Sweden is a haven for nature lovers and adventurers. It’s rich in beautiful forests that meet the endless picturesque coastlines and lakes of islands and peninsulas of all sizes. It’s an unmissable destination for a motorhome road trip, and one of the most affordable Scandinavian countries to camp in. We’ve compiled a list of the best campsites in Sweden, starting with sites in the south for those travellers heading to Sweden via the ferry from mainland Europe, and working our way up through Stockholm towards some more off-the-beaten-track sites in the north. Wild camping is also a great way to really get to know Sweden, so we’ve included some recommendations for the wild campers out there, too.
Southern Sweden
1. It would be a crime not to put Långsjön Stugor & Camping right at the top of our list, seeing as it is the most popular of all campsites in Sweden! It’s rated 4.7 out of 5 stars and won the camping.info award two years running. Campers particularly love the clean, modern facilities, stunning location, and cool things to see nearby around Ankarsrum. These include Vimmerby, where childhood heroes from the world of children’s author Astrid Lindgren come alive, and the gorgeous lake Långsjön, which is great for canoeing or kayaking.
There are 40 spacious, campervan-suitable pitches, with electricity and lots of greenery for shade, or in the sun, if you prefer. All have views over the lake, and in their new facilities block you’ll find a kitchen, toilets, showers, washer, dryer, suitable toilets/shower and an accessible room for disabled visitors.
Overnight pitches are 29.00eur in peak season.
Långsjön Stugor & Camping AB
Fagersand, 59371 Ankarsrum, Sweden.
+46 49052140
2. Orrefors campsite is also highly rated, stretching out across 6 hectares of its lake Orranäsasjön peninsula. There are 50 partially divided pitches with electricity and more in a self-sufficient camping meadow. Many pitches are right on the lake, giving an incredible view of the surrounding landscape. Orrefors is perfect to kick off water-based adventures like kayaking, canoeing and fishing, or taking off on a hike.The town itself is right in the middle of glass country, or the ‘Kingdom of Crystal,’ as the region has a long-standing tradition of glassblowing. You can check out the craft yourself by visiting the glassworks, or drive to visit the sunny island of Öland, where the even the royal family go camping in Sweden for their summer holidays every year.
The site has a swimming area with a jetty and lawn. A cafe offers freshly baked waffles, baguettes which are generously filled, plus you can get traditional treats to have with your coffee for ‘Fika,’ an important part of every Swede’s day. You can enjoy yours with views over the lake, and for dinner, cook fish caught from the lake yourself on a barbeque! Although chances of seeing moose and elk are high, you can also visit the Glasrikets Moose Park. Other activities on offer include mini golf, volleyball, extensive bike tours and hikes. The facilities are centrally located, with heated showers and a laundry, ovens and microwaves available free of charge. Motorhome owners can empty chemical waste, and the facilities and cafe are wheelchair accessible.
Tikaskruv 304
38272 Orrefors,
+46 48130414
Campsites in Stockholm and central Sweden
Stockholm is truly a city like no other. The ‘city of 14 islands’ has the appeal of contemporary, urban cool perfectly balanced against its historical richness and proximity to nature. Finding a great spot for camping in Stockholm is easy, as there are loads of options nestled in the coastal woods of the archipelago.
3. 40-minutes drive southeast of Stockholm, Farstanas Havsbad waits quietly in the Brandallsunds nature reserve for visitors from out of town who want to experience the serenity of their coastal woodland and sandy beach. There are 350 camper and caravanning pitches on grassy meadows that gently slope towards the waterside. You can swim, go snorkelling, windsurfing, kayaking or waterskiing. Even better, you can take a few nights off cooking here, as the site has a snack bar and restaurant, and supplies fresh bread. This is a great one for the digital nomads, too, as 80% of the campsite is reached by WiFi. The facilities here are held to rigorous ACSI standards and regularly inspected. Just note that the camping season here runs from April to August.
The guide price is 26.90eur for an overnight campervan pitch.
Farstanas Havsbad & Familje Camping
Farsta 1:1, 15391, Farstanas/Jarna
Sweden
+46 855150215
4. A great way to really immerse yourself in nature whilst not straying too far from the city is camping in the Stockholm archipelago. The archipelago foundation runs good quality campsites on many of the islands, within their nature reserves. As such, these usually have composting toilets, waste bins and fresh water access. You can get to them by car, bus, or boat. We’ve picked our favourite, Gålö but you can find more information at archipelagofoundation.se.
Gålö is a 4* seaside campsite, and has had that accreditation since 2004.It’s an adult-only (ages 23+) site, suitable for couples, groups and families with children. They’re animal-friendly and the nature reserve setting is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts and walkers; there are plenty of excellent seaside trails which depart from the site; this site sits on Sweden’s longest sandy beach. It’s common to see elk and deer in the meadow in the early mornings and after sunset, too. Caring for the environment is a huge part of their ethic, and so there’s a big recycling point. The facilities are modern, clean and tidy, and cleaned every night. There’s a special dog shower built into the toilet blogs for getting those sandy and muddy paws cleaned and dried, too. Make a reservation for this site during the summer months, as it’s small and fills up! There’s a jetty out into the water and it’s great for swimming. Elsewhere on Gålö you can also swim, visit the pub, go horse riding, kayaking, fishing, and biking.
Flat, grassy campervan and caravan pitches start at 33.16eur per night.
Skälåkersvägen 11
137 96 Gålö +46 850033880
5. Although off the beaten track a bit, you’ll be grateful you went to Lake Tisarsen and found the Caravan Club Tisarstrand. If you’re driving across Sweden from East to West or vice versa, this could make a handy stop. The lake is breathtaking, and great for swimming. This particular site is nestled in a small forest and has great lakeside access. There are 85 camper and caravan pitches, a good range of facilities and amenities, including accessible toilets, showers, washing machines and dryers, grey waste and chemical disposal, kitchen with microwave and oven, and a playground. You can hire boats and go fishing or take off walking through the forest trails. Finally, there’s a friendly reception and quaint little shop for any help or extras you may need. Just note that their camping season runs from April to September.
A 24-hour pitch, including shower and electricity, is 29.65eur for non-members.
Kvarsätter
694 92 HALLSBERG,
+46 767625052
Northern Sweden
6. Saiva camping is a beautiful site by the gorgeous lake Baksjön, on the outskirts of Vilhelmina in Lapland. The site comprises a reception building with a gift shop and kiosk cafe, TV and fireplace. There’s a facilities block, 23 camping cabins and 37 campervan and caravan pitches. The facilities block has showers, a toilet, a kitchen, a laundry room, chemical and grey water emptying facilities, and a sauna cabin outside. In terms of activities onsite and nearby, there’s a swimming lake with a sandy beach, jetties and diving towers, a beach volleyball court and outdoor gym. They offer canoe and kayak rentals and various guided tours including mountain hiking with dogs, guided fishing trips and moose safaris in the forest. They also host midsummer and midnight light festivals.
Campervan pitches with electricity cost about 24eur in peak season.
Saiva Camping
Ryttarvägen 1, 912 31, Vilhelmina
+46 94010760
7. If you really want to get into the northern reaches of, be aware that ‘camping’ in Sweden may take on a bit of a looser meaning. It’s traditional to go and stay in a ‘Stuga’ - a cosy little wooden hut - instead of a tent or motorhome. But, if your caravan or motorhome’s heating system is up to it, they also have plenty of pitches. At Blattnicksele, you can experience the very best of this tradition. It’s a natural oasis, perched on some of Europe’s best fishing waters with expansive hiking trails through the forests and across hilly uplands. Foragers can get to know local wild mushrooms and berries (with care), and you can have a go at snowmobile or dog sleigh riding. There are excellent cross-country (or Nordic) ski trails, and traditional ski slopes only 30km away. And, best of all, here you can experience the northern lights and the midnight sun! . There are plenty of berries and mushrooms here.
Facilities include a barbeque area and fire pit where you can grill your catch of the day, a wood-fired sauna by the river, a pool area, you can hire boats and bikes, a shop for fishing gear, and a toilet block. There’s also a lakeside beach with showers, a woodfired pizza oven, and a restaurant offering snacks.
Grass campervan pitches are 22eur per night.
Blattnicksele Camping
SE-92492 Blattnicksele
Phone: +46 725361283
Wild Camping
Thanks to the Swedish ‘allemansrätten’ (everyman’s right), a custom that has been around since the Middle Ages, everyone has the freedom to roam and go wild camping in Sweden relatively freely and spontaneously. If you want to enjoy this right, be sure not to disturb, destroy or ruin any experience of the natural assets for others. Read more about Sweden’s rules for wild camping here.
Picking your wild camping spot depends on the kind of natural landscape you want to be in. some of the most popular nature reserves and national parks for camping include Gotland, Fulufjället near the Norwegian border, and Upplandsleden. Read more about these locations and how to access them on the Local blog, here.
There are one million different ways to find handy campsites and wild camping spots in Sweden. You can plan ahead, but don’t necessarily need to plan your road trip routes around where you’ll be pitching for the night. The Campfire Mag have compiled a huge list of all these websites and apps, which will make life easy for you on the road.
Before You Go
The National Swedish Campsite Association includes more than 400 member campsites across Sweden. You can access multiple discounts and offers related to camping at these sites using the Camping Key Europe. The card also includes accident and liability insurance during your stay at the campsite. Some campsites in Sweden also accept Camping Card International (CCI). This is available through a phone app and costs about 16 euros a year. Several special offers are associated with the app too, like discounts on ferries to and from Sweden. If you want to know more, visit campingkeyeurope.se.
When to visit Sweden
Swedish springtime is between March/April and May, the summer season is brief but surprisingly warm between June and August, the autumn season is between September to October/November and the winter season is from November/December to March/February. Of course, this will vary across the country, because of its size. The arctic circle includes some of Sweden’s far north but the rest of the country, thanks to the Gulf Stream, enjoys a mild climate. In summer temperatures reach +20C around the country and there are around 20 hours of daylight during these peak camping months!
During summer in the far north, the sun does not set for stretches of time. But, if you want to go camping in Sweden to explore under the midnight sun, or stay in Autumn, make sure your caravan or motorhome is ready for the cold, or plan a quintessential Stuga stay instead!
Will this be your first motorhome trip? Then you might want to check out our ultimate motorhome packing list!
