15 Magical Photos of Sweden That Will Make You Want To Pack Your Bags Today

Sweden was a country that had never really been on our radar. But a ridiculously inexpensive one-way flight from New York City meant we were ready for a Scandinavian adventure. When we told fellow travelers we would be exploring Stockholm before heading north to Swedish Lapland in search of the Aurora Borealis, we were consistently met with the same two responses:

Sweden is absolutely stunning.

But it is also ridiculously expensive.

It turns out that they were right on both accounts. But though a trip to Sweden will inevitably put a significant dent in your wallet, the opportunity to visit this spell-binding country is one that should not be missed! We only explored a minute amount of the country, but it was enough to completely and utterly enamor us. Looking at these 15 photos makes us want to visit Sweden again—we hope they inspire you as well! 

PHOTO: Picture perfect Riddarfjarden

PHOTO: Boats docked at Riddarfjarden

PHOTO: Wild moose in Swedish Lapland

PHOTO: Everyone is so friendly!

PHOTO: The wild North of Sweden

PHOTO: Snowy Forest

PHOTO: And you can have it all to yourself

PHOTO: A river flowing through the snow

PHOTO: The Sun glistens off the snow

Extra tips for visiting Sweden:

• Book bus and train tickets as early in advance as possible (preferably 90 days). Prices will be more expensive if you wait until the last minute. Alternatively, consider flying. You might get lucky and score a great deal.

• Limit the number of times you eat out at restaurants. This is a sure-fire way to blow through your budget quickly. Alternatively, look into a package that includes all of your meals, like Aurora Retreat.

• Don’t miss partaking in the tradition of fika: Coffee and cinnamon roles never tasted so good!

• If you want to purchase alcoholic beverages above a 3.5 percent alcohol content, you must visit a Systembolaget. But be prepared- the shops close at 6 p.m. Friday and are only open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.