Camping in Scandinavia

The Swedish royal family, the Vikings, Henning Mankell and Astrid Lindgren are just some of the many cultural bestsellers that have brought the diversity of Sweden into living rooms around the world. From the wild solitude of Lapland to elegant Stockholm and the colourful south, the different regions reflect a wide variety of moods. Camping in Scandinavia offers the best conditions for outdoor holidaymakers of all ages.

Special features of camping in Scandinavia

Hundreds of campsites - thanks to Scandinavia's landscapes, mostly in extremely beautiful locations - invite you to stay up and down the country. Many are open all year round, so winter camping fans can park their mobile home in the snow under the Northern Lights.

Campsites with sea views and magnificent coastal landscapes can be found in several directions. In the west, the coast of Bohuslän beckons with around 8,000 archipelago islands and the fashionable city and shores of Gothenburg, which are ideal for paddling tours. Just as enticing is the Stockholm archipelago and the remaining 1,400 kilometres of Baltic coastline, from the southern sandy beaches to the large islands and the spectacular High Coast in the north-east.

Inland, you can stay in extensive forests, along wild rivers and glistening lakes that are perfect for hiking, boating and fishing.

Travelling to Sweden

The Swedish adventure undoubtedly begins with the journey there, because unless you are travelling through north-eastern Europe via Poland, the Baltic States and Finland, Sweden can only be reached by sea. This need not deter anyone who is not seaworthy: since 2000, Sweden has been connected to Denmark via the 8 km long Öresund Bridge. This means you can travel a total of 348 kilometres from Flensburg in Schleswig-Holstein to Malmö in south-eastern Sweden without a ferry. Sweden's third largest city is characterised by lively culture and, like the surrounding picture-book landscapes of the province of Skåne, is a great starting point for holidaymakers in Sweden.

Whether travelling to or from Sweden, a stop at the Danish end of the Öresund Bridge, in Copenhagen, is a must. On the onward journey to Germany, after a good 130 km - including an 18 km bridge over the Great Belt (vehicle licence required for motorhomes, both bridges are subject to tolls) - the holiday island of Funen is a tempting stopover. It is still around 150 km from here to Flensburg, where beautiful Baltic campsites invite onward travellers to take a final break by the sea.

A 45-minute ferry ride between Rödby (159 km from/to Copenhagen) and Puttgarden (Fehmarn) shortens the journey considerably. Direct connections from Rostock, Sassnitz, Kiel and Travemünde take you directly to Sweden without any travelling time.

Destinations in Scandinavia

The Malmö-Stockholm-Göteborg triangle is a particularly good place to discover Sweden's most beautiful sides. Destinations on tranquil Baltic Sea beaches, on the islands of the picturesque archipelago and by enchanting forest lakes, the traditional province of Dalarna, fertile Skåne, charming Småland and Sweden's largest cities make camping in Scandinavia a multifaceted experience.

Småland

The historic province of Småland offers a whole kaleidoscope of landscapes. Despite its small country name, Småland is one of Sweden's larger provinces. As the home of Astrid Lindgren, it really does offer everything that Sweden has promised since childhood. Småland is home to sandy beaches and skerries, idyllic lowlands dotted with red cottages, tall, extensive forests and around 5,000 lakes. A true outdoor paradise that offers family adventures on horseback, boat or bike as well as solitary hikes and quiet fishing days. Småland is also world-famous for its glass-blowing art; cheesecake and Isterband sausage are classics of the regional cuisine.

The western Swedish archipelago

Thousands of islands, from inhabited islets to small bare granite rocks, form the archipelagos of Gothenburg and Bohuslän on Sweden's west coast, which know how to enchant with their sheer unique beauty. The calm sea water glistens blue-green between the scattered, shimmering pink granite beaches, which can be explored by ferry, shuttle boat or kayak. The local oyster safaris are award-winning.

Activities and excursions

With around 62 per cent forested land and around 100,000 lakes, Sweden is a paradise for hiking, horse riding, fishing, canoeing, cycling and skiing, and has a rich cultural history with Viking tombs, castles and churches. In between, theme parks such as Astrid Lindgren's World beckon - the country's 3,200 kilometres of coastline offer even more highlights.

By boat through the archipelago

Whether off Bohuslän or Småland, off Stockholm or Gothenburg, in the Gulf of Bothnia or from the island campsite on south-eastern Öland: no one should miss out on an archipelago tour by kayak or canoe. The calm waters of the island worlds will welcome even the inexperienced. Rental boats are available on site; a picnic on a lonely islet makes the trip perfect!

Stockholm: experience and enjoy!

Life pulsates in Stockholm. Art and culture, modern architecture and historic buildings, traditional local produce and progressive haute cuisine, fashionable shopping streets, parks and sandy beaches create a cheerful harmony of contrasts in which everyone can find what they are looking for - and be inspired by the rest. As the cherry on the cake, Stockholm's coastline is scattered across an archipelago of around 24,000 large and small islands that can be explored from the capital.

Gastronomy

Scandinavia ranks first in Europe with an annual per capita ice cream consumption of over twelve litres - anyone who has ever tasted a Scandinavian soft ice cream knows why. Sweden has also long been praised by gourmets and foodies far beyond its creamy delicacies, and not just for its famous cinnamon buns, sweets and liquorice variations. Fish and crayfish are caught locally, berries and mushrooms are picked and lobsters and oysters are fished for both home cooking and restaurants.

Swedish classics such as raggmunk (potato pancakes, bacon and lingonberries) or wallenbergare (veal meatloaf, potatoes, peas and lingonberry jam) can be conjured up in the camping kitchen, while the country's Michelin restaurants will delight the palate. Wine is grown in the south; local oats provide a wide range of vegan products.

Weather

With a north-south extension of more than 1,500 kilometres, Sweden has several climate zones: a polar climate in the north, a continental climate in the east and a cool, temperate oceanic climate in the south. Winter travellers can expect snow - and open campsites - in almost all regions, although temperatures of -40 degrees Celsius can be expected in the dayless north.

Changeable summers are common in northern Sweden, while the rest of the country enjoys mild weather and savours the endless days of the midnight sun outdoors. The fact that the outdoor bathing season is nevertheless short, at least for children and other cold-sensitive people, is compensated for by Sweden's numerous indoor adventure pools. Travellers to Sweden can expect the highest temperatures with the least rainfall from May to July. Exceptionally severe weather conditions can cause the Öresund Bridge to be closed at short notice.