The Part-Time Explorer

Sweden is one of my favorite places in the world. Not only because my Grandmother’s family is from there, but also because it’s just a beautiful country, easy to get around, and full of friendly people. It’s not a big country, but 5-7 days is still good just because it is so long, it can take a while to get from end to end.

I’d recommend seeing Malmoe (on your way in from Denmark, half a day or so is fine), Gothenburg, and Stockholm.

Stockholm (Spend two to three days here)

I haven’t been to Stockholm in some time, but it is definitely worth the visit. The palace is gorgeous, the bay is beautiful, and if you go in the summer, it is a surreal experience being out until midnight and the sun doesn’t leave your side. The Vaxholm Fortress is worth a visit, as is the Vasa museum (where they built a museum around a warship) and just the city, in general, is great to explore.

Malmo (spend a day or so here, I like to spend longer to see family) –

Malmo is a port city across from Denmark, and other than having a large Muslim population, it doesn’t have too much going on other than being the city where Zlatan Ibrahimovic is from. A lot of conservatives claim Sweden is overrun by Muslims, and extremists, Malmo is often where they say the epicenter is.

In reality, it’s a nice town that you can do some very Swedish things in. Biking, swimming in cold water before jumping into the sauna, etc.

20171229_192605 — Christmas lights in Malmoe.

20171229_192401 — Best named steakhouse in Malmoe.

20171226_122205

The part of Malmoe American conservatives think is so dangerous

20171226_103436 — Before my polar bear plunge

Lund (If you have time, spend a day here) –

Lund is a college town that is quiet but can be a lot of fun. I spent New Years here and had a blast. There were fireworks everywhere, shot off by drunk people in their 20’s, and the vibe was similar to any college town I had been to in the states. I’d say the average age of the city seemed to be 25.