When to go · Sweden
Sweden in May
Good month. Light evenings, blossom, few crowds; archipelago boats move to summer timetables at month's end.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Good
- Crowds
- Medium
- Sweden
- Prices
- Medium
- Sweden
Verdict
Light evenings, blossom, few crowds; archipelago boats move to summer timetables at month's end.
Weather in May
- South and the big cities · Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Gotlandbest weather
Summers 20–25 °C with 18 h of light at midsummer in Stockholm; winters around 0 °C, often grey, 6 h of daylight in December. The archipelago freezes some winters.
- Central highlands and the High Coast · Dalarna, Jämtland (Åre), Höga Kustenfine
Reliable snow December–April for skiing at Åre; lakes and forests at their best June–August.
- Swedish Lapland · Kiruna, Abisko, Jokkmokk, Luleåcool
Midnight sun around Kiruna from late May to mid-July; polar night from mid-December to early January. Abisko sits in a rain shadow and has clearer skies than most aurora spots.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Walpurgis Night and May Day
30 Apr – 1 May
Bonfires and student parties (Uppsala, Lund) on 30 Apr; 1 May holiday.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Sweden
- Medium
- Prices · Sweden
- Medium
What to pack
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket
Where to go in May
Rated best or good this month
South and the big cities
Best weather of the year (Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Gotland)
Long days, green; Djurgården is pleasant.