The length of the country may be misleading, but Sweden is one of the largest countries in all of Europe.  Nearly the same size geographically as Spain, there’s just no way you can see it all in one visit.

Luckily, Sweden realized this long ago.  And so, tourists everywhere have the opportunity to get a taste of all of Sweden by going to Skansen on the island of Djurgården in Stockholm.

Skansen was founded in 1891 and bills itself as an open-air museum.  And a living one at that, as men and women dressed in traditional Swedish folk dress roam the grounds around the historical buildings.  The park is filled with historical buildings from different regions in Sweden.  Everything from the traditional residential buildings of the Sami culture to the southern farmsteads that dot the countryside of Skåne.

Make sure to head over and watch the glass-blowing.  Free once you pay the entrance fee to the park, the glass blowing is mindlessly entertaining as you stare at the molten glass slowly being formed into a candleholder.  The adjacent shop sells the very glass creations you just saw.  But for a price.  And a very expensive price.

And of course, the Dalahäst. As far as I’m concerned, no trip to Skansen is complete without at least one picture while astride the horse.  You might have to wait in line though as all of the little kids climb on first.

Along with the historical buildings, Skansen offers a zoo filled with Nordic animals.  The moose (or elk depending on which form of English you want to use) tends to be a favorite of the crowds, as are the bears and reindeer.

During the summer months, the price is bumped up to around 110 SEK depending on whether or not the park is holding some sort of event (like Midsummer).  But 110 SEK is much cheaper than flying around the country trying to drink in all of the history that Sweden has to offer and in the end, it is well worth the price.