In Stockholm there are two royal castles of unique splendour. Firstly, Stockholm´s Royal Palace, the largest in Northern Europe, where history buffs can spend several days. It features attractions such as the Royal armoury and the Royal treasury. Then there is the 18th-century Drottningholm Castle on Lake Mälaren outside the city, called ”The Versailles of the North” and included on Unesco’s World Heritage List for its unique park, interiors and intact 18th-century theatre.

While the oldest parts of Stockholm´s Royal Palace were built in the 17th century, on the site of an older, burnt down castle,many castles in the region are older. Most are of royal heritage. Majestic Gripsholm near the picturesque town of Mariefred and nearby Skokloster, both on Lake Mälaren, are imposing baroque castles with unique 16th and 17th-century interiors and astonishing exhibits, including the royal portrait collection at Gripsholm. Another impressive royal castle from the Vasa era in the 16th and 17th centuries is Örebro Castle, which dominates the centre of the city of Örebro, where you can enjoy fine dining in the ancient dungeons and even in the royal torture chamber. The unfinished Uppsala Castle is yet another royal castle from the same period.

All around the region of Central Sweden, there are many hundreds of castles, chateaus and manor houses of unique cultural and historical values. Nearly all of these are set in spectacular natural environments and most are open to the public during at least part of the year. Many have been lovingly transformed into hotels and conference facilities with fine restaurants, spas and other attractions, where guests can ”live history” in pleasant and relaxing forms. Competition among these weekend destinations is fierce, and the quality keeps improving, with each site offering its own distinguishing features and attractions. Particularly in summer, and also around Christmas, many of these castles and manor houses offer special programmes, events and attractions, including music, guided tours, exhibitions, markets, and various scene performances. To name but a few examples from this vast array of unique environments is indeed difficult, but if we should give it a try there are, in Södermanland south of Stockholm, the Duveholm manor house dating back to the 15th century, the splendid Tullgarn Castle, originally from the 16th century, and charming 18th-century Yxtaholm and Södertuna castles. In Uppland there´s the Lövsta bruk, Österby bruk and Gimo manor houses and the Steninge and Rosersberg castles; in Närke and Bergslagen the Grythyttan, Loka Brunn and Aspa manor houses; in Värmland the Svaneholm and Kroksta castles – well, the list of unique choices for weekend getaways could go on and on.