Sweden Road Trip in 7 days

On a self-drive tour, Nordic Visitor supplies you with a quality rental car and a detailed personal itinerary. You act as your own tour guide and driver, and you get to pick the road trip music!

All your services will be pre-booked by your personal travel consultant at Nordic Visitor. This includes your rental car and accommodation in Sweden, along with planned activities, as specified in the itinerary.

As this is a self-guided tour, you are welcome to stop whenever and wherever you wish along the way. Except for accommodation and booked activities, other highlights we have listed in the itinerary are suggestions based on Nordic Visitor favourites.

And rest assured that we are with you every step of the way. Upon your arrival, you will receive personalised information, including an itinerary, hand-annotated map and our very own Sweden Travel Guide. Plus, you will have access to our 24/7 helpline during your trip should you need to contact us.

Yes, we highly recommend adding optional activities and extra nights to enhance your tour. This way you can customise your trip with what you want to see and do most.

We recommend adding them now to secure your spot, as popular excursions often sell out. And we suggest booking no more than one additional activity per day for the best experience. You can also add up to 3 extra nights at the beginning or end of your tour.

You can add optional activities and extra nights to your tour in the booking steps.

If you’d prefer extra nights in the countryside or other locations, please speak with one of our Travel Consultants who can recommend the best itinerary to suit your needs.

Yes, you can customise this tour online. During the booking process, you can add extra nights to your itinerary as well as optional day trips, excursions and upgrades. 

If you have something specific in mind, please let your travel consultant know at the time of booking. They'll see what they can do to accommodate you. 

To find out which dates you can start your trip on, navigate to the "Find your price" section on the tour's page. Under "Tour start date", you'll see a calendar symbol. Select this and you'll see all the available dates to start your tour.

If you can't select a certain day, this means there are no departures available then. In that situation, please get in touch and one of our travel consultants will look into the options for you.

So when do you check in? And what can you expect when you land in Sweden?

After picking up your luggage, you’ll make your way to your accommodation. Public transport is easy to access and convenient in Stockholm. Or you could catch a taxi.

Check-in times vary between hotels and guesthouses, but it normally starts between 2–4 PM.

You are welcome to request an early check-in for an additional fee. Although this isn’t always available, you’ll be able to store your luggage at the hotel until check-in. Please contact your travel consultant well in advance of your trip if you’d like an early check-in.

On your Sweden adventure, you’ll stay in accommodation that’s been hand-picked by our travel experts. We’ve partnered with local businesses and selected hotels and guesthouses based on excellent ratings, comfort and our personal experience.

During the booking process, you can choose between Comfort Plus and Superior accommodation. Comfort Plus usually consists of standard rooms in good quality and comfortable 3-star hotels. Superior is standard rooms in 4-star hotels combined with superior rooms in premium 3-star hotels.

You will also be able to choose between single, double or triple rooms. Please note that in the Nordic countries room types are based on European standard sizes, which means they are smaller than in North America.

For example, a double bed often consists of 2 single beds pushed together. Twin rooms are 2 separate single beds. Triple rooms include a double bed along with an extra single bed, rollaway or sofa bed. And single rooms are often smaller than the standard double.

If you have anything specific in mind, please contact us to discuss customising your accommodation options.

Travelling with your kids? No problem! You'll be able to enter your children's ages during the booking process. This lets us know whether to arrange either a baby cot or roll-away bed for your trip.

If you'd like us to arrange for a car seat to be provided for your trip, please let us know ahead of time. It's also possible to book this directly with the car rental agency. This will incur a small, extra cost.

Your safety and comfort are incredibly important to us, and we're happy to help with your dietary needs.

Since breakfast is included in your booking, please leave a comment about any allergies or dietary requirements during the booking process. We'll forward these details to your accommodation. Breakfast buffets typically include baked goods, cheese, jam, yogurt, cereal, fresh fruit, juice and coffee.

For other meals during your stay, most restaurants offer various options to suit different dietary needs. You can simply inform the waiting staff of your requirements and discuss your options.   

When you travel with Nordic Visitor, breakfast at your accommodation is always included.  For the rest of your meals, the amount of spending money you need will depend on the standard of restaurants you decide to go to.

We recommend budgeting between 150–250 SEK for lunch per person, each day. Dinner at casual restaurants might cost between 300–500 SEK for a main course. Meanwhile at upscale restaurants, you might expect to spend at least 500-800 SEK per person.

These prices do not include the cost of alcoholic beverages.

You will pick up your vehicle from the car rental office in the city centre on the day your self-drive tour begins. At the end of your rental period, you will return the car back to the same city centre office.

Your transfers between your hotel and the rental car office aren’t included – you'll need to make your own way there. We’ll try to book you into accommodation less than 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) from the office, so you could choose to walk there, or ask reception to book you a taxi.

Driving in the Scandinavian countries might be slightly different than what you’re used to. For this reason, you’ll want to make yourself aware of local driving laws and potential road hazards, such as:

• We drive on the right-hand side of the road
• Low-beam headlights should be on at all times
• Speed limits are posted in kilometres per hour (km/h)b
• Speed and traffic violations have steep fines

And finally, with all the beautiful scenery, you’ll want to take it slow and enjoy the drive!

For more information, we strongly recommend taking a few minutes to read through our guide to driving in Scandinavia. You’ll also receive more guidance ahead of your arrival in our Scandinavia Travel Guide.

Most hotels in small towns and in the countryside have free parking. In the cities and capitals, you’ll need to find parking nearby your hotels. This may include on-street parking (where you pay at the parking meter or via apps) or parking garages.

Fees can vary, so we recommend you check in advance as these fees are not included in your Nordic Visitor package.

We recommend using Google Maps or a search engine to find car parks near your accommodation. You can also ask your hotel for assistance. You might find you have a short walk between the car park and your hotel.

GPS is included with all rental cars. You'll also be able to connect your phone either via Bluetooth or plug-in cable. 

However, you may want to ensure you have adequate mobile roaming that you can use during your travels. This way you can use another navigation platform (for example, Google Maps) if you'd prefer. You could also download maps of areas you will be visiting, so you can use them offline.

Sweden is a beautiful destination all year round. But it’s good to be aware of a few things before picking the best time to visit for you.

During the summer months, June to August, you’ll have the warmest temperatures and longest daylight hours of the year. This is ideal for outdoor excursions and taking full advantage of your days for sightseeing.

If you’d like to experience the top attractions with fewer visitors around, then you could book a summer itinerary in May or September. It’s good to note that at these times, attractions might have some limited opening hours.

If you’d like to visit in winter, then we recommend you pick a Scandinavia independent tour or head to Swedish Lapland. At this time of year, you can expect fewer daylight hours, and the addition of snow-dusted mountains as a backdrop.

The south of Sweden, where you’ll be travelling, is located quite far north in Europe so you can expect long daylight hours in summer. It’s the equivalent latitude of the southern edges of Yukon or Alaska.

In Stockholm, for example, you can expect between 16 and 19 hours of daylight depending on how close you are to the solstice.

The region’s long summer days give you plenty of time to explore. That said, you may want to pack a sleeping mask if you are a light sleeper or tend to wake up at dawn.

During the summer months, you can expect relatively consistent weather across the south of Sweden.

The months of June, July and August boast the warmest weather of the year. In Stockholm, you can expect average temperatures between 17–20°C (61–68°F). In May and September, you can also expect milder conditions, so pack for temperatures closer to 11–14°C (52–57°F).

All that said, it’s good to know that weather conditions are often changeable in Northern Europe, so you should come ready for sun, rain and wind.

Please note that sightseeing is dependent on weather and road conditions. This means that your itinerary might need to be altered if these conditions are not favourable during your visit.

Summer has most consistent weather of the year in Sweden, especially in the south of the region. That said, you should still be ready to experience all seasons in one day. Especially if you will be spending a lot of time outdoors, you’ll want to pack for a combination of weather conditions.

Here is an essential summer packing list for your trip to Sweden:
• Shorts and trousers
• T-shirts and long sleeve tops
• At least one warm jumper or fleece
• Waterproof jacket and trousers
• Light gloves, hat and scarf
• Comfortable walking or hiking shoes
• Sunglasses, sun hat and sunscreen
• Umbrella
• Eye mask to sleep despite the long daylight hours
• Electronic gear such as smartphone, external powerpack, and travel adapters
• A backpack for easy access to daily essentials
• And don’t forget your camera!

In most major Scandinavian cities and towns you will be able to find coin-operated launderettes, with self-service facilities, and dry cleaners. Most hotels on your trip will also offer a laundry or dry cleaning service for an additional cost.

By booking with Nordic Visitor, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that there’s always someone there for you throughout your trip.

For support and advice during the day, you can call our office. And if anything unexpected happens outside working hours, you can reach us on our 24/7 helpline. 

During your tour, there will always be a travel expert on call to handle any unforeseen situations, such as unusual weather or events.

It’s best to book as soon as you can to secure your preferred travel dates. Once you have picked your tour, check the availability calendar to see which months are open for booking. Then, select the date you want and complete your booking.

We recommend waiting for a confirmation from your travel consultant to ensure your travel dates are available. You’ll then be able to purchase your flights with confidence.

If you like to plan well ahead, you’ll find that it’s possible to book many tours for the following year. And if you have any questions or need advice, you can always contact us. 

When you book this tour, we’ll ask for a 10% deposit to secure your spot. Then you’ve got plenty of time – the rest is due 30 days before you arrive.

Here’s a tip: if you pay a 20% deposit instead, we’ll include our cancellation protection at no extra cost. It's there to give you breathing room if your plans need to change.

Booking last minute? If it’s less than 30 days until your trip, we’ll need the full payment upfront.

Want to know more? Check out our payment and cancellation terms or just get in touch – we’re here to help.

Your remaining balance is due 30 days before your arrival date. Apart from the deposit, all remaining payments are managed through our Customer Portal. On this portal, you also have the option to split your payments if preferred.

All Sweden bookings are billed in Euro (EUR). Prices displayed in other currencies are indicative only and based on the daily exchange rate. This means conversions from EUR to other currencies will fluctuate from day to day.

After booking your tour package online, you will be contacted within 2 business days by your own dedicated travel consultant. They will be your point of contact for all your travel needs before, during and even after your trip. 

At that time, they’ll confirm the availability of your tour. Then the booking process starts, which may take a few weeks. Once this is done, your travel consultant will provide you with all the details of your trip. You will also receive more information about what to expect during your trip.

If you have a passport from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand, you won’t need a visa to visit Sweden. This visa-free entry is valid for up to 90 days.

Visiting from another country? You might need to apply for a Schengen visa. You can find out whether you require a visa to enter on the Sweden Government website.

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your departure from the region. It’s a good idea to check your passport expiry date early in case you need to renew it.

After you have booked your tour, it will only take a few days to confirm its availability. But it may take a few weeks to create your itinerary and book everything. Once your trip details are finalised, we’ll send you e-copies of your travel documents.

Upon your arrival in Sweden, you’ll receive a welcome bag with hard copies of your itinerary, attraction and tour vouchers, the Nordic Visitor Sweden Travel Guide and more.

When you depart may depend on the time of your return flight. Check out early if you’re heading to the airport for a morning flight. On the other hand, if you’re flying home later in the day, you might like to enjoy a leisurely day or visit one more attraction.

You will need to check out from your room, but will be able to store your luggage at the hotel reception. Simply return later to collect your bags before catching your transfer to the airport.

No need! Nordic Visitor is already working on offsetting the estimated carbon footprint of your package. We’ve partnered with an environmental fund in Iceland to carbon offset all our tours.

Carbon offsetting your international flights is not included, but we highly recommend you look into possibilities with your airline or directly through a local environment fund.