Viking cities
Visit Uppsala to see a medieval city transformed - a vibrant university city with a magnificent cathedral and historical centre with Viking roots. And to see where Viking culture all began, go to the nearby quaint and cobblestoned Sigtuna, Sweden's first Viking town steeped in runic stones, skeletons and swords.
Baltic bound? Get a true flavour of the seafaring Viking folk and check out the well-preserved Visby, the walled capital of the Baltic island of Gotland.
Opera quarry in Dalhalla
A giant opera theatre in a quarry? The stage behind a moat? Dalhalla amphitheatre is carved into a former limestone quarry and famed for its natural acoustics in the oddest of settings. Catch a concert and experience super natural surround sound in one of Europe’s best outdoor amphitheatres.
Handicrafts in Dalarna
The Dalarcarlian horse is Sweden’s signature handicraft and most popular souvenir - a little wooden model carved horse with hand painted, brightly coloured patterns. Nusnäs and Mora in Dalarna is where you can visit a traditional Dala Horse workshop to model and hand-paint your own souvenir Dalecarlian horse.
The Falun copper mines
Always wanted to get the feel of the cold, damp working conditions of a 17th century Swedish copper miner? Then Falun’s copper mine in Great Copper Mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the pit stop for you. Iconic Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus called it ‘The great jaws of hell’. But otherwise, it is affectionately known as ‘The Great Pit’. It did, after all, singlehandedly fuel the Swedish economy through the 17th century and provided 70% of the world’s copper needs.
Here, you can visit the mining museum, take a lift down 55 metres into the pit, and even enter a 208 metre deep pit shaft on a guided tour. And for the full Falun experience, grab Falun’s famous sausage or ‘falukorv’ hotdog before you leave town.