Sweden is a northern European state, bordered by its Scandinavian neighbours Norway, Denmark and Finland. The facts: the population is approaching 10 million, the capital city is Stockholm, Sweden is part of the EU, the currency is the Swedish Krona and Sweden is a constitutional monarchy, the present monarch being King Carl (XVI) Gustav.

With some 10-15% of its land mass lying within the Arctic circle, it's stating the obvious to say that people don't generally visit Sweden for the sun, although the Gulf Stream keeps the winters here considerably milder than in other similarly northern areas. There is also fairly low rain and snow-fall and summers can be warm in some areas.

With budget airlines flying to Sweden's major cities, citybreaks to the likes of Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmo and Uppsala are increasingly popular. Golf is very much an up and coming sport and Sweden now boasts more than 300 golf courses. Sweden has mile upon mile of coastline with countless picturesque fishing villages. The West Coast archipelago with its many islands is a popular spot for both beaches and boating. As you travel north into Sweden, the terrain becomes more and more forested, and the far north forms part of what is known collectively as Lapland. Here arctic wilderness, reindeer, sleighs, northern lights and the midnight sun prevail - perfect for an unusual and different holiday.

Swedish cuisine is fairly familiar to most Europeans. Fish, particularly herrings, play a large part inn Swedish cuisine as do diary products and potatoes. Meatballs with sauce is a popular dish and crisp flatbreads and pancakes often feature.

Accommodation in Sweden depends very much on location, with apartments in the cities and towns, and cottages, often constructed out of wood, in the countryside and by the coast. Villas and houses are also often of timber construction, even when they are quite large. Both self-catering properties and guesthouses are available.