Boat trips
Take a boat trip from Stockholm city centre among the islands to Drottningholm Palace (www.royalcourt.se), where the Palace Theatre opera house has been preserved in its original 18th-century form, and stages productions in period costume and using authentic instruments.

Canal cruises
If you have a couple of days to spare, take a cruise on the MS Ceres along the historic Göta Canal. The tours start at both Stockholm and Gothenburg (www.gotakanal.se).

Beaches
In summer, make the most of Sweden's hundreds of miles of beaches, particularly on the west coast, and its 96,000 lakes. There are numerous waterskiing and windsurfing centres on the coast and lakes.

Staying fit
Indulge in active sport: there are excellent facilities around the country for skating, tobogganing, snowmobiling, ice climbing and dog sledding. 

Golfing
Sweden has more than 400 golf courses: one situated north of the Arctic Circle enjoys 24-hour daylight during the summer months, and many midsummer championships take place at night. 

Wildlife
Try to spot Sweden's only herd of musk ox, in the Härjedalen Valley, southern Lapland, which also has abundant reindeer, buzzard, beaver and lynx. Elk are common too, as they are throughout the country. In winter, this region is also known for its skiing.

Cycling
Cycling is a popular holiday recreation, particularly in the south and on Gotland. Numerous designated cycling trails can be found almost anywhere in the country - both in the wilds of the countryside and in the cities. Cycle hire is widely available.

Fishing
Norrbotten is an angler's paradise with plenty of mountain streams and excellent sea fishing. It is situated on the so-called Midnight Sun Coast, which is a 1,500km (900-mile) stretch of Baltic coastline that runs all the way to the Finnish border.

Christmas
Take the kids to Mora, in the heart of the Swedish Lakeland region, where they can meet Father Christmas at the Santaworld theme park (www.santaworld.se).

History
For those with an interest in the past, southwestern Bohuslän province (www.bohuslan.com) is also one of the most important centres of ancient Swedish civilisation and there are many archaeological relics dating back to the Bronze Age and Viking times.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information