Sweden stretches 1,572km from south to north, creating sharp climate contrasts. Stockholm averages -1°C in January and 18°C in July, while Kiruna in the Arctic Circle drops to -14°C in January with snow cover from October to May. Summer in the north brings the midnight sun from late May to mid-July, with temperatures of 15-20°C ideal for hiking in Abisko and Kebnekaise. Gothenburg and the west coast are milder and wetter year-round due to Atlantic influence. The best months for city visits to Stockholm and Gothenburg are June through August when daylight stretches past 10 PM. Northern lights viewing above the Arctic Circle is best from September to March, with Abisko offering some of the world’s most reliable aurora conditions.
