Sweden is one of the most exciting countries in the world and a lot of people just don’t know it. Case in point: Spotify, the most popular audio streaming platform in the world. A lot of people have this app on their phones but a lot of them don't know that the service provider was founded in Sweden in 2006. Also on the tech route, one of the most popular games in the world, Minecraft, was crafted in Sweden. The same is true for the world’s most popular torrent site: The Pirate Bay.
A lot of music enthusiasts probably know that one of the most popular musical groups in the world, ABBA, came from Sweden. The most popular YouTuber in the world, PewDiePie, is also based in Sweden. On another end of the spectrum is the multi-hyphenated Alfred Nobel, who started the Nobel Prizes to leave behind a better legacy, after getting negative flak for inventing the dynamite. Rock duo Roxette also got its start in this Nordic country, which is also famed for its design.
IKEA, the popular brand for ready-to-assemble furniture, was born in Sweden. H&M, an internationally known clothing-retail company, also originated here. So when people hear Swedish design, they know that it could only be a good thing. Vehicle manufacturers Volvo and Saab are also headquartered in Sweden. The former is the second-largest manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks in the world while the latter is known for safety.
Then there are the sights. Sweden is one of the few places on earth, where the Aurora Borealis is at its most beautiful. The country is also the originator of the Ice Hotel, which is exactly what it sounds like. But more than its unique architecture, the country is known for its beautiful snow-capped landscapes and imposing mountains. It is the first European country to establish a national park in 1909. The country currently has 30 national parks with more being eyed in the future.
Here are the 10 most unexplored national parks in Sweden:
Abisko National Park
In 1909, when Sweden decided to establish national parks, nine of them were launched. One of them is the Abisko in Norrbotten County. The park’s territory starts at the shores of one of Sweden’s largest lakes, the Tornetrask. The park is named after the nearby Abisko village. One of the park's famous features is the permafrost that is common in the area. Unfortunately, the permafrost is disappearing because of global warming.
One of the reasons the park was established was to preserve a Nordic territory, the untouched nature for scientific research as well as public consumption. The park is noted for its hiking trails, backcountry skiing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The northern lights can also be viewed in this park, which is why a lot of hikers trek the park at night.
Among the most common animal residents in the park are the lemmings, martens, moose, reindeer, squirrels, and stoats. There have also been some rare sightings of Arctic foxes, bears, lynxes and wolverines. Other tourist spots in the park are the Abiskodalen Valley, which is covered with birch trees; Mount Njulia, which has an abundance of flowers; and the Abiskojakka River, which flows through a stunning canyon.
Asnen National Park
Sweden’s youngest park is located in Krononberg County. It was only established in 2018 and is characterized by a lacustrine archipelago lined with virginal forests. The park is also home to a number of uninhabited islands.
The park enjoys a vibrant animal and plant life, both in aquatic and terrestrial regions. The terrestrial part is great for hiking, especially with its rich beech forest. There are also numerous varieties of plants that can be seen in the park, including lichens and mosses. There is also surreal-looking dead wood strewn around. With trees come birds.
The park is also a popular bird area not just because of the forest but because of the surrounding lakes. Visitors can canoe their way around the park and spot some eagles, loons, and ospreys. Other popular activities are biking and camping. There are campgrounds for those who want to stay overnight. For those who want to experience what the park offers, they need to stay for at least two days. Other popular tourist spots in the park are the cave and some ancient remains.
Bjornlandet National Park
Established in 1991, the park comprises primeval forest, steep ravines, and vast wilderness. It is located in Vasterbotten County. One of the favorite activities in the park is hiking during the elk hunting season. Hiking is not advisable during winter, though, as the climate could truly be harsh. The view from the top of Bjornberget is just amazing considering the vast wilderness housed by the park. Benches have been installed in some parts of the viewpoints to give tourists a chance to relax and savor the view.
While it may be difficult to hike during winter, it is the best time to spot the park's impressive wildlife: elk, martens, reindeer, and wolverines. Tourists also come to the park during the summer for birdwatching. Popular birding venues are the Angsjon Lake, Ansjobacken Brook, Bjorbacken Brook and the marsh area of the park. These are the favorite spots among migrating aquatic birds. Among the birds that tourists will surely spot are capercaillies, crested and willow tits, Siberian jays and various species of woodpeckers.
Walking around the forest will also give tourists a chance to gather some berries: bilberries, crowberries, and lingonberries—yum!
Dalby Soderskog National Park
This is among the smallest national parks in Sweden and was established in 1918 to protect what authorities believed was a primeval forest. It was found later that the area was used for pasture. Anyway, the park continues to offer great attractions for locals and tourists. The soil has some limestone and chalk, which make the park viable for floral abundance.
Spring flowers, in particular, thrive here. April and May are the perfect time to visit this park with the flowers in bloom: lesser celandine, regular and yellow wood anemones and yellow star of Bethlehem. But the star of the park has to be the Bird-in-a-bush, which comes in pink and white. This is one of the few parks which elevates the flowers to be the centerpiece.
Half of this park in Skane County is surrounded by an embankment of ancient remains known as Hasthagevallen. These parts are kept from the undergrowth, to preserve its historical and cultural significance.
Gotska Sandon National Park
Here is a unique landscape in Sweden: sand. The country is notorious for its snow but this park has abundant sand—beach sand and dunes. It has a pine forest, too.
The beaches in the park are beautiful with turquoise waters perfectly complemented by the surrounding white sand. Inland, the sand forms dunes. The dunes in the park are vast, but the headland of the Bredsandsudde perfectly melds with Fyrbyn’s dunes covered with pine. The largest shifting dune is Hoga Asen with its highest point reaching 42 meters. This part of the park is also home to some ancient pine trees.
It may be a bit difficult to hike in the sandy area, but there are marked forest trails in the interior of the park. One of the trails will lead hikers to a lighthouse, which provides a great view of the entire park with its changing landscape and natural colors: blue from the waters, white for the shore sand, which turns to beige inland, and finally the green from the forest.
The park is popular among gray seals, but its small terrestrial forest doesn't really have thriving mammalian wildlife, although, there are some mountain hares around. There are several species of insects, though. There are many species of bats residing in the park. Birds are also abundant here—some of which stay at the beach, while others nest in the forest.
Kosterhavet National Park
This is Sweden’s first national marine park and is located in Bohuslan. It covers the waters surrounding Koster Islands. As an aquatic resource, marine activities are encouraged here like swimming, snorkeling, diving, and paddling.
The largest seal colony in Sweden is found in this park. There are also over 6,000 species of marine animals found in the park's waters and about 200 of them are endemic to the area—they are not found anywhere else in Sweden. In the more shallow waters, species like cod, plaices, and sea trout are found. There are also rare seabirds along the shores: Arctic terns and skuas.
Stenshuvud National Park
Named after a hill, the 97-meter Stenshuvud, this park is in Skane County. While the hill may be relatively small, because it is surrounded by plains, it looks quite imposing. It can be seen from afar and seafarers from way back used this as a landmark during their travels. The park also faces the Baltic Sea.
The park is mostly broadleaf forest with the European hornbeam being the most dominant tree. Over 600 species of vascular plants can be seen in the park. There are also orchids and barren strawberry, which is quite rare. There are also heaths, meadows, and swamps, which make them a haven among aquatic birds. Other animals found in the park are the agile and European frogs, Eurasian golden orioles and hazel dormice.
Near the top of the hill, tourists may also see the remains of a fortress believed to be from the fifth or sixth century.
Tiveden National Forest
It may be called a forest but its most famous attractions are the natural boulders that are over 10 meters high and are strewn all over the park. One of them is called the Junker Jagare’s stone, which is a natural boulder 15 meters tall. It is a beautiful natural structure, especially when viewed along with its surroundings of green trees and shrubs.
This park in Vastergotland Province was established in 1983. It is characterized by wild forests and rugged terrain. There are stunning wilderness lakes and caves as well. Rift valleys are natural landforms common in Sweden but not so much around the world. One example of that is the Sitgmanspasset, a narrow rift valley with cliffs, covered in moss. Other famous landforms in the park are two mountains called the Stora and Lilla Trollkyrka.
Tyresta National Park
Located in the popular Stockholm County, the park is characterized by a rift valley landscape populated with virgin forests and a smattering of lakes and dams. The park has one of the largest coniferous old-growth forests in the country. There are pine trees that are almost 400 years old.
It was unfortunate, though, that 10% of the national park was consumed by fire in 1999 due to the hot and dry conditions at that time. The damage left by the fire is still evident in the park to this day. Fortunately, a lot of the primeval forest remained intact and tourists can marvel at some of the imposing ancient trees through the 2.5-kilometer trail. There are also some 55 kilometers of marked trails for some serious hiking.
Vadvetjakka National Park
This is the northernmost national park in Sweden, located in Norrbotten County. It has a vast valley interspersed with narrow lagoons and lakes, a mountain range, some alpine flora, and deep cave systems. The park is named after its most famous mountain, Vadvetjakka.
Hiking and walking around the vast and beautiful landscape will allow tourists the opportunity to encounter a moose or a group of them. Bird enthusiasts may also spot some arctic redpoll, scaup, sedge warbler, teal, and wigeon. There have been over 300 vascular plants recorded in the park. Among them are rare species of lappvedel and northern moonwort. But the most beautiful part of the park has to be the south slope of the mountains because of the sprinkling of mountain avens, primula Scandinavica, purple saxifrages and veronica fruiticans.
The park’s limestone cave is around 400 meters long and 140 meters deep. It was formed by flowing underground water.