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HOLIDAY

Six great spots in Sweden for a springtime getaway

With May bank holidays not far off and temperatures finally starting to creep up, it's an excellent time to start planning travel within Sweden. Here are six wonderful destinations for a springtime staycation.

Published: 10 April 2019 17:57 CEST
Updated: 28 April 2023 10:45 CEST
Six great spots in Sweden for a springtime getaway
Tulips by a stone wall on Gotland. Photo Janerik Henriksson/TT

Linköping

This student city is a great spot to visit in the spring, where the uteserveringar (outdoor terraces at cafes and bars) will be bustling, especially at the central Stora Torget (Main Square).

You can also take a peaceful walk or boat trip along the Kinda Canal, and don’t miss the experience of the Gamla Linköping Open Air Museum which offers glimpse of life in Sweden centuries ago.

READ ALSO: Six signs spring is on its way to Sweden

 
 
 
 
 
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Gotland

Just a ferry ride away from Stockholm, this island has long been the go-to place for Swedes’ weekend escapes. Its popularity means it gets very busy over the summer, especially around the week-long political festival Almedalen, so spring can be a savvy choice as many bars and restaurants will be re-opening after a winter break, but prices and crowds aren’t yet at their peak.

Easter may have already been and gone, but Visby’s Easter parade, where thousands of residents dress up in creative costumes, is something you need to do at least once in your lifetime.

Take advantage of the chance to experience the historic town of Visby at a quieter period, but don’t forget to venture out of the city and into the more secluded natural parts of the island if you have the time. Along the western coast, there are cliffs, beaches, small villages and historic ruins to explore.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Grinda

Stockholm’s archipelago is home to thousands of islands, and you could spend weeks hopping from one to the next. In the spring, ferry departures are running but on a much more limited schedule than in the summer, so you may prefer to visit one of the nearer, more accessible islands.

Grinda is an excellent pick, with a farm that children will enjoy plus peace and quiet in nature for all the family and the option of having a meal or drink at the popular Grinda Wärdshus.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Skuleskogen National Park

Northern Sweden isn’t just a great winter destination, but its mountain landscapes are perfect for hikers in the spring, summer and autumn too. It offers varied walking routes, with spectacular vistas over lakes and valleys, as well as the impressive Slåttdalsberget crevice.

Avoiding summer means you can appreciate the vast nature with few interruptions, and fewer pesky mosquitoes too, while flowers will give the forests a bit of colour. It’s a very accessible park, with the option of staying in small cabins, and routes for hikers of different abilities.

 
 
 
 
 
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Lake Siljan

This area of Dalarna offers unspoilt nature and an interesting glimpse into Swedish culture: you’ll see traditional red houses all around, and can enjoy a relaxing stay in any of the surrounding towns: Mora, Rättvik, or Leksand for example, or the smaller village Tällberg, long popular with tourists for its sunset views in particular.

Hike the Siljansleden trail or simply wander around the area, and soak up some culture at the museum dedicated to artist Anders Zorn as well as at his impressive family home Zorngården.

READ ALSO: Five great day trips to do from Gothenburg

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Österlen

If in doubt, head south. A huge advantage of this part of Skåne is the wide range of cultural activities, in case you find the weather unexpectedly cool or rainy. Glimmingehus, for example, is Scandinavia’s best preserved medieval stronghold.

But the area also boasts the nickname ‘Sweden’s Provence’, and in pleasant weather you can explore on foot or bicycle, taking in charming small villages and the coast. Can you believe the picture below was taken in early April in Sweden?

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Kiviks Musteri (@kiviksmusteri) on Apr 7, 2019 at 9:19am PDT

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EES PASSPORT CHECKS

How will the new app for Europe’s EES border system work?

With Europe set to introduce its new Entry/Exit biometric border system (EES) in the autumn there has been much talk about the importance of a new app designed to help avoid delays. But how will it work and when will it be ready?

Published: 7 May 2024 10:29 CEST
How will the new app for Europe's EES border system work?

When it comes into force the EU’s new digital border system known as EES will register the millions of annual entries and exits of non-EU citizens travelling to the EU/Schengen area, which will cover 29 European countries.

Under the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), non-EU residents who do not require a visa will have to register their biometric data in a database that will also capture each time they cross an external Schengen border.

Passports will no longer be manually stamped, but will be scanned. However, biometric data such as fingerprints and facial images will have to be registered in front of a guard when the non-EU traveller first crosses in to the EU/Schengen area.

Naturally there are concerns the extra time needed for this initial registration will cause long queues and tailbacks at the border.

To help alleviate those likely queues and prevent the subsequent frustration felt by travellers the EU is developing a new smartphone app.

READ ALSO: What will the EES passport system mean for foreigners living in Europe?

The importance of having a working app was summed up by Uku Särekanno, Deputy Executive Director of the EU border agency Frontex in a recent interview.

“Initially, the challenge with the EES will come down to the fact that travellers arriving in Europe will have to have their biographic and biometric data registered in the system – border guards will have to register four of their fingerprints and their facial image. This process will take time, and every second really matters at border crossing points – nobody wants to be stuck in a lengthy queue after a long trip.”

But there is confusion around what the app will actually be able to do, if it will help avoid delays and importantly when will it be available?

So here’s what we know so far.

Who is developing the app?

The EU border agency Frontex is currently developing the app. More precisely, Frontex is developing the back-end part of the app, which will be made available to Schengen countries.

“Frontex is currently developing a prototype of an app that will help speed up this process and allow travellers to share some of the information in advance. This is something we are working on to support the member states, although there is no legal requirement for us to do so,” Uku Särekanno said in the interview.

Will the 29 EES countries be forced to use the app?

No, it is understood that Frontex will make the app available on a voluntary basis. Each government will then decide if, when and where to use it, and develop the front-end part based on its own needs.

This point emerged at a meeting of the House of Commons European scrutiny committee, which is carrying out an inquiry on how EES will impact the UK.

What data will be registered via the app?

The Local asked the European Commission about this. A spokesperson however, said the Commission was not “in a position to disclose further information at this stage” but that travellers’ personal data “will be processed in compliance with the high data security and data protection standards set by EU legislation.”

According to the blog by Matthias Monroy, editor of the German civil rights journal Bürgerrechte & Polizei/CILIP the Frontex app will collect passengers’ name, date of birth, passport number, planned destination and length of stay, reason for travelling, the amount of cash they carry, the availability of a credit card and of a travel health insurance. The app could also allow to take facial images. It will then generate a QR code that travellers can present at border control.

This, however, does not change the fact that fingerprints and facial images will have to be registered in front of a guard at the first crossing into the Schengen area.

So given the need to register finger prints and facial images with a border guard, the question is how and if the app will help avoid those border queues?

When is the app going to be available?

The answer to perhaps the most important question is still unclear.

The Commissions spokesperson told The Local that the app “will be made available for Schengen countries as from the Entry/Exit System start of operations.” The planned launch date is currently October 6th, but there have been several delays in the past and may be another one.

The UK parliamentary committee heard that the prototype of the app should have been ready for EU member states in spring. Guy Opperman, Under-Secretary of State at the UK Department for Transport, said the app will not be available for testing until August “at best” and that the app will not be ready in time for October. The committee previously stated that the app might even be delayed until summer 2025.

Frontex’s Särekanno said in his interview: “Our aim is to have it ready by the end of the summer, so it can then be gradually integrated into national systems starting from early autumn”.

READ ALSO: How do the EES passport checks affect the 90-day rule?

Can the system be launched if the app is not ready?

Yes. The European Commission told The Local that “the availability of the mobile application is not a condition for the Entry/Exit System entry into operation or functioning of the system. The app is only a tool for pre-registration of certain types of data and the system can operate without this pre-registration.”

In addition, “the integration of this app at national level is to be decided by each Schengen country on a voluntary basis – as there is no legal obligation to make use of the app.”

And the UK’s transport under secretary Guy Opperman sounded a note of caution saying the app “is not going to be a panacea to fix all problems”.

When the app will be in use, will it be mandatory for travellers?

There is no indication that the app will become mandatory for those non-EU travellers who need to register for EES. But there will probably be advantages in using it, such as getting access to faster lanes.

As a reminder, non-EU citizens who are resident in the EU are excluded from the EES, as are those with dual nationality for a country using EES. Irish nationals are also exempt even though Ireland will not be using EES because it is not in the Schengen area.

Has the app been tested anywhere yet?

Frontex says the prototype of the app will be tested at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport, in Sweden. Matthias Monroy’s website said it was tested last year at Munich Airport in Germany, as well as in Bulgaria and Gibraltar.

According to the German Federal Police, the blog reports, passengers were satisfied and felt “prepared for border control”.

This article is published in cooperation with Europe Street News.

 
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