This was a book I’d been looking forward to for a very long time, and it did not disappoint. In the absence of international travel in 2020 (and probably 2021), it provided a trip of sorts through Sweden – a place I’d hoped to visit in 2020.
Explore Sweden with Crown Princess Victoria is out in Swedish and English. It includes a foreword by Crown Princess Victoria where she explains her hikes through the Swedish landscape and what inspired her. It took the Crown Princess two years to walk through the entire country, but it was a rewarding experience for her and those of us who read the book!
Each chapter is dedicated to a region in Sweden where Crown Princess Victoria visited with photos from the visit itself and information on that area of the country. The 320-page text is written by Johan Erséus, and it was published by Max Ström, Bokförlaget.
Victoria’s love for Sweden is evident throughout the book, and this was a great project to share more about Sweden with the world. In the foreword, she explains: “I had a lot of exciting, educational experiences and saw many lovely new places on my walks over a two-year period. After every walk, I wanted to return with my children to show them all the wonderful spots. I hope they’ll be able to experience Sweden and everything that has enriched my life.”
My only complaint is that there wasn’t a little more detail in certain sections about how they connect to the Royal Family. For instance, when Victoria visited Hälsingland, it would have been nice to have explained how that related to her family (it’s the duchy of her younger sister, Princess Madeleine).
This book is a must read for those who want to learn more about Sweden. Since we still can’t travel due to COVID-19, it is also a great way to escape and ‘visit’ another country from your own home!
