Gotland
The island of Gotland occupies a special place in the hearts of many Swedes (and its location, in the middle of the Baltic Sea, means that both Nato and Russia consider it “strategically important”, too).
Not that you can tell; stepping off the ferry in the medieval port town of Visby, it feels like everyone’s in holiday mode. Sun-kissed Swedes shop and sightsee along narrow streets, stopping for champagne and seafood in the shade of neatly tended church ruins.
Out of townpebble beaches, pristine swimming spots and organic farm-to-table restaurants like Lilla Bjers, as well as rambling loppisar (flea markets). At the northern end of the island, STF Bunge/Fårösund (doubles from £55)has bright, modern rooms in a former barracks.
Stockholm archipelago
While Stockholm operates at a snail’s pace for weeks on end during summer, producing little more than a string of out-of-office emails, the vast archipelago to the east buzzes with activity.
Many Stockholmers have second homes out here but it’s still easy for tourists to find their own smultronställe (treasured place). As a general rule, the further you get from the city the quieter and more beautiful it gets. Try the forested island of Finnhamn, where a beautiful 100-year-old house doubles as a simple hostel with a coastal sauna nearby (room with two bunks from £71). Facilities are limited, so bring your own food.
Österlen
Pancake-flat and home to some of the country’s best beaches, Österlen is an easy drive east of Malmö, but feels a world away.
With dozens of farm shops, antiques outlets and picturesque fishing villages to stop at, this is the perfect place for a lazy summer road trip. Overnight at cosy B&Bs like Sjöbacka Gård in Skillinge (doubles from £77), which offers free bike hire, or take a tent – thanks to Sweden’s right to roam you can pitch up pretty much anywhere, as long as you follow certain rules.
Make time for a trip to Kivik Art Centre, a forested sculpture park with epic sea views, and a quick swim at Stenshuvuds national park. When the weather’s right, it feels more like St Barts than Sweden.
Bohuskusten
For many Swedes, nowhere says summer more than Bohuskusten, the granite-strewn coastline that stretches north from Gothenburg towards the Norwegian border.
Holidays here revolve around sailing, swimming and seafood, with waterfront inns offering mountainous prawn sandwiches and airy, elegant rooms. A cheaper option is to stay at one of the local campsites – First Camp Solvik Kungshamn is right on the shore, has a sauna and great swimming, plus the chance to join local seal safaris (pitches from £14 a night).
Abisko
Best known as a place for watching the northern lights, Abisko is also popular among outdoorsy Swedes looking for summer adventures. Way up at the very top of Sweden, it bundles bountiful nature with excellent walking (this is the start of the 400km-long Kungsleden trail) and the chance to admire the midnight sun.
Affordable accommodation can be hard to come by but STF Abisko Fjällstation, right in the middle of the national park, has reliable rooms and is the best place to find info on local activities (dorm beds from £35 a night, double rooms from £150).
Steve Vickers is co-founder of the Scandinavia travel guide Routes North
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