Looking for feedback on a February trip to Uppsala. My husband is visiting the university in Uppsala next February for a week, and I have the opportunity to travel with him (and potentially take our 17 year old daughter). None of us has been to Sweden before, so it sounds interesting. However, I am debating if it's "worth it" to go, as there is considerable expense for my travel and lost work days. The two "negatives" are 1) the fact that we will be staying in Uppsala, not Stockholm, and 2) it will be cold and dark. (I already live somewhere cold during the winter, and I hate it). For context, we both travel widely and recently returned from a great trip in Germany/Austria, so it would be using money for this trip vs saving for a different adventure. Would love feedback from those who've traveled to Sweden during the late winter.
Posted by
Uppsala, Sweden
6974 posts
If it's worth it or not is in the end very much a matter of opinion and nothing we can decide for you. But why not? Sounds like it could be fun.
1) the fact that we will be staying in Uppsala, not Stockholm
I wouldn't call that a negative. Uppsala is a lovely place, well worth a visit. And if you want to visit Stockholm, it's just 30-40 minutes away.
2) it will be cold and dark.
Cold? Maybe? Perhaps? It's hard to predict weather that far in advance, but it will probably be a bit below zero and snow. Not too dark though as the sun will start to return by then. Although the evenings will be dark. (And if you're lucky, you might get a chance to see the Northern lights.)
Posted by
Gothenburg, Scandinavia
77 posts
Hello Rebecca!
Here is some feedback. I know Uppsala very well and would not recommend that you go on a trip like this under these conditions, especially if you, as stated, hate the cold. The temperatures can sometimes be VERY low in January and February, even though they sometimes also reach uncommon and surprising highs in recent years. Make sure to avoid the months of November through February, even though at the very end of the period there is a strong sense of the light returning, and even spring, as the snow often starts thawing in the last week of February. I cherish that time of year, when it all thaws out, and highly recommend it to those who don't mind the last of the cold.
Uppsala is is worth 2-3 nights, in June through early September, visiting the large cathedral, the splendidly situated castle and several botanical gardens that range from quaint to magnificent, and the capital is always an easy commute away, with frequent departures throughout the whole day all year round (39 min). Save the money for a different adventure. I do not think you will regret it.