Summer bucket list - 21 Swedish things to do this summer
Summer this year will, in many ways, be unlike any other summer. But we believe that summer can be just as wonderful when spent at home. This is why we’ve put together a list of 21 wonderful things you can do right at home this summer to create the feeling of a real Swedish summer wherever you are!
1. HAVE A LUXURIOUS PICNIC BY THE WATER ✔
Swedes love to spend time outdoors, and it’s agreed that food magically tastes better outside! Turn a picnic into something extra luxurious this year by setting the picnic table just as you would your dinner table! Pack the picnic basket with real glasses, cutlery and plates and surprise the ones you love with an unexpected dining experience outdoors!
2. CREATE A REFRESHING SUMMER COCKTAIL ✔
Revisit the skills you learned backpacking after university when you worked as a bartender for that one summer and create your very own refreshing signature summer cocktail to enjoy on a warm summer night! Add a Swedish twist by using lingonberries or fresh strawberries!
3. MAKE YOUR VERY OWN SWEDISH SNAPS ✔
Snaps is a staple for any classic Swedish holiday. Make your own by adding some rosemary, lemon peel and summery strawberries to the mix. Perfect for a midsummer party!
4. MAKE YOUR OWN LEMONADE ✔
There's nothing that says summer quite like home-made lemonade. Here's a quick recipe for a simple lemonade that you can whip up in minutes:
For 1 l. of lemonade you will need:
- 2 lemons
- 3 tablespoons of sugar
- 800 ml cold water
- A good hand-full of ice cubes
- Garnish with lemon slices, mint or strawberries
5. BUILD A FORT IN YOUR GARDEN ✔
Relive childhood memories with your children – With a twist! Turn your garden into a luxurious, cozy fort with seat cushions, textiles and blankets to spend a cosy evening outside under the stars. Any excuse to spend more time outdoors!
6. TURN YOUR BALCONY OR GARDEN INTO A SWEDISH SUMMER PARADISE ✔
Even if we won’t all be able to experience the real thing this summer, why not turn your garden or balcony into a little Swedish paradise? With the right plants, pots and a few strategically placed textiles in the form of blankets and seat cushions, you can add the right feel to your outdoor paradise!
7. GO FOR AN EVENING SWIM (OR SKINNY DIP, IF YOU’RE BRAVE!) ✔
8. MAKE YOUR OWN ICE CREAM ✔
Treat yourself to a really, really good cone of ice cream! One must-do on our bucket lists are making our very own ice cream. For a healthy option, use frozen fruit and yoghurt!
9. PRESS SUMMER FLOWERS & FRAME THEM ✔
Preserve the most beautiful part of summer by putting a few flowers into a book to press and dry. After that, frame them in a glass frame. (Our tip: The frames by Moebe!)
10. MAKE A TRADITIONAL SWEDISH MIDSUMMER WREATH ✔
Channel your inner Scandi heart and create a traditional midsummer wreath. Did you know that according to Swedish folklore you should pick seven different kinds of flowers in seven different fields, jumping over seven fences to get to them? If you then lay the flowers under your pillow when you go to sleep on midsummer, you will dream of the one you will marry one day.
11. CREATE A LUXURIOUS HOTEL BREAKFAST - AT HOME ✔
Even if you can’t experience the luxury of walking down to a full hotel breakfast, you can still create the same feeling at home. Create a full buffet this summer and lay it out on beautiful serving trays.
12. SLOW DOWN & TAKE THE TIME TO READ A BOOK ✔
13. COOK FOOD OUTDOORS ✔
14. PICK BERRIES WITH THE KIDS ✔
Going out and picking fresh berries is a must every Swedish summer. Pack some containers, get the kids and go pick fresh berries. Freeze the leftovers to relive summer memories later this year!
15. SAUNA AND A JUMP IN A LAKE! ✔
16. GET UP EARLY TO SEE THE SUN RISE ✔
17. TRY COOKING THAT SIGNATURE DISH YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO MASTER ✔
18. MAKE A RHUBARB PIE ✔
Here's our favourite Swedish recipe for a classic rhubarb pie!
Ingredients:
- 400 g rhubarb
- 125 g butter
- 2 cups oatmeal
- 2 cups sugar
- 50 ml whipped cream
- 50 ml light syrup
- 175 ml wheat flour
- 1 pinch of vanilla sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 0.5 tablespoons baking powder
And here's how:
- Pre-head the oven to 150 ° C.
- Grease a pie tin about 26 cm in diameter.
- Mix all dry ingredients in your own bowl.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and pour in the cream and syrup. Then mix the dry ingredients and add to wet mixture.
- Rinse, peel and cut the rhubarb (into about 2 cm thick pieces). Place them in the greased pie mold.
- Spread the batter over the rhubarb and bake in the middle of the oven for about 40 - 50 minutes until it has turned golden brown.
19. GO FOR A SWIM BEFORE YOUR MORNING COFFEE ✔
20. BAKE A STRAWBERRY CAKE ✔
Nothing says Swedish summer quite like a classic strawberry cake. A simple sponge base and a good helping of whipped cream topped off with as many fresh strawberries as you can fit on top! In Sweden, this is a summer classic. Whether for midsummer or a summer birthday party; with a strawberry cake, you can never go wrong!
21. HAVE A TRADITIONAL SWEDISH CRAYFISH PARTY ✔
