Fly into:  Copenhagen

Transfer: Around 25 minutes by train to Malmö then around 30 minutes by car to the beaches around Skanör and Falsterbo

For beach days: Head south to Skanör and Falsterbo, where you’ll find long stretches of pale sand, dunes, colourful beach huts and shallow coastal waters 

For water babies: Ystad Arena Bad has dedicated baby and toddler areas, a lazy river and bigger slides, while Tosselilla Sommarland is the summer option for waterslides, rides and paddling pools, and Ystad Djurpark is an outdoor zoo with playgrounds dotted around the site plus outdoor paddling pools

For sightseeing: Malmöhus Castle is our pick, with the Malmö Museum, natural history exhibits and a large aquarium all under one roof. For younger children, Funnys Äventyr is the wildcard – an immersive world of Swedish children’s stories with characters including the Moomins, Bamse and Alfie Atkins 

And for more scenic inspo, check out mama @lucy.halfhead Instagram post from her personal visit

Falsterbo Camping & Resort is the one for families who want to be as close to the beach as possible, with camping pitches, glamping and self-catering cabins just a few hundred metres from the white sandy beach. There’s also a kids’ club in peak summer, a playground and plenty of cycling on your doorstep

Further east, Ystad Saltsjöbad is a brilliant option if you want a little more hotel glamour without losing that easy-going Swedish seaside feel. This Swedish coastal classic has been on the Baltic shoreline since 1897, with bright, beachy rooms, larger suites with sea-facing terraces and a lovely stretch of sandy beach. There are warm outdoor pools, family hours in the historic saltwater baths, garden hammocks, lawn games and evening movies for children, while parents can sneak off for the eucalyptus sauna, seawater pools or a Swedish massage. Add in local seafood, wood-fired dishes and a very good breakfast – cinnamon buns included, obviously – and you’ve got a pretty compelling all-rounder

Or are you an Airbnb fanatic? We are too. If you fancy your own little slice of Swedish summer, here are a couple I have my eye on: A Provencal Gem in the Middle of Österlen in Löderup, or Skarviken by the Sea near Ystad if being within sniffing distance of the sea is high on your holiday wish list. If you’re travelling as a bigger family, Kyhlsro – beach near design house in Borrby is a particularly good find: an architect-designed house sleeping up to 12, with a sauna, hot tub and Kyhls beach just a short walk away. Or Perfect location by the sea with SAUNA!, east of Ystad, has room for eight and sits just 300 metres from the coast beside Hammars Backar nature reserve

Fly into: Gothenburg
Transfer: Around 20 minutes into central Gothenburg; around 30-60 minutes to reach the main archipelago ferry connections

For wow moments: Universeum is one of Europe’s best hands-on family museums, with a six-storey indoor rainforest, aquarium, mini kids’ world and loads of interactive experiments. Calling it a science centre really doesn’t do it justice

For free fun: Slottsskogen is a huge city park with a free zoo, penguins, playgrounds, pony rides and mini golf 

For island-hopping: Jump on a ferry from Gothenburg and explore the southern archipelago, where the islands are car-free and gloriously low-key. Styrsö, Brännö and Vrångö are all easy options. When it comes to beaches, don’t expect endless stretches of golden sand, this is the Swedish west coast, so think smooth granite rocks, little swimming spots and gloriously clear sea

For the classic Swedish west coast: Hire a car and head north into Bohuslän, where the scenery gets even more spectacular. Think tiny fishing villages, red boathouses, smooth granite rocks warmed by the sun, kayaking, crab fishing and islands dotted all along the coast. Smögen, Fjällbacka and the Koster Islands are some of the best-known spots, but part of the fun is simply stopping wherever looks inviting and going for a swim

Liseberg Grand Curiosa Hotel is the obvious choice. We’ll admit it: we initially assumed a hotel attached to a theme park might involve themed rooms and sticky carpets. We were very wrong. It’s stylish, genuinely lovely and completely brilliant for families, with a twirly slide between floors, a working carousel in the restaurant, cinema and games room 

For the full archipelago experience take a look at Kusthotellet Styrsö. A lovely island hotel with sea views, local food and the water right on your doorstep

If you have a car and fancy swapping the city for a few days of proper Swedish summer, there are some brilliant holiday homes around the wider Gothenburg coast, too. I found a gorgeous four-bedroom seaside cottage in Stenungsund with a hot tub, while a six-bedroom house in Rönnäng is one I’d bookmark for bigger families or a multi-gen trip

Fly into: Stockholm
Transfer: Around 4 hours by car to Sundsvall; Alnö is around 25 minutes from central Sundsvall across Alnöbron

For proper beach days: Head to Alnö’s Bredsand, Tranviken or Bänkåsviken for sandy beaches and shallow water

To fill your camera roll: Explore Spikarna, a tiny fishing village at the northern tip of Alnö, with a harbour, café, walking trails and beautiful views across the water. Or Norra Berget, an open-air museum with animals, an incredible playground, views and sweet cafes 

For rainy days: Head into Sundsvall for Himlabadet, an adventure waterpark with slides and a dedicated area for toddlers, or Leo’s epic soft play

For bigger adventures: Make the trip to the High Coast, where dramatic cliffs, forests, islands and hiking trails provide a much wilder side of Sweden

For little foodies: And despite being a remote little corner of Sweden, you certainly won’t go hungry. Bräckt in the tiny fishing village of Spikarna does sourdough flatbreads and sharing plates with seriously good views, while Vindhem is the place for seafood – quite possibly the best platter I’ve eaten in my life, and yes, I realise that’s a bold claim. For families, Virriga Bakverk is a must, with excellent pastries, cakes and buns plus a playground to keep small people busy while you finish your coffee in peace. And in summer, a boat runs into Sundsvall, so you can make the journey into town part of the day rather than simply getting back in the car 

We absolutely loved this gorgeous Airbnb in Näsudden, which has a teeny-tiny private swimming cove at the bottom of the garden. There’s a heated hot tub, an outdoor kitchen for barbecues and plenty of garden space for the kids to disappear into for the afternoon. It does have its quirks, though: towels and bedding cost extra, the electricity can be a little temperamental if you try to run everything at once, and while there’s a separate cabin that can sleep another two guests, there’s no toilet in it. In our opinion, that makes it best suited to families of four or five, or five plus a baby

There are blueberries and apples to pick straight from the garden, and you’re only about a 10-minute walk from Tranviken beach, with a playground conveniently en route, always handy when you’re walking with small children who suddenly have very strong feelings about how far they’re prepared to go. There are loads of lovely Airbnbs dotted around Alnö, so if this one isn’t quite the right fit for your family, we’d highly recommend looking around Näsudden

Fly into: Gothenburg
Transfer: Around 2-3 hours by car, depending on where you stay

For lake days: Pick a cottage with direct access to the water and spend your days swimming, paddling, fishing and picnicking. This is very much a case of the accommodation being part of the holiday

For a bit of magic: Astrid Lindgren’s World in Vimmerby is a must for younger children, bringing Pippi Longstocking, Emil, Ronja the Robber’s Daughter and other beloved Swedish characters to life

For wildlife spotting: Go looking for moose, Sweden’s unofficial celebrity. There are several moose parks and wildlife experiences around Småland, as well as plenty of opportunities to spot them in the wild if you’re lucky

Hestraviken is the hotel we’d look at if you want the Swedish cottage aesthetic without actually having to organise the cottage yourself. Set among forests and lakes, it’s all about being outdoors, with plenty of opportunities for walking, cycling and swimming

If you’d rather go all-in on the cottage version, Newly renovated house with jetty and sauna near Västervik is a brilliant find for bigger families or two families travelling together. It sleeps nine across the main house and guesthouse, with its own dock on a swimming lake, a sauna, hot tub, canoes and rowing boat

Fly into: Stockholm
Transfer: Around 20-30 minutes into central Stockholm

For little ones: Junibacken is a must for younger children, bringing the stories of Astrid Lindgren to life with fairytale worlds, Pippi Longstocking and its brilliant Story Train

For a wow moment: The Vasa Museum houses an enormous 17th-century warship that sank on its maiden voyage and was raised from the seabed 333 years later. It sounds niche; it’s actually amazing

For Swedish history: Skansen is an open-air museum, zoo and children’s playground rolled into one, with historic Swedish buildings, Nordic animals and plenty of space to run around

For sightseeing without the walking: Stockholm’s metro is basically an underground art gallery. More than 100 stations feature colourful murals, sculptures and installations, many carved straight into the rock

For art in the archipelago: Artipelag is the sort of place that makes you wonder why more museums aren’t built like this. Just 30 minutes from central Stockholm, it combines contemporary art with sculpture trails, pine forest, sea views and family-friendly activities – so the children get to explore while you get your culture fix

For island hopping: The archipelago is enormous and ferry routes are seasonal, so don’t wing it. For a first trip with children, we’d base ourselves in Stockholm and day-trip to one or two islands rather than trying to island-hop your way around the map

Hotel J is our pick if you want the best of both worlds – a peaceful waterfront setting in Nacka Strand, but just a short boat ride into central Stockholm. Hotel Gio is a great-value option in leafy Solna, particularly handy for families who like a little more space and easy access to parks, while Miss Clara is the one for being right in the heart of the city, with beautiful Scandi interiors and all the sights on your doorstep 

If you’re tempted to explore beyond Sweden, we’ve rounded up the best family-friendly hotels in the Nordics, from Norway and Denmark to Finland and Sweden

Fly into: Stockholm or Gothenburg

Transfer: Around 3 hours by car from Stockholm or around 2.5 hours from Gothenburg

For proper beach days: Make a beeline for Varamon Beach, one of Sweden’s largest freshwater swimming areas

For watersports: Hire a SUP, kayak, canoe or pedal boat and get out onto Lake Vättern. The shallow water around the beach makes it particularly accessible for families, while older children can venture further out

For boats & bikes: Head to the Göta Canal, where you can cycle alongside the water and stop at cafés along the route. It’s wonderfully easy-going cycling territory for a family day out

For an adventure: Explore Omberg, on the eastern side of Lake Vättern, for forest trails, viewpoints and walks overlooking the lake. Or head further afield to Tiveden National Park for proper Swedish wilderness, with forests, lakes and rocky trails to explore

For an easy lake-and-beach escape, Newly built luxurious beach house (2) in Varamon is right on Varamon Beach, with shallow water, cafés, restaurants and watersports on the doorstep. And it comes with a Tiny Travelship seal of approval: Tiny Travelship mama @thatholidaymum has stayed here, so head to her Instagram for a behind-the-scenes tour. For something more secluded, Architect-designed house on a lake property with unbeatable views near Vadstena is a beautiful lakeside option with its own jetty and garden. Or embrace the Swedish summer-house dream at Vättern’s little red, just 200m from beaches and rock pools, with a sauna and walking trails to Omberg

If you’re wondering why we keep steering you towards houses rather than hotels, here’s why we think villa holidays are so brilliant for families 

Fly into: Stockholm, then take a ferry to Gotland, or fly directly to Visby from Stockholm

Transfer: The ferry from Nynäshamn takes around three hours to Visby. Once on the island, having a car is useful for exploring beyond Visby, although cycling works brilliantly for shorter adventures

For beach days: Tofta Beach, Ljugarn and Sudersand on Fårö

For Pippi fans: Kneippbyn, home to Villa Villekulla and a water park

For history buffs: Explore the medieval walls and cobbled streets of Visby

For something spectacular: Head to Fårö to see Gotland’s famous raukar, huge limestone sea stacks rising from the coastline

For something a little different, Vidhave is well worth a look. This stylish collection of wooden villas sits by the sea just north of Visby, with its own pool and children’s pool, sandy beach, restaurant and plenty of space for families to spread out. The houses sleep up to eight and come with kitchens and BBQs, so you get the freedom of a villa with a few hotel-style extras. And because it’s been visited and verified by a fellow Tiny Travelship parent, it gets an extra tick from us

Of if Airbnb’s are more your bag…for sea views and spectacular sunsets, Villa right by the sea with sunset in the west! in Tofta is a beauty, with space for up to 10, a sauna and Gnisvärd beach just five minutes away. Visby is also only 20 minutes by car. For pool-loving families, Architect-designed dream house with pool near Visby has a lovely pool, terraces and garden, plus enough space for up to nine. Or head east to Charming refurbished barn with heated pool near Katthammarsvik, where you’ve got a heated pool at home and beaches, ice cream and restaurants in nearby Ljugarn. And for something a little more design-y and off-grid, Cottage rentals in a unique Gotland environment sits among the pines of car-free Bungenäs, with sea views and a gorgeous indoor-outdoor feel