Europe is a paradise for travelers, and everyone who loves to travel dreams of traveling to Europe at least once in their lifetime. Language, tradition, and culture are different from one European country to another. From romantic places to adventure, Europe has it all. I have already visited Europe UK with my family. This time my goal was to travel to Sweden. Sweden is an attractive country for travelers located in the north of Europe. This country is known for its beauty, history, and good quality of life, the European continent’s most decorated and natural beauty. This country has recently emerged as a significant European attraction for nature lovers or tourists interested in Scandinavian history. Sweden has many important historical structures and buildings built in aesthetic architecture, a land of natural beauty with meadows and hills, untouched nature-dominated forests, and lakes. Weather-wise, Sweden is a perma-cold country with temperatures ranging from -20 to -2 in winter and only up to 13 or 15 degrees in summer. The sun is like a flashlight in this country – only light, not heat! So, after visiting Sweden, please only leave the hotel in warm clothes by being happy to see the sun. In this article, I will present the details of my trip to Sweden.
Preparation:
After making mental preparations to visit Sweden, the first thing to do is to apply for a visa. Since Sweden is a Schengen country, in this case, you must apply for a Schengen visa at the Swedish Embassy in Dhaka, and you can travel to all 27 Schengen countries with this one visa. For Bangladeshis, one thing must be kept in mind no matter what reason we give for traveling to Europe in the interview at the embassy; we have to ensure the ambassador that we will come back to the country because they know that there is a tendency among most Bangladeshis to stay in Europe after visiting and the chances of freshers getting a visa is very low. However, having a valid visa from a first-world country increases the chances of getting a Schengen visa. I have already visited the UK with my family and have a valid UK visa. I could easily convince the ambassador that I would travel to Europe and will definitely return home after the trip. Finally, I got the visa and started the final preparations for the journey. First, I bought an Emirates company flight ticket from Dhaka to Arlanda Airport, targeting Stockholm. On the way, I had a transit of 19 hours in Dubai, so I applied for a transit visa to Dubai and got that too. Moreover, I planned where and when to travel and booked the hotel accordingly. As hotel rents are very high in Europe, I prefer hotel dorm rooms as they significantly reduce costs. Finally, being aware of other necessary things, including winter preparations, I completed the final preparations.
Sightseeing:
Finally, I arrived at Stockholm Arlanda Airport via Dubai from Dhaka Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on an Emirates Airlines flight. After completing the formalities at the airport and heading out, I bought a return ticket to Stockholm city from a FlixBus booth, which was relatively budget friendly for me. I was so excited that I ignored the bus schedule while buying the ticket. As a result, I waited for an hour and still did not get the bus; when I checked the schedule, I discovered I would have to wait for more than 2 hours for this bus. Later, I bought another ticket from another bus booth and reached my pre-booked hotel room in Stockholm city in less than an hour. After getting fresh and resting, I started exploring Sweden from Stockholm.
Stockholm: Consisting of fourteen small and large islands, Stockholm is known as the island city, Sweden’s capital. It is also known as the “Venice of the North” and is one of the world’s most welcoming and inclusive cities. Many canals and lakes flow through the city, which connects to the Baltic Sea. Many bridges connect the islands, and by walking across these bridges, one can freely travel to any island. The Swedes guarded every canal, lake, and stream with great mercy and adopted them as their relatives. As a result, they have enhanced the beauty of the city. One of the main attractions here is Stockholm’s “Old Town,” Gamla Stan, where all tourists must have a day. Next to the old city is the modern new city with the Royal Palace, Vasa Museum, Södermalm and Östermalm, Skansen Open Air Museum, Boat Route, Stockholm Cathedral, Royal Opera House, Stockholm City Hall, Nobel Museum, Djurgarden Island, etc. Stockholm is undoubtedly the most charming place among the Scandinavian countries.
Gamla Stan: Stockholm’s ‘Gamla Stan,’ or the old town, is a must-see for tourists and sightseers. Tourists flock to the old town as soon as they arrive in Stockholm. It is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe, with a colorful historical part with cobbled spiral streets, typical colorful buildings, and stunning architecture. One can explore this tranquil area on foot or by bicycle for a different feel because no motorized vehicles except bikes are allowed here. All these together give the city a unique aspect. It is enough to walk along its ancient cobblestone streets admiring medieval buildings to love this magnificent city of Gamla Stan forever.
Royal Palace: The Royal Palace is a sizeable thirteenth-century palace with over six hundred rooms in the old Gamla Stan neighborhood. It can be discovered at the end of the walkway through Parliament House. Passing through the entrance, you will see the armory or treasure room. Even if there are guards, they do not obstruct but help by giving directions. The palace is situated by the sea, and the environment is enjoyable.
Djurgarden Island: A green, peaceful, fairytale-like yellow-green island in the heart of modern bustling Stockholm can be seen as soon as you enter Djurgarden Island in Stockholm. The unique attractions of this island are museums, historical architecture, monuments, galleries, abundant open green spaces, and golden yellow forests. Therefore, everyone from locals to tourists is forced to come and be impressed at this island park almost all year round.
Stockholm City Hall & Nobel Prize Museum: We all know that there is no substitute for the prestigious Nobel Prize in the world. The Nobel Prize was given by the famous Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel who bequeathed his vast property. The Nobel Museum is located in Stockholm’s Old Town, dedicated to preserving all the rare artifacts of the Nobel laureates. After giving the Nobel prize to the Nobel laureates, the dinner is organized at Stockholm City Hall.
There are also many other places to visit in different cities in Sweden outside of Stockholm. Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest city and Scandinavia’s largest port city, has numerous parks. Uppsala University, the oldest university in Scandinavia, is located in Uppsala, the religious center of Sweden. Regarding beaches, Kosterhavet National Park and the shores of Gotland must be mentioned. Kosterhavet National Park, located on the Norwegian border, is Sweden’s first marine national park. The Ice Hotel in Kiruna, the aurora dance in the North Pole sky, and the summer midnight sun are some tourist attractions in northern Sweden. Half of your life will be incomplete if you don’t experience the Aurora in the North Pole sky after visiting Sweden. Constructed with ice bricks made from giant ice cubes from the Thorn River, the exquisite artwork inside the Ice Hotel will blow your mind.
Sweden has plenty of attractions for you to discover. From the historic centers of Swedish cities, the regions have interests appealing to lovers of adventure and natural beauty. So, travel to Sweden and discover numerous attractions now!
Cost:
My flight ticket to reach Stockholm Arlanda Airport from Dhaka Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport was Tk 97,000, which I got at a slightly lower price. To go from Stockholm Arlanda Airport to Stockholm city, I first bought a return ticket on FlixBus for 110 Swedish Krona and then had to buy a one-way ticket on another bus for 90 Swedish Krona. It takes approximately 300 to 400 Swedish Krona to rent a seat in the dorm rooms of various hotels in Sweden. However, seats must be booked in advance as most of the time would be unavailable.
Some Essential Tips for Sweden Tour:
- Sweden is a cold country where the maximum temperature is 13 to 15 degrees Celsius in summer and minus temperature most of the time in winter. It is challenging for Bangladeshis to bear it, so warm clothes must be kept according to the season and temperature.
- A credit card must be carried for payment in various cases, as getting Swedish Krona through cash exchange is rare. Also, there are very few cash transactions here, and if someone pays in Euros, it will definitely be a loss based on the exchange rate.
- People with cold-related problems should be cautious and carry the necessary medicines.
- Food in Sweden is costly, and Bengali food such as rice and curry should be avoided if found there as most of us can’t eat them.