First time to Sweden; any safety advice? Travel ideas?

Here is Visit Sweden’s page on traveling to Sweden during Covid:

https://visitsweden.com/about-sweden/information-for-travellers-corona-virus/

Please note that only visitors from certain countries are allowed to visit Sweden for leisure currently.

If there are indoor sights you want to see (such as museums), you should check the website of each one for special COVID-19 hours and procedures. You may find it necessary to pre-book entry times because of limited capacity.

If you look back through the Sweden forum you'll find a lot of threads discussing attractions in Stockholm especially, but also some covering other destinations.

What time of year will you be traveling? That will surely affect people's suggestions.

I am traveling to Sweden with a couple friends. I have travelled in
Europe before to Italy, but this is my first time to Sweden.

Where are you travelling from? Due to the pandemic there is an entry ban for all non essential travel from outside the EU/EEA and couple of other countries.

Can anyone share what their recent experience there was like? Anything
to avoid?Lockdown issues? Mask rules? Just anything at all that would
be helpful to know ahead of time for 1) safety 2) must see places 3)
must eat foods

For current advice, see Folkhälsomyndigheten's (Public Health Agency) website: www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se There is no general mask rules but some companies (e.g. airlines) require them. Otherwise, keep 2m distance, wash your hands and don't use public transport during rush hour if you can avoid it. Regarding must see places, what are you interested in? Art?, Nature?, History? Anything else?

Regarding food, it is now season for both crayfish and surströmming but they are probably both an acquired taste. Otherwise meatballs are probably the most famous Swedish food internationally. Otherwise pickled herring, but it might also be a bit of an acquired taste. For pastries and dessert, cinnamon buns and princess cake are usually popular both among locals and visitors. And you should always remember to save some time for a fika.

Are there any day trips that this group suggests?

Several, but it depends on where you are staying.

We ate herring prepared a different way every day. We were there pre/ COVID, but never had any worries about our safety at all.

That's interesting, I thought it would be a bit too much of an acquired taste. How did you like the herring?

The Rick Steves section of this website on Sweden can get you started. Explore Europe: Sweden.

Just got back from nearly a month in Sweden. No lockdown worries. Hotels are empty, great rates. I stayed in 2 hotels and 5 hostels. No mask requirement. Crowds in mall areas, Biggest thing you'll see...people are happy. Cafes full, happy, GO. Safe, clean, walk everywhere. Fly into Arlanda or Copenhagen. Denmark is locked tight you will not spend a night there. Train to Malmo. Get Rick Steve's Scandinavia book. Buy groceries if budget is tight. Get the regional bus pass that covers most of Southern Sweden , yellow buses very reasonable used by locals. Stockholm is the gem. Uppsala university and cathedral in Malmo historic be stayed at hotel directly across Central train station. One ofy best trips. Sim card on phone necessary. Only problem I had was with Card payments. Card is used everywhere, bus, stores, cafe get goggle pay or apple pay. Or load a prepaid card visa or mastercard before you go. No cash is the rule!

Flix bus is a fraction of the train cost as are the buses from airports to city. From Stockholm go to Uppsala, stayed at Botanical, new in 2020, Eat herring, great baked goods, buy salt licorice. Good walking shoes important. Lunch is best time to eat in restaurants. 100-140 crona Buy the Scanrail pass you can cover Norway and Sweden. 16 days is more than enough to see both. Hikers? Hike but to hut on Norway:s DNT trail. Grants hotel in Stockholm surprisingly beautiful rooms. Can't say enough about how happy you:ll be to be in a fairly normal society with covid lockdown crazy. Have a great trip.

Frantz Hotel.

Hello agoodthing2012:

Just to add a few words about safety...

Are you and your friends a group of ladies? If so, be careful about sexual harassment, which is getting worse and worse in Sweden in the last several years. Pickpocketing is a real problem in touristy areas. Do not venture into the suburbs (esp. those in Malmo), where crime rates can be unexpectedly high.

Badger, I have eaten herring all my life but had even more preparations of it to samplewhen in Sweden.My husband loved it too.

since this thread was started last year in September and the poster has never returned here or any other post, chances are all the safety concerns are a thing of the past