Sweden Local Customs

 
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  •   Local Customs
    by Dizzyhead
  •   Local Customs
    by Dizzyhead
  •   Local Customs
    by Dizzyhead
  •   Local Customs
    by Dizzyhead
  •   Local Customs
    by Dizzyhead
 

Most Viewed Local Customs in Sweden

26.

Language   Stockholm

Language, Stockholm

 20 Reviews  One of the things Swedes really don't like is someone coming to Sweden speaking any other language than Swedish or English. The way we see it is that we have made an effort to learn the international... 

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27.

Etiquette   Malmö

Etiquette, Malmö

 4 Reviews  At most places with customer service (e.g. Post Office, Tourist Information, Money Exchange) you have to take a number from a machine. Then you have to wait for your number to be called or to be shown... 

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28.

Museums   Stockholm

Museums, Stockholm

 39 Reviews  This museum is called "Nordiska Museet" (Nordic Museum).You can develop a good understanding of Nordic culture and folklore history since 16th centuryupon visiting this museum. You can see exhibitions... 

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29.

Seaside & canals   Malmö

Seaside & canals, Malmö

 4 Reviews  On any sunny day, Malmö's citizens gather in Västra Hamnen to walk along the seafront promenade, have a coffee or Italian ice cream in a cafe and just people watch. See the second picture just to see... 

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30.

Alcohol   Stockholm

Alcohol, Stockholm

 5 Reviews  If you want to buy alcohol in Sweden then you must go to Systembolaget. They are the only ones who is alowed to sell alcohol. You must be over 21 years to buy alcohol in Systembolaget. This shopps... 

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31.

Winter bathing   Malmö

Winter bathing, Malmö

 1 Review  Some Malmö people have a habit of swimming in the Öresund Strait not only in summer but also in freezing winter. This picture is from Sibbarp's Cold Water Bath and NO, those minus signs are NOT a... 

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32.

People   Stockholm

People, Stockholm

 13 Reviews  If wandering around Stockholm museums and sightseeing points, you will probably come across the name Bellman. He was an 18th century poet and trubadour whose songs and melodies are much loved today,... 

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33.

Open Swedes   Malmö

Open Swedes, Malmö

 2 Reviews  I know that many people tell that Swedes are cold and sometimes unfriendly, but I have had chance ! I only stayed at a bar 5 minutes alone, and some guys asked me if I was enjoying my hollidays,... 

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34.

Festivals   Stockholm

Festivals, Stockholm

 7 Reviews  Between June and August 2004 about 100 colorful fibreglass cows were placed on many streets, squares and in buildings of Stockholm. This cow parade has already been to New York, London, Dublin and... 

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35.

Music   Malmö

Music, Malmö

 1 Review  Swedes are a music loving people. It is easy to find music festivals in the streets of every town and city in the country, or simply people performing dances or coreographies, like theses girls in... 

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36.

Meals   Stockholm

Meals, Stockholm

 10 Reviews  In Sweden it is a custom during Easter to fill colourful paper Easter eggs with chocolate and give to your children and loved ones. Since we were travelling in Stockholm around Easter the shops were... 

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37.

Tourist info   Malmö

Tourist info, Malmö

 3 Reviews  This is the place to obtain advice abd information on Malmý. There are maps, postcards, souvenirs, books and others found in the shop. Opening hours October - April: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sat 10... 

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38.

Tipping   Stockholm

Tipping, Stockholm

 4 Reviews  When I have visited Stockholm I have been told that tourist guides and waitresses/waiters, bellboys are not to be tipped. The last time that I visited Stockholm I had the god luck of being able to... 

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39.

Swedish signs   Malmö

Swedish signs, Malmö

 1 Review  Gatan is the Swedish for street :) However you can definitely get by on English in Malmo, helped no doubt by the fact that English is a compulsory language subject in school. But a few phrases from... 

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40.

Customs in the Home   Stockholm

Customs in the Home, Stockholm

 9 Reviews  As most of you may know, the Scandinavian tribes are descendants of the Vikings, whose first recorded attack, in England, was in a.d. 793. The remains of several hundred Viking Age boats have been... 

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41.

Festival   Malmö

Festival, Malmö

 2 Reviews  Takes place during the second or third week in August every year and means the city is full of people enjoying concerts, crayfish, world food, street life and childrens event in a mix. OK, it's not... 

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42.

Crafts and Souvenirs   Stockholm

Crafts and Souvenirs, Stockholm

 3 Reviews  The Dala Horse is a symbol of Sweden. These colorful horses date back to the 18th century. In the best of Swedish folk tradition, hand-carved and painted wooden horses from Dalarna. They are real... 

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43.

Bikes   Malmö

Bikes, Malmö

 1 Review  This is the bicycle parking (platform) close to the Railway station in Malmö. I would say people love to use bicycles here! It's quite easy to move around the town since there are numerous bicycle... 

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44.

Royal Family   Stockholm

Royal Family, Stockholm

 7 Reviews  Walking around Gamla Stan, it is possible to observe a solemn changing of the guard at the western court yard of the Royal palace (Monday-Friday 12.00, Saturday-sunday 13.00). www.hogvakten.mil.se 

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45.

Holidays   Stockholm

Holidays, Stockholm

 16 Reviews  Do what the locals do and enjoy a cruise. The most popular ones are to Finland, where Helsinki, Turku (Åbo in Swedish) and the Åland Islands are the most popular destinations but Tallinn and now Riga... 

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46.

Facts and Figures   Stockholm

Facts and Figures, Stockholm

 2 Reviews  Although Sweden is a member of the the European Union (EU) since 1995, they don't have the Euro as currency. Sweden's currency is the Swedish Crown. 1 Swedish Crown is worth 100 Öre. You can get your... 

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47.

Queues   Stockholm

Queues, Stockholm

 5 Reviews  Stockholm people are often in a hurry, trying to be efficient with their time. This is why you find everyone standing to the right in escalators, leaving the left side to those who want to WALK up.... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Midsommarafton (Midsummer).

by Dizzyhead

Midsummer is one of the best days during the Swedish summer. from 1953 Midsummer is always on a Friday during the dates 19-25 June. Usually Midsummer means alot of alcohol among the young and everybody else in Sweden. It is not a day you want to celebrate your night in the centre of the city on a night club. People usually have parties in their homes or they go to dance places in the countryside. Usually many people start their vacation around Midsummer and there can be many cars on the roads and during this time many accidents appear. So, take it is easy if you shall drive car around Midsummer.If you want to celebrate a real Swedish Midsummer, go away from the city and find a dancing place in the country side. Look in the local newspaper or ask people who live where you are, they should know where the party is....Dress up in a white skirt and the girl in a dress. Have flowers in the...

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24th December: Christmas time!

by sim1

Holidays & celebrations of Sweden24th December: Christmas time!God Jul! (Merry Christmas!)24th December : Christmas time! Not the 25th and 26th are the most important days for Swedes, but the 24th is the 'real' Christmas day!For me that is something to get used to, as I never considered the day of 'Christmas Eve' part of Christmas. That has never been a tradition for me. Hahaha, the 25th was the day to look out for! But I guess I am having Christmas a day early now :-))) This day, like a lot of other Swedes I visited the family in the morning, had a skinkmacka (ham sandwich) for lunch. Went home just in time to see the 3 o'clock Disney Cartoons, opened the presents and enjoyed the Julbord (Christmas dinner).The Swedish Christmas traditions are so unlike the typical Christmas that I expected: It's a day early, there is fish instead of turkey on the dinner table and a Jultomte (Christmas...

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When you want to make good deals...

by Dizzyhead

When you are in Sweden and want to find good deals and good bargains. Look for the word "rea". It means that the shop lower the prices. Always nice to make good deals in an expensive nation. Usually they write this word in the windows, market in the paper or they will have a sign in the shop.

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Swedish Festivals

by hopang

1) Christmas Festival:-Lucia - celebrated on 13th December (not an official holiday).Christmas - celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ24th December (Christmas Eve) - public holiday25th and 26th December - public holidays.New Year - 31st December (New Year's Eve) is treated as a Saturday1st January - public holiday.Epiphany - celebrated to commemorate the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. It is the 13th day after Christmas (6th January) and is the last holiday of Swedish Christmas festival.2) Easter - celebrated to commemorate the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ and is the second of the major Christian festivals. It usually falls in March or April. Good Friday is a public holiday. Sunday and Monday are public holidays.3) Walpurgis Night - celebrated to welcome the return of spring. Bonfires are lit all over the country on 30th April.4) Ascension Day -...

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Allemansrätten (The right of Common Access)

by hopang

Everyone living in Sweden enjoys certain rights and privileges in the countryside which is known as allemansrätten or the right of common access. The countryside is accessible to everyone living in Sweden provided you do not litter, cause any damages, cut down trees or bushes or disturb other people. You may pick mushrooms, berries and flowers which are not protected. But you are not allowed to touch or pick cultivated fruits and vegetables or walk into the cultivated fields and gardens without permission.You are not allowed to hunt for wild animals and birds. You normally require to apply for a licence to fish in the lakes and rivers.You are not allowed to drive motor vehicles including motor cycles and mopeds off the road or to pitch a tent too close to a house or a private property. Permission can be obtained from the landowners if you wish to pitch a tent for several days.

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www.sormlandsmuseum.se

by Dizzyhead

This web site tells you all about what is going on in Södermanland. This website explain what is going on all over this egion and about historical places, archeological sites and what kind of themes the musuems have for the moment.

Kräftskiva: lobsters, songs and snaps

by PALLINA

If you have the luck to be guest of a Swedish family in summer as I had, you can miss the Lobsters evening. (Kräftskiva). Small river lobsters are grilled, schnaps are drunk and traditional songs are sung. The amtosphere is great and if you can enjoy the light of the summer, even greater. Better not to drive after that :-)

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Midsommarafton.

by Dizzyhead

Well, this is a red day in Sweden and usually everybody is free from work. And people try to leave the cities and go to the countryside or to people´s summer cottages.The friday between19-25 June we celebrate this day. We usually eat fresh small potatoes and sill and drink vodka to that, with songs. if you have kids you usually dance around the Midsommarstången.

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Driving with mobile

by PALLINA

Surely everybody knows that Scandinavian rules for drunk drivers are really very severe and probably are as severe as in your country. But probably you dont know that Sweden is one of the few European countries where to drive while having a mobile phone in hand is not forbidden yet.

Julmust

by marielexoteria

Julmust (jul = Christmas, must = must) is a soft drink that we drink during Christmas. Wikipedia defines the must: "Must is made of carbonated water, sugar, hops extract, malt extract, spices, colouring (E150), citric acid, and preservatives. The hops and malt extracts give the must a somewhat beer-like taste, but must is not fermented and contains no alcohol. Must can be aged provided it is stored in a glass bottle."This yummy soft drink was created in the early 1900's as an alternative to beer by Robert and Harry Roberts, father and son. The syrup that gives the must its taste is made only in Roberts AB in Örebro.In December the consumption of must is so high that all other soft beverages drop in sales, esp. Coca Cola, who from 2004 started advertising their own version of must but they buy the syrup from Roberts AB.There are several brands of Julmust in the supermarkets, being...

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  Looking to put our rental car on a ferry from germany near sassnitz into sweden , trelleborg. Do ferry operators have problems... 

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A: No 

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