Why You Should Watch Sweden's Answer To 'Downton Abbey'

If you loved Downton Abbey, you’re going to love Sweden’s answer to that epic show: Vår tid är nu (Our Time is Now).

The Swedish drama premiered in October 2017 and will offer viewers 20 one-hour episodes over two seasons, making it the perfect winter binge-watch. It’s the biggest drama initiative to ever be made by Swedish television (SVT) and spans several post-World War II decades.

Here’s the plot: The Löwander family – siblings Gustaf, Nina and Peter, and mother Helga – run one of Stockholm’s most popular restaurants. Following scenes of jubilation from when the war ends, the show focuses on the blossoming relationship between wealthy Nina and the kitchen boy Calle, as well as conflict within the family about how to run the business, which Peter discovers has problems. The family disagrees on how to solve the problems, with siblings butting heads while Nina’s passionate affair with Calle scandalises the family. Other romantic complications also cause the stern matriarch Helga many a headache.

The premiere attracted 1.49 million viewers in a country of 10 million, with an additional 140,000 watching on SVT Play, SVT’s catch-up streaming service, and the numbers continue to rise.

As a microcosm of society, the restaurant is at the heart of the story, making the perfect backdrop to look at how people from all walks of life adapt to post-war life, as well as how Stockholm itself changed dramatically during this time.

An upscale restaurant serves as a backdrop to all the drama

Vår tid är nu beautifully captures mid-century Stockholm, with gorgeous cinematography and stellar acting from, among others, Suzanne Reuter, Mattias Nordkvist, Adam Lundgren, and Hedda Stiernstedt. The story is tightly plotted, yet things doesn’t feel rushed. It’s a story of hope, the challenges of life and love, how we deal with the world we’re born into and how we react when it changes.

Vår tid är nu, with it’s heady mix of romance, class, history, and family loyalty, promises to become a Swedish classic.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.