Art in Sweden

The art scene in Sweden has attracted increasing international attention in recent years. Some may ask whether, in today’s age of globalisation, mobility and a growing exchange of information, it is appropriate and sensible to look at art from a country-specific perspective. After all, with the avant - gardes born at the beginning of the 20th century, common ideas, themes and formal languages were developed which went beyond national horizons. Upon closer inspection, the history of art and culture reveals that individual countries have provided the impetus for artistic developments in other countries time and again. Art and culture spring from a national context, while at the same time crossing national boundaries. The different nations and cultures of Europe are a valuable source from which Europe can draw inspiration. Without a curiosity for and receptiveness to cultural diversity, this potential would remain untapped, and there would be little room for innovation or for creating common experience.

Culture in Sweden

Centuries of relative ethnic, religious, and linguistic homogeneity were followed by substantial immigration during the last sixty years, creating a multicultural society in Sweden. Most citizens speak Swedish as their first language and English as their second. Swedish is a north Germanic language related to Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, and Faeroese; it has incorporated elements of German, French, English, and Finnish. The language has been nationally standardized for more than a century, but regional variations in pronunciation persist. English is a required second language in school. With a robust feminist movement, comprehensive publicly supported child care, and an unparalleled percentage of women in government, Sweden is considered a leader in gender equality. Advancement in this arena is a significant national self-stereotype, a symbol of what distinguishes Swedes from others. Families are predominantly nuclear rather than extended. While the two-parent household with children remains normative, the rate of single-parent households is high. No industrialized nation has a higher frequency of one-person households, which are particularly common among young adults in urban areas and among the elderly.

Sights and sounds of Stockholm

Sweden, the land of forests and lakes, also boasts bustling cities where cutting edge design mixes with rich cultural heritage. The capital city Stockholm is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world, largely due to the archipelago system it is built around. Captivating landscapes abound in Sweden from scenic coastlines, idyllic islands, arctic wilderness areas, vast lakes and starkly beautiful forests that cover over half the country. Stockholm has to be seen by water as it sparkles with the water that surrounds it. Made up of fourteen islands ‘the water city’, as it has been nicknamed, is the capital of Sweden and the Nordic region’s largest city. Here grand historic buildings and culture dating back to the 13th century intermingle with some of the best contemporary art and design in the world. Stockholm’s extensive public transport system makes it easy to get around and discover hidden corners of one of the world’s most beautiful cities. City Sightseeing has bus tours guided in several different languages. The buses take you from the centre of the city and around the different parts of Stockholm passing all interesting sights. If you prefer to step off at the sights we recommend our Open Top busses and the Hop-on Hop-off tour that can also be combined with the Hop-on Hop-off boat. If you want to go further out in the archipelago the Cinderella boats depart from Strandvägen heading far out to small isles. Also recommended is the purchasing of the Stockholm Card which provides free entrance to 75 sightseeing spots, free use of city sightseeing buses, undergrounds, bus and suburb trains. The Stockholm card is sold in most tourist information centers and hotels. There are many ways to see Stockholm apart from the ones mentioned above. There are biking tours, kayaking tour of the archipelago, sunset wildlife safari tour, royal tour, historical tour, Viking history day trips, royal canal tour and so on and so forth. You can take your pick as per your liking and convenience. You can also do a round of sightseeing in just a day if you are short on time.