Editing Tourism in Sweden

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'''Tourism in Sweden''' comprised a relatively small part of the [[Economy of Sweden|Swedish economy]] in 2011 at 2.9% of the country's [[gross domestic product|GDP]]; at this time, tourism generated 264 billion [[Swedish krona]], 98.8 billion of which was foreign-visitor expenditure in Sweden. 7.1% of Swedish household income is spent on domestic tourism.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://publikationer.tillvaxtverket.se/Download.aspx?ID=1804 |publisher=[[Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth]] |title=Fakta om svensk turism 2011 |date=June 2012 |language=sv}}</ref>

One well-known tourist route is via train from southern to northern Sweden, viewing historical, natural and cultural attractions. This route is particularly popular among German tourists.

According to the [[CIA World Factbook]], Sweden was the 21st most-visited country in the world, with 7,627,000 arrivals in 2006.

== Swedish culture ==
{{main|Culture of Sweden}}
[[Image:Öland Gettlinge.jpg|thumb|right|View from southern Öland]]
[[Image:Tanumshede 2005 rock carvings 4.jpg|right|thumb|[[Tanumshede]] rock carvings]]
Sweden has a number of [[list of World Heritage Sites in Sweden|World Heritage Sites]], which are popular as tourist destinations. These include:

* The agricultural landscape of the island of [[Öland]], visited for its geological and geographical features
* [[Birka]] and [[Hovgården]] on the islands [[Björkö, Ekerö|Björkö]] and [[Adelsö]] in [[Mälaren]] near Stockholm
* The church village of [[Gammelstad]], [[Luleå]], in northern Sweden
* [[Drottningholm Palace]], [[Drottningholm Palace Theatre|Theatre]], and the royal domain
* Engelsberg Ironworks
* The [[Hanseatic league|Hanseatic]] town of [[Visby]]
* The "[[Höga Kusten|High Coast]]" of [[Ångermanland]]
* [[Laponian area]], [[Swedish Lapland]], in northern Sweden
* The mining area of the [[Great Copper Mountain]] in [[Falun]]
* The naval port of [[Karlskrona]]
* [[Rock carving]]s in [[Tanumshede]]
* [[Skogskyrkogården]] in [[Stockholm]]

Swedish horse racing is an unusual attraction, in that many races are actually trotting races. The horses are not allowed to gallop; they pull a small vehicle ridden by the human racer.

== Swedish nature ==
{{see also|Allemansrätten}}

Due to Sweden's northern location, the summer sun sets for only short periods of time (not at all north of the Arctic Circle). This phenomenon allows outdoor activities later in the evening than usual.

Sweden has a large number of [[Lakes in Sweden|lakes]] and forests; the former are popular for fishing and canoeing. There are several large lakes, including lakes [[Vättern]] and [[Vänern]]. The [[Göta Canal]] from Stockholm to Gothenburg allows for trips in the summer.

Hiking is popular in the summer, both in the forested regions as well as in the alpine landscapes.

Mountain-hiking is limited to the northern and north-western parts of Sweden where a nearly 1000&nbsp;km long and 50 to 200&nbsp;km wide mountain range borders to Norway. In the south the Swedish mountains are generally high rolling hills with some occasional pointy peaks, while the middle and particularly northern parts of the range gradually exhibit a more dramatic nature. Sweden, and Scandinavia in general, lacks notably high peaks (the highest mountain in Sweden is Mt. [[Kebnekaise]] near [[Kiruna]], which is {{convert|2111|m|ft}} high). Despite this, dramatic areas are found in several places, and the northernmost parts of the Swedish mountain range house a notably large and dramatic wild alpine region, known as [[Laponia area]]. This area includes world-famous mountain regions like the [[Sarek National Park]] and is sometimes referred to as ''"Europe's last wilderness"'' or ''"Europe's Alaska"''. Covering about 9400&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, the Laponia area is the largest wilderness in Europe with vast areas of untouched nature.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.laponia.nu/eng/ |title=Laponia |access-date=2013-02-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120904142458/http://www.laponia.nu/eng/ |archive-date=4 September 2012 }}</ref> This attracts many hikers each year, but visiting certain parts of the region requires experience since it is mostly roadless land with huge walking distances, uninhabited, and with a lack of cellphone reception in large parts.

Another popular area for Swedish mountain hiking is [[Kungsleden]], or ''"The King's Trail"''. It is a 400&nbsp;km long trail that reaches through nearly half the Swedish mountain range, from [[Abisko]] in the north, to [[Hemavan]] in the south.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.svenskaturistforeningen.se/sv/upptack/Omraden/Lappland/Kungsleden/ |publisher=[[Svenska Turistföreningen]] |title=Kungsleden |language=sv}}</ref> This hike does not require any extreme experience and staffed mountain huts with accommodation and small shops are located along the trail. It is said to be a great nature experience of world class, both for veterans as well as beginners.<ref>Kungsleden – The Royal Trail Through Arctic Sweden by Claes Grundsten</ref>

== Northern Sweden and winter sports ==
[[Image:Sweden Ice Hotel 5.jpg|thumb|220px|The [[Icehotel (Jukkasjärvi)|Ice Hotel]] in [[Jukkasjärvi]]]]
In the winter, the [[Icehotel (Jukkasjärvi)|Jukkasjärvi ice hotel]] is built every year near the northern town of Kiruna. Kiruna is also frequently used as a place from which to see the [[Aurora (astronomy)|Aurora Borealis]] (Northern lights).

Tourists in Sweden's north in the winter often take trips in reindeer sleighs with [[Sami people|Sami]] drivers, in dog sleighs, or on snowmobiles. It is also possible to ski, with downhill resorts at [[Åre]] and [[Vemdalen]], and there are many cross country ski tracks throughout northern Sweden. [[Vasaloppet]] (in the beginning of March) is the oldest, longest and largest cross-country ski race in the world. Ice hockey is a popular sport in the winter. Many of the bays in the northern part of the country are frozen in winter, and it is possible to go [[ice yachting]] or [[Tour skating|ice skating]] on the ice. Many lakes are also frozen, so [[ice fishing]] (''pimpelfiske'') is quite common.

== Cities and towns ==
[[Image:Stockholm old town 2002.jpg|right|220px|thumb|[[Gamla stan]] (''Old town'') in central Stockholm]]
Most cities and towns in Sweden are small compared to other European cities and towns. The largest city is [[Stockholm]], with close to 900,000 inhabitants, followed by [[Gothenburg]] with 493,000 and [[Malmö]] with 270,000.

Stockholm has been Sweden's capital since at least the 14th century. It is Sweden's metropolis, the centre of the government and of the media. It has a waterfront adjacent to the [[Stockholm Archipelago]]; parts of Stockholm are preserved largely intact from older times.

Gothenburg is a relatively recently built city (dating from the 17th century). It is visited for its attractions and shopping opportunities.

Malmö has recently emerged in the eastern part of the [[Öresund Region]], tied together with [[Copenhagen]], Denmark, via the [[Öresund Bridge]]. During the last 15 years, Malmö has put more resources into culture; previously it had a reputation as a working class city. The twisted skyscraper [[Turning Torso]] and the main crane at the [[Kockums]] shipyard are landmarks, with the first being newer. Both Malmö and Gothenburg hosted the [[UEFA European Under-21 Championship|Uefa U21 European Championships]] during the [[2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship|summer of 2009]]. Malmö was also the host city of the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2013]] and [[Eurovision Song Contest 2024|2024]].

[[Uppsala]] was the political and religious centre of [[Viking Age]] Sweden. It became the seat of the [[Archbishop of Sweden]] in 1167, with [[Scandinavia]]'s largest church building [[Uppsala Cathedral]] inaugurated in the 1440s. In 1477 [[Uppsala University]] was founded as the first university in the Nordic countries, thus making Uppsala the center of education in Sweden.

[[Lund]] was part of Denmark until 1658, and had been the seat of Denmark's archbishop. In 1666, Lund was granted Sweden's second university, the [[Lund University]]; it is Scandinavia's largest.

== Transportation ==
{{main|Transport in Sweden}}

The Swedish rail system is called [[SJ AB|SJ]]; it has slower-speed trains throughout the country and faster [[X 2000]] trains connecting the major cities.  Connection by rail is possible to [[Norway]] and [[Denmark]]; connections to [[Finland]] are by bus, due to [[rail gauge]] differences. It's possible to take [[Silja Line|Silja]] and [[Viking Line]] boats from Stockholm to [[Helsinki]] (Finland), [[Rostock]] ([[Germany]]) or [[Mariehamn]] on the [[Åland]] islands or the [[Wasa Line|Wasaline]] ferry from [[Holmsund]] at [[Umeå]] to [[Vaasa|Vasa]] (Finland). The [[Scandinavian Airlines System]] and other airlines provides access by air for longer trips.

== See also ==
*[[List of museums in Sweden]]
*[[Scandinavian Mountains Airport]]
*[[Tourism in Denmark]]
*[[Tourism in Finland]]
*[[Tourism in Iceland]]
*[[Tourism in Norway]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Wikivoyage|Sweden}}
* [http://www.visitsweden.com/ VisitSweden.com]&nbsp;– Official page for travel and tourism information
* {{commons category-inline|Tourism in Sweden}}

{{Sweden topics}}
{{Tourism in Europe}}

[[Category:Tourism in Sweden| ]]
[[Category:Tourism in Europe by country|Sweden]]