Sweden

Understand

The "Nordic model" of economics and social policy was largely developed by Swedish social democrats and liberals during the early 20th century. The foundation is a strong welfare state, combined with market economics. Swedish society, as it has become through this policy, is often described as "folkhemmet", comparing solidarity in the society with that in a family:

History In ancient times, Sweden was inhabited by the Suiones (svear) in Svealand and the Geats (götar) in Götaland. Some of these participated in Viking expeditions (see Vikings and the Old Norse), and are said to have founded the first kingdoms in Russia. Written sources from the Viking Age are few and short. Around AD 1000, Christianity replaced Norse paganism, Suiones and Geats united under one king (probably Olof Skötkonung), and the first cities were founded; among them Sigtuna, Uppsala and Skara. With Christianity came written chronicles and stone architecture, which have provided the afterworld with better historical detail than earlier remnants. Swedish kings Christianized and annexed Finland. During the 14th and 15th century, Sweden was a subject of the Kalmar Union with Norway and Denmark. Gustav Vasa liberated Sweden from Danish rule, was elected king in 1523, and is regarded the founder of modern Sweden. He also reformed the church to Lutheran-Protestant. Today, the monarch is still constitutionally required to be a Lutheran, though contemporary Swedish society is largely secular, with only a minority of Swedes going to church regularly. During the 17th century Sweden rose as a Great Power, through several successful wars (such as the Thirty Years' War), where kings such as Gustavus Adolphus and Charles X annexed Scania, Halland and Bohuslän from Denmark, as well as temporary possessions in th

See

As modern as its society is, Sweden is a country full of seemingly untouched nature a

Getting there

Entry requirements Sweden is a member of the Schengen Agreement. See Travelling around the Schengen Area for more information on how the scheme works, what countries are members and what the requirements are for your nationality. In summary:

There are normally no immigration controls between countries that have signed and implemented the treaty; there may be such controls temporarily, such as in connection with important events and various crises. The operators may carry out identity checks before passengers board international flights, ferries or trains, even between Schengen countries. Citizens of the EEA countries and Switzerland do not need visas to travel in the Schengen area, and may stay up to 90 days with no requirements other than having a valid ID card or passport. See European Union#EEA citizens. Normal visas granted by any Schengen member are valid in all countries that have signed and implemented the treaty (with exceptions for some overseas territories). The granting country may offer additional rights (such as longer stays or right to work) that apply only locally. Nordic citizens can stay indefinitely regardless of the purpose of their stay. Visitors coming in from other Schengen countries (such as Norway and Finland) can usually enter Sweden without any inspections, in a land vehicle, on foot, or by boat, as long as they do not carry goods to declare. The ferries from Finland may however want to check your ID (which should state your nationality) – and there are usually "temporary" border controls when coming from Denmark. Restricted goods include but are not limited to cash in the equivalence of €10,000 and more, pets, firearms, as well as wholesale commodities. These must be declared at a toll station. The Swedish Customs (Tull) is a law enforcemen

Getting around

The ancient right to access (allemansrätten) grants everybody a right to move freely on most land on foot, swimming, by horse, by ski, by bicycle or by boat, even on privately owned property – but not through private yards. With the right comes an obligation to respect the privacy of people and the integrity of nature. It is important to understand the limitations.

By plane Domestic flights are mainly for travellers with more money than time, and for the vast distances of Norrland. There are low-price tickets, but they must be bought well in advance. The most important domestic airlines:

SAS — the international airline, and flag carrier, has many domestic routes as well. Norwegian — several domestic and international destinations. BRA — several regional flights to most domestic airports. Amapola — several domestic routes and also flights to Norway.

By train

Sweden has an extensive railway network. Most long-range lines are operated by the government-owned company SJ. To buy a railway ticket, or to obtain information, call +46 771 75 75 75, check their website, or download their mobile app. VR also operates several trains between Gothenburg and Stockholm. Because point-to-point tickets are quite expensive, for more train journeys, a (single-country) Interrail/Eurail pass may be cheaper. Tickets bought online in advance are usually cheaper, at the expense of flexibility. Students (ISIC Card required) or travellers under 25 benefit from reduced prices and special last-minute tickets (ca 20% reduction) that go live 24 hours before the trip. The national public transport carriers operate an alliance service called Resplus for multiple-leg travel. See Resrobot for an interactive journey planner. Regional public transport typically has a carrier per county. For insta