Mud, sweat and food in Sweden

For those considering a visit to Sweden, June could be the prime time to go to this restrained Scandinavian country.

In June 2006, holidaymakers visiting Sweden can sample some of its capital's finest foods, work off the excess with a couple of marathons, join in the celebrations of Sweden Day and headbang at a rock festival.

Indeed, June is a busy month for Swedes, and there will be plenty to do and enjoy for the virgin or most-seasoned visitor there.

It all starts on June 1st, for the six-day long Restaurant Festival in Stockholm, which gives the city's chefs the chance to show off their wares to locals and tourists.

Chefs hit the streets for a huge fete of food in the centre's park, the Kungsträdgården, where visitors can sample every taste and morsel Stockholm has to offer.

However, it is not just about food, as happy-eaters are also entertained by live music, from big band tunes, 16th century ballads to rock and roll, all in all making the event the biggest in Sweden.

After you have eaten and drunk your own weight in fine food, you may want to consider working it off in the Stockholm marathon on June 3rd (though taking it easy at the festival would be advisable).

The annual marathon welcomes 16,000 runners from all over the world, and takes you through some of Stockholm's most beautiful streets. If you do take part in the gruelling marathon, remember that there are still a couple days of the food festival left to reward yourself!

On June 6th, Sweden gathers together to celebrate its national day, which was recently turned into a bank holiday. Join in with the traditional celebrations all over the country, or go and watch the jewel in the crown of the celebrations, with Sweden's king and queen in Skansen.

Finally, between June 8th and 10th, get out your drainpipe jeans and prepare to rock out at Sweden Rock.

A celebration of poodle-permed heavy metal, the massive festival in Solvesborg features some of the genre's real heavy-weights, including Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent and Sheffield's Def Leppard.

If you do not fancy camping, there are plenty of hotels and hostels nearby, as well as a caravan camping site.

For more information on the above events, visit Stockholm Festival, www.stockholmmarathon.se, www.skansen.se and www.swedenrock.com XXX