10 Unique Things to Do in Sweden in Winter [2026-2027]

Sweden’s climate is by no means tropical, but winter in Sweden doesn’t have to be as bad as you think.

Swedish winters can be downright enjoyable and magical, granted you pack the appropriate winter clothing. Stockholm’s average winter temperature hovers right around freezing, but in Northern Sweden, you’ll see more extremes, ranging from freezing to -30 C!

That said, it’s absolutely worth making the journey up north to Sweden in the winter. Swedish Lapland is absolutely magical, and Abisko and Jukkasjarvi are some of my favorite places in the entire country.

🇸🇪Planning a winter trip to Abisko at the last minute? Here are my quick picks! ❄️ Best Winter Activities in Abisko Northern Lights Tour with Photography Gear Included (#1 aurora company in Abisko!) Dog Sledding Tour with Fika Break (bonfire with coffee and cinnamon bun included!) Sámi Reindeer Ranch Visit & Cultural Tour (meet and feed the reindeer!) Icehotel Day Trip to Jukkasjärvi (can do on last day and use as transfer to Kiruna) 🛌 Best Places to Stay in Abisko Abisko Mountain Lodge (nicest place in Abisko; books up months in advance) STF Abisko Turiststation (where I stayed; only accommodation in the national park) Abisko Hostel & Huskies (budget accommodations on a husky farm!)

And even with the cold weather, there are still so many things to do in Stockholm, so just pack warm and enjoy the beauty of the city without the summer crowds. 

With preparation and the right mindset, Sweden in winter is absolutely lovely — read on to learn what I think you should prioritize doing in the winter while you visit!

Up north, Abisko has the best Northern lights in the world!

The Northern lights are visible from late August to the end of March, with the best lights typically in February and March. In Abisko, which is considered by scientists to be the best place in the world to see the aurora, I saw the lights 3 out of 3 nights!

Granted, 2 of the 3 nights were rather cloudy, so I saw a few green streaks of aurora that quickly got covered by the clouds. However, my final night was had a cloudless, moonless night — the lights were even more vibrant, magical, and amazing than I could have imagined.

Seeing the Northern lights in Abisko is incredible and with such a small population, it’s pretty easy to walk away from the mild light pollution of the 50-ish person village and see the lights on your own — or walk around in Abisko National Park if you’re staying at STF Turiststation right in the park’s backyard!

That said, there are some really incredible photography tours of the Northern lights that give you an even better chance of seeing the lights, as well as expert tips on how to best capture the aurora and high-quality camera gear rental in case you don’t have your own.

Heat up in a sauna

While sauna culture originates in Sweden, that doesn’t mean it hasn’t made its way around the Nordics! If you’re spending time in Stockholm, it’s typically not that cold, usually averaging around 30° F or -1° C in mid-winter.

Still, a sauna will take away any of the chill in your bones, while also giving you that classic Nordic winter experience.

Hotels in Stockholm are super cozy and many even have their own saunas to warm you up in the winter. In fact, even some Stockholm hostels (like City Backpackers!) have their own saunas for guests!

If your hotel in Stockholm doesn’t have a sauna, there’s also the Centralbadet (closed at the moment, but posed to reopen in late 2026) as well as this list of epic saunas in the Stockholm area!

Northern Sweden’s winter, however, can be a totally different story. I was lucky and it was about 25° F (-4° C) during the day, and as low as 9° F (-13°C) at night. However, it can easily get down to -22° F (-30° C) at some points during the winter.

Depending on where you say, you will likely have sauna access there as well — keep an eye out for that when booking your hotel, as it’s a really lovely thing to do in between activities and to keep any winter blues away.

It’s especially fun to run from the sauna into the cold night air — splash a bit of snow on yourself or dive into a snow bank if you’re brave! Even more amazing? When you run from the sauna into the snow and look up to see the Northern lights undulating above you.

Take to the water, even in the winter!

Stockholm is an archipelago city composed of 14 islands. The waters around Stockholm may ice up a tiny bit around the shore, but typically, it stays navigable for boats all year round, which means that a winter boat ride around Stockholm is a warm and wonderful way to enjoy Stockholm from sea level!

The interior of these boats are heated so you can alternate between stepping out to take photos and warming up your fingers instead!

Tick off some bucket list activities like dog-sledding in the far north!

Dog-sledding through Abisko is one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had. Although it can be a bit pricy, it’s an incredible experience.

If you don’t do a dog-sledding tour, you can rent snowshoes and cross-country skis from STF Turiststation for reasonable fees.

Also in Abisko, you can try your hand at ice climbing up frozen waterfalls and snowmobiling across wintry landscapes: two other unique winter activities that offer even more adrenaline than dog-sledding!

https://www.getyourguide.com/kiruna-l89537/kiruna-self-drive-husky-afternoon-tour-t437973/?ranking_uuid=a4510301-4d55-4b61-9f7c-9e286de2533e&q=kiruna+dog+sled&adults=1

There’s great opportunities for a bit of winter skiing — without the crowds!

Of course, skiing in Sweden can’t quite compare to, say, places like the Alps where the ski culture is the main focus. Skiing in Sweden is a bit more humble, including in its pricing (one of very few examples where Sweden is a more affordable option!)

Skiing culture in Sweden tends to focus less on intense, challenging runs and more on just the enjoyment of being out in nature in pristine wilderness.

If you plan to go up north, you should check out the ski resorts in Björkliden, just a few kilometers away from Abisko, with slopes perfect for winter sports.

But if your travel plans don’t take you that far north, you can even ski just outside of Stockholm at Hammarbybacken!

Enjoy some winter sightseeing and museums.

There’s so much to do in Stockholm in the winter, it’s hard to get bored – from excellent museums to cozy coffee shops and tempting food halls, it’s a fantastic winter city.

You can take food tours, wander your way on your own to various coffee shops around the city, or pop into some of the best museums in Stockholm, like the Vasa Museum, ABBA Museum, Nobel Museum, or the Royal Palace.

Check out frozen waterfalls.

With snow-covered rock everywhere, the landscape almost looks like a black and white photograph, with near-black trees jutting up from the snow. Often, the only color is flashes of blue sky and the brilliant teal waterfalls totally frozen in time.

The Kingsleden is a beautiful (and extremely popular) hiking trail in the summer, but I loved walking to the frozen waterfall just a short walk away from STF Abisko Turiststation. You can go on your own or you can book a hiking tour with trained local guides who can help you find the best photo spots and try to spot winter wildlife.

Fika is amazing always, but it’s even better in winter!

Fika is the Swedish institution of dropping everything to sit with a friend and socialize for an afternoon coffee and pastry.

There is nothing more satisfying than warming up your cold bodies in a coffee shop with a delicious espresso drink and a kanelbullar (Swedish cinnamon bun), chokladboll (cocoa pastry ball coated in coconut) or prinsesstårta (aka, Swedish “princess cake”, which is composed of marzipan, a pale green sponge cake, pastry cream, and raspberry jam).

If you visit between New Years and Easter, you’ll find semla, which are soft spiced buns filled with marzipan and whipped cream. Delicious!

Check out the curious town of Kiruna.

Kiruna is a quirky city, and while it’s not as naturally beautiful as Abisko about an hour away, it’s still well worth a wander. You might as well visit if you make your way up North, especially if you are flying into Kiruna’s airport.

Kiruna has changed drastically since my first visit in 2016 and my subsequent visit in 2025: the entire town has literally moved two kilometers, including the photographed church above (shown in its original location). The history of this is fascinating, and a little sad that it was necessary.

That said, Kiruna is a very interesting city to spend a bit of time in. I suggest spending more time in nature — either in Jukkasjarvi or in Abisko — but definitely dedicating at least an afternoon to Kiruna.

Visit the world’s first ice hotel!

Sweden’s IceHotel is the original, and having visited numerous others — the Tromsø Ice Domes, Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, and Rovaniemi’s SnowHotel — I have to say that I think the IceHotel in Jukkasjarvi is one of the better options: often imitated and never duplicated, as they say.

I even visited the all-year-round ice hotel in the autumn, before the proper winter igloo was constructed for the year, and found that alone was incredible. The full winter experience is even better!

You can stay overnight in the ice hotel, but it’s extremely expensive, and I’m not sure it’s worth it if you don’t think you’ll be able to sleep in those conditions. But visiting it is absolutely worth the time, effort, and cost!

Tip: Tours are a bit expensive but include transfers — the Ice Hotel is far from Kiruna and taxis are costly. If you happen to have your own rental car — be sure you are an extremely confident winter driver! — it is far more affordable to visit on your own.

Packing for Sweden in Winter

Even though Sweden in winter is not nearly as cold as you likely think, you should still pack smartly and bring all the necessary cold-weather clothes from home, as buying them in Sweden will be outlandishly expensive.

Below, I’ve listed my top essentials. If you want a complete packing list, I’ve written one for Northern Norway which you can follow for Sweden as well.

• Waterproof snow boots
• A knit hat
• Thermal base layers
• Wool socks
• Waterproof snow pants
• Waterproof gloves
• An ultrawarm parka
• Camera + tripod for capturing the Northern lights (if not taking a tour that includes photography equipment)

Want more winter travel inspiration?

• Check out these beautiful winter destinations in Europe!
• Take a road trip along the Ring Road in a campervan in winter
• Check out Alta, Norway for an alternative winter destination!

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!

When planning any trip, especially a winter trip, be sure not to forget about travel insurance!

I use SafetyWing and its Nomad Insurance to insure all of my trips for its affordable rates and comprehensive coverage for all my travel needs.

For a trip as expensive as traveling to Sweden (and how unpredictable its winter weather can be!) it’s especially important for me to have coverage.

SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance provides both travel insurance (coverage for trip delays, cancellations, interruptions — the likelihood of which increases in winter) and travel medical insurance (coverage for things like accidents, illnesses including Covid, etc. — also more likely in winter!).

Coverage is really affordable — for me, it costs roughly $11 USD for a week of coverage outside of the U.S., with a policy max of $250,000 after a deductible of $250. Not bad!

Check SafetyWing for a quote here!