Whether you are longing for beautiful nature or a cultural weekend in the big city, there are many budget-friendly options to choose from and which will not make a hole in your walet. Discover both the West Coast and the Baltic Sea. Hike in the beautiful Swedish nature. Discover affordable or free exhibitions of both art and culture in the cities. Make excursions to beautiful castles and picturesque villages. See how local specialties are prepared and discover the environments where Swedish cultural personalities, such as John Bauer and Astrid Lindgren, found their inspiration. Pack a picnic and save some extra money by skipping the restaurant visit.
1.Gotland
Enjoy swimming, beautiful nature and historical environments on Gotland.
Summer and Gotland go hand in hand, and the island’s magnificent nature and large range of bathing spots make it an excellent budget-friendly holiday option. Take the car on the ferry from Nynäshamn or Oskarshamn to easily get around among the excursion destinations. Gather hours of sunshine on the fine-grained and shallow sandy beach Sandviken, or take the toll-free ferry over to Fårö and discover the infinitely popular and well-equipped beach Sudersand. Pack a small picnic to save money and take a beachside coffee or lunch. Discover Gotland’s rauks and beautiful coastal landscapes from the bicycle saddle or stop in Visby’s historic city center for a short walk in the alleys, among the church ruins and along the medieval city wall.
2. Umeå
Explore both culture and nature in Umeå.
Umeå is a lively cultural city surrounded by wonderful Västerbotten nature, with many opportunities for cheap activities. Take the car, train or plane to this cozy town in the Gulf of Bothnia. Explore the large and wallet-friendly cultural offer. Stay in the city and take advantage of the free tours at the Women’s History Museum, to learn more about voting rights and equality, or take the car to a 350 km long art exhibition along the Sju Älvar art route. Take a short, but intense walk with the whole family on Äventyrsstig Nydala or explore the wonderful nature reserves in the area. Watch the mists dance on Torsmyran early in the morning or pack a picnic and use the barbecue area by Grössjön, after a walk along the marked paths.
3. Helsingborg
Make cultural and family-friendly excursions in northwestern Skåne.
The cozy small town of Helsingborg offers both cultural and family-friendly excursions for cheap money. Helsingborg’s pleasant location on the west coast of Skåne is also perfect for both excursions in Skåne and to Denmark, by ferry. Visit the old Danish castle tower Kärnan, an important symbol of Sweden’s conquest of Scania. Take a drop at one of the ancient cold bath houses. Cycle along the coast. Do you want to pack as many excursions as possible during the holidays? Then you can buy the Culture Card, which gives you entry to the beautiful Sofiero Castle and its flourishing park, Dunkers Culture House and much more.
4. Blekinge
Discover a world heritage site, interesting environments and southern Swedish archipelago life.
Blekinge offers both archipelago life and cozy environments as well as an exciting cultural heritage – plenty of excursion destinations that do not cost the shirt. Blekinge’s glorious location on southeastern Sweden’s Baltic coast makes the landscape a perfect destination for swimming and archipelago life. Visit the picturesque pearl Tjärö and swim on the sun-shining cliffs. Have coffee on the beautiful Stortorget in Karlskrona or make an excursion and explore other exciting buildings, such as Drottningskärs Kastell. Stop at Blekinge Museum, and learn more about Blekinge’s history for free. If the weather allows, do not miss a romantic walk through the Baroque Garden at Grevagården, as the Wachtmeister Palace is called locally.
5. Malmö
Live big city life on a small budget in western Skåne.
The city of Malmö in south-western Skåne has a lot to offer, regardless of budget. Take a selfie in front of the architectural masterpiece Turning Torso, and then take a dip in the Western Harbor which is right next door. For a more shallow beach experience, however, take the city bus to Malmö’s favorite beach, Ribersborgsstranden. Bring the children and meet the animals at Folkets park. If you feel cultural, you can pay a free visit to the Moderna Museet, and Malmö Art Gallery, which also has free exhibitions. If you can’t afford to spend too much money in the store, you can even visit The Chocolate Museum. If you long for life and music, plan your visit during the Malmö Festival, and enjoy several days of free concerts and events.
6. Linköping
Stroll in Old Linköping and discover historical sights.
The cozy and lively city of Linköping, in the middle of Östergötland, offers a wonderful historic center and family-friendly excursion destinations. Stroll in Linköping’s romantic old town and take the opportunity to visit the fine cathedral. Stop by the tourist office and ask for a map of the city’s public art and do a small private art tour in the sunshine. If you are traveling with children, you may prefer to walk to Valla, where there is both a playground and a small zoo. Later, at the Air Force Museum, you can take a closer look at a JAS 39 Gripen, and the kids enter for free.
7. Borås
Visit museums and farms in beautiful Borås.
Borås is known for art and textiles and can offer both and for cheap money, as well as family fun and beautiful nature. Borås’ central location in Västergötland makes it easy to get here by both car and public transport from Gothenburg and Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport. Are you traveling with children? In such a case, you may want to visit Odenslund’s 4H farm and visit ponies, goats, rabbits and many other animals. For a more cultural excursion, visit Borås Museum, which has free admission, and learn more about the local cultural history.
8. Uppsala
Stroll among exciting architecture and museums.
A weekend in the big city can quickly become expensive, but the handsome cultural city of Uppsala has a lot to offer even for a little money. Uppsala’s central location, near Stockholm, next to road E4 and with very good connections, gives you many travel options in different price ranges. Take a tour of the Uppsala Art Museum, completely free, and at the same time take the opportunity to take a photo of the majestic Uppsala Castle. If you appreciate magnificent architecture, you must not miss Uppsala Cathedral, which also offers free concerts every Saturday. The children usually appreciate the exciting and educational museum Biotopia, which also has free admission.
9. Småland
Go on family-friendly excursions in the Småland fairytale forests.
Småland is known for a lot, from glassworks and sewing machines to polka dots and Astrid Lindgren, but in the forests of Småland you will also find many budget-friendly excursion options. Go out into nature and enjoy the magical environment along, for example, John Bauerleden, named after the famous artist who painted fairy tales. Explore the picturesque villages from Astrid Lindgren’s books. Visit, for example, the real Bullerbyn and Gibberyd, where Emil in Lönneberga was recorded. Also go to Gränna and see how polar sweets are made. If you are in Småland during the summer, it pays to pack your swimwear, because here there are both sandy beaches along the Baltic coast and lovely inland lakes.
10. West coast or Västkusten
Swim and explore Swedish history on the West Coast.
What does beach and sea life say more than a holiday on the Swedish West Coast? Sailboats, sunny holiday islands and renowned harbor taverns give an impression of luxury, but there are plenty of opportunities to save money on the West Coast. Swimming is usually free, and if you pack a wonderful picnic, it will be cheap all day. Discover famous beaches, such as Haverdalsstranden and the shallow child-friendly Ugglarps beach. See the castles and fortresses that once protected the coast – although most take entry, it rarely costs anything to explore the surrounding environments and take a picture of the outside.
If you’re from Sweden or have traveled around, and have some more tips on things to do in Sweden during summer, please share your tips in the comment section! 🙂
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