Why Sweden
There are destinations that keep a simple promise. Sweden has two radically opposed ones, and that's what makes it irresistible: to the north, Arctic Lapland with its northern lights that paint the sky green and purple above the snow-capped forests; to the south, an archipelago of 30,000 islands where red houses are reflected in a perfectly calm Baltic Sea. In between, cities with sleek design, endless fika cafes and a philosophy of good living that always ends up rubbing off on the traveler.
Stockholm, the capital built on fourteen islands, is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe: we know it. What is less well known is that Gamla Stan, the medieval old town with ochre and gold facades, opens directly onto canals where ferries leave for the wild archipelago twenty minutes from the center. That the Stockholm metro has been adorned with giant frescoes since the 1950s, each station designed by a different artist. That Södermalm, the bohemian district in the south, is full of boutiques by designers who have reinvented Nordic fashion.
Sweden also has a genius for seasonal contrast. In June, in Kiruna, the sun does not set: it spins on the horizon all night in a golden light that makes the landscapes unreal. In January, the same Kiruna plunges into the polar night and the temperature drops to -25°C, but the Northern Lights compensate for each hour of darkness with a light that is found nowhere else on Earth. Choosing your moment is choosing which face of this immense country you want to see.
