Lina Skandevall om Sveriges guldkorn och hur du får semestern att kännas längre

Lina Skandevall on Sweden's hidden gems and how to make your holiday feel longer

June 30, 2026

Pure Passion. Knowledge from people who know their thing.

It's easy to think that the perfect holiday requires plane tickets, meticulous planning, and a long list of must-dos. But perhaps leisure is about something entirely different.

Travel journalist and adventurer Lina Skandevall has spent many years discovering the world, but when she gets to choose, she often seeks simplicity. Nature, early summer mornings, and places closer than we think. In this interview, she shares her best tips for a summer with more rejuvenation, more discoveries, and a holiday that actually feels longer.

What do you do on the first day of your holiday?

I do as little as possible. I just want to be home and truly feel that I'm on holiday. I rarely have time to plan my own holiday and prefer to plan as little as possible. Choosing destinations, planning logistics, and finding new places is, after all, my job.

How do you switch from work to leisure?

I put my phone away as much as I can. After almost 20 years as a self-employed person, I actually dare to take time off. Before, I let clients dictate when I had a holiday and didn't dare to turn down assignments.

What do you think many people miss when they're on holiday?

That leisure doesn't have to mean traveling far. It's about breaking daily routines and not having to set an alarm. A change of scenery can be taking public transport as far as it goes and discovering a new place. Adventures are much closer than you think. A picnic on a lawn can be enough to create a true holiday feeling.

How do you make the days feel longer?

I get up early. I love bright summer mornings when the sunlight filters through the treetops and it feels like all of nature awakens gently. Plus, I can always take a nap in the shade later in the day. The important thing is to let go of stress and stop looking at the clock.

What is Sweden's most underrated travel destination?

Northern Sweden, absolutely. There are white beaches and sunshine there too. Fantastic cities, mighty rivers and waterfalls, hiking, midnight sun, and archipelago.

Where do you find the best rejuvenation?

In nature. Always. Preferably in the forest. It's my true element and where I always unwind. I love picking blueberries and mushrooms and waking up in the middle of nature.

Which is Sweden's best summer city?

I don't actually spend much time in cities in the summer, but I like coastal towns. Falkenberg, perhaps. Or Varberg. There's so much to discover around them, with farm shops, small restaurants, and a very lovely atmosphere.

Your best day trip?

That depends, of course, on where you start. But look at what's one or two hours from home and go there to explore. Sweden is full of hidden gems.

Sea, forest, or mountains?

I love the forest; I'm a true forest nymph. But I very much like to go to the mountains in the summer. Summer and autumn up there are an incredible experience. Hiking or cycling and then taking a dip by a waterfall provides energy long into the autumn.

One place everyone should visit at least once?

Abisko. It's one of the most beautiful places we have. I get the same feeling there as I did in Patagonia. And the view from Björkliden over Torne Träsk is absolutely incredible.

Where can you find the best summer feeling?

Within yourself. By slowing down, breaking daily routines, putting away your phone and computer, reading a book, resting in the shade, eating strawberries, and just being.

It seems that's exactly what a holiday is. To change pace instead of destination. To have time to see what you otherwise pass by. Thank you so much, Lina, for sharing your favorite places and summer thoughts. We hope they inspire more people to discover how much there actually is nearby.