Sweden
Kingdom of Sweden
Northern Europe · SWE
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Sweden
Sweden works for travelers who want a polished Northern Europe trip with a strong capital, long summer daylight, and enough regional contrast to support either city-heavy or nature-leaning routes. It is usually best approached as Stockholm plus one or two focused additions such as Visby, the High Coast, or Lapland, rather than trying to span the whole country too quickly.
Popular For
Things To See
- Stockholm
- High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago
- Hanseatic Town of Visby
- Church Town of Gammelstad, Luleå
- Laponian Area
- Skogskyrkogården
Best Months
Best Months For Winter Travel
Know Before You Go
- June through September is the easiest broad window in the current brief, while December through March fits winter-focused trips better.
- Sweden is stronger when built around one or two regions instead of a rushed full-country route.
- Stockholm, Gotland, the High Coast, and Lapland all support different trip styles rather than one short combined itinerary.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Sweden.
Guidebooks
Tours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Sweden.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Stockholm
- Population
- 10,605,098
- Area
- 450,295 km²
- Region
- Northern Europe
Languages
- Swedish
Currency
Swedish krona (kr)
SEK
1 USD = 9.39 SEK
Cost of Living (World Bank)
80.3
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 68.4
- Restaurants
- 70.8
- Rent
- 22.6
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Stockholm (59.33°N, 18.05°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
88/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 100/100
- Lived safety
- 67/100
This traveler-facing score is lower than the legal protections score because lived-safety context is weaker, based on broader traveler safety and development conditions.
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionMarriage
- Adoption recognition✅
- Anti-discrimination laws✅
- Employment protections✅
- Legal gender recognition✅
- Conversion therapy ban✅
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.959
Very high human development
- 5-year change
- +0.009
- 10-year change
- +0.019
- Trend
- stable
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.988
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.007
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.810
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (15)
- 🏛️
Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland
Inscribed 2012
- 🏛️
Struve Geodetic Arc
Inscribed 2005
- 🏛️
Grimeton Radio Station, Varberg
Inscribed 2004
- 🏛️
Mining Area of the Great Copper Mountain in Falun
Inscribed 2001
- 🏛️
Agricultural Landscape of Southern Öland
Inscribed 2000
- 🌿
High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago
Inscribed 2000
- 🏛️
Naval Port of Karlskrona
Inscribed 1998
- 🏛️
Church Town of Gammelstad, Luleå
Inscribed 1996
- 🌍
Laponian Area
Inscribed 1996
- 🏛️
Hanseatic Town of Visby
Inscribed 1995
- 🏛️
Rock Carvings in Tanum
Inscribed 1994
- 🏛️
Skogskyrkogården
Inscribed 1994
- 🏛️
Engelsberg Ironworks
Inscribed 1993
- 🏛️
Birka and Hovgården
Inscribed 1993
- 🏛️
Royal Domain of Drottningholm
Inscribed 1991
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 15.5%
- Forest cover
- 68.7%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 1
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 12
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
69/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Winter Sports
58/100
Ski infrastructure & alpine pedigree
Combines ski resort depth, ski resort density, and Winter Olympic skiing results. Separate from climate comfort.
Luxury Infrastructure
40/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
There were no changes to the advisory level or risk indicators. Advisory summary was updated. Exercise increased caution in Sweden due to terrorism. Advisory summary There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Sweden. Visit the U.S. Department of State's country reports on terrorism to learn more. Terrorists may attack without warning and target: Tourist locations Transportation hubs (airports) Markets and shopping malls Local government facilities Hotels, clubs, and restaurants Places of worship and religious sites Parks Major sporting and cultural events Educational institutions Other public areas Review our travel guidance for Sweden to learn how to prepare for a safe trip. If you decide to travel to Sweden: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get important updates and alerts from the U.S. embassy or consulate. Enrolling helps the U.S. embassy or consulate contact you or your emergency contact in an emergency. Review the Country Security Report for Sweden. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for the latest Travel Health Information for Sweden. Whether you’re a first time or frequent traveler, use the International Travel Checklist. We highly recommend that you buy travel insurance before you travel. Check with your travel insurance provider about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancelation coverage. Monitor local media for breaking news. Be prepared to adjust your plans. Keep travel documents up to date and easily accessible. Have a plan to depart in an emergency. Review local laws and conditions before traveling.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data