Explore: Sundsvall, Sweden

Sundsvall, Sweden - 62.3908° N, 17.3069° E

"A life without love is like a year without summer." -- Swedish Proverb

For those that don't know, when I was 16-years-old, I spent a year studying abroad as an exchange student in Sweden. I was one of 52 international students studying in the country that year with the exchange organization Youth for Understanding. I lived with a host family (complete with dogs, cats and bunnies) on a small island named Alnö roughly four hours north of Stockholm. I spent my junior year of high school studying art and sculpture with a small class of twenty at gymnasiet (high school) in a town called Sundsvall. I practiced gymnastics and cheerleading outside of class, and spent the weekends with my five best friends.

It was arguably the best year of my life.

YFU Sweden Exchange Group 2009 - 2010

That said, the year didn't come without it's challenges (homesickness is real and it's very difficult), but I made memories and friendships that I will forever carry with me through life. To anyone that has the option to study abroad (whether in high school or in college), I highly recommend you go, and go for as long as you are able to.

So, if you ever find yourself in Sundsvall (a town I hold very close to my heart), I've created a list of places to see, traditions to experience, and the best Swedish food to check out.

Unique to the Area

Timrå Hockey

It should come to no surprise that Swedes take their hockey very seriously. A short twenty minutes from Sundsvall lies the city of Timrå, which is home to the area's closest hockey team. If you're going to head to Sweden, it's basically a requirement that you experience either a hockey game or fotboll game during your visit.

Innergården

My favorite fika spot in the city! Innergården (see third photo below) is located right in downtown Sundsvall and after a day of shopping and walking the city, it's the perfect spot to stop for a sweet dessert and drink. The cafe looks as though it's set outside, designed on a cobblestone floor and centered between external-looking buildings. Grab a seat above the bar and you'll be able to people-watch for hours.

Sundsvall Dragons

The city of Sundsvall has a mascot (believe it or not) - the dragon! In promotion of the town's local basketball team, stone dragons were distributed to local businesses and organizations. Each was encouraged to decorate theirs in a unique way, and now the dragons line the main street downtown. Walking around town, you'll find a dragon in a bathtub, one flying above the streets, and a variety of other themes (see last photo above).

Swedish Traditions to Experience

Ongoing: Fika

Whether you're having fika in the morning (mellis), afternoon (fika) or after dinner (kvälls fika), it all boils down to three important things: good food, good company and good conversation. Fika is the act of enjoying a small treat and beverage with friends and family. This was one of my favorite things I learned while studying abroad, and is something I still aim to practice today. Fika is an excuse to try a new cafe or restaurant in your area. It's an opportunity to meet after school or work and spend quality face time with new friends, old friends and family. The best friends I made during my year abroad started over prinsesstårta and exotic Fanta after school at fika. I built lasting relationships with my host grandparents over an apple and coffee during mellis. I laughed and bonded with my host siblings and parents over carrots and tea at kvälls fika.

Winter: St. Lucia, Advent and Julbord

In Sweden, the majority of individuals identify themselves as Lutheran, though in my experience, few Swedes physically go to church on a regular basis. During the winter months, Advent (the four Sundays leading up to Christmas) kicks off the holiday season with the festival of lights. In Sundsvall, our entire city opened to a winter festival with handcrafted knickknacks, candles, treats and glögg (mulled wine with raisins, cinnamon and almonds). Our entire city lit up just in time for some of the shortest days of the year. Each Sunday during Advent, the family lights a candle and enjoys spending time together during the dark days. My family enjoyed baking traditional Swedish cookies together.

On December 13, Swedes celebrate St. Lucia Day. In the weeks leading up to the celebration in my city, we voted on who we wanted to portray Lucia in our city's procession. This was the only time during my year that I stepped inside of a church. We all gathered to watch the portrayal of Lucia, complete with candle crowns, white gowns and singing.

Another popular tradition during the winter season is julbord. A traditional Christmas feast, we had three julbords as a family during the month of December. There are different versions, but most families will attend one at a restaurant and will host one on Christmas Eve. In our out-of-the-home experience, we traveled to a small restaurant located inside a small house. Each room in the house had a food theme - cheeses and meats, breads, desserts, drinks and more (see above photos). It was decadent, extravagant and delicious. This tradition can be paralleled to American Thanksgiving - a lot of food and family time!

Summer: Midsommar

On the longest day of the year (it fluctuates between June 20 - 23), Swedes gather together to make flower crowns, sing and dance around a maypole, and suck the heads of kraften (cray fish) while drinking vodka into the wee hours of the morning. Because the sun only goes down for a few short hours (typically from midnight until around three or four a.m.), many stay up all night to play games and spend time together. Above are photos of my Midsommar experience, complete with traditional Swedish music, dancing and a big picnic. Prior to heading to the celebration, we gathered fresh wildflowers and made crowns for our hair. This is the biggest holiday of the year, and something I highly recommend you experience at least once in your lifetime.

Food to Eat

Prinsesstårta (Princess cake)

The Swedes love their sweets! If you like marzipan, I highly recommend this cake for any celebration you may be hosting. Covered in green marzipan, the cake is made of layers of jam, custard, whipped cream (not as sweet as the type Americans consume) and fluffy breading. Visit this site for a recipe to make your own at home.

Glögg (Mulled wine)

In the winter months, this is the perfect drink if you're not in the mood for hot cocoa. This mulled wine is served at most winter functions (I tried this for the first time at my little host sister's school open house!) and it's great with almonds, cinnamon sticks and raisins. Sweet, but not too sweet, this drink warms you to the core on those cold, snowy days. Want to try it without heading all the way to Sweden? You can buy a few bottles at your local IKEA!

Räksmörgås (Shrimp sandwich)

Open faced sandwiches are incredibly common in Sweden, and most feature eggs, meat and veggies. My personal favorite? Räksmörgås! It's topped with shrimp and serves as a good lunch in the spring. Here's an awesome recipe from The Petite Cook to check out.

Lussebullar (Saffron buns)

Another delicious winter treat, lussebullar are semi-sweet yellow buns made with raisins and saffron. They taste really great with a side of glögg! Fortunately, this is another treat that can typically be found at IKEA in the winter months.

Sweden is a country that I hold very dear to my heart, filled with beautiful traditions, delicious food, and some of my favorite people. It's a corner of the world that I feel most never think to explore, but a place that is magical in a way that is much different than the rest of Europe. Long before I lived there, it was a place I traveled that always felt like home, where the culture felt comfortable yet exciting. Whether you're exploring the busy city of Stockholm, taking a promenade through Skåne's countryside, or enjoying a boat ride around the island of Alnö, Sweden is the perfect place to have new experiences and create new memories.

Extra: Headed to Sweden and need more tips? Send me a note! I always love to talk about Sweden and am happy to make some recommendations on lodging, travel, and more.