Sweden - History and Urban Culture in Sweden

Making up one of many Scandinavian countries, and being most pleasant and accessible, Sweden has strong foreign influences with links from the United States. This is obvious in many accents you can hear when you visit, though more recently the European Union began to influence the country too.

Sweden is a beautiful country made up of mixed cultures, making it a wonderful place to visit both for business and pleasure. The largest of it's cities, Stockholm, is it's capital and well known for it's beautiful harbour and open areas. Due to it's lack of manual and heavy-industry jobs, the capital city provides jobs mainly within the service industry, making it a trendy place to be with many office workers enjoying the urban social life.

Located on the Eastern coast of Sweden, Stockholm city sits on the edge of Lake Mälaren which flows into the Baltic Sea. The fourteen islands that make up Stockholm mean that the majority of the City Centre sits on water. In fact, a whole third of the city is water - with the other two thirds made up of buildings and green areas. Residents here are environmentally aware and the city has been given the mark of having the cleanest air, so although Stockholm is a large city, it's not typically a city like London or New York.

Stockholm is home to the Swedish Parliament, Government and Municipality in addition to it being the party capital of Sweden, which brings young singles, honeymooners and couples to experience both the hectic social life and the wonderfully rich history that the city has to offer.

Sweden is a beautiful place to visit, Stockholm being no exception. With it's alleyways, squares and cobbled streets (at the old town or 'Gamla Stan'), Stockholm has a great deal to offer – you can even choose to go sea fishing in the city centre if that's your thing! The opportunity to take in all manner of urban culture is endless, and its history and value makes for great memories.

Despite it's influences from abroad, the city has not yet been taken over by excess tourism and in one of the three regions (South Stockholm, West Stockholm, City Centre) you can find all manner of attractions. In addition to its fantastic architecture there are museums, fine arts, music, botanical gardens and plenty of open spaces to relax and watch the day go by.

For those that prefer to worship the sun and party the night away, then Sweden should be a place to visit here in summer when daylight appears almost for twenty-four hours, and tourists and workers alike experience the trendiest bars and cafes. Winter brings with it chilly days and nights so it's nice after a full day sightseeing, to retreat to one of the cosy restaurants or bars and the many gourmet restaurants, side street cafes and bars give an abundance of dining choices. A couple of days is the very least amount of time that should be spent here.

If you do plan to holiday in Sweden, being a Northern country the weather here is rather chilly in winter so do bring your hats if you decide to travel during cold snaps. Summer is pleasant and mild and a good time to experience Sweden drenched in light.

Sweden History Tip #1

Always remember to carry a map of Sweden when you visit, mark on it the whereabouts of your hotel and the full address and keep it with you when you travel. Mark down landmarks near the hotel if you plan to walk so that you can easily spot the direction of your residency for the time of your stay.

Sweden History Tip #2

If you plan to travel to Northern Sweden to experience the Northern Lights and the Ice Hotel, pack accordingly and remember warm clothing, especially in winter months. Thermal underwear is highly recommended on top of hats, scarves and a couple of pairs of gloves - there's nothing worse than packing just one pair and losing one glove!

Sweden History Tip #3

Gothenburg Sweden is just one of many things to see in Sweden. A good idea is to plan your trip in advance so that you can get to see the best of the best. The place is full of history, glorious scenery, architecture and quaint little buildings.