Sweden | Christmas and New Year Holidays

Holiday homes in Sweden – Weather

Visiting Sweden over Christmas and New Year, families have a good chance of experiencing some festive weather. The Swedish winters are very cold and get even colder the further north you go so it’s important you wrap up warm at all times and get the fire going in Swedish holiday homes. With cold weather often comes large flurries of snow which blanket the landscape, turning it into a magical paradise. Children love playing in the snow while self-catering in Sweden, and because the country is so open to nature, there is always lots of space to play.

Go skiing while self-catering in Sweden

Sweden has great skiing opportunities which open up each Christmas. There are resorts located all over the country, with the biggest in central Sweden’s mountain ranges. For family friendly skiing from chalets and holiday cottages in Sweden, try the Sälen range which includes 6 resorts in 4 ski areas. This combined area gives families over 100 slopes to choose from and 3 snow parks. If you want to channel you inner Swede, why not try cross-country skiing while self-catering. Sweden are world famous for their prowess at the sport, winning most of the medals in recent winter Olympics.

Try a snowmobile safari

If skiing sounds a bit too much like hard work, why not try a snowmobile safari while on Christmas holidays in Sweden. Holiday homes in the west of the country can take advantage of Sweden’s famous snow safaris which take families out into the wild to see nature. Sitting on the back of a snowmobile, zipping through forests and down slopes is extremely fun for kids and adults alike. But, the real draw of these trips is the opportunity to experience the country’s wild landscapes. Sweden is still home to wild beasts such as bears, wolves and moose, which can be found in many parts of the country.

Stockholm apartments

Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, is a fabulous place to visit on family holidays. NOVASOL has an exciting range of accommodation in Stockholm, ranging from cosy Stockholm apartments to large family homes. The city is fun to explore and is spread, romantically, over an archipelago of islands with careful precision and planning. Things to see include Stockholm Palace, which contains a number of museums, and ‘Galma stan’ the old town which sits on a picturesque island in the middle of the city. At Christmas time, families should wander down to the Galma stan Christmas market to discover one of the most enchanting events in Sweden.

Sweden accommodation - Gothenberg

On the west coast of Sweden, the city of Gothenburg is the second largest in Sweden and has plenty of things to do around Christmas and New Year. For families, the city’s Liseberg amusement park is very popular and has lots of fun rides as well as beautiful gardens. At Christmas time, the park holds the largest Christmas market in the country – a must visit from Swedish holiday homes in the region. For car-enthusiasts, the city’s Volvo museum plots the history of the influential car company and even gives a glimpse into the future of the automobile.

Southern Sweden – self-catering

Skåne County, on the southern coast of Sweden, has a slightly different atmosphere to the rest of the country. The capital of the province, Malmö, is only a 45-minute drive away from Copenhagen and so the city takes on many Danish characteristics. When renting Swedish holiday homes in the reigon, it is well worth taking the trip across the magnificent Øresund Bridge to Copenhagen for the day, if just to marvel at its incredible engineering. At Christmas time, the Skåne region opens its festive markets, with Fredriksal Christmas market at Helsingborg proving a particular favourite with families.

Christmas on Gotland Island

For a change from the mainland, rent Swedish holiday homes on the island of Gotland, situated out in the Baltic Sea, off the east coast of Sweden. Self-catering on Gotland, you will want to visit the island’s major town, Visby, which is home to the 13th century Sankt Mary Cathedral and impressive medieval walls. You can, of course, expect a cute Christmas market to be on in Visby during the festive period, selling everything from glögg (Swedish mulled wine) to local artisan goodies.

Food and drink on Sweden self-catering holidays

Food in Sweden, like in much of Scandinavia, has gone through somewhat of a revolution over the last decade with accomplished home-grown chefs popping up and earning themselves international renown. There are plenty of delicious traditional Swedish dishes for chefs to work with, such as Raggmunk, a sort of potato pancake often served with lingonberries, and, of course, a plethora of meatball dishes. While self-catering in Sweden over the Christmas period, families won’t find it hard to find something warm and hearty, and parents can enjoy local beers and sophisticated imported wines.

NOVASOL’s Sweden accommodation

Having started in next-door Denmark in 1968, NOVASOL has had a sharp focus on Sweden from its early days. Sweden holds huge potential for family holidays with so much natural beauty and many charming towns and cities to explore. All of our Swedish holiday homes are selected with families in mind, whether they be apartments in Stockholm or ski chalets in more northern regions of the country. If you are looking for snow, mulled wine and a general Christmas environment, Swedish holiday homes are a great option.