8 Cultural Customs Only Swedes Can Understand

Swedes: love ’em or hate ’em there’s no denying they have some very endearing habits that are sure to charm the socks off you. To be fair, some customs and habits are more endearing than others but these are Swedes we’re talking about – their habits lean more towards cute than annoying.

Early birthday wake up

Yes, it’s true. If you’re in Sweden and it’s your birthday, chances are you can expect a cake at 6am, along with gifts, singing, and other annoying things you don’t want to deal with when you’re still half asleep. Sure, the kids love it but once you’re past a certain age the charm quickly wears off.

Birthday delights come at the crack of dawn

Numbering the year in weeks

Get used to counting in weeks, not months in Sweden

Drinking coffee at every opportunity

Swedes rank among the world’s biggest coffee drinkers so it’s not surprising that they’ll take any excuse to grab a cup of joe. What is surprising that they will grab that cup at any time of the day or night – it’s not unusual to see a Swedes pouring a cup of coffee down his or her throat at midnight, followed by a satisfying sigh before they fall into a deep slumber.

Never paying for a round

It’s true: a Swede will never, ever offer to buy a round, so don’t hold your breath waiting for it to happen, even if you’ve bought them a drink. Swedes are conditioned to think booze is wildly expensive in bars and restaurants so they buy their own drinks and no one else’s, thank you very much.

Drinking at home before going out

As a result of that ‘high-priced booze’ theory, many Swedes get liquored up before they ever leave the house. They invite their friends over, drink enough to get things rolling, then head out to a bar where they’ll buy a couple of drinks but not too many because they’ve already caught their buzz.

No small talk, please

Swedes don’t do small talk, full stop. In other cultures small talk is something of an art form but for Swedes it’s just a waste of words. Say what you want or need in as few words as possible, then move on. No one’s got time for idle chit chat and if you do engage in it you’ll soon be talking to yourself, because the Swedes will have left the room.

Talking about money

On the other hand, when forced to actually make small talk Swedes generally will talk about money. They’ll ask you how much you make, what you paid for your house or car, or how much you spent on that snazzy new bag you’ve got slung over your shoulder. Delicate tip-toeing around money talk is not for the Swedes – they’ll ask you anything without a hint of embarrassment.

Avoiding conflict

In some parts of the world arguing is par for the course as people come into contact. In Sweden, if an argument is brewing, Swedes will either slink away or engage in some serious passive-aggressive behaviour. What they won’t do is get into it: rarely are voices raised and if voices are raised Swedes will look on askance – and tell you to stop it. Immediately.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.