When to go
The best time to visit Sweden is
summer, from June to August.
June is the month with the longest days, with the midnight sun in the north and the white nights (i.e. midnight twilight) in the south, but July is the warmest month.
By mid-August, both the increase in rainfall and the decrease in temperature show how soon the summer tends to decline at these latitudes.
As mentioned, the
sea is a bit cold for swimming even in summer.
If you want to visit Sweden in its
winter appearance, remember that in February the days are longer than in December and January (when they are very short), while in March, not only the days are even longer but also the temperatures are less cold, although they are usually still below freezing, and therefore with snow on the ground, at least in the north-central part.
However, the more daring traveller may search precisely this kind of atmosphere, and maybe plan a Christmas trip to Lapland, with the omnipresent darkness, lightened at times by the aurora borealis.
For a
ski holiday too, March is preferable to the winter months. In June, in the northernmost mountain resorts, you can even ski with the midnight sun.
What to pack
In
winter: pack very warm clothes, especially for the interior and the north: a fleece, a down jacket, a hat, gloves, a scarf; for Stockholm and the south, you can add a raincoat or umbrella.
In
summer: pack spring/autumn clothes, being ready to add or remove the outer layer, T-shirts, but also long pants, a jacket, a sweatshirt or sweater; a raincoat or umbrella. Warmer clothes for the mountains.
Back to the climate of
Sweden