Whether you are traveling to Gothenburg, Stockholm, or even Malmo, there are a lot of things you want to keep in mind for a business trip to Sweden. Indeed, traveling to Sweden for business is a lot different than traveling to the country for leisure. You want to make sure that you are efficient with your time so you can accomplish everything you want to between business meetings. Moreover, you want to keep a number of tips and tricks up your sleeve for best navigating the country. If you don’t, your trip could be less than pleasant. Indeed, Sweden has a number of rules and laws you want to abide by or else you could get in trouble. Moreover, these rules and laws could get in the way of your being able to have a good time. Here are five helpful tips when traveling to Sweden for business.
- It is very difficult to purchase alcoholic spirits in Sweden – in 1955 laws were passed to control consumptions of alcohol. For this reason, you can only purchase spirits at a Systembolaget, which sells wine and spirits. The problem with this is that these stores are hard to find. If you want to buy a bottle of wine for your new business partners, you may want to think about purchasing another type of gift.
- Know what fika is – if you are visiting Sweden to meet with business partners, you will be hearing this word a lot. Basically, it means coffee break and the Swedes love their coffee. If you flip through Hipmunk’s guide to Stockholm, you will no doubt see this word over and over again. If you hear it amongst your new Swedish partners, you definitely want to go along, or else you could come off as rude.
- Glass is a big deal in Sweden – if you are thinking about purchasing a gift for a new client or business partner, you may want to think about purchasing some Swedish glassware. In Sweden, there are numerous companies that specialize in glassware and even blow glass in specialized factories. Even if you want to take a souvenir home, you may want to think about glassware – just be careful when you pack it in your suitcase.
- Visit the Islands – if you are out and about, you may want to think about visiting the islands. This is a perfect trip if you have a day off. There are roughly 24,000 islands in what is called the Stockholm archipelago. If you want to see one of the world’s most amazing sites, you certainly want to visit these archipelagoes. You can often find a tour boat or a ferry that will take you there.
- Find a centrally located hotel – if you’re in town for business, you want to make sure you can easily hop on a train or in a taxi. If you are too far out of town, it will take you too long to get anywhere. In the end, you’ll also be closer to the center action, so you’ll have more time to see the sites.
