Top 10 Swedish places to visit this summer!

No place in Sweden is like the town Visby on the island of Gotland. With its combination of medieval history and rich modern culture it's hard to not fall in love with this island. The Hanseatic city of Visby is arguably the best-preserved medieval city in Scandinavia and is since 1995 on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, and that should tell you something about the amazing old structures and houses that are, today, still standing withing the city walls. You get here by ferry from the mainland or by airplane, the second option is only 30 minutes from Stockholm. Gotland is, by far, the most popular locality outside the mainland.

Midsummer in Dalarna is truly a one-of-a-kind Swedish experiences. Raising and dancing around a maypole is an activity that attracts people in all ages at noon on midsummer day. The pole is placed and decorated in an open area so that people, in all ages, can dance around it. A large amount of the people (especially in traditional Dalarna) wears traditional clothing as seen in the picture. Later on Swedes gather for lunch and then often games with family and friends before sitting down for dinner. The appetizer consists of pickled herring, boiled potatoes with dill, sour cream and chives. This is then followed by a grilled main course, such as ribs, salmon or other meats. Dessert is often a strawberry cake or simply strawberries with whipped cream.

During both lunch and dinner Swedes indulge in cold beers, akvavit and spiced snaps (no to be confused with sweet schnapps). Every time during the midsummer dinner when glasses of Schnapps or beers are refilled, spontaneous singing breaks out in order to let the table know it's time to drink again. After dinner many Swedes go outdoors to dance in the (hopefully) warm, summer evening together with family and friends.

Skåne has a truly breathtaking nature that will amaze most of its visitors. The home of police inspector "Wallander" is known for its wide stretching fields along with its vast forests. During the summer, these fields almost glow in the sunlight and are alone almost worth the visit. But, make sure that you don't forget to take a trip down to the ocean and walk shoe-less on the chalk-white beaches that stretch along the magnificent coast.

Kräftskiva or Crayfish party is almost as important to Swedes as their midsummer celebration. It's a traditional summertime eating where you either eat your self caught crayfish from your local lake or you buy them from the local grocery store. Crayfish parties are traditionally held in August and dining is traditionally outdoors, so make sure you dress accordingly. Just as Midsummer, Swedes go-to beverages on a crayfish party is Akvavit, snaps and cold beers. The crayfish are boiled in hot, salt water and seasoned with fresh dill, and is then eaten with your hands. Bread, Västerbotten paj (cheese pie from the north of Sweden), different cheeses and salads are served buffet style. Don't forget to put on your special crayfish-hat during dinner, it's tradition.

Åre is a small village in the north of Sweden, located in the province of Jämtland. Most known for its downhill skiing during the winter season but should not be forgotten during the other half of the year. Åre is the perfect place to hike as it has all kinds of different trails. Easy paths for beginners but also those for more advanced hikers. Enjoy the amazing scenery and inhale the freshest air that Sweden has to offer.

Fjäderholmarna has the slogan "Where the archipelago begins". The islands is conveniently close to central Stockholm and is easy to get to by ferry for a small fee. The excellent restaurant Fjäderholmarna Krog is open during the summer season and is well worth a visit. Many Swedish artists have their stores and studios in the center of the island and are just a stroll away from the ferry and restaurant. The island provides a good taste of the Stockholm archipelago for people who don't have time to further explore.

The Göta Canal is a canal that was constructed in the 19th century in order to connect lakes and rivers between Sweden's west and east coast. It's 190 km long (120 mi) and is nowadays mostly used as a tourist attraction. Every year about 2 million people visit the canal on cruises or on private boats. It's a very special way to see some Swedish nature and a perfect trip during the summer.

Djurgården Park or Royal Djurgården is a small island in central Stockholm. It's home to historical buildings, monuments, museums (such as ABBA The museum) and the amusement park Gröna Lund. Djurgården attracts more than 10 million visitors every year and about half of that, 5 million come to visit different museums and the amusement park. Today it's owned by the National City Park but was before that owned by the Swedish monarch since the 15th century. Back then, the royal family used the small island as their own private hunting grounds.

Northern lights trips to Abisko ranks among the best in the world. There's a unique micro-climate pocket that exists exclusively around Abisko and it creates the perfect setting (clear nights) for seeing northern lights. There's a high chance of seeing northern lights during the Aurora season since the nights in Abisko have an 83% northern lights rate during season.

The treehotel is located in the middle of a tall pine tree forest in northern Sweden. With an amazing view of the Lule River you will be in the heart of Swedish nature. The spectacular hotel rooms are suspended 4-6 meters (13-20 ft) above the ground but inside you get the feeling that you're in a very modern hotel. The rooms are all designed uniquely and they look nothing like the other. Spending a night here is an experience that you'll never forget.