Things to Do in Sweden in May [2024]

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Going for a spring walk through Djurgården, a park in Stockholm, Sweden. Photo Credit: Helena Wahlman/imagebank.sweden.se

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Sweden in May – is May a good time to visit? In fact, May is a great time to visit Sweden because the weather is getting warmer. And the days are getting longer. But it is still quiet in terms of tourism. So bargains are possible at hotels. For music lovers, there are several musical festivals – from blues to heavy metal to alternative rock.

Top Events in Sweden in May in 2023

What to do in Sweden in May? There is an music featival, a sci-fi festival, a film festival, an art fair, important religious holidays. A short list ofthe top  events in May 0follows.

May Day – 1 May 2024

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The Botanical Gardens in Lund are a glorious oasis with a unique variety of species. Photo Credit:  Aline Lessner/imagebank.sweden.se.

The first of May is a celebration of the working classes in many countries. And Sweden is no exception.

Demonstrations supporting workers’ rights are held in many Swedish cities. But for many Swedes, May First is a good excuse to enjoy nature.

Ascension Day – 9 May 2024

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Coffee in nature. Photo Credit: Apelöga/imagebank.sweden.se

Because Ascension Day takes place 39 days after Easter Sunday, it falls on a different date each year.

However, just as Easter always falls on a Sunday, Ascension Day always falls on a Thursday.

Known as Kristi himmelsfärdsdag in Swedish, Ascension Day is a bank holiday in Sweden. According to Christian belief, it commemorates the ascension of Jesus Christ to Heaven.

In fact, many Swedes get up between 3 and 4 am on Ascension Day. And they make trips into the countryside.

And the purpose of their expedition is to hear the cuckoos chirping at sunrise. If the sound comes from the east or the west, it is a lucky sign. And if it comes from the north or the south, it bodes bad luck.

Most importantly, if the weather in Sweden cooperates, many Swedes have a picnic breakfast in the country. In addition, they often sing or play musical instruments.

Ascension Day in Sweden also marks the unofficial beginning of the fishing season. And Swedes traditionally believed that fish would not bite until Ascension Day.

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Friday After Ascension Day – 10 May 2024

Since Ascension Day always falls on a Thursday, many Swedish companies give their employees the next day off. This allows them to enjoy a four-day weekend.

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Whit Sunday – 19 May 2024

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Outdoor picnics are popular on Whit Sunday. Photo Credit: August Dellert.

Whit Sunday is a Christian holiday. It is also known as Pentecost. And it celebrates when the Holy Sprint visited the apostles and disciples..

Known as Piingstdagen in Swedish, ,The celebration of Whit Sunday in Sweden usually begins the night before, when families enjoy a large meal together.

Because Whit Sunday usually happens at the same time that the weather in Sweden warms up, many Swedes celebrate the holiday outdoors.

Whit Sunday is 50 days after Easter. Therefore, it falls on a different day each year. Whit Sunday will fall on 31 May in 2020.

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Monsteras Blue and Roots Festival –  2024 Date Pending

This blues music festival bills itself as “the nicest festival in Sweden”.

 

Scifiworld – 2024 Date Pending

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SciFiWorld. Photo Credit: Scifi World.

Sci-fi comic books, video games, and movies will be in the spotlight at Scifi World in Gothenburg. Venders will sell figurines, posters, jewellery, and costumes.

You might run into Darth Vader. And why not have a sci-fi tattoo done?

  • Scifiworld – Mässans Gata/Korsvägen, 412 94 Göthenburg, Sweden.

 

Supermarket International Art Fair – 2024 Date Pending

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The public can paint murals on a wall in the district of Södermalm in Stockholm, Sweden. It can be painted over and over again. Photo Credit: Anna Hållams/imagebank.sweden.se.

Supermarket – Stockholm Independent Art Fair gives independent artists from around the world the chance to showcase their work.

Attendees include artists, gallerists, collectors, museum directors, and curators.

Genres include paintings, sculpture, sound and other installations, videos, multimedia, and prints.

In addition to exhibitions, there are seminars, performances, and networking opportunities.

Weather in Sweden in May

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Field of blooming canola next to a country road lined by willow trees in Southern Sweden. Photo Credit: .Måns Fornander/imagebank.sweden.se

May weather in Sweden sees spring turning into summer. And Swedish cities and towns are full of life.

Southern Sweden is particularly beautiful in May. To clarify, May is when the canola fields explode into a riot of of yellow and gold.

May Weather in Stockholm

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Buying flowers in Central Stockholm. Photo Credit: Simon Paulin/imagebank.sweden.se.

Stockholm is Sweden’s largest city. And it is also the nation’s capital. Built on a series of islands, Stockholm is a stunningly  beautiful city with countless lakes, bays, canals, and wetlands.

So what is  the weather in Stockholm in May like? The average high temperature in Stockholm in May is 16 degrees Celsius, or 61 degrees Fahrenheit. At night, the temperature drops to an average low of 6 degrees Celsius, or 43 degrees Fahrenheit.

There is an average of 8 hours of sunshine in Stockholm in May, making it the third sunniest month of the year. There is an average of 11 rainy days in Stockholm in May. The average humidity is 63%.

May Weather in Gothenburg

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Bir’ds eye view of Gothenburg  Photo Credit: Per Pixel Petersson/imagebank.sweden.se.

Gothenburg is Sweden’s second largest city. And it is located on the country’s west coast.

So what is May weather in Gothenburg like? The average high in Gothenburg in May is 5.5  Celsius, or 42 Fahrenheit. And the average low is 2.5 degrees Celsius, or 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

There is an average of ##hours of sunshine in Gothenburg in June. The city gets an average of 27 millimeters of rainfall,. There is an average of ## rainy days. The average humidity is 74%.

May Weather in Malmo

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Cooking in nature in the countryside near Malmo. Photo Credit: Miriam Preis/imagebank.sweden.se.

Malmo is Sweden’s third largest city. And it sits at the southwestern tip of Sweden. Most importatly, it is across the Oresund River from Copenhagen, Denmark. 

So what is the weather in Mamo in May like?

The average high temperature in Malmo in May is 16 degrees Celsius, or 61 degrees Fahrenheit. At night, the temperature drops to an average low of 6 degrees Celsius, or 43 degrees Fahrenheit.

There is an average of 8.5 hours of sunshine in Malmo in both May and Jly. After June, they are second sunniest month of the year.  There is an average of 12 rainy days. The average humility is 74%

Weather in Uppsala in May

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Uppsala Castle was built by Gustav Vasa in the mid 1500’s. Photo Credit: Mark Harris/imagebank.sweden.se.

Uppsala is Sweden’s fourth largest city.It is 71 kilometers, or 44 miles, north of Stockholm. 

So what is the weather like in Uppsala in May? The average high temperature in Uppsala in May is 16 degrees Celsius, or 61 degrees Fahrenheit. At night, the temperature drops to an average low of 6 degrees Celsius, or 43 degrees Fahrenheit.

There is an average of 8.5 hours of sunshine in Uppsala in May. It is the third sunniest month of the year. A There is an average of 10 rainy days in Uppsala in May. The average humility is 88%

What to Pack

While spring lasts from March to May in Sweden, Sweden weather in May can be confusing. So play it safe by packing both windproof and rain apparel as well as t-shirts and sweaters.

 

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