Sweden packing list: this is what you need to take with you on holiday

Always handy to have a packing list for your holiday! Although Sweden also has shops and supermarkets, it is useful to forget as little as possible. Not only because daily life here is often slightly more expensive than in the Netherlands, but also because you cannot get everything everywhere. Although a packing list for Sweden depends somewhat on the area and of course the period in which you travel, I have tried to make this packing list as complete as possible. If you have any additions to the list below, please let me know in the comments. Tack!

If you go on holiday in the summer you can still experience four seasons in one day in Sweden. Of course this also depends on where you go in Sweden, but to give you an example: in the summer of 2022 I camped in the mountains of Jämtland on July 31 while it was just two degrees above zero. That summer I barely wore the shorts during the 2.5 months I was in Sweden. Last summer (2023) I wore shorts and a t-shirt almost every day. My advice: bring a little bit of everything!
 
I therefore advise you to take at least the following with you.

Sweden packing list: your clothes

In terms of clothing, it is best to bring informal clothing, unless you plan on eating out expensively or staying in luxury hotels, but I don’t think so. When I go to Sweden in the summer, I take the following with me as standard:
 
– A raincoat (read here my tips with raincoats for women) and breathable rain pants
– A light down jacket (for in the mountains and in the evening while camping in the wild)
– A hat, buff and light gloves
– Shorts, long hiking pants
– T-shirt and a warm fleece sweater
– Hiking socks, I’m a huge fan from Woolpower
– Hiking boots, read here my tips for high or low walking shoes
– Sneakers, flip-flops or Crocs
– Underwear
– A merino shirt for while walking

Are you going wild camping in Sweden? Then I can recommend that you take the following with you:
 
– Mosquito net
– Headlamp (unless you go in June or July because then it doesn’t get dark)
– Tent and sleeping mat
– Sleeping bag (I have this one and am a huge fan!)
– Lightweight burner
– Gas tank (note: this is not allowed on the plane, but it is allowed on the boat)
– Spork
– Lightweight drinking cup
– Water filter, I use the Sawyer Squeeze please
– First aid kit

Furthermore, it is convenient to take with you

Then there are the standard items such as your passport, passes, electronics plus chargers, toiletries and your insurance papers that you take with you on every trip. I can recommend the following extra things to pack for Sweden before you leave the Netherlands:
 
– Mosquito oil
– After bite
– Binoculars
– Compass
– A daypack (I have this one, waterproof and lightweight!)
– A BiteAway against itching from mosquitoes (which was a real lifesaver for me last summer!)

Sweden travel guide and road map

Good preparation starts with purchasing a road map, I have been using one from Freytag & Berndt with great pleasure. A travel guide for Sweden should of course not be missing and I will therefore without shame recommend my own Travel Guide to Sweden, as well as my e-book Sweden for beginners:

E-book Sweden for Beginners

Are you planning your first trip to Sweden? Excellent choice—there’s a good chance you’ll fall in love with this country just like I did.

I was once a beginner myself. Back in 2015, to be exact. Since then, I’ve traveled to Sweden every year, and since 2023 I’ve been living in Swedish Lapland. In my e-book, you’ll find everything you need to know about your first trip to Sweden, written by a local (me!).

I share many of my own experiences and all the things I wish I had known when I first traveled to Sweden in 2015.

View the e-book

Book your trip

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Hopefully I have given you everything you need to know about what should be on your packing list for your Sweden holiday. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments. If you would like to read more practical tips about your Sweden trip, you may also enjoy the following blogs

• Where is Lapland?
• Wild camping in Sweden: this is what you need to know!
• What is a fika?
• Sweden packing list in the summer: these five items are indispensable in your suitcase

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