Visit Sweden

Swede Ingvar Kamprad began with two empty hands to become one of the richest people in the world – as the founding owner of furniture chain store IKEA. Here’s his story, from farm life to flat-packs.   Rural childhood Ingvar Feodor Kamprad was born on 30 March 1926, on a small farm called Elmtaryd near the village of Agunnaryd, in the Swedish province of Småland. To most present-day Swedes, the date and the names, in a famously rural region, resound of harsher times, when Sweden was agrarian and poor. They speak of hard work, frugality and egalitarianism rooted in shared poverty – values which would eventually enter the IKEA ethos. Humble beginnings Kamprad began his career at the age of six, selling matches. When just ten, he criss-crossed the neighbourhood on his bicycle, selling Christmas decorations, fish and pencils. At 17, in 1943, Kamprad’s father rewarded him with a small sum of money for doing well in school,...

Healthcare in Sweden is largely tax-funded, a system that ensures everyone has equal access to healthcare services. Challenges include funding, quality and efficiency. Decentralised healthcare Sweden is divided into 290 municipalities and 20 county councils. Swedish healthcare is decentralised – responsibility lies with the county councils and, in some cases, local councils or municipal governments. This is regulated by the Health and Medical Service Act. The role of the central government is to establish principles and guidelines, and to set the political agenda for health and medical care. County councils are political bodies whose representatives are elected by county residents every four years on the same day as national general elections. Halland, Skåne and Västra Götaland county councils – as well as Gotland municipality – are called regional councils and have assumed responsibility for regional developm...

Swedes love to talk about Swedish weather. Spring, summer, fall and winter each have their own unique personalities, and the seasons vary a lot from north to south. And in a country with long coastlines and deep forests, every time of year is a new reason to spend time outdoors, year-round, whatever the weather. Seasons and climate Most people think of winter when they hear of Sweden. But because of the warm Gulf Stream, the climate here can be much milder than you might expect. Spring, summer, fall and winter each have their own unique personalities. Spring runs from March/April to May, summer from June to August, fall from September to October/November and winter from November/December to March/February. In a land as varied as Sweden, these seasons can be quite different depending on where you live. For simplicity’s sake, the country can be divided into three major regions: Götaland in the south, Svealand in the mid...

Sweden might not have an official religion, but summer is worshipped as if it was one. From Malmö in the south to Lapland in the north – here are our top 10 tips for enjoying Swedish summer. Whether you wish to stay in a cottage, check out the city scene or go to a “loppis”, possibly the most important word to know on a trip, here’s a little guide to Swedish summer activities and the culture that comes with it. #1 Go for a swim in Malmö Sweden’s Copacabana is in Malmö. The sandy beach of ‘Ribban’, Ribersborg, stretches for about 2.5 kilometres and is surrounded by green areas. Neighbouring Västra Hamnen (Western Harbour) is a Swedish summer hot spot as well, boasting wooden swim decks all along the boardwalk. This sustainable district grew out of a housing exhibition, Bo01, and is filled with interesting architecture. Its restaurants and cafés burst with life during the su...

Learning Swedish is tough, some say. Why not start by using this Swedish–English glossary to learn some basic words and phrases? It’s not that difficult, really. Greetings & courtesies Swedish English God morgon! Good morning God natt! Good night Hej! or Tjena! Hello Hi (informal) Hejdå! Bye-bye Hur mår du? or Hur står det till? or Hur är läget? How are you? (neutral) How are you? (formal) What’s up? (informal) Bara bra, tack. Och du? I’m fine, thanks. And you? Tack! Thank you/Please (depending on the context) Varsågod! Here you go/Please/You’re welcome (depending on the context) Talar du engelska? Do you speak English? Trevligt att träffas Pleased to meet you Ursäkta mig! Excuse me Ursäkta mig, var ligger toaletten? Excuse me, where is the restroom/toilet? Learning Swedish Some starting points for learning the Swedish language: Learni...

Queen of butterfly swimming Sarah Sjöström is one of 10 talented Swedish ‘superwomen’ to watch. Others win Academy Awards, build robots and save the world with algae. Which superhero gets your vote Alicia Vikander clutches her Oscar statuette at the 2016 Academy Award ceremony. Photo: Paul Buck/EPA/TT Alicia Vikander – ‘Fatale’ Alicia Vikander is one of Sweden’s busiest film stars – and she has already won her first Academy Award, for Supporting Actress in The Danish Girl . This femme fatale is the first Swedish actress to win an Academy Award since Ingrid Bergman in 1974. Having appeared in a long row of major movie roles, Vikander came to international recognition in movies such as Anna Karenina , Testament of Youth and Ex Machina . Interestingly, this Academy Award winner was rejected from acting school five times. But her persistence paid off. ‘I do work very hard. I have been very coloured by my early ballet edu...

From the world’s first twisting skyscraper to a UNESCO World Heritage cemetery and the world’s largest spherical building – browse through some landmarks of Swedish architecture. #1: The old and the new Wingårdhs’  Aula Medica rises above the traditional cottage – Stenbrottet (the stone quarry) from 1771 – blending old and new Swedish architecture. It was completed in 2013 for the medical university Karolinska institutet , which selects the Nobel Prize laureates in Medicine or Physiology. Turning Torso’s form is composed of nine cubes with triangular tips. Photo: Kenny Hindgren / CC BY-ND 2.0  and Jonas Evertsson / CC BY-ND-NC  #2: The twisted skyscraper Malmö’s Turning Torso , designed by Santiago Calatrava , is the world’s first twisting skyscraper and Scandinavia’s tallest tower at 190 metres. It celebrated its 10 th birthday on August 27, 2015, and won the CTBUH’s (Coun...