Sweden vs Norway: which Scandinavian country beckons for you?

28.07.2023 - 11:37 / lonelyplanet.com / Royal Palace

With their chic cities, dramatic landscapes and high quality of life, the countries of Scandinavia remain objects of worldwide fascination. Yet if you’re looking to dip your toe into Nordic waters, where do you begin?

To help you make up your mind, we asked two expert writers to expound on two of the region’s best-known countries, Sweden and Norway. Good luck as you consider your options up north.

Paula Hotti’s first trip abroad was a family holiday to Stockholm in her early teens. Later, she road-tripped around the country and lived for a year in Sweden’s second city, Gothenburg – only to fall in love with the charms of Sweden’s west coast.

Norway might have its Arctic archipelagos, meandering mountain roads and cascading waterfalls, true. But in Sweden, you can let your soul drift in seaside paradises, on epic hikes or under the magic of the aurora borealis.  

If you venture to Sweden for the first time, start in the capital, Stockholm. Built on 14 islands, the city’s oldest quarter is Gamla Stan (Old Town), its centerpiece the Royal Palace. While the area dates back to the 13th century, and the majority of its buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries, Gamla Stan isn’t covered with cobwebs: it’s a vibrant neighborhood whose cobbled streets brim with cafes and boutiques that beg to be explored. 

From Stockholm, it’s easy to jump onto a ferry and head to the archipelago that radiates from the capital. In 20 minutes, you’ll glide from trendy city streets to a calmer place, its pace of life set by the ripples of the Baltic Sea.

Although I adore Stockholm, my heart belongs to Bohuslän on the west coast. Bohuslän lies between Gothenburg and the Norwegian border, and its thousands of islands and cute coastal towns like Smögen and Fjällbacka make the area a summer haven – think hiking, biking and eating all fresh seafood you can manage. In winter, a light dusting of snow blankets the coastal cliffs. As the sea freezes, the summer idyll turns into a serene winter wonderland, with lighthouses and red huts dotting the white seascape. This is a place to stare out at the horizon and let your mind rest.

For the adventurous, Swedish Lappland is unbeatable. Among an abundance of hiking treks to choose from, the Kungsleden, or King’s Path, reigns supreme. Running for about 450km (280 miles) from Hemavan to Abisko, the trail is easily divided into shorter stints. The most regal scenery and highest elevations are at the end and the beginning of the trail. Abisko is also reputedly the world’s finest spot to see the aurora borealis – and I believe it, as this is where I witnessed the celestial phenomenon for the first time in my life.

For cities, there’s no real competition between Sweden and Norway. Stockholm exudes