Everything you didn't know about the sights of Sweden

When talking about vacation, everyone immediately imagines a sandy beach, warm sea, gentle sun and hypnotizing sound of the surf. And now imagine a country where everything is imbued with fairy tale… Have you imagined Sweden? You are absolutely right!

Swedes guard their cultural heritage and traditions like a shrine. Bright, like doll houses on narrow streets and the most beautiful cultural sights of Sweden create an atmosphere of joy and eternal holiday inexpressible in words. Here, unlike sea resorts, not only the tired body rests, but also the soul that has missed fairy tales.

Let’s start with the bad news: tourists are cheated here. Yes, yes, you are not mistaken, they are deceived. It is no secret that Sweden is one of the safest countries in the criminal sense, but even here clever tricksters are not averse to «lighten» the purse of a stranded tourist for a tidy sum. On the central streets of Stockholm (most often scammers were noticed on Gamla Stan and Drottningatan streets). What is the essence of deception? It is as simple as a door.

Men or women in «costumes» of ghosts, with faces painted with dead-white paint, offer you, for a modest fee, a whole photo shoot in the center of the Swedish capital. Meanwhile, while you are unknowingly being photographed with «guests from the otherworld», a clever «ghost» tricks you out of your money, leaving your pockets empty. But that’s the end of the bad news for tourists.

Sweden is a wonderful country for vacation, people here are quite reserved and modest, but at the same time hospitable and always welcome guests well. Hunger, as they say, and not an uncle, and not aunt, so every tourist will be interested in what the cuisine here. There is a strong influence of Scandinavia, often use products that can be stored for a long period of time, so a variety of smoked meats, pickles and marinades are common.

The basis of almost all dishes is fish, Swedish feasts, as a rule, begin with an obligatory appetizer — herring in mustard in wine, with onions, or, at the worst, a sandwich with herring. Here you will also be offered lutsfik — boiled sea pike. Swedes have invented many soups, and each of them is delicious in its own way, for example, beer elebrad, nasselsuppa-med-egg with oysters… From meat dishes here you will be surprised by minced venison, roasted elk meat and spicy pork sausages.

Local berry and herbal infusions, beer, grog and various punches are very popular. Well, we have talked about the «bread», let’s get down to the spectacles. Be sure to visit the town of Birka — the first founded in these lands, here the land still remembers the heavy footsteps of the Vikings and their brave battle cries. And in the open-air museum Skansen in Stockholm you can look at «Old Sweden in miniature», because it is a 30-hectare area, on which there are more than 150 old houses and buildings, collected from all over the country.

In short, if you are bored with the gray everyday life of the stone jungle, quickly grab your passport and go to Sweden — a fabulous country with a very serious character.