One Of Sweden's Sunniest Islands Is A Secret, Picturesque Outdoor Retreat Away From Crowds

There are dozens of reasons to make Sweden your next travel destination. The Scandinavian nation, which shares borders with Norway to the west, Finland to the east, and faces Denmark across the water to the south, is an area of outstanding natural beauty, known for its gorgeous mountainous landscapes, rugged coastline, and more than 200,000 islands forming archipelagos off the mainland.

Just over 10 million people live in Sweden, with an average of just 67 people per square mile across the whole country. With 88% of the population living in cities, this means vast swaths of the beautiful landscape are virtually deserted, making Sweden perfect for travelers looking to go off-grid and explore the wilderness in relative solitude. One little-known but perfect destination for such trips is Holmön, an island in the Holmöarna archipelago in the Gulf of Bothnia.

Holmön has a population of around 150, spread over the island's 30 square miles, which, with a far higher than average amount of sunshine per year than almost anywhere else in Sweden, make it one of the country's brightest vacation spots and a must-visit for outdoor enthusiasts.

Holmön has a total area of around 30 square miles, with around 50 miles of coastline. It is a forest lover's haven, being around 75% covered in trees, mainly forests of pines, firs, and other evergreens. Like the majority of Sweden's islands, Holmön is known for its rich biodiversity and varied landscape, with mangroves, scrublands, and Ice Age rock formations abundant with vegetation and wildlife, with seals often spotted on the coast. It is a perfect destination for hiking and wild camping, with Sweden's much-loved "freedom to roam" laws meaning that hikers are welcome to camp anywhere, as long as they do so responsibly and do not disturb the local wildlife, other people, or landowners.

But a visit to Holmön and its nearby islands doesn't just involve passive sightseeing. Visitors are able to get involved in the archipelago's conservation efforts, which involves the monitoring of migratory birds who in recent years have been affected by various environmental pressures including dwindling fish numbers, climate change, and bird flu. Volunteer to collect data on the island's avian wildlife or even, if you're feeling confident, join in ringing the legs of wild birds so that the archipelago's ornithologists can better keep track of them. For more laid-back pursuits, the island contains several beaches with barbecue spots where you can also camp with the right gear, many areas for lake and sea fishing, and an abundance of berries and mushrooms that are free to forage.

Scandinavia is known for its jaw-droppingly beautiful bodies of water, and the sea around Holmön is no different. Visitors to the island have numerous chances to take to the water just as the area's Viking population did more than 1,000 years ago. The waters around Holmön constitute one of Sweden's biggest nature reserves for marine wildlife, which can be explored by boat, including in the summer regular boat trips to nearby island and nature reserve Stora Fjäderägg.

But hiking and boating aren't the only ways to explore Holmön. In the summer, visitors take to the roads by bike, which can be hired on the island, with the picturesque Bergudden lighthouse, built in the late 19th century, an ideal destination for cyclists looking to be rewarded with a beautiful sunset on the island's west coast. Meanwhile in the winter travelers can take advantage of the area's prolific snowfall and make their adventures around the island a little bit special by exploring by snowmobile. There are even specially curated tours hosted by local guides who can show you Holmön's best kept-secrets.

But despite the sparse population and expanses of unsullied nature across Holmön, the island also boasts several interesting cultural landmarks that make it ideal for travelers looking to gain an insight into Sweden and its people. Byviken, a small port, contains the Holmön boat museum, from which visitors can rent bicycles. There is also a quaint church on the north side of the island, while an old cemetery, Ödekyrkogård, contains a replica of the Helenda Elisabeth Church which used to stand on Holmön before being relocated to the mainland.

Holmön has a single restaurant, Novas Inn, known for its specialty fish dishes made almost entirely with local ingredients. The island's single country store also serves as Holmön's gas station, bank, pharmacy, and mail handler, giving a sense of how remote Holmön really is. However, despite its remoteness the summer sees the island hosting the Holmön Song Festival, which sees the area become far more populous than any other time of year. However, it still remains comparatively calm, with visitor numbers remaining fewer than 1,000, according to the festival's website.

The island is accessible by ferry, which leaves four or five times a day from Norrfjärden, a port in Sweden's Umeå region, and arrives in Byviken, where a good deal of accommodation is also located. International visitors looking to visit the island can fly to Stockholm, and get a connection to Umeå from domestic Scandinavian airlines. No flights where you are? Here are 25 more of our favorite budget island vacation spots to check out instead.