I’m Brian 👋 an American dad living in a small German village near the Austrian border, south of Rosenheim. I live there with my wife Shauna, our boys Noah and Elijah and our pups Scout & Moose. We moved to Bavaria in June 2024, and we’re a train-first family.
Why Sweden?
Because Sweden does winter better than almost anywhere: candlelit Christmas markets, Lucia processions in the darkest week of the year, and the northern lights above the Arctic Circle. It’s also a country you can plan around trains, from Stockholm to Gothenburg and all the way north to Lapland on the night train.
How I write these guides
- Research, clearly labeled. I don’t live in Sweden, and I won’t pretend I do. These are planning guides: how I would plan each trip for my own family, built from official timetables, operator websites and event organizers.
- Checked, then dated. Opening dates, hours, fares and ticket rules come from the official websites. Each guide has an “Updated” line and a list of sources at the bottom, so you can check them yourself.
- Train-first. Every guide tells you how to get there by train or bus. If a place really needs a car, I’ll say so.
- Family-friendly. I plan with two boys in mind: reasonable train times, breaks between big sights, and something fun for kids nearby. It works just as well for couples.
- Kind about every place. The famous places are famous for a reason. When somewhere is very popular, I’ll suggest the quieter time to go instead of telling you to skip it.
A note on links
Some links on this site are affiliate links, for example to hotels or tours. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what I recommend.
Say hello
Questions about your Sweden trip? Write to contact@vacationinsweden.com. I answer as many as I can, and the best questions become guides.
Hej då (bye for now),
Brian