Sweden is a small country but with a lot of culture and a large variety of sights you do not want to miss out on. If you are the curious type who likes to visit the zoo and see wild animals, then perhaps meeting animals typical for the country you are visiting would suit you. The zoo called The Nordic Arc consist of endangered species in a grand archipelago environment located by Åbyfjorden in the province of Bohuslän. There are about 80 different species whom are accustom to the Swedish climate. Amongst others there are for example wolves, snow leopards and lynx, but also old Nordic country animals. You can also see endangered birds and frog species. The Nordic Arc is an organization who focus on giving endangered animals a future. They focus on breeding, research and education, and some of the animals are put back into their natural habitat.
All year around different activities takes place in the park, and you can get to meet the zoo keepers and participate in feeding the animals, or see the kitchen where the animals food is being prepared and learn more about what the animals eat and how to activate them. For children there are also crafts and games. To make the visit convenient for guests the park also has a hotel called Hotel Nordic Arc that has a variety of activities and places to stay. The Nordic Arc is open all year round to the public.
As a kid you might of heard of or read books by the famous Swedish author Astrid Lindgren, the author behind one very popular character named Pippi Longstocking, amongst others. Astrid Lindgren was born in the town of Vimmerby in the province of Småland, In the same exact city you can visit the theme park Astrid Lindgren’s World, and meet the famous characters from her books in their fictional environment, such as Pippi Longstocking. Different events from Astrid Lindgrens books are performed in a theater and the events are being improvised to involve the children of the audience. Astrid Lindgrens World’s main focus is to stimulate children’s reading and writing. Astrid Lindgrens World is opened 9th of may til September 1st, and thereafter there are special opening hours.
If you are a person who want’s to be up on the go and enjoy high speed you do not want to miss out on the amusement park Liseberg in Gothenburg. It is one of the most visited amusement parks in Scandinavia. In 2005 it was chosen as one of the top ten amusements parks in the world by Forbes Magazine. And the roller coaster ride called Balder, was voted, both in 2003 and 2005, to be the best wooden tracked roller coaster in the world in a major international poll. Liseberg has over 30 different rides, everything from big roller coasters to smaller rides for young children. It also has various stages, a dance hall, restaurants, arcade halls and the Gasten Ghost hotel with human actors. Liseberg is open from 27th of April to October 6th, with a few exceptions.
The more historical seeking person should pay a visit to the Vasa museum in Stockholm. The former Swedish King Gustaf II Adolf had a ship called Vasa built. The intention was that she would be a great symbol for Sweden’s power within the military and politics. During the time when the Vasa ship was built it was one of the largest and heaviest war ships in the world. The Vasa ship sailed out on her maiden voyage the 10th of august 1628 in Stockholm harbor. Unfortunately the maiden voyage did not last very long, and the ship sank in Stockholm harbor. The reason as to why the ship sank was because it was too unstable to handle hard winds. Many attempts were made trying to salvage the ship, but not until 1961 the Vasa Ship broke the waves and was a piece of almost untouched 17th century. At the Vasa museum you can see the whole preserved ship, looking almost identical to what it looked like almost 400 years ago. The Vasa Ship museum is opened all year round with a few exceptions.
If you enjoy ancient sights, Ale’s Stones is a must see. The monument is located in Scania in southern Sweden. A legendary king called King Ale is said to be buried there according to a folklore. The monument consist of a 67 by 56 meters stone ship made out of boulders of sandstone. Nobody knows for sure when Ale’s stones was created, but scientific beliefs are that it was created towards the end of the Nordic iron age.
A person who wish to experience the Swedish renaissance should visit Kalmar caste. The castle is located in the city of Kalmar in the province of Småland. The castle is the Nordics best preserved renaissance castle. The castle is dated back to the 12th century and is preserved in original condition and has not been changed since 1592. Visitors at Kalmar Castle have a lot to explore and they offer exciting ghost tours, guided tours in the dungeons, but also permanent exhibitions about the Castle and the city of Kalmar’s history. There are also different arrangements taking place all year round, for example a medieval festival in the summer time. Kalmar Castle is open all year round.
Online Swedish lessons for kids: dinolingo.com