Why now?

Midsummer weekend (June 21-24) is party time all over Scandinavia, but some of the best places are the beaches around Gothenburg, such as the car-free island of Brännö where you can dance until dawn.

Getting there

Fly from Glasgow or Stansted with ryanair.com.

Where to stay

Hotel Flora (00 46 3113 8616, hotelflora.se; from Skr850, around £63, weekends or Skr1,195 in the week) is central and stylish — black and white rooms with giant white beds and plasma screen TVs.

Where to eat

Tuck in to traditional dishes like herring and new potatoes washed down with beer and schnapps. For Swedish classics with a Mediterranean twist, try the new Avenyn No 1 (avenyn1.se).