Solliden Palace

https://sollidensslott.se/solliden-palace/

Sweden has a lovely royal family that shares some similarities with those in Japan and the UK. However, like Japan, Sweden is a constitutional democracy, which means the royal family doesn't have absolute power. One of their charming summer homes is on Öland Island, called Solliden Palace.

What’s really heartwarming is how approachable the Swedish royal family is! They try to connect with the people, and tourists are even welcome to explore the villa grounds. Unlike in Japan, where there can feel like a gap between the royal family and the public, the Swedish royals create an inviting, warm atmosphere. During my visit, they had scheduled appearances specifically to interact with the public, and I was surprised by how easy it felt to connect with them. Even as a foreigner, I felt a wonderful sense of welcome!

スウェーデンには王室が存在します。日本や英国と同じ、スウェーデンには王室がいます。ただ、日本と同様に立憲民主主義なので、皇族には絶対的な権利などはありません。そのスウェーデン王室の夏の別荘がオーランド島にあります。それが、Solliden Palace です。スウェーデン王室は国民との距離が近く、この別荘の敷地内にも観光客が入ることが出来ます。日本では考えられず、日本国民と皇室の距離は大きくそこまで親しみを感じる人は少なくなってきているように感じます。スウェーデン王室も国民から支持を得るためにコミュニケーションを重視しているようで、私たちが訪れた時も決まった時間に民衆の前に出てきて会話が出きるように設定されていました。とても距離が近く、外国人の私ですら親しみを感じました。

Borgholm Castle

https://www.borgholmsslott.se/en/

I had a wonderful time at the castle where my all-time favorite band, Roxette, filmed their music video! I was totally taken aback by how big and impressive the castle was during the tour!