Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Top Summer Experiences in Sweden
With one foot in the past and one foot in the future Sofiero Castle was once the summer home of the Swedish royal family, established by Crown Prince Oscar, later King Oscar II, and his wife Sofia of Nassau in 1866. 40 years later, Crown Prince Gustav Adolf and his first wife, Margaret of England, took over, and Sofiero became their safe place where gardening was always in focus. Nowadays, the estate is a tourist attraction and one of the most beautiful gardens in Europe, visited by around 23,000 people every year. By Hanna Andersson | Photos: Sofiero Slott
“The thing that impacts the whole garden is curiosity. The royal family was constantly looking for innovative ways to explore gardening, and we want to preserve this in our establishment. You could say that we have one foot in the past and one in the future,” says manager Annika Malmgren. “We have a couple of events and exhibitions going on at the same time throughout the summer,” she continues. “This year’s main exhibition will be about Carl Milles, who is Sweden’s most famous sculptor. He lived during the same time as Crown Prince Oscar, and his family established Sofiero, so it will be a great feature at our grounds.”
Malmgren is proud of how much Sofiero has to offer its visitors. “We have the Spring fest in May, followed by our famous flower blooming season, with 10,000 rhododendrons. I think one of the most exciting things
about Sofiero is that you’ll always find something new to discover. We’ve got a forest area, big grass areas where you can have a picnic, a huge variety of flowerbeds, and there’s the rhododendron ravine, which kids find very exciting. We want to keep the private and low-key feeling the royal family wanted back when they built the castle. It is intimate and personal, and we want to honour their original plan of a summer house,” says Malmgren.
Web: sofiero.se
A memorable getaway to the pirate way of life Summer is getting closer and so too is the scent of the ocean, sun cream and adventure. After a successful spring, Daftö Resort is changing its attire for yet another summer as one of the best camping sites in Sweden.
and attractions that the entire family can experience together,” Kempe says. “We want to create joyful moments for people to look back on and give them memories for life.”
By Hanna Stjernström | Photos: Daftö Resort Storm at Daftöland.
The first thing that greets you when you approach the resort is a picturesque location. Daftö Resort is located on the west coast of Sweden, close to the town of Strömstad, with Kosterhavet sea on one side and peaceful nature on the other. When entering the extensive area, you are surrounded by different types and sizes of cottages, and several camping sites with tents and caravans. The five-star resort has a pirate theme that begins at the resort itself and continues in its adventure park, Daftöland, which is filled with rides, entertainment and restaurants in the same spirit. “Our vision is to compete with the entire world and give children and young people an opportunity for world-class experiences here,” says Lena Kempe, CEO of Daftö Resort, and goes on
to highlight their focus on the meetings between guests and staff. The pirate theme is not only a visual experience, as it is also incorporated into the activities at the resort. Entertainers walk around the resort, both hosting activities and interacting with families in full pirate costume. “Everything is built on activities The rollercoaster Skutan at Daftöland.
Web: www.dafto.se/en
Issue 124 | May 2019 | 69