Ditch The Crowds And Visit Sweden's Sunniest Island Instead
By S. Flannagan
VACATIONS
Sweden has mountainous landscapes, rugged coastline, and over 200,000 islands. To escape crowds, visit 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. It has a far higher than average amount of sunshine per year than almost anywhere else in Sweden.
It is one of the country's brightest vacation spots and a must-visit for outdoor enthusiasts, being around 75% covered in trees. It is perfect for hiking and wild camping.
Holmön is known for its rich biodiversity and landscape, with mangroves, scrublands, and rock formations abundant with vegetation and wildlife. Seals can be spotted on the coast.
The waters around Holmön are some of Sweden's biggest nature reserves for marine wildlife. In the summer, there are boat trips to the nearby island nature reserve Stora Fjäderägg.
In the summer, visitors take to the roads by bike, which can be hired on the island. Winter travelers can explore the island by snowmobile.