Sweden

The Place

The image of the bloodthirsty Viking plundering all in his path is one that haunted medieval Europe for around 300 years, but in the closing century of the second millennium it was an introverted Fortress Sweden that perched uneasily on the edge of western Europe. The country's admission to the European Union in 1995, together with the opening in 2000 of the Öresund bridge and tunnel across the straits separating Sweden from Denmark, has led to a subtle change in Swedish attitudes. Sweden really is part of Europe now.

As such, Sweden is attracting many more visitors, not just to the bustling big cities and cultural centres of Stockholm, Göteborg (Gothenburg) and Malmö, but also to the rural regions and the vast wilderness areas of Lapland and the far north.

The climate is usually much less harsh than many people imagine, making it an ideal country for those who like the great outdoors and activities such as angling, golf, riding, fell-walking, sailing or canoeing. And Sweden has surprises in store for the visitor: where else can you stay in a hotel made entirely from ice or play golf under the midnight sun?