Stockholm to Gothenburg Self Drive - 8 Days

Welcome to Stockholm! On arrival at the city's Arlanda Airport, collect your rental car and drive to your hotel in the city. The rest of today is free to head out and explore.

The first part of today is free for you to explore Stockholm. We recommend you visit the Gamla Stan (Old Town), home to cobbled streets, historic crooked buildings and Gothic churches. There's also Stockholm Cathedral and the Royal Palace, one of the largest palaces in the world - you can see the daily Changing of the Guard here.

Later, embark on an included canal tour, departing from Stromkajen in the centre of Stockholm. From the inner city, you'll pass beautiful historic architecture as you discover the Djurgarden Canal and stunning views of the city skyline. After the canal tour, your evening is at leisure in the city.

Stockholm - Uppsala - Tallberg. Say goodbye to Stockholm after breakfast and make your way in your rental car to Uppsala, a university city crowned by the impressive Uppsala Domkyrka Cathedral.

After some time for a look around, continue into the Dalarna region, known for its huge untouched forests and red wooden cottages. Consider a visit to the house of artist Carl Larsson in the village of Sundborn before arriving at tonight's hotel in Tallberg, a small village on the shore of Lake Siljan.

Spend today exploring the area around Lake Siljan, renowned for its clear, blue waters. We suggest you start in the small town of Rattvik, then head to Nusnas, perhaps with a stop at the production centre of the Dalahasten, the iconic wooden horse that is something of an emblem in Sweden - and makes for great souvenirs!

Opt to continue to Mora, birthplace of the painter Ander Zorn - you can visit his house and adjacent museum if you'd like. End the day back at the hotel in Tallberg.

Tallberg - Karlstad. Leaving Tallberg and Lake Siljan, make your way to Karlstad today, passing through the green forests of Dalarna. You'll pass through the pretty town of Malung where you can stop for a while, and you may also wish to visit Marbacka, historic home to Swedish author Selma Lagerlof, who was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1909. On arrival in riverside Karlstad, the evening is at leisure.

Karlstad - Gothenburg. Complete your drive across Sweden today as you reach the west coast and the country's second largest city, Gothenburg. Along the way, stop at Bohuslan for dramatic views over some of the rugged cliffs and more than 8,000 islands. See the Bronze Age engravings at Tanumshede and pass through charming coastal villages such as Lysekil.

On arrival in Gothenburg, head out to explore the city. If you don't mind a steep walk, climb the hill to Masthuggskyrkan Church, where wonderful views of the city and harbour are your reward. You could also visit the botanic garden, one of Europe's largest.

Gothenburg - Vasteras. Begin your return journey to Stockholm, after some time this morning to stroll along Gothenburg's famous Avenyn Avenue. On the way to Vasteras, consider a stop in Granna, known for producing a popular peppermint candy, "Polkagrisar". Skirt along the east coast of Lake Vadstena and see the Monastery of Saint Birgitta, dating to the 14th century. Opt to stop at the medieval Orebro Castle before reaching Vasteras, where the evening is at leisure

Vasteras - Stockholm. Vasteras has a charming and historic centre that you can explore this morning before completing your drive back to Stockholm Airport. We recommend you don't book your departing flight out of Stockholm until mid-afternoon at least, to give you some time to visit Vasteras this morning. Once you've dropped off your rental car, make your way to Departures for your onward flight. Safe travels!