Join us, be our eyes and ears and share your holiday experiences of Sweden. This is not only great fun but also provides a valuable insight to those looking to travel to Sweden.

1 July 2009 ** SPECIAL OFFER **
Simply Sweden announces an extension of the popular summer special offer. We will continue to offer a 5% discount on all summer package holidays booked directly with Simply Sweden before the end of July for departure dates up to 30 September 2009.

9 June 2009 ** SPECIAL OFFER **
The British Pound (GBP) hits a 3 month high against the Swedish Krona (SEK), exceeding 12.5 SEK to each GBP. Simply Sweden is offering a 5% discount on all summer holiday packages booked with Simply Sweden until the end of June. Bookings must be made by 30 June 2009 for departure dates up to 30 September 2009.

Book your holiday to Sweden with Simply Sweden here.

5 June 2009

Sweden National Day will be celebrated across Sweden on Saturday 6 June 2009, with the focal point being the capital city, Stockholm. 6 June has only been a bank holiday in Sweden since 2005. As Sweden has not participated in any of the major wars they have been quite guarded about celebrating a national day. Proud of being Swedish and proud of Sweden, Sweden National Day has existed since 1983 and 6 June marks the day when in 1809 when a new constitution was adopted.

Local towns and villages celebrate national day with a festivities in main squares and parade streets. The main celebrations take place in Stockholm at the worlds first open air museum, Skansen, where the king and queen lead the festivities. The distinctive blue and yellow flag will fly high on flag poles across Sweden, locals will dress up in traditional costumes and Sweden will play Denmark in a Scandinavian World Cup Qualifying football match at the national football stadium in Stockholm. Kungsträdgården, in the centre of Stockholm will be a hive of activity with music, entertainment and an excellent food festival.

3 June 2009
Simply Sweden announces a new program of Northern Lights Holidays to Lapland in Northern Sweden. The holidays concentrate on seeing the northern lights in the stunning beauty of the winter white wilderness. Light pollution, such as street lighting, and even the light created by a full moon dilute the effect of the mesmerizing Northern Lights. If you are travelling to Lapland with the specific hope of catching the Northern Lights dance across the night sky we recommend travelling either side of a new moon. The New Moon dates for 2009 & 2010 are 16Nov, 16Dec, 15Jan, 14Feb & 15Mar.

The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, occur in many forms. Curtains of colour, ribbons of green, a scattering of pink arcs of violet and rays of yellow light up the night sky as electrically charged particles from the sun collide with the earths atmosphere creating a dazzling show of light, which can last from just a few seconds to many minutes. The most common colours, green and yellow, are produced by low altitude oxygen in the atmosphere. The rare red and blue / purple aurora are caused by high altitude oxygen and nitrogen respectively.

Our recommended northern lights holidays include Lapland, Husky & Snowmobile tours and Aurora Retreat.

5 May 2009
100yrs of National Parks in Sweden. Sweden's National Parks are now 100yrs old. In May 1909 the Swedish government in Stockholm voted for a proposal that would change Sweden & Europe forever. This revolutionary step was the first of its kind in Europe creating 9 protected areas across Sweden. Now there are 28 National Parks (29 if you count the Koster Islands in West Sweden) and 14 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sweden. Sweden is extremely proud to boast that 99% of all Swedes live less than 20km from a National Park or Nature Reserve.

Visitors to Sweden and native Swedes have a 'Right of Public Access' and this is deeply entrenched within the Swedish culture and is the basis for outdoor recreation from Lapland in the north and the mountains in the west to the archipelagoes of eastern & southern Sweden. Here is our take on the 'Right of Public Access':
"You may walk, cycle, horse ride, ski, and stay temporarily in country areas providing you do not damage crops, forestation areas or other sensitive areas of land. You must respect the privacy of the home by not passing through or staying on private plots of land. Do not disturb and do not destroy, is the main principle of the Swedish Right of Public Access. You are allowed to camp for one night on land not used for agriculture that is located away from the dwelling-house. Ask the landowner for permission if you want to camp as a group. You may light a fire providing it is safe to do so, however, never on bare rocks as this might cause permanent damage due to cracking. When the lighting of fires is prohibited, this applies to all open fires, and is often the case in National parks and conservation areas. You may pick flowers, berries and mushrooms in the countryside, but certain plants, such as all orchids, are protected species and special regulations prescribed by law may apply to what you are allowed to pick in the countryside. Be sure not to leave any litter. Leave no trace."

You can visit National Parks in Sweden during your holiday in Sweden. The holiday log cabins at Fulufjällsbyn are located in the Fulufjället National Park (recognised in 2002 with Sweden's largest waterfall, bare mountains covered with 'reindeer moss', ancient forests and steep rocky canyons), in the Swedish mountains close to the Norwegian border. The Marine Reserve surrounding the Syd Koster Islands in West Sweden will be inaugurated in September 2009 (noted for their bio-diversity on land and in the sea), and there are also a huge variety of nature reserves across West Sweden. Stay in Stockholm with easy access to Tyresta National Park (from 1993 famed for 300 year old giant pine tress and deep ravines with rocky outcrops abraded by ice) and Ängsö National Park in the Stockholm Archipelago (one of the original 9 national parks from 1909 with fragile fauna and abundance of bird life).

 

18 May 2009
The World's largest Polar Bear Park (Polar World) opens today at Orsa Bear Park in Central Sweden. The bears have a dedicated area of 41,000 sqm, which include deep pools, fishing areas and snow canons as the park builds an arctic environment. The park also has all the facilities to welcome tourists, visitors and scientist from around the world as international interest in the new Polar World has been intense.

The 2 polar bears that have been introduced to this state of the art breeding centre in the hope of building a strong platform for reintroductions and regeneration (should it become necessary) are Ewa and Wilbär. Ewa was born in 2006 and weighs 180kg. She has come from Rotterdam zoo. Wilbär has come from Stuttgart and was born in 2007. He weighs just 60kg but is growing quickly! With roots in Scandinavia (his mother was born in Copenhagen) he is almost coming home! Both are coming to a more natural environment than their previous locations with a much longer winter period and plenty of natural snow.

Simply Sweden hopes to have some excellent winter log cabin holidays available in Orsa (walking distance to the bear park) very shortly. As Polar Bears do not hibernate this will be an excellent opportunity to see these magnificent animals enjoying winter.

8 May 2009
The World's Fastest Floating Sauna! The Salt & Sill Hotel in West Sweden is launching a floating sauna capable of 15 knots, to match the success of the Salt & Sill floating hotel and will be ready to launch on 1 June 2009. The sauna will be built over 2 floors on a catamaran. The top floor will be used as a relaxation area, wedding suite or exhibition hall. The lower floor will be the sauna. Simply Sweden can now offer you memorable experiences on board the floating sauna with overnight stays in a secluded bay where guests can relax in the Jacuzzi in peaceful isolation.

Book you holiday or wedding in West Sweden here.

21 Apr 2009
Aurora Retreat Guest House in Lapland announces a new snowmobile activity for the 2009/10 winter holiday programme. This exciting 2hr excursion complements a full program of small scale traditional winter activities already available which include husky sleds, sami experiences and wilderness log cabins. Simply Sweden will tailor make your holiday at Aurora Retreat and we can include Stockholm, ICE HOTEL and other adventures.

Book your holiday to Lapland here.

17 Apr 2009
Simply Sweden announces a trial use of Skype in order to make us more accessible by our valued customers. We can now be contacted free by other Skype users by calling 'simplysweden'. We believe this will be especially useful for our customers travelling from outside the UK (and those within the UK) who have access to Skype.

14 Apr 2009
Over the Easter Weekend I visited the naval city of Karlskrona and the all new Kosta Boda Art Hotel in the heart of The Kingdom of Crystal (Glasriket) in South Sweden.

I visited the Kosta Boda Art Hotel on Thursday 9 April 2009 and received a guided tour from Johan, who will be the bar & restaurant manager when it opens on 27 June 2009. The hotel is almost complete and the finishing touches to this glistening glass hotel are being put in place. The Kosta Boda Art Hotel will have 104 uniquely decorated rooms & suites, a luxury spa, indoor pool, outdoor pool and a cobalt blue glass bar all decorated with glass sculptures and glass art by world famous glass artists from the Kosta region. The indoor pool is decorated with glass tiles and a glass exhibition at the bottom. Feel free to borrow a pair of goggles to have a closer look! The restaurant has been designed by Ulrica Hydman-Vallien. During your meal you will be entertained by the expert glass blowers from Kosta Boda as they blow and sculpt glass on a stage in the restaurant.

This really is a remarkable art / boutique hotel in a fascinating part of Sweden and makes Småland and The Kingdom of Crystal so much more accessible to tourists. Kosta Boda is the oldest glassworks in Sweden and Kosta now features a top class art hotel and a retail village. In the Kingdom of Crystal area you will find around 10 other glassworks, each with their individual character, and many of which have become collectable items within Sweden and beyond. Whether your taste is crystal clear simplicity or a complicated structure of colour and design The Kingdom of Crystal will not disappoint! Here is just a taster :-

Just 1hr south of Kosta is the coastal & naval city of Karlskrona which is a great summer escape. Karlskrona is on the UNESCO World Heritage list as an outstanding example of a 17th Century planned naval city. Ship building, architecture and town planning have attracted international attention since the 18th century and Karlskrona is proud to be one of Sweden's most popular summer destinations. The naval base and ship yard are still in use today and Karlskrona is home to Sweden's naval fleet.

A myriad of beaches and bathing spots are located in the city centre and scattered across the 1,650 or so islands of the Karlskrona Archipelago, which is well served during the summer by boats departing from the city centre harbour. Other activities & attractions include the Marine Museum and The Admiralty Church (Sweden's largest wooden church). If you travel to Sweden with young children Vämöparken has a small range of farm animals, an excellent playground and a maze to negotiate. You will also find 'over-sized' chess and ludo to keep the big child in you entertained!

Simply Sweden recommends a visit to one of the best ice cream shops in Sweden (our opinion!). The shop is located on Stortorget (The Big Square - one of the largest in Europe) close to the tourist office. Do not be put off by the queue. It is always extremely long. It does move quickly and it is well worth it! We also recommend lunch at Nya Skafferiet, Rådhusgatan 9 just off Stortorget. This is an Italian style delicatessen / cafe with an excellent buffet lunch.

Book your holiday to The Kingdom of Crystal, Karlskrona and Sweden here!


8 Apr 2009
Norwegian Airlines reports that the Swedish arm on its business is performing well, with an increase in passenger numbers of 34% compared to last year. Simply Sweden teamed up with Norwegian several monrths ago as they are expanding the amount of domestic flights within Sweden increasing the travel opportunites within Sweden for our guests. They are seriously considering direct flights from London Gatwick to Sweden and we would be interested to hear your view. Norwegian are considering direct schedule flights from Gatwick to Swedish Lapland and the northern city of Luleå and they have our full support. This would dramatically cut the flying time from London to Lapland, which is currently an indirect flight through Stockholm Arlanda. A full range of our winter holidays would be available if this flight did take off. We will of course keep you posted but please leave your comments regarding this here.

2 April 2009
Update to entry on 31 March 2009. The number of cranes at Lake Hornborga in West Sweden has now exceeded 18,500. The third year in a row that the number has increased.

31 March 2009
Every year between mid-March and mid-April an astonishing 10,000 cranes descend on the nature reserve around Lake Hornborga (Hornborgasjön) near Skara in West Sweden at this time of year to perform their annual mating ritual of exuberate bowing, hopping & flapping. Last year saw a new record of 15,300 cranes arrive at Lake Hornborga, reaching its peak on 3 April 2008. On the evening of Sunday 29 March 2009 there were already 12,900 cranes with many more on the way after migrating from the continent. For Sweden this is one of the first signs of spring as the snow melts, the flowers begin to bloom and the long sunny days of the summer become reality. This annual event is a must see for many bird watchers and nature lovers. Here at Simply Sweden we can arrange all your travel to Sweden from the UK if you wish to witness one of natures greatest spectacles.

24 March 2009
** Royal Wedding ** Crown Princess Victoria & her partner Daniel Westling have announced the date for their wedding. The royal wedding will take place in Storkyrkan (Stockholm Cathedral) on Saturday 19 June 2010. This has already sparked huge media interest nationally and internationally, leading to an expected increase in tourism to Stockholm next summer. Dates for your diary in June 2010 already include:

• Sweden Day on 6 June 2010
  Celebrating Sweden's national identity across Sweden annually on 6 June. Swede's are certainly proud of their national identity, but as Sweden has not been involved in any wars of the modern era this date was not a public holiday. 6 June was made a public holiday in 2005 and there are now orgainised celebrations across Sweden. We recommend our 3 cities + 2 tour or a city break over this period.
• Royal Wedding on 19 June 2010
  We recommend you book your hotel in Stockholm has soon as possible!
• Mid-summer weekend 25-27 June 2010
  Local celebrations across Sweden with festivals in small towns & villages with traditional songs and dancing around a midsommarstång (similar to a maypole). This is a great time to rent a log cabin.
  

23 March 2009
Summer is nearly here! The Djurgården tram in Stockholm has started to run with more services than in previous years. Described as a 'museum on wheels' these historic trams run approx. every 12 mins from Norrmalmstorg in Stockholm City Centre, along the harbour front, to the island of Djurgården, home to the Vasa Museum, Skasan and many other attractions. The island of Djurgården is the traditional hunting ground for the Swedish Royal Family, and is renowned for it's large open green spaces and many tourist attractions.

You can travel on the Djurgården tram for free with your Stockholm Card. The tram is in operation every day from 1 June 2009 to 30 August 2009. Outside these dates the tram runs on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, but is not operational after 20 December 2009. The Djurgården tram, along with other organisations such as the Lennakatten museum railway, referred to in our entry on 23 February 2009, are run and maintained by volunteers. If it was not for their hard work and dedication such successful and entertaining projects would not exist.

17 March 2009
If you are looking for an excellent day out during your winter holiday to Stockholm, or the surrounding area, then you can do a lot worse than travel to the Romme Alpin Ski area / resort north of Stockholm. Chris Carrington explains all!

10 March 2009
The British & Swedish press report that a male chimpanzee at a zoo north of Stockholm and Uppsala planned several stone throwing attacks on visitors, as he displayed his dominance to visitors. The first collection of hidden stones were found in 1997. Since this time the stones have been regularly removed to protect the public, but this behaviour has become a major research program for scientists. The zoo is called Furuvik and is under 2hrs from Stockholm or approx 1hr15 from Uppsala and just 10km from Gävle. It is easy to travel to Furuvik by public transport as the zoo has its own train station. Furuvik is located on the coast and offers a great day out when staying in Stockholm, Uppsala or a log cabin nearby. Some of the 60 species include native reindeer and more exotic kangaroos, snakes, orangutans, chimpanzees, lemur and much more. There is a 'touch & feel' area where young children can stroke and mingle with native sheep & goats. You will also find a small amusement park and adventure pool, along with stunning coastline to keep you busy for the whole day. Furuvik is open daily between 30th May & 16th August.

You can visit Furuvik from Stockholm or a nearby log cabin during your holiday in Sweden.

9 March 2009
Simply Sweden features in the Waitrose Food & Drink magasine. You can stay on the West Coast of Sweden this year and enjoy some of the most exquisit sea food in Scandinavia and Europe. West Sweden is renowned for the quality of the local restaurants and is often over looked for the more famous destinations of Italy & France. Almost of the hotels we feature in West Sweden are in the 'Taste of West Sweden' guide. Oysters and Lobsters are local specialities. Although summer offers the warmest weather, you will find that Lobster season starts in the Autumn as the local fisher men go in search of the 'black gold'.

Book your holiday to West Sweden here.

9 March 2009
Malmö announces an all new tourism website - www.malmotown.com. Since the completion of the impressive Öresund Bridge, in July 2000, Malmö and Copenhagen (the capital of Denmark) are often talked about in the same breath. They are practically the same location, commonly referred to as the Öresund region. Many Swedes live in Malmö but work in Denmark and vice versa. The Öresund bridge connects Sweden and Denmark by road and rail. Malmö & Copenhagen are just 40mins apart, with Copenhagen International Airport, Kastrup, sandwiched in the middle! Although Malmö has its own international airport, many holiday makers bound for southern Sweden fly into Copenhagen.

In the centre of Malmö Simply Sweden recommends a visit to Lilla Torget (The Small Square) lined with small restaurants & bars, and Möllevågen with colourful market stalls and charming shops. The 54 storey high Turning Torso is Sweden's tallest building standing at 190 meters tall. With offices, cafe's & apartments this architectural masterpiece has become an extremely popular place to live & work in the Western Harbour area of Malmö. The Western Harbour is an award winning ecological residential area with beaches, parks and lovely coastal walks.

If you are looking to do something traditionally Swedish Simply Sweden recommends a visit to Kallbadhuset (The Cold Bath House) at any time of year, at the sandy Ribersborg Beach. Kallbadhuset is open all year round and consists of a warm sauna and a soothing dip in the ocean. Going during the winter months is a little more extreme but the Swedes describe the experience as an all over body massage! During the long sunny days of the summer months you will find the shallow coastal waters around Skåne are warm and relaxing, suitable for the whole family.

Book your holiday to Malmö, Skåne & southern Sweden here.

9 March 2009
Sweden ranks #7 in the World for Travel & Tourism Competitiveness in 2009 (produced by the World Economic Forum), rising from eight place in 2008. This years report is titled 'Managing in a Time of Turbulence' and reflects the current difficulties facing the tourism industry and a country's ability to ensure strong tourism growth in the future. Factors taken into consideration include the price of oil, price comparability and travel intensity. Sweden's Scandinavian competitors came well on a global scale but did not reach the top 10! Denmark reached 14th, Finland 15th and Norway came in at 19th.

5 March 2009
Spring has arrived! SMHI (Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute) reports that the southern tip of Sweden, on the west coast of Skåne, close to Malmö, is now officially in Spring. The definition used by SMHI is that average daytime temperatures must average 0 to 10C for 7 days. This is great news for holidays to Sweden as summer is just around the corner with long sunny days and warm lakes to swim in!

By definition: winter is arrives when the average daytime temperature is below 0C. Summer arrives when the average daytime temperature is 10C or higher for 5 days.

Don't worry if you are still planning a late winter holiday to Sweden. Sweden is approx. 2000km long and an average spring arrives in Stockholm on 25 March, in Kiruna (home of ICE HOTEL) on 25 April and high in the mountains on 1 May.

5 March 2009
Even better news for holidays to Sweden. Update to the item on 3 March 2009 regarding exchange rates - The British Pound breaks through the 13 SEK barrier!!

3 March 2009
Good news for holidays to Sweden! Sweden is outside the Euro Zone & the British Pound hits a 12 month high against the Swedish kronor making Sweden a cheaper place to travel. Just now the exchange rate is a little under 13 Swedish kronor to the pound. Book your holiday to Sweden now to take advantage of these excellent exchange rates!

23 February 2009
** A Royal Wedding ** Crown Princess Victoria has announced her engagement to her partner Daniel Westling. Many tourists are drawn to the Royal Palace in Stockholm's Old Town, with glorious views over Stockholm Harbour. The main royal residence of the Swedish Royal Family is at Drottningholms Palace just a few kilometers away in the rural Ekerö Kommun. Daniel Westling officially moved into a wing of the Royal Residence in the summer of 2008. Rumours of a Royal wedding have been circulating since late 2007. The wedding is likely to take place in the summer of 2010. Looking for a holiday to Sweden / Stockholm at the time of the wedding - we'll keep you posted!

23 February 2009
Only 1 hour north of Stockholm, and just outside Sweden's fourth largest city (Uppsala) lies the nature & recreational area of Fjällnora, managed and maintained by Uppsala Kommun (Council). This is the perfect location for all ages to enjoy a traditional Swedish atmosphere by a lake. In the winter the lake is frozen and is currently several centimetres thick. You would struggle to break through the ice with an axe! The ice is so thick that a tractor has ploughed several ice skating tracks into the ice, up to 12km long. You will also find approx. 6km of prepared cross country skiing tracks through the forest. Don't have your own ice skates or cross country skis? Don't worry, these are available to rent from the lakeside cafe, or you can simply enjoy the nature on several marked walking tracks. During the winter you can reach Fjällnora by bus (809 from Uppsala centre) and it is approx. 2km walk from the nearest bus stop (Fjällnora Vägskäl). You will also find several lakeside camp fire locations. The perfect opportunity to eat hot dogs by an open fire in the snow covered forest, next to a beautiful frozen lake. Fire wood is provided and you will need to bring the rest - sausages, bread, ketchup, matches and paper to start the fire!

During the summer months Fjällnora is more accessible, and just as beautiful. Wonderful opportunities to swim in warm lakes, rent canoes, have a BBQ & once again enjoy the wonderful nature on offer. A 40min train journey from Stockholm takes you to Uppsala central station, just a short walk from the steam train. Take the famous Lennakatten steam train from Uppsala city to Fjällnora (short connecting bus from the station to Fjällnora). The steam trains run during the summer months only so please check the train timetable before travelling! More information on about the steam train can be found here. 32kms of narrow gauge railway run from the very heart of Uppsala, through the Uppland countryside to Färinge. All the railway staff, drivers, guards and stations officers are volunteers & dress in traditional uniforms and are extremely helpful. Like most Swedes, they do speak English! During the long summer days this is a great escape from the big city.

You can visit Stockholm, Uppsala & Fjällnora on our 3 cities + 2 tour.

23 February 2009
Stockholm will be Europe's first ever Green Capital in 2010. Stockholm has the ambition to be fossil fuel free by the year 2050. With 10% of the city area covered by water and many recreational areas centred at the waters edge, Stockholm has some of the cleanest waters around. An initiative set up in 2006 aims to ensure all the water in and around Stockholm meets the EU water directives by 2015. 95% of the population of Stockholm live just 300m from 'green areas' including lakes, beaches, parks and other recreational areas. This environmental award will no doubt lead to an increase in holidays to Stockholm / Sweden between now, 2010 and beyond. Stockholm beat Scandinavian rivals Copenhagen & Oslo to the title of Europe's first ever Green Capital. Visit Stockholm with Simply Sweden.

19 February 2009
Sweden Brochure - Download the latest Visit Sweden brochure here.

Vasaloppet - The world famous Vasaloppet week starts tomorrow (20 February 2009) with activities and attractions for the whole family. The Vasaloppet week is open to all with various different races to suit all abilities. There are junior races, half distance races, short races, a women's race, open tracks (with no competition!) and this all culminates in the oldest, longest & largest cross country ski race in the world on 1 March 2009. The main race takes place between Sälen and Mora (Central Sweden) and is 90km long. Vasaloppet takes place on the first Sunday in March annually with around 14,000 eager competitors. The course record is 3:38:57 and has stood since 1998. You can enjoy a holiday in Dalarna and Mora with Simply Sweden. We have some excellent self catering log cabin holidays at Fulufjällsbyn and the highly recommended Fryksås Hotel just outside Mora.

Sami Culture - The indigenous people of Sweden are called Sami. They are the only indigenous people of Europe and have a population of just 75,000 covering northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia. Just 20,000 live in Sweden of which 2,000 are traditional reindeer herders. There is evidence suggesting Sami settlements were around as long as 9,600 years ago and the Sami were traditionally hunters and fishermen. Large scale reindeer herding began in the 16th and 17th centuries with Sami following their herds into the mountains during the summer and returning to the shelter of forests for the cold winters. Many cultural traditions remain today. Many herders still follow their reindeer to the mountains each summer, living in basic log cabins on the mountain side. Modernisation has also been integrated into this very traditional way of life with herders using helicopters, snowmobiles & four wheel drives to gather their reindeer for the winter migration. The other Sami traditions are arts & craft plus traditional folk singing or locally called 'yoik'. There are 2 main Sami locations in Sweden. The first is in Jokkmokk where there is a Sami museum and Sami college. Jokkmokk also hosts an annual winter market every February with a large presence of Sami culture. This market has a growing international reputation and if you wish to book for 2010 we suggest you get in touch to book now! The other centre is Kiruna, the capital of Swedish Lapland. Here is the Swedish Sami Parliament.

Simply Sweden recommends you get in touch for a tailor made holiday to Sweden if you wish to visit the Winter Market in Jokkmokk next February. We are also hoping to launch a holiday which includes spending time with the Sami high in the Swedish mountains as they follow their reindeer through the Swedish wilderness. If this is of interest please let us know so we have an idea of the level of interest & can let you know when we launch this reindeer spectacle. To experience the Sami culture during summer we recommend out Soul Of Lapland Tour on the Inland Railway, or enjoy a winter break in Lapland with a Sami excursion.

13 February 2009
West Sweden is lucky to promote the opening of 2 new amazing hotels along the stunning Bohuslän Coastline. The Salt & Sil Hotel opened to guests in September 2008. The aclaimed restaurant, accreditted by Taste of West Sweden, unsurprisingly specialises in seafood delicacies. At Salt & Sil you can indulge in various activities, including boat trips, kayaking, fishing & cooking courses. The Vann SPA Hotel will open in March 2009 and has received a complete makeover and is located within a nature reserve over looking Gullmar Fjord on the West Coast. Located just 1hr from Gothenburg with 6 SPA pools ranging from a toastie 42C to a rather chilly 10C!