Late May to September is the best time to visit Sweden for warm weather and long daylight hours. November to March is the best time for snow, Northern Lights and the Icehotel in the north of the country. There are highlights year-round: Midsommar sees maypole dancing and bonfires held across the country in June, the kräftskiva crayfish party takes over gardens and restaurants every August, and Stockholm's Nobel Prize ceremonies bring pageantry to the city each December.

The best things to do in Sweden include exploring Stockholm, taking the sleeper train to Swedish Lapland, and day trips into the Stockholm Archipelago.

• Exploring Stockholm's old town, museums and waterfront neighbourhoods

• Taking the overnight sleeper train from Stockholm to Kiruna and Swedish Lapland, through forests, lakes and snow-covered peaks

• Day trips from Stockholm to Uppsala, Sigtuna or the Stockholm Archipelago

• Exploring Gothenburg and Malmö on the country's high-speed rail network

• Sampling fika culture in Malmö's parks and cafés

• Joining a kräftskiva crayfish party or foraging for wild berries and mushrooms under Sweden's right to roam

• Staying at the Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, rebuilt from ice and snow every winter

Sweden is reachable by daytime trains from Germany and Denmark across the Øresund Bridge, as well as by overnight sleeper train from Hamburg via Copenhagen. Within Sweden, an extensive rail network connects major cities including Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö, with sleeper services running further north to Lapland.