Travel to Sweden (Europe)

Visitors to Sweden know the beauty and magnificence of the Swedish countryside. Sweden Travel advice recommends adding a spa break to your Swedish holiday to make sure you experience all the relaxing elements the country has to offer. With so many different spa experiences available finding the right one for you can be a little difficult. Sweden offers spa holidays for individuals looking to get away to resorts that cater to everyone in the family. No matter what you are looking for these top 5 spa destinations across the country are designed to leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed.

In 1991 the first ever spa in Scandinavia was opened, the Selma Spa continues to operate today with twenty years of experience to offer guests. The Selma Spa is located in an idyllic setting and is a great option of a relaxing time away. The Selma Spa was the winner of the 2010 World Travel Awards as the leading spa in Sweden. With a health focus and gourmet food available guests can enjoy the local activities while improving their physical side.

For a taste of the orient without leaving the country, the Yasurgai Hasseludden spa is heavily influenced by traditional Japanese spas. The Yasurgai Hasseludden spa fuses the exotic feel of Asia with the breath taking beauty of Sweden. Located in Stockholm, guests will be delighted with the wide variety of Japanese activities available, including baths, Zen meditation and an exclusive Sushi school located within the spa grounds.

On the West Coast of Sweden the Varbergs Kurort Spa is the only true Thalasso style spa in the country. Creating a perfect blend between land and sea, this spa sits on the edge of the water and incorporates the ocean into every element of the treatment program. Varbergs Kurort uses sea water as the basis of its treatments and creates a peaceful atmosphere for guests to relax in. Spend lazy days being pampered on the beach by the staff that is fully focused on your comfort and development.

For a spa experience that brings you closer to nature, the natural mineral rich springs that surround the Farris Bad spa is a great place to try. Located on the Larvik Beach at Vestfold, just south of Oslo, the Farris Bad spa utilizes the minerals from the earth to create Rhassoul Clay treatments and facial designed to help soothe away any built up stress, leaving you relaxed.

If a family holiday is more the experience you are looking for then the Sankt Jorgen Park Resort is a great location to try. Located within a short walk of the center of Gothenburg this Holistic treatment center focuses on improving the physical body while building stamina. The beautiful 18 hole golf course is a great way to unwind after a stressful year at work. Your whole family will enjoy the peaceful setting and benefit from the team of staff aimed at helping you regain your strength.

So whatever type of spa holiday you have in mind, a visit to any of the top 5 Swedish spas will leave you with a feeling of relaxation and peace. Choose from traditional Japanese treatments or enjoy the benefits of the earth with natural minerals and remedies.

Traveling is all about going to new places and experiencing new things. It is a chance to find out about other cultures: what type of food they eat, what they wear, what kind of things they like to do. It is also a chance to see some of the natural and man made attractions the place has to offer: seeing the cascading rice terraces in the Philippines, viewing the Pyramids and the Sphinx in Egypt, visiting Angel Falls in South America are just a small iota of what the world has to offer. Advances in transportation and communication technology have made it more affordable for people these days to travel. 

Airline rates offer great packages for people wanting to travel. One can now travel transatlantic at 20% of what the retail price of a ticket cost if one is resourceful. Comparing to prices in the 60's and the 70's, air travel is perhaps 40% less of what it cost then. The internet has also made it possible for information to be available at your fingertips and in the convenience of your computer. Sourcing out great deals can be done in your home and you can even pay for reservations and tickets online. 

More importantly, you can get first hand information from other travelers on the places you would like to visit through visiting internet blog sites which give you perhaps data about the places that interest you that cannot be found on most travel books. You may even get to email and correspond with such bloggers who may accommodate your inquiries.

Accommodation also becomes a priority when it comes to traveling. If you are on a budget, you can find great packages on youth hostels and inns all over the world. If you are a discerning customer, there are posh hotels that meet your standard and whims. If you are an adventurous, there are specialized places that do cater to your taste. One country that offers a variety of hotels and places that meet most consumers' taste is found in Sweden. 

Hotels in Sweden are diverse and complete. First and foremost, the high standard of living in Sweden ensures that the type of hotels you are looking for meet if not go beyond your expectation. The Swedish Hotel and Restaurant Association or SHR are strict in assessing hotels based on a 130 criteria. And there are two types of categories set by the SHR: Hotel which refers to hotel establishments that have restaurant facilities serving more than just breakfast and Hotel Garni which refers to hotels serving only breakfasts. 

Hotels are rated from one to five stars and their classifications are done on a yearly basis. There are also other places where one can stay, one of the most interesting one for adventurous tourists is the ICE Hotel which is constructed during the winter months in Northern Sweden. This hotel in itself has become a popular tourist attraction in recent years.

Travellers to Sweden would have no trouble finding things to do. It is a culturally rich and progressive nation that boasts of a very high standard of living. There are some great holiday chalets and self catering holiday apartments available to rent direct from their owners in Sweden.

Many tourists go on vacation to Stockholm and stay in self catering apartments. When there they can visit the Vasa museum. This museum in Stockholm houses the fruits of some ground breaking labour, the 17th century warship Vasa. The ship sunk during its maiden voyage in 1628, and was recovered in 1961. The resurrected skeletons and relics remain the only existing example of ship architecture from the period.

Stockholm, Sweden's capital city houses numerous museums, aside from the Vasa museum, you can check out the Nordic Museum, Museum of Natural History and Museum of Modern Art. The city is peppered with examples of historical architecture, like Riddarholmskyrkan, which is the oldest building in Stockholm, pretty much every district and neighbourhood in the city has its own unique charm and character. Families on vacation can rent self catering accommodation in Stockholm.

Gothenburg is the largest port in Scandinavia; about a million people live here and there is a plethora of attractions to keep the tourists busy. Take a leisurely saunter in the scenic Castle Wood Park, listen to a wide genre of music from Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, art enthusiasts can head over to the Museum of Art. Sweden features a stunning expanse of rugged beauty which is yet to be tarnished by commercialism, these makes for perfect hiking spots.

Lovers of the outdoors may rent a holiday cottage or log cabin and use them as a base to explore the beautiful countryside. The law provides rights of access for anyone, provided they respect the local culture and nature. Sweden comprises of over 24,000 islands and 100,000 lakes, so it's not much of a surprise that boating is an integral part of Swedish life. Most tours take you on a sightseeing trip around the Swedish archipelago. The Gota Canal is a favourite tourist haunt but there are loads of other places that interest the water-craft bound traveller.

Stop by the Linkoping Cathedral in Ostergotland to treat yourself to some splendid Gothic architecture. This massive cathedral is the burial site of a 15th century bishop, and is embellished with some priceless paintings which were gifted by King John III. Skiing enthusiasts would find no dearth for fun as Sweden offers some of the finest locales for the sport. There are some great ski chalets available to rent and many families rent them while on vacation. 

Hemavan, in Lapland is a great ski precinct with its vast open areas and mountains. Arefjallen resort is said to be the world's largest with a ski run of more than a hundred kilometers, the ski race in April draws hundreds every year. Riksgransen in the extreme north is famed for its snowboarding championships and non-stop skiing during the spring. During the spring it seems the sun never goes below the horizon, perfectly symbolizing the spirit of this country where the fun never seems to end.

Many families take a family holiday to Sweden and stay in self catering holiday accommodation. Sweden has a great selection of self catering holiday apartments in the city areas. There are also some beautiful log cabins and ski chalets available to rent in the mountainous areas of Sweden. Many families come back to Sweden year after year to spend there vacations and stay in a holiday home.