Sweden is a fantastic Scandinavian country to visit all year round, however, 2023 offers something more special for the visitors as you can experience new attractions and exciting events across the country. From its beautiful coastline to dense forests, stunning mountains to breathtaking lakes, Sweden is one of the most amazing countries in Europe.
Apart from the stunning picturesque landscapes; there are plenty of other reasons to visit Sweden. These include history, culture, creativity, art, and music- and nowhere is that more recognizable than in its countryside and small towns. Sweden offers a lot to its tourists when it comes to beautiful small towns and villages.
So, you might be thinking about which small towns or villages in Sweden to visit. The country is packed with various beautiful small towns and villages that will show you the other side of Sweden’s culture and tradition.
Here, in this article, we are going to put together 10 beautiful Sweden countryside and small towns to visit in 2023.
Let’s dive into the deep!
Table of Contents
1. Stockholm:
Stockholm is Sweden’s buzzing capital, as this town is far from the urban area in Scandinavia, it has something for everyone. If you are visiting Stockholm you can get tickets to a show at Royal Opera that is celebrating its 250 anniversary in 2023.
Nature is very important to the locals so you can embrace this tradition and explore Djurgarden. Djurgarden is an island in Central Stockholm where you can experience a collection of peaceful woodland and waterside pavements that connects some of the best museums in Stockholm.
You can also enjoy the daily Swedish ritual of Fika, you can enjoy a coffee break accompanied by some lovely friends and of course warm, and freshly baked cakes and pastries. The best destination to head for Fika is Soho.
2. Gothenburg:
2023 sees Gothenburg celebrating its 400 anniversary which was postponed due to the pandemic, the celebrations beginning early Junes. The celebration will be continued here till summer and will end with the Gothenburg Cultural Festival in September.
Gothenburg is a small town in Sweden with a relaxed and friendly vibe that has gone through extreme changes to regenerate its oldest areas. You can wander around Haga, it is a former working-class area of the city. You can visit its various antique shops filled with hidden treasures.
After a morning of exploring you can visit the city’s various cozy cafes for fika. Some of the most stunning spots of this city include Kopps where you can find a range of fresh and warm bakery items suitable for many dietary requirements, and Le Petite café in Haga where you will be amazed with its cozy and homely vibes.
3. Sigtuna:
Little Sigtuna is located north of Stockholm and claims the title of Sweden’s oldest city still in existence: it was founded in 980 by Swedish King Erik Segersäll. It is a beautiful medieval village in Sweden with traditional wooden buildings. The center is dotted with cute shops and restaurants along narrow winding alleys and the ruins of a medieval stone church. The main road known as Stora Gatan is said to be Sweden’s oldest street and dates back to the reign of King Erik Segersäll.
Sigtuna’s beautiful town center still echoes the past with its narrow medieval streets covered by charming 18th and 19th-century wooden houses. Also, the charming backdrop of Lake Malaren makes a perfect boat excursion for visitors.
4. Visby:
Visby is known for its well-preserved medieval city walls. It was built like a fort with a defensive tower and a church. Although most of these have now been destroyed, Visby, located on Gotland in the Baltic Sea, was part of the medieval Hanseatic League, a confederation of guilds and market towns that came together for commercial and commerce purposes. It is the best Sweden countryside.
Its main square or Stora Torget is encompassed by interlinking cobbled streets and there are plenty of cafes. Apart from its colorful history, this Sweden countryside is home to a beautiful Visby botanical garden, the Gotland Art Museum, and a stellar community of restaurants and cafes.
5. Jokkmokk:
Jokkmokk is located in the northernmost province of Lapland in Sweden. There is snow and favorable weather conditions. These towns in Sweden are a place that is as beautiful as a picture with wooden houses and beautiful landscapes. There is a museum dedicated to the Sami people, including a 400-year-old tradition in the Jock Mok Market, which is held on the first Thursday of February every year and attracts thousands of people. It hosts concerts, trade shows, and exhibitions and is important to the Sami people.
Jokkmokk is a smaller town in Sweden and because of its location just north of the arctic circle, it is the most popular travel destination for viewing the Northern lights. This place is surrounded by lakes, forests, and several national parks including the charming Sarek National Park as well. Jokkmokk is an ideal place to explore the wilds of Northern Sweden.
6. Simrishamn:
The picturesque coastal town of Simrishamn is located in the southern county of Skåne and is part of Österlen in the old south-eastern part of the county. The region is known for its orchards, farmland, beautiful nature, and small towns in Sweden, of which Simrishamn was one of them. Nearby Simris contains not only an ancient church dating from the 1100s. The main square, or Stora Torget, is surrounded by a cobbled street lined with coffee shops.
7. Molle:
These coastal Swedish towns’ southwest coast has long been a favorite as a seaside resort, with a beautiful harbor filled with beautiful shops and cafes. Molle began life as a lively fishing village but soon became famous. It was here that mixed-gender bathing began in the late 19th century, a scandal of that time that made Molle the epicenter of sex entertainment. Of course, today, there are mostly visitors to this beautiful place.
However, nowadays, these towns’ stands as the most stunning small towns in Sweden with its harbor dotted with cafes and shops. You can visit the Kullaberg National Reserve, it is a big tourist puller, especially for hikers and bird lovers. It also bears the history of the Stone Age as it is filled with some evidence of archaeological ruins of long forgotten past.
8. Mariefred:
Mariefred is only an hour from Stockholm. It is a very beautiful Sweden village. You will find many 18th-century wooden buildings, from traditional summer houses to old wooden train stations. It is also famous for the 14th-century Gripsholm Castle, a stately fortress that turned the royal residence into a museum. Mariefred also boasts the only Carthusian monastery in Scandinavia.
9. Ystad:
The town of Ystad is located in the Skåne region in the very south of Sweden, an old town dating back to the 11th century. The history of this Sweden countryside goes back almost a thousand years. In addition to being the home of fictional detective Kurt Wallander, Ystad is also known as a tourist attraction for its many historic buildings, including the large town hall, which surrounds Stortorget or Main Square. It’s also home to Greyfriars Abbey, one of Sweden’s best-preserved monasteries, and medieval St. Mary’s Church, a striking example of the Brick Gothic style east of Ystad. It is the large stone monument of Ales Stenar, consisting of 59 large stones that make up a stone ship.
10. Nora:
It is home to more traditional Sweden countryside wooden houses except for destruction by fire or demolition, 18th-century Swedish poet Anna Maria Lenngren once referred to the city as “Så liten stad, så mycket smack”. There is a unique home tucked away in picturesque cobbled streets. This makes exploring a 17th-century city pleasure in a central location. (Near Orebro) and just two and a half hours by train from Stockholm, Nora is a popular destination for tourists.
Surely, this small town in Sweden will give some flavorful memories to carry back home. The houses of this town are iconic. These houses are spared from demolition with neat cobbled streets running in between. You can reach this town within just a couple of hours by train from Stockholm, and undoubtedly make it a pleasurable travel destination
FAQ.
You can visit the most beautiful part of Sweden, like Helsinki, Stockholm, and Tallinn.
The best time to visit Sweden is generally between May and September, a relatively good temperature.
Sweden is not even among the 10 most expensive countries. So you can visit Sweden within your budget.
Traveling around Sweden is easy so you can travel by plane, train, bus, boat, or car.
Yes, Sweden is tourist-friendly.
English is not an official language in Sweden. But they excel at speaking English.
Yes, Sweden is a religious country.
No. You can plan your trip to Sweden and have a budget-friendly tour. Select the economical packages for a wonderful ride. It has no place among the top most expensive places in this world.
You can several parking options at Kahului airport. There are main parking area for electric vehicles, Heliport parking, and Commuter Terminal. Moreover, you will also get Cell Phone Waiting area, and large outdoor parking space.
Conclusion
It is the small towns and villages that bring out the flavors of culture, and tradition of the country. It is really irresistible to leave them unexplored. If you want to get the flavorful taste of the small towns and villages of Sweden then you can include these small towns or villages in your to-do list while visiting Sweden.
These above-mentioned places deliver something on architecture, culture, history, food, and drink. So, make your trip remarkable forever by visiting one or more of Sweden’s countryside and small towns in 2023.
Hope, this article will help you to explore the amazing villages and countryside of Sweden and provide you with some opportunities to bring back some colorful memories to home.
