Deciding to learn the Swedish language will forever be a decision you’ll be glad you made. From comprehension improvement of the language to the experiences you’ll have, learning Swedish offers you a passport to travel to all sorts of new places. Svenska is the most widely-spoken language in Scandinavia, so pick a country and go!

Sweden is home to the majority of the world’s Swedish speakers (as well as the incredible place that is IKEA!). It is a country with a huge coastline and a landmass which is 68% forest, so it’s perfect for those who love to spend time in nature. Their capital city, Stockholm, is a great option for learning Swedish. Stockholm is a unique city to spend time in as it is actually made up of 14 different islands, all of them joined up with various bridges. The city is also packed with history, from the palaces to the museums - over 70 of them, in fact!

Another option is Uppsala. It’s one of Sweden’s oldest cities, and yet also one of its busiest, packed with students, cafés, and nightlife. Uppsala features everything from a 6th-century burial site to the tallest church in Scandinavia, and is full of paths for walking or cycling. Spending time outside the capital is also likely to be better value for money, getting you more aquavit for your krona!

On the other hand, if Finland and its 300,000 native Swedish speakers take your fancy, the capital Helsinki is a great place to start. This city places highly on any list of the best cities to live in, and is full of interesting neighbourhoods, quirky art pieces, and street markets. It’s right on the sea, something you should definitely take advantage while the temperature is above freezing!

Alternatively, for a more unique experience, the only monolingually Swedish-speaking part of Finland is Åland. Made up of a total of 6,700 islands, it is not overly touristy and you are likely to find less fellow English-speakers here. This is a definite plus if you’re looking to speak as much of the language as possible during your Swedish language program.