| Sweden (Sverige(sv)) | |
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| Flag | |
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| Information | |
| Capital city | Stockholm |
|---|---|
| Area | 450 000 km² |
| Population | 9 400 000 hab. (2010) |
| Density | 20,89 inhab./km² |
| Form of State | constitutional monarchy, representative democracy |
| Cash | Swedish krona (SEK) |
| Electricity | 230 V/50 Hz, European plug |
| Telephone prefix | 46 |
| Internet suffix | .se |
| Flow direction | Right-hand drive |
| Spindle | UTC 1 |
| Location | |
 61 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ N 15 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ E | |
| Official site | |
| Touristic site | |
The Sweden is the largest country ofNorth Europe with a population of 10,400,000 inhabitants.
Understand
Celebrations and tradition
St. LUCIA
Swedish Lucia has only very distant relations with Lucia of Syracuse. An old medieval tradition has it that Saint Lucia, which is celebrated on December 13, marks the longest night of the year.
Most of the time, young people party on the evening of the 12th, which lasts until the early hours of the morning.
Saint Lucia is celebrated in the morning in all Swedish families, and each company, school or city chooses its own Lucia, who dressed in a long white dress and topped with a crown garnished with candles, brings on a tray, the coffee and the saffron brioches. She also sometimes serves a hot drink, a spicy wine called Glögg.
Saint Lucia is often accompanied by her bridesmaids and groomsmen, also dressed in white and singing traditional songs.
Midsummer Festival (Midsommarfest)
Sweden being particularly in the North, the changes of light and climates are radically different from one season to another, the day not setting at all on 24 h at the northern end of the country during the summer. The Swedes are therefore particularly sensitive to these changes and the longest day of the year is the traditional mid-summer festival, it is a national holiday, and the Swedes often go to their country residences to celebrate. that with their family or friends. There are also public ceremonies with songs, dances in some places like the park in Skansen in Stockholm. Like most parties in Sweden, it is a good occasion to drink ... a lot. Usually, midsommarfest is heavy drinking.
Northern Lights
Sweden is a good country to admire the Northern Lights. One of the sites often cited to observe them is at Abisko National Park because it is one of the most northerly sites in Sweden, there is very little light pollution and the sky is often clear. It is possible to have a glimpse of the aurora via the webcams of STF Abisko Mountain Station. Via Goephysical Institute, it is possible to access the Aurora forecast. Finally, there is in Abisko, a station Aurora Sky Station offering activities around the aurora, but the aurora is also visible without going to this station.
Regions
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Cities
- 1 Eskiltuna
- 2 Gothenburg
- Helsingborg
- Öland island
- Jokkmokk
- Jonkoping
- Kalmar
- Karlskrona
- 3 Kiruna
- Kivik
- Kåseberga
- 4 Linköping
- Luleå
- 5 Malmö
- Mora
- Östersund
- Norrkoping
- 6 Stockholm – the capital
- Söderköping
- Sundsvall
- 7 Trelleborg
- Umeå
- 8 Uppsala
- Vadstenas
- Vaxjo
- Ystad
To go
Formalities
- See as well: Traveling in the Schengen area
Sweden is part of theSchengen area. The citizens of the Swiss and the European Economic Area which includes theEuropean Union, the'Iceland, the Norway and the Liechtenstein only need a national identity card or a passport valid. They don't need any Visa to enter or circulate in the Schengen area and are generally allowed to stay as long as they wish.
Remarks (1) Nationals of these countries need a biometric passport to enjoy visa-free travel. (2) Serbian nationals with passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (residents of Kosovo with Serbian passport) need a visa. (3) Taiwanese nationals need their ID card number (a letter followed by nine digits) written in their passport to enjoy visa-free travel. |
Nationals of the following countries do not need a visa to enter the Schengen area: Albania(1), Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and herzegovina(1), Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, United Arab Emirates, United States, Grenade, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, North Macedonia(1), Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova(1), Monaco, Montenegro(1), New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St. LUCIA, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia(1,2), Seychelles, Singapore, Taiwan(3) (Republic of China), East Timor, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela as well as holders of a passport of Hong Kong SAR, of Macau SAR and all nationals British (including those who are not citizens of the European Union).
- The visa-free travelers mentioned above and not members of theEEE or from Swiss cannot stay more than 90 days out of a 180-day period in the Schengen area in its entirety and, in general, cannot work during their stay (although some countries in the Schengen area allow certain nationalities to work). The counting of days begins once you enter one of the Schengen countries and does not return to zero when you leave one Schengen country for another.
- New Zealand citizens can stay longer than 90 days, but without working if they do not have a work permit, in some countries of the Schengen area, namely Germany, Austria, the Benelux, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland
If you are not a national ofEEE or from Swiss, even if you are exempt from a visa, unless you are Andorran, Monegasque, San Marino or Vatican, make sure your passport is stamped both when entering and leaving the Schengen area. Without an entry stamp, you may be treated as having exceeded your stay when trying to leave the Schengen area. Without an exit stamp, you may be refused entry the next time you seek to enter the Schengen area as you may be assumed to have exceeded the time allowed on your previous visit. If you cannot get a stamp in the passport, keep documents like boarding passes, transportation tickets, etc. which can help convince border control personnel that you have stayed in the Schengen area legally.
By plane
The international airports are:
- Stockholm Arlanda (IATA : RNA) – There are the big companies (AirFrance, SAS, Lufthansa ...), but also a recent company which offers very interesting prices: Norwegian.
This airport is served by most regular airlines. A train (Arlanda Express) connects the airport to the center of the capital in about twenty minutes (count 190SEK one way) and a special bus (Flybussarna) in 40 min (95SEK one way, reduced price for students and others). However, for those who want or have a public transport subscription in Stockholm (SL), there is a way to get to Arlanda by regular public transport (not indicated on the site SL). You have to go first to "Märsta" by suburban train (Pendeltåg), and change there to take one of the buses that goes to Arlanda. This solution is cheaper even if you don't have a subscription SL, but it takes about 1 h travel time in total.- Stockholm Bromma (BMA).
- Gothenburg Landvetter (GOT), located at 25 km east of town.
- Malmö Sturup (MMX).
- Sweden is served by low cost companies Ryanair and Wizz Air via the airport Stockholm Skavsta(NYO).
- Of Paris (France), you can board at the airport of Beauvais (80 km north of the city) to reach Skavsta (100 km of Stockholm). There are Paris-Beauvais and Skavsta-Stockholm shuttles by bus (130 SEK one way, 200 SEK round trip, bus 3 h before the planes leave).
- Of Marseilles there are also flights arriving at Skavsta.
On a boat
Sweden is directly connected to theGermany and at Denmark departing from southern cities. Stockholm is also related to Helsinki (Finland), Riga (Latvia)and Tallinn (Estonia)
For connections with
- the Finland: (Helsinki, Turku (Åbo)) - Stockholm: Silja Line
- the Finland: (Helsinki, Turku (Åbo)) - Stockholm: Viking Line
- the Latvia (Riga), the'Estonia (Tallinn) - Stockholm: Tallink
By train
Rail connections from Stockholm for Copenhagen (Denmark), Oslo and Narvik(Norway).
By car / motorbike
Sweden can be reached by a bridge and a tunnel that connects Copenhagen (Denmark) To Malmö. The passage costs from 30 to 40 € about for a passenger car, about half for a motorcycle. It is better to pay in Danish or Swedish currency if you can, the price in euros being slightly overvalued (in 2005).
Circulate
By plane
- The company SAS offers flights to all major cities in Sweden. The hub is in Stockholm-Arlanda. It is the fastest mode of transport, especially if you have to cross Sweden from north to south (approx. 1 900 km). Note stand-by tickets reserved for under 26 years old, costing 400 SEK for a flight regardless of the destination. Possibility to book them 48 h in advance if you don't want to spend your day at the airport.
- The company FlyNordic is much less developed, but offers destinations other than Stockholm-other cities. Stand-by tickets also reserved for under 26s.
- Note also the company Malmö Aviation which offers interesting alternatives.
On a boat
By train
The train network [1] is especially developed in the south of the country, where there are high-speed trains (the X-2000, running at about 200 km / h), linking Stockholm, Malmö and Gothenburg. North of Ostersound, there is only one line with a few branches: Stockholm-Luleå-Narvik (Norway). The prices are not necessarily more advantageous than the plane, and the journey time can be very long (15 h for Stockholm-Luleå).
The comfort of trains in Sweden is excellent. Intercity cars have very appreciable fittings and coatings.
You can travel in Sweden with the Inter rail pass but the majority of long journeys are provided by X-2000 trains. Access to the X-2000 with Inter rail requires the payment of a supplement of 7 € per trip. If you want to avoid the supplements, you will have to stick to regional trains, which considerably lengthens the journey times. A few Intercity (more or less two per day) provide service on the same lines as the X-2000s, but you have to organize yourself to catch them.
Please note: when making reservations through the Swedish Railways website, not all credit cards are accepted. A message informs you that you must go through a representative or one of their counters.
By bus
Swedish roads are lightly congested and you can connect many cities by bus. The prices are quite advantageous, generally half the price of the train.
Within cities, the bus networks are extremely developed and allow you to go anywhere.
Note that Swedish buses are always on time.
By car
The Swedish road network is excellent in terms of population density. Free highways connect Stockholm, Malmö and Gothenburg, as well as' Uppsala.
Note that it is mandatory to have your dipped beam headlights on, whatever the time of day or night (which can be very long ...). Winter equipment can be essential in the event of snowfall, animals can cross the road at any time and cause serious damage to vehicles in the event of a collision.
Speed limits applied in Sweden:
- Highways: 110 km / h
- Routes: 70 km / h
- City : 50 km / h
Vehicles towing a trailer may have their speed limit reduced to 70 km / h outside built-up areas, regardless of the type of road used.
The tolerated blood alcohol level is 0.2 g/the.
Compliance with these rules is essential, so do not expect any indulgence from the police in the event of a violation found. The fines are very high and some slightly more serious offenses can lead to imprisonment. The Swedes themselves adhere to these prescriptions to the letter, which explains the low mortality rate on their road network.
In addition, the roads all have wide emergency stop strips and when you are overtaken you have to fall back on it in order to let the other car pass.
The fuel distribution is of the same level of quality, except for LPG, as the number of service stations offering it is extremely rare in Sweden. Most of the multi-national oil companies are of course established, as are some local brands.
Driving licenses from most third countries are recognized in Sweden as well as the green international insurance card.
To buy
The prices of electronics / computers are quite similar to those charged in France. No real bargains to be had ... Restaurants are expensive (between 250 and 300 crowns in Stockholm). It should be noted that the restaurants close early even in summer.
Alcohol
Sweden is unique in that it only sells alcohol in its state-owned stores, called Systembolaget. The prices are higher than in France (not far from double). In order to buy alcohol in these stores, you must be over 20 years old (ID cards are checked for anyone who appears to be under 26). For those under 20 and latecomers who have found the door closed at the Systembolaget, it is possible to buy alcoholic drinks in the supermarket ... but which will not make more than 3.5 degrees of alcohol!
Systembolaget are generally open from 10 h To 19 h from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays and on the eve of certain public holidays, shops close at 15 h which causes a certain frenzy and long queues at the checkout towards 14 h 30. The Systembolagets in smaller towns may have shorter hours.
You can consult the timetables on the official website of Systembolaget.
To speak
- People naturally speak Swedish but are also fluent in English. This habit of English (in particular) is explained by the fact that in Scandinavian countries, films (cinema or television) are broadcast in their original version with subtitles.
- On the other hand, Scandinavians (Swedish, Danish and Norwegian) are able to hold a conversation where everyone will speak in their own language.
- THE'German is also widely practiced in hotels and businesses in large cities.
Eat
Pisces
The most common dishes are: sugar-salted pickled herring, Jansson's temptation (anchovy potato gratin), sillsallad (mixture of pickled herring and beets), stekt strömming (pan-fried Baltic herring, called also "sotare"), böckling (hot smoked strömming), pike terrine, sillbullar (meatball mixed with herring), and many versions of strömming, salmon, pike, North Sea herring and others fish, and often each family has its own traditions = dishes.
A local curiosity is when the Swedes revel in late summer with fermented Baltic herring (surströmming) and southern eels.
Fermented Baltic herring is an ancient process of preserving fish. This is an ordinary Baltic herring, which is salted, then aged and packaged in cans. When opening the boxes, a very special smell emerges. For some, it is a real delight, for those with a delicate sense of smell, it can ... surprise.
Herring is eaten with almond-shaped potatoes from northern Sweden and washed down with beer or brandy. However, "real" fans claim that milk is the drink par excellence.
The southern eel is eaten in the most varied forms, smoked, grilled, stuffed, etc. If the fermented herring is enough to surprise the untrained nose, the eel, which is a very fatty fish, requires a very solid stomach. The brandy is therefore not superfluous to facilitate digestion.
Meats
If the Swedes are not big beef eaters, pork remains very present on the tables of our northern friends.
They will also be very proud to offer you "köttbullar", meatballs, a Swedish specialty. For them at least, the Turkish origin of this recipe is completely unknown.
The "rådjur" (the deer) is eaten in the north of the country
Vegetarian
Being vegetarian does not present any particular constraints in Sweden, as much in the capital Stockholm as in more remote regions such as Kiruna in Lapland. The choice is limited, but (at least) one option is usually present and diets without animal flesh are known to restaurants and Swedish society.vegetarian) is generally understood and accepted without problems.
In the big cities, entirely vegetarian or vegan restaurants also exist, there are more than ten of them in Stockholm for example. Being perhaps more confidential, these sometimes close (for example during the first week of the year) while other large brands are open. Calling to verify their opening is a good idea.
Supermarkets offer many vegetarian products and some large supermarkets (and specialty supermarkets) offer vegan deli meats.
Vegans (vegans) may find it more difficult, the offers clearly marked vegan being rarer; for example, however, soy milk is generally available in coffee shops, and the varm choklad is prepared with soy milk without batting an eyelid.
Note the significant presence of Thai restaurants makes it possible to find vegetarian or vegan dishes with relative ease.
Drinks
- Friends fond of alcoholic drinks, go your way unless you know how to count well: a beer at the counter in a bar is 50 cl and costs around 40 crowns = 4,5 €, therefore cheaper than a large beer in France, (contradicting one of the most common received ideas about this country) ... as we used to say at one time; or take out the wallet. Alcohol was very expensive at one time in Sweden and is still distributed by a state store on "Systembolaget". In the past, unless you were at the Finnish border, where a trip to our Suomi friends is saving money, you had to consider the water cure. Some French wines are even cheaper in Sweden than in Monoprix. in France, because the tax is calculated on the alcohol level, which makes very good wines accessible at a better price at Systembolaget. Nowadays, there are Danes who go to Sweden to buy alcohol! bottle of Champagne at nightclub will be cheaper than a bottle of strong alcohol.
- Tap water is excellent. There isn't even plain water for sale in the stores.
- The milk is not pasteurized like fresh milk in France (not UHT, products that disappeared from the Swedish market in the 70's), as a result you will not be able to keep it for more than a week. Its price remains quite high, count more than 7.5 SEK (0.8 Euros) per liter. PLEASE NOTE: the Swedes have several kinds of milk, including a very specific one, which is similar to curdled milk. For those who want to refrain from having to chew when consuming their daily lactic acid, look out for "Mellan Mjölk".
Housing
The high prices of hotels in Sweden often encourage visitors to switch to other types of accommodation. Unless you know how to count the exchange rate of crowns against the euro and if you know how to use the Internet well: look in hotel websites and you will find hotel rooms or guest houses in cheaper prices than in France, especially in large cities.
The networks of youth hostels (which have only the name because open to all age groups) are very developed and of very good quality in Sweden. The AJ ("vandrarhem" in Swedish) are found both in town and in the countryside, and also in the mountains near hiking (summer) and skiing (winter) areas. are equipped with separate sanitary facilities, shared kitchen and living room, and rooms with 2 to 4 beds.
The main network is the STF (Svenska Turist Föreningen: http://www.stfturist.se/) which is part of the Hostelling International network Affiliation to this network means that you do not have to pay a supplement per bed (in the order of 5 €The rates per bed and per night are between 15 and 30 €, and are more expensive in town than in the countryside.
Campsites are also widely used in a country frequented, like Norway, by many motorhomes. They often have a kitchen. Some ask to be affiliated with their network.
There is a custom in Sweden called germanrätt which makes it possible in particular to camp almost everywhere within the limit of 2 nights in the same place.
To learn
- See as well: Swedish language guide
While learning the local language is not essential for a short tourist trip, it is still necessary for those who want to settle in the country and in particular work there.
In order to integrate non-Swedish-speaking foreigners, free Swedish lessons are given in major cities by an organization called IFC. There are 4 levels of Swedish study at SFI followed by 3 levels in another body called SAS to be considered a true Swedish speaker.
Otherwise, all Swedish students benefit from scholarships.
On the other hand, many universities welcome Erasmus students and teach them in English.
Alphabet
Note that the letters Å, Ä, and Ö are an integral part of the Swedish alphabet and you will find them after the z in dictionaries.
The Å is pronounced O as in "hot"
The Ä is pronounced È as in "ready"
The Ö is pronounced E as in "fire"
To work
You should know that in Sweden, even if the Swedish are excellent in English, in the majority of the offers, you will be asked to speak and write Swedish. Few of the positions hire people who do not speak Swedish.
- Here is the body responsible for managing employment (equivalent to the Pôle Emploi in France): Arbetsformedlingen
Namely, all the offers they have are available online, so it is not necessarily useful to contact them.
- EURES : a European site that centralizes all job offers in Europe
Recruitment procedures can be lengthy. Sometimes you have to wait a few months before having a response ... positive or not.
Communicate
European roaming
Since June 15, 2017, "European roaming" has been introduced. It allows all SIM card holders belonging to one of the European member countries to maintain the same pricing conditions as in the country of origin.
Telephone calls and Internet browsing are valid at no additional cost in all European countries, unless authorized by national authorities (generally minor operators) or when a data Gbit threshold is exceeded, which increases year by year. To use this service, simply activate the roaming option on your mobile phone.
The participating countries are those ofEuropean Union (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary , Ireland , Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, UK, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden), those ofEuropean Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and some Oversea territories (Azores, Canary Islands, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Madeira, Martinique, Mayotte, The meeting, Saint-Martin).
Manage the day-to-day
Health
European citizens
Citizens ofEuropean Union (EU), who fall unexpectedly ill during a temporary stay, studies or a professional stay, are entitled to the same medical care as in their country of residence. It is always useful to take the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which constitutes physical proof of your insurance in an EU country. However, if you do not have the card with you or if you cannot use it (as in the case of private assistance), you are still entitled to treatment, but you are obliged to pay the costs on the spot. , then you will ask for a refund on your return.
The countries in which health coverage is provided are all those that are members of theEuropean Union (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary , Ireland , Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden), those ofEuropean Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), the Swiss, the UK and the Oversea territories member of the European Union (Azores, Canary Islands, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Madeira, Martinique, Mayotte, The meeting, Saint-Martin).
Security
 | Emergency telephone number: All emergency services:112 |
As in all Scandinavian countries, there is no particular problem of insecurity to deplore, but you should nevertheless watch your personal belongings when going out in town. Remember, however, to properly lock the doors of your caravans and camper vans and never leave any means of payment or valuables visible from the outside.
Be aware, however, that possession and consumption of narcotics is severely punished in Sweden, whether towards locals or day visitors. No leniency will be granted in the event of an arrest.
Government travel advice
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Belgium (Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) 
Canada (Government of Canada) 
France (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 
Swiss (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs)
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Respect
- In public saunas (at the swimming pool for example), Adam's (or Eve's) outfit is required. So don't be shocked when you come in ... For modest neophytes, a simple towel is enough, however.
- On Swedish roads, a strip of tar is reserved on the right for overtaking. So when you want to pass a motorist, all you have to do is get closer to him, he will move towards this space in order to let you pass and to avoid you crossing the opposite traffic. In the same way, remember to look in your rear-view mirror from time to time and adopt the "Swedish-style" overtaking.
- Queue, queue ... especially in shops or while waiting for the bus is a must! Be patient ... take your number if necessary. The Swedes are very respectful of "each in turn".
