Where summer is really something - April 2017
A few weeks ago, some clients asked me to put together a two-week itinerary for Sweden for their summer holidays. Too often Sweden is not even on the summer holiday radar which is such a shame. It offers a powerful combination of city, islands and countryside which offers the opportunity to experience many aspects of Swedish life and their gorgeous country.
Collecting your car at Stockholm airport you'll drive to Malexander. It’s about 195 miles easy drive through the Swedish countryside taking you through some smaller Swedish towns and hamlets to Norrköping in the province of Östergötland and then south through Linkoping to Malaxender. It should take about three hours.
Situated on Lake Sommen you will be staying at an attractive, traditional Swedish red-house – formerly a vicarage, and now converted into a small hotel, set in idyllic countryside. It is the perfect spot for a relaxing family holiday, with a host of activities to suit the whole family. These include canoeing, cycling, horse-riding, wildlife watching and walking. The nearby lakeside beach offers crystal clear water for swimming.
Within easy reach there is so much else to see and do, such as a guided tour of the farm next door, or perhaps a steamboat trip on Lake Sommen. The Gota Canal and Kinda Canal are within easy reach, for boat trips, or just to enjoy the endless fascination of watching boats pass through the locks! Astrid Lindgren’s World – childhood home of the popular Swedish children’s author is about 45 minutes’ drive from Sommarhagen, with an adventure park featuring some of the locations for her films.
By way of contrast is Stockholm, Sweden's gorgeous capital city, built on 14 islands. My good friend Simon Lever, who is a budding travel writer says “Stockholm is one of those very special places that will tend to stay in one's mind following a visit, whether it be for business or a memorable vacation. Depending on the time of year, be it summer or the freezing cold winter, appropriate clothing and a positive attitude will ensure a very special and memorable stay in one of the most wonderful cities in Scandinavia. A memorable walk through the Old Town to the myriad cafés, brasseries of the Västerlånggatan is unmissable.”
Simon goes on to mention his choice of eatery. “My favourite and most frequently visited place to enjoy excellent food in Stockholm was Mårten Trotzig located in the Old Town, even walking to the location is a treat through a passageway so narrow that one can touch both sides of the walkway at the same time. Mårten Trotzig's restaurant is named after the fairy tale character of the same name and is a friendly, relaxed and welcoming place to enjoy truly awesome food. The good news is that the standards have always been maintained and I always enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, with classical Swedish and international dishes on the menu”. My favourite eating place is the traditional and classical Slingerbuten on Stora Nygatan; the best meatballs in town and they are so child friendly. Eating out here doesn’t have to be expensive there are some real finds – I know where they are too!
Whilst in Stockholm with the kids I’d go to Skansen, the city's fabulous 'living' outdoor museum and nature park. Just a short hop by water taxi you’ll find the Vasa Museum. This magnificent warship sank on her maiden voyage, and has now been recovered, in an amazing state of preservation, after nearly 400 years at the bottom of Stockholm harbour. The splendid museum built around it offers endless fascination for all ages. Also close by is the Grona Lund Amusement Park, the ABBA Museum, and Junibacken, where the Story Train takes you on an adventure into an exciting world of fairy tales, great for adults and children alike.
There are numerous boat trips available taking you out into the Stockholm archipelago, including a trip to Birka – a whole day’s outing to discover the exciting and unique Viking City. Birka was built in the 700s and today the archaeological area of Birka is part of UNESCO’s world heritage list.
This is a wonderful opportunity to see two facets of Sweden and one I'm sure you will enjoy as both an adult and a family holiday.
My last visit to Stockholm was April 2017.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me for more details.