Sweden
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Arriving in Sweden: From ARN to Uppsala
Getting In
- Sweden is easy to get in to. Access via air, land, and sea are all options.
- Arlanda Airport outside of Stockholm is the major hub with numerous flights operating daily. There are also international airports servicing Gothenburg and Malmo. Numerous regional airports service the rest of Sweden.
- Land border crossings are available between Denmark, Norway, and Finland.
- Sweden is a part of the Schengen agreement. Members of the EU have free access to the country, while most of nations will need at least 6 months left on their passports. Some nations may need tourist Visas.
Money
- Sweden is not a cheap country. Prices are high on most services, food, transportation, and accommodation.
- Sweden uses the Krona as its currency. Despite being a member of the European Union, the nation does not use the Euro.
- Cash is not widely used. You can utilize credit cards on almost all purchases, including buses and trains. ATMs are found in large areas, but due to the prevalent use of cards, are not found frequently.
8 (KR) Krona = $1 USD
An inexpensive meal will cost 100 KR
A mid-range meal for two will cost 600 KR
A 1 bed apartment in the city center will cost ~7000 KR
Climate
- Despite its high latitude, Sweden enjoys a rather temperate climate with four distinct seasons.
- The south of Sweden will experience a relatively short winter of cold, subfreezing days. But it is considered that fall essentially turns to spring.
- The northern part of the country is subarctic, in contrast to southern regions such as Stockholm. Here, temperatures are far colder than in the south, though still warmer than most regions at this latitude.
- The high latitude drastically affects the amount of daylight throughout the year. Summers have very long periods of light – 18 hours – though only 6 hours in the winter.
History
Swedish history begins with various hunter-gatherer tribes and peoples, primarily comprising of Germanic, Celtic, and Gothic tribes. These groups stayed mostly mired in myth, first being mentioned in historical text in 98 CE.
The emergence of the Vikings from the 8th century to the 11th century begins the time of more documented Swedish history. They were noted for being excellent warriors and invited by Byzantine emperors to be personal bodyguards.
The exact date of the formation of the Kingdom of Sweden is not known, however it had come to prominence by the 15th century. Its power continued to grow until Sweden was a great European power by the 18th century.
During the World Wars, Sweden remained officially neutral. The nation did succumb to some German pressure, but did not participate in fighting. After the war, Sweden remained neutral in NATO and the Warsaw Pact.
Sweden joined the EU in 1995, and although militarily unaligned, does participate in NATO drills and exercises. Today, the nation enjoys a social Democratic government.
Need to Know
- Sweden speaks Swedish – duh. However, almost all Swedes are fluent in English as well, if not more languages.
- Public transportation is efficient. Trains, local buses, and long-range buses are all clean, safe, and easy to use.
Warnings
- The outdoors are a big draw to Sweden. The climate is cold though, so hypothermia is a very real danger to those who aren’t careful. Respecting the environment is very important.
We recommend reviewing safety guidelines by various state departments: – we make no guarantees to your safety!
US State Department – Moderate to High bias, with moderate levels of broad information. We advise checking against other sources to confirm veracity of statements.
British State Department – Low bias, and very thorough information. We recommend checking with the FCO for tourist warnings.
Canadian State Department – Low bias, with thorough information. We advise using as an additional resource for tourist warnings.