Win Your Own European Island

Stockholm, Sweden's capital (Credit: Pixabay).

When one thinks of island nations, places like the Bahamas or Fiji might be the first that come to mind. However, Sweden, the Northern European country that is the birthplace of ABBA and IKEA, is holding a contest that will allow five people to each win one of the country’s 267,570 islands.

Sweden possesses more islands than any other country in the world, located throughout the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia, the body of water separating Sweden and Finland. Visit Sweden, the country’s official tourism arm,  will gift five winners a certificate and personal right to use a designated island for one year under a right-of-use agreement, rather than  any official ownership rights.

Additional prizes for the selected winners include travel vouchers for round-trip travel to the country for you, along with a companion of choice. Those tickets are valid for one trip between June 2026 and May 2027.

Hopefuls must be over 18 years old, can reside anywhere in the globe, and to qualify, one must record a 1-minute video in portrait mode where they explain why they think they should win their own Swedish island.  

Don’t delay, as all videos must be uploaded to this form no later than 11:59 PM Swedish time, April 17, 2026. Also key will be sharing the video on social media and tagging @visitsweden and #YourSwedishIsland to increase chances of winning. The competition is open to all international travelers, except billionaires.

Gripsholm, a castle in Sörmland (Credit: L.G.foto, this image is licensed under the CC BY-SA 4.0)

The five islands up for grabs include:

• The Island of Storberget: the small granite island is accessible by kayak or boat taxi and is located roughly 19 miles south of the town of Nynäshamn, a picturesque place an hour away from Stockholm, the country's capital, by train. The island is part of the Sörmland region, home to over 400 castles, and numerous castle safari options are available.

• The Island of Marsten: the Baltic island is good for fishing, and a mere 5.5 miles south of the beach town of Falkenberg, which is surrounded  by numerous nature reserves.

• The Island of Skötbådan: Located 16.7 miles northeast of the town of Norrtälje, the island used to be a popular spot for the fishing industry to catch herring. Furthermore, Stockholm is easily reachable from Norrtälje by bus, with the trip taking a little over an hour.

• The Island of Medbådan: Reachable by boat, the island is located in the Gulf of Bothnia, roughly 21 miles north of the city of Umeå. Visit Sweden recommends staying in Holmöns Prästgård, a former rectory that is now a hostel. In Umeå, one can find historic churches, art museums, and operas.

• The Island of Tjuvholmen: A wooded island in Lake Vänern popular with gulls and sea eagles, the largest nearby city is Lidköping, roughly 15.5 miles to the south. The island is accessible by boat or kayak. Nearby attractions include the Rörstrand Museum, which shares the history of Swedish porcelain, and the medieval Läckö Castle. In addition to being a national monument, the Castle hosts an annual opera production in the castle’s courtyard. In 2026, Fidelio, Beethoven’s only opera, will be performed between July 10 and August 1.  

While the islands themselves are little more than rocks upon which you can camp or fish, they do serve as gateways to explore some of Sweden’s most beautiful and picturesque regions.

Don’t delay, and if one of our readers is chosen as winner, please submit photos.