Travel Lightbulb

The city of Västerås is the sixth largest city in Sweden, and is also one of the county's oldest. There are many good reasons to visit in 2017, as this year the city will mark it's Jubilee. The city has a vibrant nightlife, and an exciting history, but one of the main reasons I featured it on my blog is that this is a place where you can spend a night underwater.  I love featuring unique places on my blog, and I certainly found one that's not to be missed in this great city. So if you'd like to read my original post on Staying under the water in Sweden, click  here .

 Before I visited Stockholm, I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew it the capital of Sweden; I knew it was spread across fourteen islands in the south-east of the country - but that was about it. When I got there, I was stunned by its beauty and the whole vibe of the place. The fact that this beautiful city is built on islands, means there are lots of beautiful bridges connecting them all - in fact there are 57 bridges! Another thing that strikes you as a visitor is how clean the city is, despite the streets bustling with people in the summer months. I've never seen so many people just sitting around enjoying some food and a glass or two of wine! Speaking of food, there's one thing you must try when in Stockholm - the traditional Swedish dish of meatballs, and brown cream sauce. They are served with lingonberries (similar in taste to cranberries), which compliment the dish beautifully.  Top tip: Make sure you spend time wandering the streets of Gamla S...

If you are a food lover, and have always wanted to do "foodie" trip, then read on - I've found something quite unique. Fäviken Magasinet is not simply somewhere to stay - they call it a restaurant with accommodation. If you're a fussy eater, give it a miss but if you're up for a totally different food experience, then this is for you. It is located in the North of Sweden, and is not easy to get to (it's 80km from Östersund airport, which has daily flights from Stockholm) but those who have been say it's well worth the effort. The dining experience is based on using produce from the region, and from the farm on which the restaurant is situated.  Chef Magnus Nilsson is one of the hottest names in the food and restaurant world. It's hard to sum up what you should expect, but think pre-dinner gin and locally fermented rhubarb juice followed by around 20 different dishes (some tiny appetisers) such as clams; diced cow's heart; moss chips,...

Since starting this blog, I have come across several incredibly unusual hotels, and I decided to feature a couple in a week I've named "Unusual week" here on Travel Lightbulb! Today's incredible place to stay is like no other I've ever seen. It's certainly original, and before I tell you more about it, the photo below says it all. Amazing or what?! Yes, that's right.....it is actually an old Boeing 747 - the first in the world to be converted into a hostel with more than 30 rooms. It sits on a disused runway at Stockholm airport, and is a 15 minute walk from the main terminal, or via a shuttle bus which takes just 5 minutes. The plane was previously used by various airlines including Pan Am and Singapore, and has certainly been given a new lease of life! Some spaces are multi-occupancy dorms, while others like the flight deck (see photo below) are en-suite double bedrooms, so don't be put off by the term 'hostel'. The Cockpit suit...

If you like snorkelling and aquariums; you may love the location of today's blog post........if you're claustrophobic, it may not be for you! We're off to Sweden, and a place called 'Utter Inn' (Otter Inn in English). It's an art project by Mikael Genberg, a local artist, which offers underwater accommodation for the public. There is a single room under the water, with panoramic windows allowing you to see the fish outside from your submerged bedroom! Photo courtesy of www.unusualhotelsoftheworld.com Guests arrive at the port of V ä steras (near Stockholm) and are taken one kilometre out on Lake M ä laren, and given an inflatable boat. After being given the instructions you need, then you're left alone! There is only one room, and it lies 6m below the surface of the lake. It weighs 25 tonnes, and has a solar-panelled roof, and heating and electricity is generated from a car battery. Photo courtesy of www.unusualhotelsoftheworld.com Dinner ca...

Since opening in 2008; Sweden's first floating hotel has been attracting visitors from all over the world, and it's more than just a gimmick. In low-lying coastal regions which are struggling with rising sea levels; a hotel that floats seems to be a very good business move, and another reason it sits on the water is because there was no more room in the fishing village! It is located on an island North of Gothenburg on the beautiful Swedish west coast.  The proprietors of the 46 room hotel also chose the location (off a small fishing island near Gothenburg) because they didn't want to impact the land. In fact the whole hotel has been designed to have little or no effect on the environment; and the minimalistic style is not only for cosmetic purposes, but the designers also had to make sure it would float! The Salt & Sill company have always been passionate about the environment, and the excavating rock left over from the building work is being used to build a...

I stumbled across this crazy futuristic hotel project the other day, and knew I had to feature it on Travel Lightbulb! There's no better way to introduce it, than to show you a photo. Photo courtesy of www.blessthisstuff.com How amazing is that? The hotel is located in the town of Harads in Sweden, which is just 60km below the Arctic circle. It consists of completely crazy individual rooms, each designed by a different Swedish architect. It has been named on the prestigious Conde Nast Traveller Hot List for 2011, and perhaps the most stunning room is the mirrorcube (pictured above). It reflects everything from the forest around, making it almost invisible. The idea of the owners is to create a comfortable, well designed hotel which allows visitors to live in harmony with nature - and they certainly seem to have achieved it. Photo courtesy of www.blessthisstuff.com The room pictured above is another of my favourite rooms - imagine sleeping in yo...