20 Places to Visit During Spring in Sweden (2022)

There is nothing like Sweden in the spring. As the snow melts away, wildflowers bloom on the hills, the rapeseed fields of Skåne begin to bloom. Life begins again on the West Coast. After 4 long months of dark winter, the longer, warmer days start to set in. There are a few special places to visit where you can really experience what makes Swedish springtime so beautiful.

Here are 20 of the best places to visit in Sweden in the spring. Including you should visit and the best things to do there!

Lerkaka Kvarnar old windmills in a grassy field on Öland

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The Rapeseed Fields of Skåne

In April the rapeseed field of Southern Sweden begin to light up with bright yellow flowers. This is one of the most beautiful things to see in Sweden in the spring. There is no place, in particular, to recommend, however, all throughout the region of Skåne the majority of fields grow rapeseed so just driving through the area is phenomenal.

Explore more: The rapeseed fields in Skane and where they bloom

Migrating Cranes at Hornborgasjön

Hornborgasjön is a very special place to visit during the spring in Sweden. This is one of the major stops that the cranes make on their way back north after spending summer in warmer climates. From the middle of March to the middle of April, the cranes make their way towards Hornborgasjön.

The best time to visit Hornborgasjön is usually during the start of April. The best way to keep updated is to check the crane count that is published every day. The max is usually around 15,000 – 20,000. You can find the statistics here.

You might like: The best tips for visiting Hornborgasjön in crane season!

evening sun with cranes migrating at lake hornborga, sweden

Wild Garlic in Kinnekulle

Kinnekulle is an ancient, flat mountain plain located just south of Lake Vänern. It is a beautiful place in the springtime, as the trees begin to bloom and the forest floor becomes covered in ramslök (wild onion) and vitsippor (white anemones).

Along the mountain plain, you can see ruins from medieval churches, as well as some beautiful nature. This is definitely somewhere that is most appreciated in the spring in Sweden. As well as the beautiful forests and coastline of Kinnekulle, you can also visit Kinnekulle Stenbrott, an old stone quarry. This is a beautiful 40m deep limestone quarry that is no longer in use.

Read more: 3 Day Guide to Kinnekulle

Abisko National Park

Whether or not it belongs on this list is a good question, however, if you want one last taste of winter before the summer comes then Abisko National Park can be a beautiful place to visit in the spring. While there is still snow covering most of the landscape, the days are still long here meaning it is perfect conditions for skiing in the midnight sun, perhaps doing a hut to hut trail, or catching one last glimpse of the northern lights.

See more: Abikso National Park Guide

Visit a Beech Forest

The blooming of the beech forests in Sweden in the spring is one of the most beautiful things to experience. On a sunny day, the canopy of beech covering the forest turns a vibrant shade of green. The beech trees usually start to bloom at the start of May, so this is the best time to visit them.

The easiest way to find your closest beech forest is to search bokskog and find one in your area! One of my favourites is the Bokskogen you will find in this weekend guide to Skåne, otherwise closer to Gothenburg there is the beautiful Kärna Bokskog.

You won’t want to miss: Get my West Sweden Map with over 300+ curated hikes, forests, windshelters, cafes, places to visit and more!

Marstrand, West Sweden

The west coast of Sweden is one of the most beautiful areas of the country, especially in the spring. As the weather starts to get warmer, wildflowers appear all along the rocky coastline transforming it into a colourful coastal wonderland. Marstrand is only one of the islands on this part of the coast worth visiting in the spring.

You could also take a Swedish springtime road trip down the bohuslän coast, stopping at other islands like Dyrön, Vrångö, or Käringön.

The best thing about visiting Marstrand in the spring is that is much quieter than in the summer months. The restaurants are just beginning to open for the year and the sea is beginning to warm up, but there are a much smaller number of visitors. This means that the beautiful coastal walk that runs around the island has much less foot traffic and is a peaceful and beautiful day trip.

When the sun is shining and there is no wind, there are some great spots to sit and enjoy the warmth of the sun. Most of the restaurants on Marstrand are open on weekends throughout the early spring, and all through the week in the late spring and early summer.

Explore more: Complete Guide to Marstrand

Ellenäs Ängsfruktodling

Ellenäs Ängsfruktodling is a big orchard garden and farm in southern Småland. In the spring, the cherry and apple trees blossom and it is transformed into a magical landscape. Here you can visit the farm shop, walk around the lake and spend the afternoon picnicking and enjoying the beautiful landscape. The apple and cherry trees usually blossom around the middle of May.

Visit a Swedish Style Spa

There is no better time than the spring to visit a spa in Sweden, especially outdoor swimming areas or waterfront saunas. This time of the year is generally much quieter than in the summertime, and as the weather warms up during the day it is the perfect time for the year’s first dip in the ocean.

Some of the best spas to visit in Southern Sweden are:

Ästad Vingård, Halland
Smögen’s Hafvsbad, Västra Götaland
Falkenberg Strandbad, Halland
Vann Spa, Västra Götaland
Ystad Saltsjöbad, Skåne

You might like: 10 Spas Near Gothenburg, Sweden

Smaka på Bjäre

This special little event is something that really excited me when I first heard about it. Smaka på Bjäre is an event organised by Torekov turistbyrå and Norrvikens trädgård. It is a cycling event that includes cycling a small section of the Kattlegatan trail, stopping at several local farm shops, gardens and cafes along the way. The aim is to give people the opportunity to meet and talk with locals and also try their spring produce.

The event is split up into two different sections – the Norrviken round and the Torekov round. Both of them are on the peninsula near Torekov and Båstad and around 25km. You can find more information here!

If you don’t feel like doing the cycling, Norrvikens Trädgård is an amazing place to visit in the spring alone. They have all sorts of flowers, a beautiful Orangerie restaurant and some good walking paths. You can see the garden calendar here to check what’s in bloom.

Find out more: Complete guide to Båstad and Bjärehalvön

Malmö City

Sweden in the spring is amazing when it comes to the weather. With the strong sun but soft breeze, you can start to enjoy so many outdoor activities.

One of these is hiring a pedal in Malmö city and riding around the river. We hired our pedalos from City Boats (180kr per hour, 300kr for two). They gave us a map and then we spent two hours lying in the sun and really feeling that spring feeling. The pedalo hire is open from May to September!

Alternatively, you can spend the weekend walking around the parks of Maömo, enjoying the flower displays in Slottsparken and Pildammsparken.

Celebrating Valborg

Valborg and easter and Sweden’s two big spring holidays. Valborg is always celebrated on the last day of April and comes from the folk tradition of setting fires to scare away the witches. Today, it is a very celebrated holiday in Sweden and usually symbolises the start of spring.

Skanör Strand

Skanör strand is one of southern Sweden’s most popular beaches. In the spring it is often warm enough to take a dip in the sea or a walk along the beach. The real highlight here though are the colourful beach huts that sit by the ocean. The summer months can get very busy at Skanör beach so in the spring is one of the best times to wander around without the big crowds.

Gothenburg Botanical Gardens

Gothenburg’s botanical gardens are a beautiful place to see the spring flowers growing. Living in Gothenburg, we usually visit on Sunday evenings and walk around the park, noticing everything that has changed and grown in the last week. The flowers begin to bloom here in late April, with crocus and snowdrops forming in the meadows. The cherry blossoms come next, followed by the whole park in bloom.

To find all the best places for spring in Gothenburg!

Naturbyn

Naturbyn is an idyllic countryside escape open from May to October. This is the perfect way to celebrate the coming of spring in Sweden, to be surrounded by nature. Naturbyn has three different cottage options; the treehouse, the houseboat and the forest house. You can borrow canoes and explore the lake, walk in the nearby forest, and cook your food on the open fire. It is the perfect place to visit during the springtime.

Vitsippordalen, Gothenburg

Vitsippordalen directly translates into the wood anemone valley. This part of Gothenburg is beautiful in the spring, as the whole valley turns white, covered in small white flowers. This is a beautiful place for a short walk or picnic on the nearby benches. It is connected to the botanical gardens so make sure to also take a look at the spring flowers there while you have the chance!

For more tips on where to see the spring flowers in Gothenburg, read this post!

Alnarpsparken

Alnarps parken is the park that lies in front of the Lantbruksuniversitetet in Alnarp. It is a very big and beautiful park with some amazing nature! Here you can find many different flowers, animals, and even 25 different kinds of red-listed mushrooms.

The forest area here is made up of all different types of trees so is great to visit all throughout the spring season. The gardens are very well looked after and are home to all the natural spring flowers as well as some more unusual planted ones. This is a beautiful place for a spring picnic or a nice stroll.

Österlen and Ystad

Ystad and the nearby area of Österlen is a beautiful destination in southern Skåne, filled with farmshops, beautiful beaches and hiking trails. Whether you choose to have a city break in Ystad, visiting the Saltsjöbadet spa and enjoying the nearby walks, decide to hike to Skåneleden through Stenshuvuds National Park, or take a mini-road trip through the farm shops and cosy cafes, you will be in awe of this area. I recommend visiting in the late spring when everything has started to open up for the season but it is not yet overly busy.

Explore more: Guide to visiting Österlen and Ystad

kiviks musteri apple cider brewery österlen

Körsbärsdalen

Körsbärsdalen translates to the cherry valley, a vast area filled with cherry trees that blossom every spring. This is one of th ebest places to visit in Sweden in the spring and is very well known. It is in fact referenced in Bröderna Lejonhjärta (The Brothers Lionheart), a popular Swedish children’s book written by Astrid Lindgren.

The end of April and the start of May are the best times to visit Körsbärsdalen if you want to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom. It is a very popular hiking area connected to a great beech forest and white anemone valley. This is another place you get the best of Swedish spring nature.

Cherryblossoms in Kungsträdgården, Stockholm

Cherry blossoms are a springtime classic, and one of the best places to see them is in Sweden’s capital, Stockholm. Here, throughout the months of April and May, the flowers start to blossom and the streets are turned a beautiful shade of light pink. The best place to see them is in Kungsträdgården, a central park where the streets are all lined with beautiful pink flowers!

Another great place to see cherry blossoms in Sweden in spring is in Gothenburg! You can see my guide here!

Frequently asked questions about Sweden in the spring

When does spring start in Sweden?

Officially, the spring starts in Sweden on the 1st of March. Unofficially, the spring starts when the Svenskt metrologiskt och hydrologist institute (SMHI) has recorded 7 consecutive days with rising temperatures between 0 and 10 degrees. This is usually at some point between early February and early May. 15th February is the earliest day springs arrival is allowed to be announced, and the latest July 31.

What is the weather like in Sweden in spring

The weather in Sweden in spring varies depending on where in Sweden you are looking. The country is long which means that while it can be 10 – 15 degrees in southern cities like Gothenburg, there can still be over 1m of snow in the northern city of Kiruna. During the months of March, April, and May, it is usually around 7 – 18 degrees in southern Sweden.

Can you see the northern lights in Sweden in spring?

The short answer is no. As the days get longer and there are fewer hours of dark, the Northern lights start to disappear until the winter. In early spring (the beginning of March) it is sometimes possible to catch them, but by the end of spring, your chances are very low.

When is the best time to visit Sweden?

Sweden is a beautiful place to visit all year round depending on what you like to do. In the spring is a great time for hiking and enjoying nature. Sweden’s coastal towns come alive in the summer and you can island-hop or take the opportunity to hike in the mountains of the north. In Sweden in the autumn, it gets colder but the autumn leaves make it perfect for a road trip. Whilst the winter in Sweden is best for snow activities, Christmas markets and watching the northern lights.

Is Sweden expensive to visit?

The short answer to this question is yes. However, there are so many ways you can cut down on the cost! This includes camping or staying in hostels, making the most of lunch deals and the free activities and day trips. For more tips on travelling to Sweden on a budget, you can read this post!

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