Sweden is a land of contradictions that make an unexpectedly pleasing whole. Starkly beautiful lake and forest landscapes contrast with stylish, modern cities; the country is as famous for its Viking-era sites as it is known for its cutting-edgetechnology; even the flat, relatively balmy south south contrasts with the mountainous, Arctic north. lt’s a place where you can get away from it all in quiet forests or be right in the thick of things in busy towns.

Late May to late July if you want sunshine; December to March if you want to ski

Drifting around Stockholm and its archipelago by boat Skiing Dalarna’s slopes or watching Vasaloppet, the world’s biggest cross-country skiing race Ambling around the historic town of Lund Taking advantage of allemansratten (public right to the countryside) and hiking Sweden’s superb forest Exploring the ruins of Visby’s chuches Touring the glasswork of Glasriket (Kingdom of Crystal) in Kalamr

Read Charlotte Rosen Svensson’s Culture shock! Sweden: A Guide to Customs and Etiquette for accurate guide to Swedish cultural behaviour

Listen to ABBA, Roxette or Ace of Base, if that’s your thing. Or give the Hives, Millencolin or Sami folk-music as yoik, a spin

Watch anything by lngmar Bergmnam, or Mitt Liv Som Hund ( My Life as a Dog)

Eat a lot fish and the ubiquitous potato-try sill och nypotatis (pickled herring and new potatoes), pytt i panna (fried diced potatoes, sausage and onion served with diced beetroot and a fried egg), kotbullar och potatis (Swedish meatballs and potatoes), Janssons frestelse (baked potato, onion, cream and anchovy dish), and, if you’re really brave, surstromming (fermented herring, stinky and not for the faint hearted)

Drink kaffe (coffee), which the Swedes love and do surprisingly well, but they love their aquavit and their ol (beer) even more. Try Absolut vodka, and Spendrups or Prips beer

Jattebra! (fantastic)

Beautiful blondes of both genders; Saabs and Volvos; cheap but impossible-to-assemble furniture; ABBA; Vikings; tennis players; meatballs and schnapps; sexually liberated socialists; Ericsson’ skiing

Not all Swedes are blonde; Sweden is not completely covered in snow in winter; alcohol can only be bought through the state-run alcohol retailing monopoly, Systembolaget; in summer it is hot enough to swim

The city of Stockholm might have arranged by some hand to serve as a canvas for the rarefied northern European light. Whether it’s the coldest wash of blue-white winter or the an autumn afternoon, light is the defining element of the city.