Swedes like straightforward meals, simply prepared from the freshest ingredients. As a seafaring country with many freshwater lakes, fish dishes are prominent on hotel or restaurant menus.

Things to know: Picnic sites can be found at roadsides. Top-class restaurants in Sweden are usually fairly expensive, but even the smallest towns have reasonably priced self-service restaurants and grill bars. Many restaurants all over Sweden offer a special dish of the day at a reduced price that includes main course, salad, soft drink and coffee. Waiter service is common although there are many self-service snack bars. Wine, spirits and beer are sold through the state-owned monopoly, Systembolaget, open during normal shopping hours. Before 1300 on Sundays alcohol cannot be bought in bars, cafes or restaurants. After midnight alcohol can only be bought in nightclubs that stay open until between 0200-0500.

National specialities:
• Smörgåsbord (Scandinavian cold table. First pickled herring with boiled potatoes then perhaps a couple more fish courses, smoked salmon or anchovies followed by cold meat, pâté, sliced beef, stuffed veal or smoked reindeer).
• Köttbullar (small meatballs).
• Smoked reindeer from Lapland.
• Gravlax (salmon that has been specially prepared and marinated).
• Wild strawberries and cloudberries.

National drinks:
• Akvavit (a Scandinavian spirit that is traditionally drunk chilled with smorgasbord. Flavours vary from practically tasteless to sweetly spiced).
• Vodka is also popular, as is sweet cider.

Legal drinking age: 20 years, if buying alcohol in a shop; 18 years in bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Stiff penalties are enforced for drinking and driving.

Tipping: Service in restaurants is not usually included in the bill; around 10% should be added.

Stockholm has pubs, cafes, clubs, restaurants, cinemas and theatres. In the more rural areas evenings tend to be tranquil. From August to June the Royal Ballet performs in Stockholm. Music and theatre productions take place in many cities during the summer at open-air venues. Outside Stockholm in the 18th-century Court Theatre of the Palace of Drottningholm there are performances of 18th-century opera.

VAT (Moms) is refundable to visitors who are resident in non-EU countries on goods bought at shops participating in the Tax-Free Shopping scheme. The refund is payable to the customer when departing from Sweden at either airports or customs offices at ports. There are many traditional markets and country fairs throughout Sweden. Special purchases include glassware and crystal, ceramics, stainless steel and silver, hemslöjd (cottage industry artefacts) and woodcarvings. Women's and children's clothes are good buys, especially handknitted Nordic sweaters.

Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1800, Sat 0930-1400/1600. Some department stores stay open until 1900 or longer. In larger towns, some shops have longer opening hours and are also open Sundays 1200-1600. In rural areas, shops and petrol stations close by 1700/1800.