Sweden is celebrating National Day today. The day is commemorating events in 1523 when Sweden exited the Kalmar Union which had been dominated by Denmark and Gustav Vasa became king. Sweden later became a significant military power and conquered large areas in Europe. But Sweden has not taken part in any wars in modern times and the attitudes in Sweden has been somewhat guarded towards celebrating a national day. The day has been celebrated only since 1983 and it did not become a national holiday until last year.
Sweden is almost the size of Spain, but has only 9 million inhabitants. It is located in northern Europe between Finland and Norway, north of Denmark and is part of Scandinavia. Sweden is a monarchy, but has long and strong democratic traditions. This country has for a long time been very wealthy and has pioneered a welfare system that has brought a very wide majority into its middle class. Practically nobody is denied health care or education because of financial reasons. The country is not only one of the world’s most generous suppliers of economic assistance to the third world, but Sweden is also known to base its giving on humanitarian grounds without political strings attached.
The country is very beautiful and so is its capital Stockholm which is built on islands and surrounded by clean water. The most charming part of Stockholm and a favorite with visitors is Gamla stan, or old town, which has ancient interesting buildings, narrow streets, and cafes and restaurants with a great atmosphere. The best time to visit is June through August, so right now is the time to go. On June 24 Sweden will be celebrating midsummer a tradition that goes back to old pagan times when summer solstice was an important festival. But don’t go to Stockholm to celebrate midsummer, since it is celebrated close to nature and during midsummer weekend the cities are almost deserted.
So sweden is a country well worth visiting although a drawback for some might be the fact that the country is quite expensive.
