What to see in Sweden: 8 must-sees

Hop aboard a boat among the 14 bridges of the Swedish capital, built across islands linked by navigable canals. In Gamla Stan you walk through medieval alleys with ochre facades to the Royal Palace, and at the Vasa Museum you see the 17th-century warship raised almost intact from the harbor floor. On Djurgården you alternate between woods, waterside trails, and the Skansen open-air museum. The city was European Capital of Culture in 1998. At markets like Östermalms Saluhall you sample herring, rye bread, and freshly baked cinnamon buns.

Head down into Malmö Central Station and then up the Turning Torso tower, Santiago Calatrava's twisting skyscraper standing 190 meters tall. From the Västra Hamnen district, take in the Øresund Bridge, which links Sweden with Copenhagen in just twenty minutes by train. Stroll through Lilla Torg square, shop at the Möllevången market, and enjoy fika with kanelbullar at the cafés by the canal. Check out Malmöhus Castle, Kungsparken park, and Ribersborg beach, where swimmers brave the Baltic almost all year round.

Take a peek at the lock gates of the Göta Canal in Västra Götaland, and cruise its 19 kilometers by boat in about 12 hours. You'll pass through 58 locks and bridges that still operate as they did in the 19th century, amid the forests and lakes of the Swedish interior. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, the canal preserves the original engineering that connected the country from coast to coast.

Admire rooms, suites, and sculptures carved each winter from ice taken from the Torne River in Jukkasjärvi, Norrbotten. Sleep on ice beds with reindeer hides, sip a drink at the bar where even the glasses are made of ice, and wander the illuminated galleries. In winter, the northern lights appear over the Lapland sky, and in summer the hotel offers a permanent refrigerated version that operates year-round. Dog sledding, snowmobiling, and ice fishing round out the stay.

Cross Swedish Lapland, in the province of Norrbotten, a territory declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Walk among boreal forests and rivers that cross the plains, hills, and mountain areas of northern Sweden. Follow trails through ancient geological formations and observe the wildlife and plants typical of this Nordic region. Devote your visit to hiking and nature watching in one of Europe's best-preserved natural landscapes.

Camp beside the rauks of Fårö, the limestone formations the wind has sculpted on Gotland's northern coast, and go for a swim in the clear waters of Sudersand or Tofta. Cycle trails through pine forests to villages with medieval churches and Viking graves, try surfing when the Baltic wind blows, and stroll along the shore at sunset. End the day in Visby, the walled town where Hanseatic relics mingle with cafés and climbing roses.