SWEDEN

In geographical terms, Sweden is easily the biggest of the Scandinavian countries – a massive 450,000 square kilometres, larger than California and twice as big as Britain – although its population numbers barely nine million.

Essentially one vast coniferous forest punctuated by some 100,000 crystal-clear lakes, Sweden reposes contentedly within an endless natural beauty. Remote, austere, cold – all these generalizations may be partly true, but Sweden is also friendly and efficient and, as it boasts no single concentration of sights (other than in Stockholm), you're as likely to fetch up on a sunny Baltic beach as camp in the forest or hike through the national parks of Swedish Lapland.

One aspect of the country most likely to impinge on the cluttered eye of Europeans is the sense of space. Away from the relatively densely populated south, it's easy to travel for miles without seeing a soul, and taking in these vast, unpopulated stretches in a limited time can be exhausting and unrewarding. Better, on a short trip, to delve into one or two regions and experience the natural beauty that pervades and shapes the Swedes' attitude to life: once you've broken through the oft-quoted reserve of the people there's a definite emotive feel to the country. And initial contact is easy, as almost everyone speaks English.

Central and northern Sweden
In many ways the long wedge of land that comprises central and northern Sweden – from the shores of Lake Vänern up to the Finnish border north of the Arctic Circle – encompasses all that is most typical of the country. Rural and underpopulated, it fulfils the image most people have of Sweden: lakes, pine forests, wooden cabins and reindeer – a vast area of land which is really one great forest broken only by the odd village or town. Folklorish Dalarna province is the most intensely picturesque region. Even a quick tour around one or two of the more accessible places gives an impression of the whole: red cottages with white doors and window frames, sweeping green countryside and water which is bluer than blue. Dalarna's inhabitants maintain a cultural heritage (echoed in contemporary handicrafts and traditions) that goes back to the Middle Ages. And the province is the place to spend midsummer, particularly Midsummer's Eve, when the whole region erupts in a frenzy of celebration featuring the age-old tradition of dancing around the maypole (an ancient fertility symbol), countless impromptu musical gatherings and much beer drinking.

The privately owned Inlandsbanan, the great inland railway, cuts right through central and northern Sweden and links virtually all the towns and villages covered on this website. Running from Mora to Gällivare, above the Arctic Circle, it ranks with the best European train journeys, an enthralling two-day, 1100km adventure. It's certainly a much livelier approach to the north than the east-coast run up from Stockholm. Buses connect the rail line with the mountain villages that snuggle alongside the Norwegian border – the Swedish fjäll, or fells, not only offer some of the most spectacular scenery in the country but also some of the best, and least spoilt, hiking in Europe. North of Mora, Östersund is the only town of any size, situated by the side of Storsjön, the "Great Lake", reputed to be home to Sweden's very own Loch Ness Monster. From here trains head in all directions: west to Norway through the country's premier ski resort, Åre, south to Dalarna and Stockholm, east to Sundsvall on the Bothnian coast and north to Swedish Lapland. The wild lands of the Sámi people make for the most fascinating trip in northern Sweden. Omnipresent reindeer are a constant reminder of how far north you are, but the enduring Sámi culture, which once defined much of this land, is now under threat. The problems posed by tourism are escalating, principally the erosion of grazing land under the pounding feet of hikers, making the Sámi increasingly economically dependent on selling souvenirs and handicrafts. Further north, around industrial Gällivare and Kiruna, and as far as the Norwegian border at Riksgränsen, the rugged national parks offer a chance to hike and commune with nature in the last great wilderness in Europe.

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