Skåneleden is a 1000+ km hiking trail through the Swedish region Scania, which also includes a 12 km…
Times visited: 8
Cities visited: Stockholm, Malmö, Lund, Helsingborg, Kalmar, Gothenburg and Borlänge
Towns and villages visited: Gällivare, Slagnäs, Visby, Färjestaden, Borgholm, Byxelkrok, Sandvik, Mörbylånga, Grönhögen, Ottenby, Gettlinge, Hulterstad, Bäckviken, Tuna by, Norreborg, Kyrkbacken, Vrångö village, Gräv, Nedre Tjärna, Gagnef, Gangsgrådan, Ål-Kilen, Övre Österfors, Nedre Österfors, Gärde, Insjön, Leksands-Gråda, Övre Tjärna, Leksand, Moje and Djurås
Islands visited: Gotland, Öland, Ven and Vrångö
UNESCO sites visited: 2/15
Sweden is a country I truly love and often find myself returning to. My first visit was back in 2006 on a family day trip to Helsingborg. Many years passed before I returned, but in 2015, I finally made it back for six days during a two-month spring journey through northern Europe. I travelled from the stunning Lofoten Islands in Norway to Båtsuoj Samecenter, hidden deep in the wilderness of Norrbotten County in northern Sweden. The journey took two days, with stopovers in Narvik and Gällivare. At Båtsuoj, I got a fascinating introduction to the Sami way of life. I went ice fishing (unsuccessfully!), snowmobiled to the top of two mountains, fed some friendly reindeer, and spent the night in a traditional Sami hut. Afterwards, I made my way south to Stockholm, where I spent a rainy day sightseeing before catching a ferry to the island of Gotland. That’s where I discovered one of my favourite towns on Earth: the beautifully preserved medieval town of Visby!
In 2016, I moved to Copenhagen for two years, which brought me much closer to my Swedish neighbours. With Sweden just across the Øresund Bridge, I took full advantage of the proximity. I went on day trips to Malmö and Lund, and roadtripped around the diverse and picturesque island of Öland for four days. In the spring of 2019, I returned once more to explore the tiny island of Ven, perfectly positioned between Denmark and mainland Sweden – and, fittingly, a charming blend of both cultures.
In late June 2024, I made yet another return, this time by ferry from Frederikshavn in Denmark to Gothenburg. I spent a lovely long weekend wandering the city and hiking on the car-free island of Vrångö with my little dog by my side. And now, as of May 2025, I’m hanging out in a small village in Dalarna – and I’m loving every second of it!