 million people live in Sweden. Of these, 91% are Swedes, 5% are immigrants and 4% are representatives of Scandinavian nationalities. In recent years, the process of relocation to Sweden has begun rapidly. This is explained by the favorable situation for all groups and categories of the population, regardless of their origin.
The official language of the country is Swedish. Most of the country's inhabitants speak English well. There are also minority languages: Sami, Finnish, Meiankieli, Yiddish and Gypsy.
The national currency is Swedish krona.
Sweden - the capital and major cities
Stockholm is the Swedish capital and its cultural and industrial center. The city is located on the shores of Lake Mälaren, in its eastern part. The population is 842 thousand inhabitants.
It is here that the residence of the Swedish king is located. Other major objects of state importance are the international airport, the building of the Riksdag and the Swedish Government.
The main area of activity of the population of the capital are all kinds of services (85% of all jobs in the city). There is no heavy industry, making Stockholm the most environmentally friendly and clean city in the world.
In addition, Stockholm is the world's largest financial center. The most powerful banks located their headquarters in this city.
Other significant cities in Sweden are Malmö, Gothenburg and Uppsala.
Sweden - holidays and tours
Tourism over the past decade and a half has begun to play an important role in the economy of Sweden. About 7.5 million tourists annually come to Stockholm alone.
Sweden has every opportunity to provide guests with various leisure options.
Beach resorts are located on the islands of Gotland and Öland. They are in the Baltic waters. It is warm throughout the year, a large number of sunny days makes it possible for tourists to soak up the beach and swim in the sea. The popular resorts are Tülösand and Mellbüstrand.
Lovers of ski holidays are provided with the most upscale resort - Auray. It is located near Norway, in the west of Sweden. The quality of this resort is evidenced by the fact that world skiing competitions were held here. Other types of outdoor activities in the mountains are snowboarding, snowboarding, dog and reindeer sledding.
If you want to find a picturesque green corner with access to the lake, where you can relax from the bustle of the city and get in touch with nature, then the best places in Sweden for such a vacation are numerous cottage villages located along the shores of lakes. The largest of these is Venus. Boating, fishing, cycling, golfing are all available to tourists.
An integral part of the variety of tourist attractions is diving. They are best practiced in the southeast coast. Traveling under water reveals to the mysterious divers the world of the deep sea, on which about ten thousand ships are sunk. The study of these vessels was the main goal of scuba diving.
For those tourists who come just to admire the local beauty, you can choose any area of the country. Each of them is beautiful in its own way. The landscapes are so diverse that it is difficult to choose the most suitable place. Any part of the territory will certainly be interesting for an ecotourist.
A special variety differs excursion program. There are many historical places and preserved cultural monuments in Sweden.
Sweden - Attractions
In each city, magnificent architectural monuments dating from different periods in history open to the eyes of the country's guests.
Stockholm began with a small built-up area, the remains of buildings of those distant times are still preserved in Gamlastan (Old Town).
The city has a large number of ancient buildings: the German Church, the House of Elders, the Tessin mansion, the Oksensherna Palace and many other attractions.
The Riddarholme Church is Stockholm's oldest building. It belongs to the XIII century of construction. The main highlight of the city was the Stockholm Royal Palace. It is made in the Baroque style, elegant and graceful.
More modern buildings that attract the attention of tourists are the Stockholm City Hall (beginning of the 20th century), Stockholm Public Library (1930s), Forest Cemetery (part of the World Heritage Site).
Stockholm is considered the museum center of Europe. About 70 museums are located here, they are visited annually by approximately 9 million people!
The most significant of them are the National Museum of Sweden, the Museum of Modern Art, Skansen (ethnographic museum) and others.
Sweden - weather (climate)
Despite the fact that Sweden is located in the northern part of the hemisphere, its climate is quite mild and warm. This is due to the influence of the warm Gulf Stream, which determines the weather in this country.
Protected from cold winds by the Scandinavian mountains, the territories are characterized by moderation in temperatures in winter (up to -14 degrees) and in summer (up to +17 degrees). In the summer there is a lot of rain, but it is longer than in neighboring countries.
The best time to visit Sweden is the months from May to August. For ski tours it is better to choose the time from early December to early May.
Weather in Sweden now:
Sweden - cuisine
In Sweden they love fish. Herring can be cooked with different sauces and fillings. Its taste becomes diverse, and it seems that even the same kind of fish will never get bored.
In addition to salting and pickling, stew herring, grilled, baked in the oven with lemon. In general, herring is a crown dish here.
In addition to fish, the Swedes are very fond of other seafood: crayfish, shellfish, caviar.
Of meat, pork roll is considered to be a favorite delicacy, as well as "easterband" - hot sausage, and "renstek" - chopped venison.
Desserts are most often pancakes, biscuits and muffins. And from alcohol, the Swedes prefer grog and punch.
Sweden - interesting facts
In Sweden, the newborn baby will not be given the name of the father, but the mother. And most names are directly related to nature.
Among the interesting traditions should be highlighted the national holidays of Sweden. The most significant of them are Easter, St. Knut's Day, and the Summer Solstice.
Walpurgis Night (April 30) stands apart. It marks the onset of spring. People gather in large crowds, burn bonfires and have fun, rejoicing in the onset of the warm season. The origin of the tradition of burning bonfires is not fully understood. Presumably, in ancient times, this way scared predators from pastures.
Sweden - visa application
To travel to Sweden, you need a Schengen visa.
The following documents are provided to the Embassy of the country:
• Application form
• Photocopies of your passport,
• Original passport,
• A photo,
• Hotel reservation with payment confirmation,
• Inquiries (from the place of work, study, on the purchase of foreign currency),
• Accident insurance.
Sweden - Embassy
In Moscow, the Embassy of Sweden is located at 60 Mosfilmovskaya Street. Tel .: 937-92-02
Map of Sweden
