Växjö • Glass Country • Kalmar • Öland
Ranking Sweden’s sights, Stockholm is tops, but the southeastern province of Småland is a worthy runner-up. More Americans came from this densely forested area than any other part of Scandinavia, and the House of Emigrants in Växjö tells the story well. Between Växjö and Kalmar is Glass Country, a 70-mile stretch of forest sparkling with glassworks that welcome guests to tour and shop. Historic Kalmar has a rare Old World ambience and the most magnificent medieval castle in Scandinavia. From Kalmar, you can cross one of Europe’s longest bridges to hike through the Stonehenge-like mysteries of the strange island of Öland.
By train, on a three-week Scandinavian trip, I’d skip this area in favor of taking the direct, high-speed train from Copenhagen to Stockholm, or the night train from Malmö (just over the Øresund Bridge from Copenhagen) to Stockholm. Side-trips from Stockholm to Helsinki and Tallinn merit more time than this part of Sweden.
But if you have at least three weeks in Scandinavia and a car, the sights described in this section are an interesting way to spend a couple of days. While I’m not so hot on the Swedish countryside (OK, blame my Norwegian heritage), you can’t see only Stockholm and say you’ve seen Sweden. Växjö and Kalmar give you the best possible dose of small-town Sweden. (I find Lund and Malmö, both popular side-trips from Copenhagen, relatively dull. And I’m not old or sedate enough to find a sleepy boat trip along the much-loved Göta Canal appealing.)
Drivers can spend three days getting from Copenhagen to Stockholm this way:
Day 1: Leave Copenhagen after breakfast, drive over the bridge to Sweden and on to Växjö, tour Växjö’s House of Emigrants, drive into Glass Country, tour Kosta Boda and Transjö glassworks, and arrive in Kalmar in time for dinner.
Day 2: Spend the day in Kalmar touring the castle and Kalmar County Museum, and browsing its people-friendly streets. If you’re restless, cross the bridge for a joyride on the island of Öland.
Day 3: 8:00—Begin five-hour drive north along the coast to Stockholm; 10:30—Break in Västervik; 12:00—Stop in Söderköping for picnic lunch and a walk along the Göta Canal; 13:30—Continue drive north; 16:00—Arrive in Stockholm.
Shorten your stops on Day 3 and you’ll arrive in Stockholm in time to make the overnight boat to Tallinn or Helsinki. This is an especially good plan on Sunday through Wednesday in the off-season, when boat fares are cheaper. You can see Stockholm on the way back.
Växjö and Kalmar are easy to visit by train. Without a car, I’d skip Glass Country and Öland, but if you wouldn’t, take the bus (from Växjö to Kosta Boda glassworks, and from Kalmar to Öland; see “Växjö Connections,” later).
A pleasant, sleepy town of almost 85,000, Växjö (locals say VEK-hwuh; Stockholmers pronounce it VEK-shuh) is in the center of Småland. An important trading town for centuries, its name loosely means “where the road meets the lake.” Coming in by train or car, you’d think it might mean “buried in a vast forest.” Today an enjoyable three-mile path encircles that lake, and a farmers market enlivens the otherwise too-big and too-quiet main square on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
My favorite activity in Växjö is to simply enjoy browsing through quintessential, small-town Sweden without a tourist in sight. While there isn’t much heavy-duty sightseeing in Växjö, it does have a trio of worthwhile attractions: the earnest House of Emigrants, chronicling the plight of Swedes who fled to North America; the Smålands Museum, offering a convenient look at the region’s famous glass without a trip to Glass Country; and the cathedral, decorated with fine modern glass sculptures.
In 1996, Växjö set itself the goal of becoming a fossil-fuel-free city by the year 2050. Now a single biomass power plant provides nearly all the community’s heat and hot water, half of its energy comes from renewable sources, and carbon dioxide emissions are down considerably. Växjö earned the title “Greenest City in Europe” when it received the EU’s first award for sustainable development in 2007.
Växjö’s town center is compact and pedestrian-friendly; the train station, main square, and two important museums are all within two blocks of each other. Blocks here are short; everything I mention is within about a 15-minute walk of everything else. Tourists are so rare that a polite English-speaking visitor will find locals generous, warm, and helpful.
For a delightful three- or four-hour stopover, I’d do this loop from the station: Cross the tracks on the overpass to tour the glass and history museums (Smålands Museum and House of Emigrants). A block away is the lovely lake (encircled by a path), next to a pretty park and the cathedral. A block in front of the cathedral is the town square, Stortorget (with the TI); from there it stretches the main commercial drag, Storgatan. Browse this orderly street before heading back to the station.
Växjö’s modern train station has snack stands and coin-op lockers (an ATM is a block away to the right as you leave). Pick up a city map at the information desk. The station faces the heart of town; walk a few steps straight ahead, and you’ll be in the pedestrian shopping zone. Everything in town is in front of you except the two main museums, which are behind the station; to reach these, cross the tracks using the pedestrian overpass. Drivers will find several parking lots near the station.
The TI is inside the municipal building facing the main town square, about a 10-minute walk from the train station. With your back to the station, go straight two blocks and turn right on Linnégatan (June-Aug Mon-Fri 9:30-18:00, Sat 10:00-14:00, closed Sun; Sept-May Mon-Fri 9:30-16:30, closed Sat-Sun; room-booking service, good Växjö Town Park brochure in English, Kronobergsgatan 7, tel. 0470/733-280, www.turism.vaxjo.se).
Internet Access: Everlast Internet café, two blocks in front of the train station (Mon-Sat 12:00-18:00, closed Sun; Sandgärdsgatan 12, next to recommended Ali Baba restaurant).
Växjö’s attractions cluster around the north end of its pleasant lake and the surrounding park. The glass and history museums are on the hill just behind the train station (take the overpass).
This instructive museum, while humble, celebrates the region of Småland and its glassmaking tradition. On the ground floor, the “Six Centuries of Swedish Glass” exhibit traces the history of the product that still powers the local economy. Upstairs you’ll find more on glass, along with displays on the region’s prehistory, and a look at Kronoberg County (which includes Växjö) in the 19th century. Temporary exhibits round out your visit. The collection is well-described in English, so this is a handy place to learn a bit about glass if you’re not headed deeper into Glass Country. Who knew that the person who designed the original Coca-Cola bottle in 1915 was a Swede?
Cost and Hours: 70-kr combo-ticket includes House of Emigrants; June-Aug daily 10:00-17:00; Sept-May Tue-Fri 10:00-17:00, Sat-Sun 11:00-16:00, closed Mon; café with 100-kr light meals, immediately in front of train-station overpass at Södra Järnvägsgatan 2, tel. 0470/704-200, www.smalandsmuseum.se.
If you have Swedish roots, this tidy museum is exciting. Even if you don’t, it’s an interesting stop for anyone with immigrant ancestors. While modest, the well-presented, inspiring “Dream of America” exhibit offers powerful insight into the experience of more than one million Swedes who sought refuge in North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Cost and Hours: Same ticket and hours as Swedish Glass Museum; 50 yards down the hill behind the glass museum, Vilhelm Mobergs Gata 4, tel. 0470/20120, www.smalandsmuseum.se.
Background: As economic woes wracked Sweden from the 1850s to the 1920s (even a potato famine hit at one point), the country was caught up in an “American Fever.” Nearly 1.3 million mostly poor Swedes endured long voyages and culture shock to find prosperity and freedom in the American promised land. In that period, one in six Swedes went to live in the US. So many left the country that Swedish authorities were forced to rethink their social policies and to institute reforms.
Visiting the Museum: In the “Dream of America” exhibit, displays (thoughtfully translated into English) explain various aspects of the immigrant experience.
One display vividly recounts how 3.8 million new arrivals from around the world entered the US through Manhattan’s Castle Garden processing center between 1886 and 1890. Firsthand accounts recall the entry procedure, including medical evaluations and an uncomfortable eye exam.
The model of a poor, potato-famine-stricken village demonstrates why so many Swedes were forced to emigrate. The Swedes formed enclaves across North America: on farms and prairies, from New York to Texas, from Maine to Seattle—and, of course, in Chicago’s “Swede Town” (the world’s second-biggest Swedish town in the world in 1900). The life-size Snusgatan re-creates the main street in a Swedish neighborhood—called “Snoose Boulevard,” for Swedish snuff. Other displays trace immigrant lifestyles, religion, treatment in the press, women’s experiences, and the Swedish cultural societies that preserved the traditions of the Old World in the New. Rounding out the exhibit, homage is paid to prominent Swedish-Americans, including Charles Lindbergh and the second man on the moon, Buzz Aldrin.
Don’t miss the display about the Titanic, which takes pains to point out that—after Americans—Swedes were the second-largest group to perish on that ill-fated vessel. On view are a few items that went to the bottom of the Atlantic with one of those Swedes.
The Moberg Room celebrates local writer Vilhelm Moberg (1898-1973), who put the Swedish immigrant experience on the map with his four-novel series The Emigrants. (These books—and two Max von Sydow/Liv Ullmann films based on them, The Emigrants and The New Land—are essential pretrip reading and viewing for Swedish-Americans.) Here you’ll see a replica of Moberg’s “writer’s hut,” his actual desk, and some original manuscripts.
Directly downhill from the House of Emigrants, you’ll reach the big lake called Växjösjön. This is a fine place to relax with a picnic or go for a stroll. The pleasant three-mile park path around the lake takes you from manicured flower gardens through forested areas. The top part of the lake borders the inviting Linnéparken next to the cathedral (both described next).
A 10-minute walk around the top of the lake from the House of Emigrants is the town’s modern swimming hall (Simhall, 80-kr base price includes sauna; extra fee if you want to tan, use the exercise room, or rent a towel or locker; family ticket available, call or check online for open-swim hours, tel. 0470/41204, www.medley.se/vaxjosimhall).
Växjö’s striking orange church, with its distinctive double-needle steeple, features fine sacred art—in glass, of course. Its austere, bright-white interior is enlivened by gorgeous, colorful, and highly symbolic glass sculptures.
Cost and Hours: Free entry, daily 9:00-18:00.
Visiting the Cathedral: Pick up the well-written 15-kr brochure, which offers a detailed and evangelical self-guided tour. Near the back-left corner, the Tree of Life and Knowledge is a fantastically detailed candelabra shaped like a tree. On one side, find Adam and Eve reaching for a very tempting apple with the clever snake egging them on from below. On the other, Jesus and Mary welcome the faithful with arms outstretched. Notice the thematically parallel design—the snake opposite the dove (representing the Holy Spirit); the snake’s tempting apple opposite the bunch of grapes (symbolizing the wine of the Eucharist). At the front of the church, the main altar stands before a glass-decorated triptych showing the subtle interplay between light and dark. Explore the other pieces of glass art around the church, and take in its trio of pipe organs. In the back, notice the ATM-like machine that accepts offerings from your debit or credit card.
This peaceful park beside the cathedral is dedicated to the great Swedish botanist Carl von Linné (a.k.a. Carolus Linnaeus). It has an arboretum, lots of well-categorized perennials, a cactus garden, and a children’s playground.
Växjö’s main pedestrian shopping boulevard offers a fun way to cap your visit. From the main square (Stortorget), Storgatan stretches several blocks west. Walk the entire length of the street to observe small-town Sweden without any tourists. (You could make the popular Askelyckan bakery and café, at #24, your goal.) Imagine growing up or raising a family here: safe but boring, friendly but traditional, pleasant but predictable. The community seems super-content and super-conformist; it’s very blond but also multiethnic. Feel the order and the quiet, like there’s Valium in the air. Sweden is among the most highly taxed, least church-going, affluent, and satisfied societies in the world. This region lost more to emigration than any other, and it’s thought-provoking to consider what impact that had on the character of those who remained behind (and their descendants).
$$$ Elite Stadshotell is a big, modern, business-class hotel with all the comforts in its 163 rooms. It’s in a royal setting on the town’s main square (very flexible prices; in peak season usually Sb-1,000 kr, Db-1,400 kr; summer/weekends Sb-550 kr, Db-900 kr; , about a block from the train station’s main entrance at Kungsgatan 6, tel. 0470/13400, www.elite.se, info.vaxjo@elite.se).
$$ Hotell Värend is friendly, comfortable, and inexpensive. It has 24 worn but workable rooms at the edge of a residential neighborhood six blocks from the front of the train station along Kungsgatan (Sb-550-700 kr, Db-650-850 kr, Tb-795-1,000 kr, elevator, Wi-Fi, free parking, a block beyond N. Esplanaden at Kungsgatan 27, tel. 0470/776-700, mobile 076-769-0700, www.hotellvarend.se, info@hotellvarend.se).
$$ Hotel Esplanad, nearby on a busy street, is a bit more modest, with 25 less-expensive rooms, some with private baths on the hall (S-650 kr, Sb-850 kr, D-900 kr, Db-1,050 kr, free parking, N. Esplanaden #21A, tel. 0470/22580, www.hotellesplanad.com, info@hotellesplanad.com, Anna). From the train station, walk five blocks up Klostergatan and turn left on N. Esplanaden.
$ Hostel: Växjö’s fine Evedal Hostel is near a lake three miles outside town (250 kr/bed in 4-bed rooms, D-600 kr, breakfast-70 kr, sheets-75 kr, confirm reception hours before you arrive, tel. 0470/63070, www.vaxjovandrarhem.nu, vaxjo.vandrarhem@telia.com). From Växjö’s train station, catch bus #7 (about hourly, 15 minutes). A taxi from the station costs about 200 kr.
After-hours Växjö is not very exciting. Consider livening things up by dining out.
Kafe De Luxe, about a block from the station, is a hip and funky hangout with live music many nights. They serve lunches and dinners daily in a cozy Old World interior or under a happy tent outside (burgers, tarte flambée, 200-kr dinners, daily 11:30-24:00, Sandgärdsgatan 19, tel. 0470/740409).
Ali Baba’s, one of the best places in town to eat cheap, has a glitzy, Lebanese-casino vibe and a fun stalactite ceiling. All dishes, including their 70-kr pizzas and pastas, include a salad bar (120-kr Lebanese plates, daily 12:00-22:00, about a block from the station at Sandgärdsgatan 10, tel. 0470/27900).
Askelyckan Bakery Café, with an inviting terrace under a tree by a fountain on the city’s main commercial drag, is a delightful place for a drink, cake, or light lunch on a sunny day (cakes, pastries, salads and sandwiches at lunch, daily 7:30-18:30, Storgatan 25, tel. 0470/12311).
PM & Vänner is a trendy eatery where a younger crowd stands in line to see and be seen. They have good international cuisine with Swedish flair, a mod black-and-white interior, and nice outdoor tables on the pedestrian mall. Their menu changes to feature seasonal and local ingredients (115-kr lunch special, 200-300-kr main dishes, Mon-Sat 11:30-23:00, closed Sun, Storgatan 22 at corner of Västergatan, tel. 0470/759711).
Ethnic Eateries on and near Storgatan: If you’re looking to save money, or if it’s a Sunday—when other restaurants are closed—visit one of downtown Växjö’s dozen or so Asian restaurants and kebab-and-pizza shops. The Rose Garden serves “Neo-Asian” and is a cut above most (Storgatan 33).
Groceries: Visit the ICA supermarket at the corner of Sandgärdsgatan and Klostergatan, one block from the front of the train station (Mon-Sat 7:00-21:00, Sun 11:00-20:00).
From Växjö by Bus to: Kosta (2-4/day, 1 hour, bus #218 from Växjö bus station; for schedules see www.lanstrafikenkron.se/en).
By Train to: Copenhagen (hourly, 2.5 hours), Stockholm (every 2 hours, 3.5 hours, change in Alvesta, reservations required), Kalmar (12/day, 60-70 minutes). See the Stockholm chapter (here) for information on taking trains in Sweden.
Filling the remote-feeling woods between Växjö and Kalmar with busy glassmaking workshops, Sweden’s famous Glasriket (“Kingdom of Crystal”) is worth ▲▲ for drivers. It’s touristy, yes—but it also wins over skeptics. There’s something to please everybody here: Shoppers thrill at the chance to pick up deeply discounted factory seconds, art-lovers enjoy seeing all of the creative uses for glass, and engineers are fascinated by the skilled glassblowers who persuade glowing globs of molten glass to become fine pieces of tableware or art.
Visiting a glassworks (glasbruk) has three parts: the shop; an exhibition of attractive pieces by local artists; and the hot shop, or hytta, where glassblowers are hard at work. At most glassworks, it’s possible to walk through the hot shop—close enough to feel the heat from the globs of glass as they’re being worked (arrive before the midafternoon quitting time). The shops and exhibitions are usually free, but some collect a token fee. Most hot shops charge admission—but at smaller glassworks you can usually just stroll through. Taking a guided tour of at least one hot shop is a must to really understand the whole process. (For starters, read the “Glassmaking in Sweden” sidebar.)
The glassworks I describe in this chapter are a representative mix of the 15 or so that you can visit in Glass Country, ranging from big corporate factories to charming artistic workshops. On the corporate side, the Kosta company dominates; its flagship Kosta Boda complex is the biggest and most accessible of all the glassworks. But round out your look at the region with at least one smaller, independent producer as well (Transjö Glashytta is the most appealing, but I also describe Bergdala and Mats Jonasson Målerås). For more tips on which glassworks to visit—and which to skip—see “Planning Your Time.”
For a change of pace, you can learn about traditional papermaking (at the Lessebo mill) and the local moose population (at the Moose Park).
Information: The Glasriket/Kingdom of Crystal magazine (available at any TI) and the region’s official website (www.glasriket.se) describe the many glassworks that welcome the public. The 95-kr Glasriket Pass includes free entry to exhibitions and hot shops, and discounts on tours, shopping, and hyttsill dinners (explained on here). The pass, sold at glassworks, local TIs, and online, is worthwhile only if you’re visiting several hot shops and doing some serious shopping (10 percent discount at certain shops, some with a 500-kr minimum purchase). Note that in Swedish, glas is glass, while glass is ice cream.
Though you can take a bus from Växjö to Kosta (see “Växjö Connections”), the glassworks aren’t worth the time and trouble unless you have a car. Train travelers should instead take a careful look at the glass exhibit in Växjö’s Smålands Museum, and then go straight to Kalmar.
With a car, the drive from Växjö to Kalmar is a 70-mile joy—light traffic with endless forest-and-lake scenery punctuated by numerous glassworks. The driving time between Växjö and Kosta is 45 minutes; it’s another 45 minutes between Kosta and Kalmar.
Looking at a map, you’ll notice the glassworks are scattered around the center of the region. While it would take the better part of a day to loop around and visit them all, distances are relatively short and roads are good. Still, it’s smart to be selective. On a tight schedule, I’d visit Kosta and Transjö, possibly Bergdala, and maybe the Lessebo paper mill, skipping the rest.
If you’re visiting Glass Country en route from Växjö to Kalmar, consider this driving plan: Head southeast from Växjö on highway 25, following signs for Kalmar. If you want to visit Bergdala, turn off after Hovmantorp; to skip it, head straight to Lessebo (and its paper mill). In Lessebo, turn north for Kosta and tour the big Kosta Boda glassworks there. Then, if you’d like to visit the Moose Park, detour slightly east (it’s just on the outskirts of Kosta, toward Orrefors). From here you can also detour much farther to the Mats Jonasson glassworks, to the northeast in Målerås. Otherwise, from Kosta, head south on highway 28, watching for signs to Transjö for the best of the smaller, artsy glassworks. Pick up highway 25 again when you’re ready to make a beeline east to Kalmar.
These attractions are tied together by the driving tour described above. Don’t forget the historic paper mill and Moose Park, described after the glassworks.
These are listed in the order you’ll reach them, from Växjö to Kalmar. Many glassworks charge admission to watch the hot shop at work, but most aren’t set up to actually collect this fee at the door—so curious tourists can simply poke around and might not even have to pay (the entrance fee is waived if you have the 95-kr Glasriket Pass; described earlier in “Information”). Also note that many workshops take a lunch break sometime between 10:00 and 11:00, and stop working entirely after about 15:00 or 15:30.
In the mid-16th century, King Gustav Vasa decided he wanted more fine glass to decorate his palace, so he invited German glassmakers to train his subjects, and the trend took off. It’s no surprise that glassmaking caught on here in Sweden. The resources needed for glass are abundant: vast forests to fire the ovens, and lakes with an endless supply of sand. By the difficult 19th century—when a sixth of Sweden’s population emigrated to North America—the iron mills had closed, leaving behind unemployed workers who were highly skilled at working with materials at high temperatures. Glassmaking was their salvation, and by the early 1900s, this region had more than 100 glassworks.
While glassmaking was important throughout Sweden, it was in the dense forest between Växjö and Kalmar that it took hold the strongest, and lasted the longest. When other materials became cheaper than glass (for example, paper cartons instead of glass bottles), the industry was hit hard, and it dried up in other parts of Sweden. But here in Glass Country, workers refocused their efforts: They still make some everyday items, but their emphasis is on high-quality art pieces that command top kronor. An Ikea wine glass made in China costs 10 kr, while a handmade Swedish one might cost 150 kr—but consumers interested in quality are willing to pay that premium.
The glassmaking process is fascinating—and hasn’t changed much over the centuries. The glass begins as little white pellets that are about 70 percent sand. Soda and potash are added to lower the melting point, and limestone and zinc are added to minimize boiling (and the resulting bubbles). The final qualities of the glass are determined by other additives—glassmakers use a different mix for a thin champagne flute than for a thick platter.
You’ll see two different types of glass being created: everyday tableware and art pieces. The mass-produced tableware—such as wine glasses—is created by small teams of glassblowers who use an assembly-line system, supervised by a “master,” who monitors quality control. Art-glass pieces, however, are never the same. The region has a passel of big-name designers, each with its own aesthetic and all considered local celebrities. Most glass artists conceptualize the design, but leave the actual grunt work to their assistants—you might see the artist hovering off to the side, directing the glassblowers.
As you watch these masters at work, keep in mind they’re working with a molten medium that can melt skin. First, a worker places the glassblowing rod into the furnace (notice the foot pedals used to open and close the doors) and grabs a blob of molten glass. Glassblowers have to move quickly—before the glass hardens too much—but carefully, to avoid shattering the medium or burning their colleagues. After rolling the glass out on a heat-resistant graphite table to give it the desired shape, they blow into the end of the rod to open a space inside. If creating a mass-produced item, they generally stick it into a mold to ensure the correct dimensions. Other appendages are added; for example, if it’s a wineglass with a stem and foot, separate pieces of glass are stretched out to the appropriate shape and stuck on the bottom.
For this entire process, the glass is at about 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. If it gets too hot, glassblowers cool it down with water or air; if the glass needs to be reheated, they use a blowtorch or poke it momentarily back into the furnace. All glass begins clear. To make colored glass, they either add powdered dye during production, or paint the finished piece and then refire it. Finally, the area where the glass was attached to the rod is cut with an industrial diamond, broken off, and ground and polished smooth. When the piece is finished, it’s set in a special oven to cool gradually—over a few hours for smaller pieces, or a day or more for large items.
The workday ends around 15:00, when the raw materials for the next day’s glass are dumped into giant, custom-made clay pots and placed in the ovens. Overnight, these will gradually melt down to the molten medium the glassblowers will need the next morning at 7:00.
The last stop is quality control. Only the best pieces are deemed “first quality” (1:A Sortering)—you’ll pay a premium for these flawless items. Some items, deemed “second quality” (2:A Sortering), have minor imperfections that bring the price down substantially. When shopping, pay close attention to these labels; if you don’t need your glass perfect, you can save by looking for second quality. Quite a few items are simply too imperfect—these are dumped into a bin and disposed of. Sorry, budget travelers—these “factory thirds” are trashed, not sold.
The small, independent Bergdala glassworks, in a village of the same name, has an enjoyably artsy hot shop. Its well-stocked shop is full of its trademark blue-rimmed tableware, and the engaging gallery upstairs shows off a different sampling of local artists every year.
Cost and Hours: Hot shop—20 kr, mid-June-Aug Mon-Thu 7:00-15:30, Fri until 13:30, closed Sat-Sun; gallery—free, mid-June-Aug Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-16:00; shorter hours off-season, tel. 0478/31650, www.bergdalastudioglas.se/start/.
About an hour east of Växjö, the village of Kosta boasts the oldest of the glasbruks, dating back to 1742. Today, the sprawling Kosta complex—the only real jolt of civilization in this otherwise remote-feeling landscape—includes a modern outlet mall, a factory store, a fancy new art hotel...and, of course, the glassworks.
The highlight here is unquestionably watching the glassworks in action. In what is arguably the best hot-shop viewing in the region, you’ll look over the shoulders of glassblowers crafting both mass-produced, crank-’em-out tableware and high art fit to be shown in a museum. You can visit the glassworks and its gallery on your own, but it’s worth calling or emailing ahead to reserve a spot on a 30-minute English tour. In the surprisingly modest exhibition gallery, each piece is identified with a photo and brief bio (in English) of its designer, which personalizes the art (often offered for sale).
Cost and Hours: Free, 50 kr for tour; usually open Mon-Fri 8:30-15:30, Sat-Sun 10:00-16:00. From early July to early Aug, when the glassblowers are on vacation, there’s less glassblowing and more tourists—and the complex is open daily 10:00-16:00. To reserve a tour and confirm times, call 0478/34529 or email info@kostaboda.se (www.kostaboda.se).
Shopping: In the Kosta factory outlet shop, crystal “seconds” (with tiny bubbles or sets that don’t quite match) and discontinued pieces are sold at good prices. This is duty-free shopping, and they’ll happily mail your purchases home. Don’t confuse this with the big outlet mall across the street (Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-17:00).
Sleeping and Eating: I ate well at the cafeteria inside the outlet mall, which features thrifty lunch specials. Nearby is the pricey $$$ Kosta Boda Art Hotel, designed to impress. Everything’s decorated to the hilt with (of course) artistic glass, created in the hot shop across the street. With Växjö and Kalmar so close, there’s little reason to sleep here (rooms start at Db-2,500 kr, tel. 0478/34830, www.kostabodaarthotel.se). But if you have a few extra minutes, poke around this over-the-top, world-of-glass complex, which includes a “glass bar,” a mind-bending indoor swimming pool, and a restaurant where, on most evenings, you can watch an actual glassblower at work while you dine.
Set up in an old converted farm 10 minutes south of Kosta, this tiny glassworks does expensive but unique fine-art pieces. From the main shop, a canal-like pond (with glass art pieces suspended overhead) leads back to the hopping hot shop. Transjö—started by a pair of highly regarded glass designers—uses up-and-coming artists as apprentices; they imbue it with a youthful vigor. You can feel the art oozing out of the ovens. The tiny glassworks is funkier and less predictable than the big boys; it’s most worthwhile if you catch the artists in action.
The gift shop out front sells one-of-a-kind (expensive) art pieces and limited-run production items made on-site (the elevarbete/apprentice works are cheaper). Unfortunately the hot shop is often closed (they don’t do much work in warmer weather), but if you follow the canal back to the workshop, you might find the glassblowers in action. If the shop is closed, the glassblowers will often take a break and open it for you.
Cost and Hours: Free, shop usually open early June-mid-Sept daily 9:00-17:00, hot shop hours unpredictable, smart to call or email ahead—tel. 0478/50700, www.transjohytta.com, info@transjohytta.com. To find it, look for Transjö signs just south of Kosta.
In the town of Målerås northeast of Kosta, Mats Jonasson’s glassworks specializes in engraving, mixed metal-and-glass sculptures, and necklaces. While it started small, the facility has grown quite big, giving the glassworks a less personal atmosphere. The “design arena” shows off works by other local glass artists.
Cost and Hours: Free; watch glassmaking Mon-Fri 11:00-15:00; shop/gallery open June-Aug Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 11:00-17:00, shorter hours off-season; tel. 0481/31401, www.matsjonasson.com.
Once a glassworks with its own proud history, Orrefors (OH-reh-fohs) is now part of the Kosta empire and plays second fiddle to the flagship brand. While Kosta does more handmade pieces, Orrefors focuses on machine-made mass production, much of which has moved abroad. Orrefors feels drearily industrial and sadly neglected, but might be worth visiting if you know your glass and have a special affinity for their works.
The dazzling museum displays its historic art pieces chronologically (from early-20th-century pieces with Art Nouveau flair through works from the 1940s) and includes a “crystal bar.” Like Kosta, Orrefors’ shop sells nearly perfect crystal seconds at deep discounts.
Cost and Hours: Gift shop—Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat 10:00-16:00, Sun 12:00-16:00; museum—June-Aug only, same hours as gift shop; tel. 0481/34189, www.orrefors.com.
The town of Lessebo has a 300-year-old paper mill (tucked next to a giant modern one) that’s kept working for visitors to enjoy. If you’ve never seen handmade paper produced, this mill is worth a visit. Cotton linters (fibers) are soaked, packed into a frame, pressed, dried, glazed, and hand-torn into the perfect size and shape. This paper is coveted for special purposes: top-of-the-line stationery (for wedding invitations), impossible-to-forge embossed document paper (for certificates or important examinations), and long-lasting archival use (the cotton fibers ensure the paper will stay pristine for decades).
You can pick up the English brochure and visit on your own, but to see papermaking in action, join a 45-minute English tour with one of the craftsmen who still run the place. Watercolor paper and stationery are available for purchase.
Cost and Hours: Free, late June-late Aug Mon-Fri 9:10-17:00, closed Sat-Sun, off-season closes at 16:00 and for lunch 12:00-13:00; 95-kr guided tours depart 5/day in summer; look for black-and-white Handpappersbruk sign just after the Kosta turnoff, Storgatan 79, tel. 0478/47691, www.lessebopapper.se.
This offbeat attraction, just outside Kosta, demonstrates the love-hate relationship Swedes feel toward their moose population. (The Swedish word älg can be translated both as “moose” and “elk,” but these are the same Bullwinkle-type moose you’ll find in the northern latitudes of North America.) A third of a million of these giant, majestic beasts live in Sweden. They’re popular with hunters but unpopular with drivers. At this attraction, you’ll walk through the moose-happy gift shop before taking a mile-long stroll around the perimeter of a pen holding live moose. Periodic museum exhibits—life-size dioramas with stuffed moose (including one plastered to the hood of a car)—round out the attraction. You can even buy moose sausage. Sure it’s a hokey roadside stop, and will hardly be a hit with animal-rights activists, but for many the park is an enjoyable place to learn about Swedish moose.
Cost and Hours: 60 kr, Easter-mid-Nov daily 10:00-18:00, closed off-season, just outside Kosta on the road to Orrefors, tel. 0478/50770, www.moosepark.net.
You’ll find plenty of simple eateries designed for day-trippers. For example, the cafeteria in the outlet mall at the big Kosta complex is the perfect place for fast and cheap, Ikea-style Swedish grub.
If you’d like to linger over a more serious dinner, consider joining one of the special hyttsill dinners at various glass workshops. Traditionally, a hot shop’s fires made it a popular place to convene after hours on frigid winter nights. People would huddle around the ovens and be entertained by wandering minstrel-type entertainers called luffar. The food was nothing special (hyttsill literally means “hot shop herring,” usually served with crispy pork, potatoes, and other stick-to-your-ribs fare), but it was a nice opportunity for a convivial rural community to get together. Today modern glassworks carry on the tradition, inviting tourists on several nights through the summer. They usually have live music and glassblowers working while you dine (figure around 400 kr per person; for more information, see www.glasriket.se).
Kalmar feels like it used to be of strategic importance. In its heyday—back when the Sweden/Denmark border was just a few miles to the south—they called Kalmar Castle the “Key to Sweden.” But today Denmark is distant, and Kalmar is a bustling small city of 64,000 (with 9,000 students in its university and maritime academy). Kalmar’s salty old center, classic castle, and busy waterfront give it a wistful sailor’s charm.
History students may remember Kalmar as the place where the treaty establishing the 1397 Kalmar Union was signed. This “three crowns” treaty united Norway, Sweden, and Denmark against their common enemy: German Hanseatic traders. It created a huge kingdom, dominated by Denmark, that lasted a bit more than a hundred years. But when the Swede Gustav Vasa came to power in 1523, Kalmar was rescued from the Danes, the union was dissolved...and even the European Union hasn’t been able to reunify the Scandinavian Peninsula since.
Kalmar town was originally next to the castle. But that put the townsfolk directly in the line of attack whenever the castle was besieged. So, after a huge fire in 1647, they relocated the town on Kvarnholmen, an adjacent, easier-to-defend island. There it was encircled by giant 17th-century earthworks and bastions, parts of which still survive.
The town center of Kvarnholmen, the charming Old Town, the castle, and the nearby vacation island of Öland are all enjoyable to explore, making Kalmar Sweden’s most appealing stop after Stockholm. Its tourist season is boom-or-bust, busiest from mid-June through mid-August.
Kalmar is easily walkable and fun by bike. The mostly pedestrianized core of the town is on the island of Kvarnholmen, walled and with a grid street plan. The Old Town district is between Kvarnholmen and Kalmar Castle, which is on a little island of its own (a 10-minute walk from Kvarnholmen). The train station, TI, and ugly industrial “new harbor” are on a manmade extension just south of Kvarnholmen.
Additional islands make up Kalmar (including charming Ängö and mod Varvsholmen), but most visitors stick to Kvarnholmen, the Old Town, and the castle. If your time is limited, your top priorities should be a town walk, the castle, and the public beach just beyond the castle.
The TI is in the big, modern building next to the marina (summer Mon-Fri 9:00- 21:00, Sat-Sun 10:00- 17:00; shorter hours off-season and generally closed Sat-Sun Oct-April; Ölandskajen 9, tel. 0480/417-700, www.kalmar.com).
The TI has guest computers and Wi-Fi, and can book you a room in a hotel or B&B. Ask about live music and entertainment; for example, there are free concerts on Larmtorget, in Kvarnholmen (Tue and Thu in the summer).
Biking: Many hotels have loaner or rental bikes for guests. The Baltic Shop (across from TI, closed Sun) rents bikes for 120 kr per day. Consider riding the ferry from the harbor to the island of Öland (45 kr, about hourly, 30 minutes), which is made to order for a Swedish country bike ride. (Note you cannot ride a bike over the Öland Bridge.)
Arriving at the combined train and bus station couldn’t be easier (train ticket office open Mon-Fri 6:40-18:00, Sat 8:40-15:00, Sun 10:30-17:00; lockers available). As you walk out the front door, the town center (Kvarnholmen) is dead ahead. The TI is 100 yards to your right, across the busy street on the harbor. Kalmar Castle and the Old Town are behind you (follow the tracks to your left until the first crosswalk, then follow the big tree-lined boulevard to the castle; with more time, take my scenic “Back-Streets Walk” to the castle—see here).
This moated castle is one of Europe’s great medieval experiences. The imposing exterior, anchored by stout watchtowers and cuddled by a lush park, houses a Renaissance palace interior. Built in the 12th century, the castle was enlarged and further fortified by the great King Gustav Vasa (r. 1523-1560) and lived in by two of his sons, Erik XIV and Johan III. In the 1570s, Johan III redecorated the castle in the trendy Renaissance style, giving it its present shape. Kalmar Castle remained a royal hub until 1658, when the Swedish frontier shifted south and the castle lost its strategic importance. Kalmar Castle was neglected, then used as a prison, distillery, and granary. Finally, in the mid-19th century, a newfound respect for history led to the castle’s renovation. Today, it’s a vibrant sight giggling with kid’s activities, a new restaurant, park-like ramparts, and well-described historic rooms.
Cost and Hours: 120 kr, late June-Aug daily 10:00-18:00, May and Sept daily 10:00-16:00, Oct-April generally Sat-Sun only 10:00-16:00, tel. 0480/451-490, www.kalmarslott.se.
Tours: Catch the one-hour English tour to hear about the goofy medieval antics of Sweden’s kings (included in admission price, offered 3/day late June-mid-Aug).
Visiting the Castle: Each room has a printed English description. The floor plan is tough to follow, so be sure to pick up and use the castle map. You can try to follow my proposed route, or just read it in advance and then ramble, reading plaques as you go.
Approaching the castle, you’ll cross a wooden drawbridge. Peering into the grassy, filled-in moat, look for sunbathers, who enjoy soaking up rays while the ramparts protect them from cool winds. To play “king of the castle,” scramble along these outer ramparts.
In the central courtyard is the canopied Dolphin Well, a fine work of Renaissance craftsmanship. (If you haven’t bought your ticket yet, do so in the gift shop on the left.)
Access to most of the rooms is from the main courtyard. To the right of the gift shop, you’ll find models and drawings in the Governor’s Quarters that illustrate the evolution of the castle over time. Notice the bulky medieval shape of the towers, before they were capped by fancy Renaissance cupolas; and the Old Town that once huddled in the not-protective-enough shadow of the castle.
In the adjoining Prisoners’ Tower, you can peer down into the dungeon pit. The room was later converted into a kitchen (notice the big fireplace), and the pit became a handy place to dump kitchen waste.
Go through the labyrinth of rooms to the right that show daily life at the castle: a reconstruction of the castle kitchen, a room being “painted” by medieval workers in anticipation of a royal visit, and more. Check out the touch-screen terminals with information about the castle and Kalmar.
Then head back toward the gift shop and (at the red banner marked Codex) climb into the Women’s Prison, with a grim 19th-century chapter of the castle’s history (English explanation of the entire section is in the corner). Modern black-and-white photographs interpret the prison experience of women incarcerated during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Images of women in stocks, or of an accused “witch” undergoing trial by water, will stay in your mind long after the royal rooms fade away.
Then climb the Queen’s Staircase, up steps made of Catholic gravestones. While this simply might have been an economical way to recycle building materials, some speculate that it was a symbolic move in support of King Gustav Vasa’s Reformation, after the king broke with the pope in a Henry VIII-style power struggle.
At the top of the stairs, go through the wooden door into the Queen’s Suite. The ornate Danish bed (captured from the Danes after a battle) is the only surviving original piece of furniture in the castle. The faces decorating the bed have had their noses chopped off, as superstitious castle-dwellers believed that potentially troublesome spirits settled in the noses. This bed could easily be disassembled (“like an Ikea bed,” as my guide put it) and moved from place to place—handy for medieval kings and queens, who were forever traveling throughout their realm. Smaller servants’ quarters adjoin this room.
Proceed into the Checkered Hall. You’ll see copies of a king’s coronation robe and a queen’s royal dress. Examine the intricately inlaid wall panels, which make use of 17 different types of wood—each a slightly different hue. Appreciate the faded Renaissance frescoes throughout the palace.
Continue into the dining room (a.k.a. Gray Hall, for the frescoes of Samson and Delilah high on the wall). The table is set for an Easter feast (based on a detailed account by a German visitor to one particular Easter meal held here). For this holiday event, the whole family was in town—including Gustav Vasa’s two sons, Erik XIV and Johan III. Erik’s wife, Katarzyna Jagiellonka, was a Polish Catholic (their marriage united Sweden, Poland, and Lithuania into a grand empire); for her, Easter meant an end to Lenten abstinences. Notice the diverse savories on the table, including fish patties with egg, elaborate pies, and chopped pike in the shape of pears. The giant birds are for decoration, not for eating. Logically, forks (which resembled the devil’s pitchfork) were not used—just spoons, knives, and hands.
The door in the far corner with the faded sun above it leads to the King’s Chamber. Notice the elaborate lock on the door, installed by King Erik XIV because of constant squabbles about succession. The hunting scenes inside have been restored a bit too colorfully, but the picture of Hercules over the left window is original—likely painted by Erik himself. Examine more of the inlaid panels. To see the king’s toilet, peek into the little room to the left of the fireplace, with a fine castle illustration embedded in its hidden door (if closed, ask a museum wench to open it). Also in here was a secret escape hatch the king could use in case of trouble. Perhaps King Erik XIV was right to be so paranoid; he eventually died under mysterious circumstances, perhaps poisoned by his brother Johan III, who succeeded him as king.
Backtrack through the dining room and continue into the Golden Hall, with its gorgeously carved (and painstakingly restored) gilded ceiling. The entire ceiling is suspended from the true ceiling by chains. If you visually trace the ceiling, the room seems crooked—but it’s actually an optical illusion to disguise the fact that it’s not perfectly square. Ponder the portraits of the royal family: Gustav Vasa, one of his wives, sons Erik XIV and Johan III, and Johan’s son Sigismund. Imagine the reality-show-level dysfunction that carbonated the social scene here back then.
Peek into Agda’s Chamber, the bedroom of Erik’s consort. The replica furniture re-creates how it looked when the king’s kept woman lived here. Later, the same room was used for a different type of captivity: as a prison cell for female inmates.
Cut across to the top of the King’s Staircase (also made of gravestones like the Queen’s Staircase, and topped by a pair of lions). The big door leads to the grand Green Hall, once used for banquets and now for concerts.
At the end of this hall, the chapel is one of Sweden’s most popular wedding venues (up to four ceremonies each Saturday). As reflected by the language of the posted Bible quotations, the sexes sat separately: men, on the warmer right side, were more literate and could read Latin; women, on the cooler left side, read Swedish. The fancy pews at the front were reserved for the king and queen.
At the far end, near the altar, a door leads to a stairwell with a model ship, donated by a thankful sailor who survived a storm. In the next room is Anita, the stuffed body of the last horse who served with the Swedish military (until 1937); beyond that you might find some temporary exhibits.
The rest of the castle complex includes the vast Burned Hall, which—true to its name—feels stripped-down and is not as richly decorated. In summer you may find a temporary art exhibit here: The curators usually choose a modern theme to give visitors a refreshing break from the Renaissance.
The original Kalmar town burned (in 1647) and is long gone. But the cute, garden-filled residential zone that now fills the park-like space between the castle and the modern town center is worth a look.
It’s a toy village of colorfully painted wooden homes, tidy yards, and perfect picket fences. Locals still call it the Old Town (Gamla Stan), even though almost everything here is newer than the buildings on Kvarnholmen, now the heart of town.
Consider a slight detour strolling through the Old Town on your way from the train station to the castle. Rather than give directions, I’ve just listed the sights in a convenient order, knowing you can refer to the map on here (and its dotted lines) to locate them. Begin where the pleasant, tree-shaded Slottsvägen boulevard intersects with Västerlånggatan, the cobbled street angling to the right.
Västerlånggatan: Wandering down this cobbled lane, enjoy the time-passed cottages as you peek over fences into private gardens. You’ll pass behind the grand mansion (now the recommended Slottshotellet) that belonged to the prestigious Jeansson family, who donated the parkland near the castle to the town.
At the first intersection, continue straight, then follow the path through the middle of the big park. As you cross the road on the far side of the park, you’ll pass two lines of stones, a small surviving remnant of Kalmar’s town wall (on the right).
Krusenstiernska Gården: Watch on the left for the entrance to this relaxed, kid-friendly garden, with its breezy café selling traditional homemade cakes. Poke inside to discover a manicured world of charming plantings clustered around a well, and peek into time-warp workshops. On summer evenings, this garden is a venue for top Swedish comedy acts, which pack the place (park free, daily 11:00-18:00 in summer, shorter hours on weekends and off-season).
Leaving the garden, follow the red fence to the right. Where the fence ends, jog left and squeeze between the yellow and red houses.
Gamla Kungsgatan and the Old Churchyard: Immerse yourself in this Swedish village world. On the left, watch for the Old Churchyard (Gamla Kyrkogården), dating from the 13th century and scattered with headstones. It’s virtually all that remains of the original Old Town. Look for the monument topped by a statue of a man carrying a boy (St. Christopher, patron of traders and seafarers). Circling this slab, you’ll see the floor plan of the original cathedral, an image looking down the cathedral’s nave, and a rendering of the town before it was destroyed. The cathedral tower—which had partially survived the 1647 fire—was torn down in 1678 by the Swedes themselves, who wanted to ensure that their enemies (the Danes) couldn’t use the tower to launch an attack on the castle.
About 50 yards farther into the yard, the stone slab on the pedestal (marked Kalmarunionen 600 ar) commemorates the 600th anniversary of the 1397 Kalmar Union, which united the Nordic states. On June 14, 1997, the contemporary leaders of those same nations—Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland—came here to honor that union. You can see their signatures etched in the stone.
Exit the churchyard the way you came in, turn right on the paved street, and take the first left (down Kungsgatan) to the main boulevard. You’ll be facing the town park (described next) and the castle; on your left is the appealing, recommended Söderportcafé (with an inviting terrace and an economical buffet-lunch deal, described below).
Town Park (Stadsparken): Unfurling along the waterfront between the castle and the city, this entertaining English-style garden is Kalmar’s playground. While thoughtfully planned, it’s also rugged, with surprises around each corner. Locals brag that their region is a “banana belt” that enjoys a milder climate than most of Sweden; some of the plants here grow nowhere else in the country. This diversity of foliage, and the many sculptures and monuments, make the park a delight to explore. The modern art museum stands in an appropriately modern building in the center of the park (constantly changing contemporary exhibits).
Kalmar’s best beach is at the edge of the Old Town, just beyond the castle. On a hot summer day, this is a festive and happy slice of Swedish life—well worth a stroll even if you’re not “going to the beach.” With snack stands, showers, sand castles, wheelchair beach access, and views of the castle and the island of Öland, the beach has put Kalmar on the fun-in-the-sun map. It’s quite popular with RVers and the yachting crowd. And if you enjoy people-watching, it’s a combination Swedish beauty pageant/tattoo show. For some extra views and kid-leaping action, be sure to walk to the end of the long pier.
The beach stretches a mile south. Beyond it is the charming little seafront community of Stensö, with its own pocket-size harbor and charming fishing cottages.
Today, downtown Kalmar is on the island of Kvarnholmen. Get your bearings with the following walk, which basically just cuts straight through the length of town. Then dig into its museums.
Most action centers on the lively, restaurant-and-café-lined square called Larmtorget, a few steps uphill from the train station. This is the most inviting square in town for outdoor dining—scout your options for dinner later tonight. It’s also the nightlife center of town, especially on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in summer, when it’s packed for free concerts. The many cafés bordering the square are a reminder that this is a college town, with lots of students. The fountain depicts David standing triumphantly over the slain Goliath—a thinly veiled allusion to King Gustav Vasa, who defeated the Danes (the fountain’s reliefs depict his arrival in Kalmar in 1520).
The area just to the north, up Larmgatan, is a charming old quarter with the historic Västerport gate and a restored old water tower. The tower, dating from 1900, was turned into a modern apartment building, winning an award for the architect who successfully maintained the tower’s historic design.
But for now, we’ll stroll straight through town on the main pedestrian shopping street, Storgatan. Kvarnholmen is a planned Renaissance town, laid out on a regular grid plan (after the devastating 1647 fire consumed the Old Town). While a 1960s push to “modernize” stripped away much of the Old World character, surviving historic buildings and the lack of traffic on most of its central streets make Kvarnholmen a delightful place to stroll.
The first major cross-street, Kaggensgatan, leads (to the right, past a fine row of 17th-century stone houses) down to the harbor; a block to the left, on the right-hand side (at #26), is the landmark Kullzénska Café, whose owners refused to let this charming 18th-century merchant’s house be torn down to make way for “progress.” (It remains a good place for a drink or light meal in a genteel setting—see “Eating in Kalmar,” later.)
Continue down Storgatan. On the right, just before the big square (after #20), look for the building marked 1667, with the cannonballs decorating the doorway. This was the home of a war profiteer—a lucrative business in this military-minded town (now an inviting gift shop with local products, teas, chocolates, and cheese).
Storgatan leads to the town’s main square, Stortorget. Built in the 17th century in a grand style befitting a European power, the “big square” tries a little too hard to show off—today it feels too big and too quiet (locals prefer hanging out on the cozier Larmtorget).
The cathedral (domkyrkan) dominating the square is the biggest and (some say) finest Baroque church in Sweden. Its interior, which contains a gigantic 17th-century pulpit and bells from the earlier town cathedral, has been elegantly restored to its original glory. Its architect was inspired by the great Renaissance churches of Rome. The interior is all very high-church (for such a Lutheran country), with a fine Baroque altar, carved tombstones used for flooring, and homogeneous white walls (free, Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00, Sat-Sun 9:00-20:00, shorter hours off-season, free noon “Lunch Music” organ concerts daily in summer). Facing the cathedral is the decorated facade of the Town Hall (rådhuset).
From here, go straight through the square and stroll down Storgatan. Notice the fine old houses, all lovingly cared for. At the end of town, the area beyond Östra Vallgatan (the old eastern wall of the city) has a pleasant park and small swimming beach. You may notice dads out with their babies—most Scandinavians get over a year of paid leave for the mom and dad to split as they like. (Use it or lose it, so dads are pushing strollers as never before. They’re nicknamed “Latte Dads,” and cafés complain that they clog their floor space with too many carriages.)
This park area is called Kattrumpan (literally, “cat’s rear end”) because of the widely held and disturbing notion that Kvarnholmen looks like a cat’s skin splayed out.
To the left, on a little pier in the water (just out of sight), stands the last remaining klapphus—laundry building—in Kalmar (and Scandinavia). In the mid-1800s, four of these small, wooden structures with floating floors stood at the seaside. Washers would stand in barrels inset around the central laundry pool for a better working position. Today the klapphus is still occasionally used for washing rugs and carpets. The Baltic seawater is considered good for carpet health.
Across the water is the island neighborhood of Varvsholmen, which once housed an eyesore shipyard but has been converted into a futuristic residential development. To the left of Varvsholmen is the sleepy island neighborhood of Ängö, traditionally home to sailors and fishermen, now one of Kalmar’s most desirable residential areas. To the right stretches the Öland Bridge. When built in 1972 to connect Öland Island with the mainland, it was Europe’s longest bridge.
• Your walk is finished. Hooking around to the right, you first reach the former city bathhouse (in a 1909 Art Nouveau building), which faces the tiny Maritime History Museum (described below). A block beyond that, the waterfront is dominated by giant red-brick buildings—steam mills once used to grind flour. Today this complex houses the fascinating Kalmar County Museum, described next.
This museum is worth a visit for its excellent exhibit on the royal ship Kronan, a shipwrecked 17th-century warship that still sits on the bottom of the Baltic just off the island of Öland. Soggy bits and rusted pieces, well-described in English, give visitors a here’s-the-buried-treasure thrill. It’s a more intimate look at life at sea than Stockholm’s grander Vasa Museum, though this exhibit lacks the boat’s actual hull.
Cost and Hours: 100 kr; mid-June-mid-Aug daily 10:00-18:00, off-season daily 10:00-16:00, included 45-minute English tours daily in season at noon; kid-friendly café on Floor 4, Skeppsbrogatan 51, tel. 0480/451-300, www.kalmarlansmuseum.se.
Visiting the Museum: While the museum has plenty of exhibits, your visit will focus mostly on the third floor with the Kronan shipwreck artifacts.
Beyond the entry, the first floor has temporary exhibits and shows off the cannons recovered from the Kronan wreckage. In those days, cannons were so valuable they were prized the way a Rolls Royce would be today, so each one has its own story (described in English). In the years following the ship’s sinking, these cannons were the only artifacts considered worth recovering.
From the first floor, I’d skip the temporary exhibits on Floor 2 and head directly to Floor 3, which displays salvage from the Kronan. Twice the size of Stockholm’s famous Vasa, this warship was a floating palace and the most heavily armed vessel in the world. But it exploded and sank about three miles beyond the island of Öland in 1676. The painted wall at the elevator shows the dramatic event: The Kronan’s admiral misjudged conditions and harnessed too much wind, causing the vessel to tip and its gun ports to fill with water. As the ship began to list into the water, a fallen lantern ignited explosives in the hold, and...BLAM! The ship went right down. Its Danish and Dutch foes—who hadn’t fired a shot—happily watched it sink into the deep. Of the 850 people on board, only about 40 were rescued. The wreck’s whereabouts were forgotten until 1980, when it was rediscovered by the same oceanographer who found the Vasa.
Head into the exhibit, where you’ll view a model of the shipwreck site (press the button for a short English explanation). You’ll see a cross-section of the mighty vessel and a recovered carving of the potbellied Swedish king (one of many such carvings that decorated the ship). The small theater plays a 15-minute film about the ship (English subtitles).
The replica of the middle gun deck leads to the exhibit’s most interesting section, which explains everyday life on board. The 850 sailors who manned the ship (about the population of a midsized town of that age) represented all walks of life, “all in the same boat.” Engaging illustrations, eyewitness accounts, and actual salvage items bring the story to life. You’ll see guns, musical instruments, a medicine chest, dishes, and clothing—items that emphasize the nautical lifestyles of the simple, common people who worked and perished on the ship. A treasure chest contains coins from all around the known world at the time, each one carefully identified.
The final exhibit (with another short film) reminds us that the Kronan still rests on the sea floor, awaiting funding to be raised to the surface. You’ll see a replica of the diving bell used in 1680 to retrieve the cannons, and the modern diving bell from very early explorations of the site. Today a dedicated crew of scientists and enthusiasts—including, at times, Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustav—continue to dive to recover bits and pieces.
For extra credit, head up to Floor 4 for its exhibit on Jenny Nyström, an early-1900s Kalmar artist who gained fame for her cute Christmas illustrations featuring elves and pixies. You’ll see some of her children’s books and textbooks, as well as some less commercial, more artistic portraits (with a touch of Art Nouveau flair). Ponder Nyström’s status as a proto-feminist icon: She was one of the first female artists to support her family by selling her paintings.
This humble, dusty little exhibit sits a long block beyond the Kalmar County Museum. It’s a jumble of photos of vessels, model boats, charts, and other seafaring bric-a-brac that traces the nautical story of Kalmar up to modern times. The collection is displayed in four rooms of a former apartment, shuffled between beautiful porcelain stoves left behind by a previous owner. (These were display models for his stove retail business.) While it’s explained by an English booklet (that you can borrow or buy), the volunteers love to talk and are eager to show you around.
Cost and Hours: 50 kr, mid-June-Aug daily 11:00-16:00, off-season open only Sun 12:00-16:00, Södra Långgatan 81, tel. 0480/15875.
$$$ Calmar Stadshotell is a 126-room business hotel filling a historic shell right on Kalmar’s too-big main square, Stortorget (standard Sb-1,000-1,200 kr, standard Db-1,100-1,500 kr, deluxe “superior” rooms 200-kr extra; elevator, Wi-Fi, Stortorget 14, tel. 0480/496-900, www.profilhotels.se, calmarstadshotell@profilhotels.se).
$$ Frimurare Hotellet fills a grand old building overlooking inviting Larmtorget square, just steps from the train station. Warmly run, the place has soul and a disarmingly friendly staff. Rich public areas, broad hardwood halls, and chandeliers give it a 19th-century elegance. Guests can help themselves to coffee, tea, juice, fruit, and cookies in the lounge anytime. The 35 rooms provide modern comfort amid period decor. Because it’s squeezed between a café-packed square and a park that’s popular for concerts, it can come with some noise (Sb-950 kr, Db-1,140 kr, Tb-1,340, these special rates for peak season are promised when you book directly with hotel with this book, elevator, Wi-Fi, free sauna, free loaner bikes for Rick Steves travelers, 50 yards in front of train station, Larmtorget 2, tel. 0480/15230, www.frimurarehotellet.com, info@frimurarehotellet.se).
Kalmar Sjömanshem Vandrarhem, a charming place built in 1910 for sailors and now used for student housing, opens to travelers in the summer (mid-June-mid-Aug only). While its 13 rooms are very simple and bathrooms are down the hall, it has an inviting TV lounge, handy guest kitchen, and a peaceful garden behind a white picket fence facing the harbor (S-400 kr, D-500 kr, T-700 kr, Q-800 kr, sheets and towels-80 kr, no breakfast, free parking, Ölandsgatan 45, tel. 0480/10810, www.kalmarsjomanshem.se, info@kalmarsjomanshem.se).
$$$ Slottshotellet (“Castle Hotel”) is an enticing splurge in the atmospheric Old Town. It’s the nicely upgraded but still homey former mansion of a local big shot. The 70 rooms—some in the mansion, others sprinkled throughout nearby buildings—sit across a leafy boulevard from Kalmar’s Town Park, just up the street from the castle (rough prices: standard Sb-1,300 kr, standard Db-1,500 kr, bigger “superior” Db-1,700 kr, Wi-Fi, Slottsvägen 7, tel. 0480/88260, www.slottshotellet.se, info@slottshotellet.se).
$$ Hotell Hilda has eight good rooms in an updated old house, located in a modern residential zone just over the canal from the town center (Sb-795 kr, Db-1,095 kr, elevator, Wi-Fi in breakfast room, free parking, Esplanaden 33, tel. 0480/54700, www.hotellhilda.se, info@hotellhilda.se). The ground-floor Kallskänken café, which doubles as the reception, serves good salads and sandwiches (Mon-Fri 8:00-18:00, Sat 8:00-14:00, Sun 10:00-11:00; if checking in outside of these times, call ahead for the door code).
$$ Hotell Svanen, a 15-minute walk or short bus ride from the center in the Ängö neighborhood, is a new breed of budget hotel with a mix of nicer hotel rooms with private bath, cheaper rooms with shared bath, and hostel beds (no more than six beds per room). Services include laundry and kitchen facilities, a TV room, Wi-Fi, a pay Internet terminal, a sauna, and rental bikes and canoes. While it’s a bit institutional, you can’t argue with the value (hotel: S-615 kr, Sb-725-815 kr, D-870 kr, Db-970-1050 kr, price depends on size, includes sheets and breakfast; hostel: dormitory bed-195 kr, D-510 kr, Db-640 kr, T-735 kr, Q-960 kr, sheets-60 kr, no member discount, breakfast-80 kr; reception open daily 7:30-21:00, elevator, Rappegatan 1, tel. 0480/25560, www.hotellsvanen.se, info@hotellsvanen.se). You’ll see a blue-and-white hotel sign and a hostel symbol at the edge of town on Ängöleden street, a mile from the train station. Catch bus #405 at the station to Ängöleden (2-3/hour, 5 minutes), or take a taxi for about 70 kr.
Kalmar has a surprising number of good dining options for a small city. For lunch, look for the dagens rätt (daily special) for 80-100 kr, which gets you a main dish, salad, bread, and usually coffee or a soft drink.
(See “Kalmar” map, here.)
Källaren Kronan, open only for dinner, is a candlelit cellar restaurant with romantic tables under low stone arches. They serve old-time Swedish dishes, including elk, as well as modern cuisine (100-140-kr starters, 150-300-kr main dishes, 250-kr two-course meals, 300-kr three-course meals, nightly 18:00-23:00, Ölandsgatan 7, tel. 0480/411-400).
Hamnkrog is the place for a dressy harborview meal among the Swedish sailing set. Its mod white interior and yacht-deck outdoor tables create a cool, elegant showcase for their French cuisine with plenty of seafood. The self-service 250-kr shrimp-and-mussels buffet, served summer evenings, is a hit (160-240-kr main dishes, Mon-Sat 11:30-14:00 & 18:00-22:00, closed Sun; just beyond the Baronen mall, surrounded by boats at Skeppsbrogatan 30, tel. 0480/411-020).
Grill Brygghuset, open only in summer, seems made to order for visiting yachters. Right on the dock, casual yet stylish, it grills everything, serving traditional and modern dishes with local ingredients (100-200-kr plates, mid-June-mid-Aug Tue-Sun from 17:00, closed Mon, at the marina next to the TI and train station at Ölandskajen, mobile 073-354-0333).
Kullzénska Café, a cozy, antique-filled eatery in a historic building, specializes in sandwiches and pastries. Locals adore its always-fresh berry cobblers (with vanilla sauce or ice cream). While it has street seating, the dining rooms upstairs are what it’s all about (Mon-Fri 10:00-18:30, Sat-Sun 12:00-16:00, Kaggensgatan 26 at the corner of Norra Långgatan, go up the stairs, tel. 0480/28882).
Ernesto Restaurante is driven by Ernesto, who came here from Naples nearly 30 years ago. This local favorite for Italian food is a high-energy, dressy place with good indoor and outdoor seating (140-kr pasta and pizza, great selection of Italian wines, daily from 16:00, Södra Långgatan 5, tel. 0480/24100).
O’Reilly’s Irish Pub brags that it’s the most Irish Irish pub in this part of Sweden. Eamonn runs it and provides the live music on weekends (popular burgers, closed Sun-Mon, Larmgatan 6, tel. 0480/23040).
Supermarket: In the pedestrian district, you’ll find the Co-op, which has everything you need for a good picnic, including a salad bar (daily 6:00-23:00, Södra Långgatan 8).
(See “Kalmar” map, here.)
The castle lawn cries out for a picnic (buy one in the town center before your visit). Or you can grab a bite in the café inside the castle itself. Otherwise, consider:
Söderportcafé, just across the street from the castle, offers quick, light lunches (tiny self-service sandwich bar in back) and all-you-can-eat buffets (lunch-115 kr, daily 11:30-14:00; dinner-245 kr, daily 17:00-22:00, Slottsvägen 1, tel. 0480/12501). They’re well-regarded locally for their live music (Wed-Sat evenings).
From Kalmar by Train to: Växjö (12/day, 60-70 minutes), Copenhagen and its airport (hourly, 4 hours, some transfer in Alvesta), Stockholm (12/day, 4.5-5 hours, transfer in Alvesta, reservations required; some prefer the slower but more scenic coastal route via Linköping).
By Bus to Stockholm: The bus to Stockholm is much cheaper but slower than the train (4/day, fewer on weekends, 6 hours).
Kalmar to Copenhagen: See “Route Tips for Drivers” at the end of the Near Copenhagen chapter.
Kalmar to Stockholm (230 miles, 6 hours): Leaving Kalmar, follow E-22 Lindsdal and Nörrköping signs. Sweden did a cheap widening job, paving the shoulders of the old two-lane road to get 3.8 lanes. Fortunately, traffic is polite and sparse. There’s little to see, so stock the pantry, set the compass on north, and home in on Stockholm. Make two pleasant stops along the way: Västervik and the Göta Canal.
Västervik is 90 miles north of Kalmar, with an 18th-century core of wooden houses (3 miles off the highway, Centrum signs lead you to the harbor). Park on the waterfront near the great little smoked-fish market (Mon-Sat).
Sweden’s famous Göta Canal consists of 190 miles of canals that cut the country in half, with 58 locks (slussen) that work up to a summit of 300 feet. It was built 150 years ago at a low ebb in the country’s self-esteem—with more than seven million 12-hour man-days (60,000 men working about 22 years)—to show her industrial might. Today it’s a lazy three- or four-day tour, which shows Sweden’s zest for good living.
Take just a peek at the Göta Canal over lunch, in the medieval town of Söderköping: Stay on E-22 past where you’d think you’d exit for the town center, then turn right at the Kanalbåtarna/Slussen. Look for the Kanal P signs leading to a handy canalside parking lot. From there, walk along the canal into the action. The TI on Söderköping’s Rådhustorget (a square about a block off the canal) has good town and Stockholm maps, a walking brochure, and canal information (www.ostergotland.info). On the canal is the Kanalbutiquen, a yachters’ laundry, shower, shop, and WC, with idyllic picnic grounds just above the lock. From the lock, stairs lead up to the Utsiktsplats pavilion (commanding view).
From Söderköping, E-22 takes you to Nörrköping. Follow E-4 signs through Nörrköping, past a handy rest stop, and into Stockholm. The Centrum is clearly marked.
The island of Öland—90 miles long and only 8 miles wide—is a pleasant resort known for its windmills, wildflowers, old limestone buildings, happy birdwatchers, prehistoric sights, roadside produce stands on the honor system, and Swede-filled beaches. This castaway island, with only about 25,000 permanent residents, attracts some 2.5 million visitors annually. It’s a top summer vacation destination for Swedes—even the king and queen have their summer home here—due to its climate and tony Martha’s Vineyard vibe. Because of its relatively low rents, better weather, and easy bridge access to the mainland, Öland is also a popular bedroom community for Kalmar. If you’ve got a car, good weather, and some time to kill—and if the place isn’t choked with summer crowds—Öland is a fine destination for a quick joyride. (For a basic map of Öland, see here.)
Dubbed the “Island of Sun and Wind,” Öland enjoys an even warmer climate than already-mild Kalmar, along with a steady sea breeze. And, because its top layer of soil was scraped off by receding glaciers, it has a completely different landscape than the pines-and-lakes feel of mainland Sweden. The island’s chalky limestone, rich soil, and lush vegetation make it feel almost more Mediterranean than Baltic. Öland is one of Sweden’s premier agricultural zones. Some call it “Sweden’s Provence.” While that’s a stretch, skeptical visitors are pleasantly surprised by its colorful spring wildflowers and by the bright sunshine, which works like a magnet both on holidaymakers and on artists.
Centuries ago, the entire island was the king’s private hunting ground. Because local famers were not allowed to fell trees, they made their simple houses from limestone. The island’s 34 limestone churches, which were also used for defense, have few windows. Stone walls demarcate property and were used to contain grazing livestock.
When built in 1972, the Öland Bridge from Kalmar to the island was Europe’s longest (free, 3.7 miles). The channel between Kalmar and Öland is filled with underwater rocks, making passage here extremely treacherous—but ideal for the Vikings’ flat-bottomed boats. (In fact, “Kalmar” comes from the phrase “stones in water.”) The little town of Färjestaden, near the island end of the bridge, was once the “ferry town” where everyone came and went; today it sits sad and neglected.
Public transportation is tricky but workable (buses accept credit cards—but no cash); the island is most worthwhile if you have a car and at least three extra hours to explore. Drivers simply head north from Kalmar a few minutes on highway 137 to the Öland Bridge. Once across, highway 136 is the island’s main north-south artery. Buses regularly connect Kalmar with the town of Borgholm (56 kr, nearly hourly in summer, off-season every 2 hours, 50-60 minutes) and, with less frequency, to other Öland destinations (check www.klt.se). Bikers who are in shape might enjoy biking to and around Öland, but note that you’re not allowed to ride your bike on the bridge; instead, take the ferry that carries bikers across from Kalmar to Öland (45 kr, about hourly, 30 minutes). It’s possible to rent bikes on Öland (try Ölands Cykeluthyrning, with shops on the island in Borgholm and Mörbylånga, tel. 076-103-9879).
Visitors can (and do) spend days exploring this giant island’s pleasures. But on a quick visit of a few hours, you’ll want to narrow your focus. Your basic choices are center/north Öland (more developed and resorty, with royal sights, and easier to reach on a quick visit) or south Öland (more rugged and remote-feeling, with prehistoric sites, and demanding more time). I’ve outlined a few basic ideas for each area below, but these are just the beginning—there’s much more to discover on Öland.
On a quick spin to the island, I’d stick with the strip of Öland just north of the bridge. As you drive north along highway 136, keep an eye out for some of Öland’s characteristic, old-fashioned windmills. Occasional stone churches dot the landscape (including the one in Räpplinge—just off the main road—where the royals worship when in town).
The island’s main town is Borgholm (BOY-holm), about a 30-minute drive north of the bridge. Borgholm itself isn’t much to see, unless you enjoy watching Swedes at play. It’s got a smattering of turn-of-the-century wooden villas, erected here after the royal palace was built nearby (described below). Notice that many of these have a humble shack in the garden: Locals would move into these cottages so they could rent the main villas to vacationing Stockholmers in the summer and make a killing. The traffic-free main drag, Storgatan, is lined with tacky tourist shops and ice-cream parlors (Ölandsglass, at #10, is tops). At the handy TI, right on the town’s main street, you can get maps and advice for your visit (generally Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, in summer until 18:00 and also 10:00-16:00 on Sat and sometimes Sun, Storgatan 1, tel. 0485/89000, www.olandsturist.se).
A pair of interesting sights sits on the hill just above Borgholm (to reach them, you can either drive or hike—get details at TI). Borgholm Castle (Borgholms Slott), which looks like Kalmar Castle with its top blown off, broods on the bluff above town, as if to remind visitors of the island’s onetime strategic function. Its hard-fought history has left it as the empty shell you see today—impressive, but not worth the entry fee (www.borgholmsslott.se).
From near the castle, you can hike down to a more recent and appealing royal sight, the current royal summer residence, Solliden Palace (Sollidens Slott). It was built in 1906 in an Italian villa style, after the tastes of the Austrian-import queen, who hated Sweden. The palace interior is off-limits, but its sprawling, gorgeously landscaped garden is open to us commoners. Divided into Italian (geometrical and regimented), English (wild), and Dutch (flowers) sections, the Solliden garden complex is well worth a wander (95 kr, mid-May-mid-Sept daily 11:00-18:00, last entry at 17:00, closed off-season, on-site café open the same hours, tel. 0485/15356, www.sollidensslott.se).
Swedish royalty is smart about not testing the patience of their subjects: The palace and garden complex is financially self-sufficient. And locals brag that when the royals come down from Stockholm, they fly commercial. If the first two rows are open when you board your Stockholm-Kalmar flight, you know they’ll soon be filled by a royal backside.
A 60-mile loop south of the bridge will give you a good dose of the island’s more remote, windy rural charm. Head south on highway 136 to experience the savannah-like limestone plain, old graveyards, and mysterious prehistoric monuments.
Gettlinge Gravfält (off the road about 10 miles up from the south tip, just south of Smedby) is a wonderfully situated, boat-shaped, Iron Age graveyard littered with monoliths and overseen by a couple of creaky old windmills. It offers a commanding view of the windy and mostly treeless island.
Farther south is the Eketorp Prehistoric Fort (Eketorps Borg), a reconstructed fifth-century stone fort that, as Iron Age forts go, is fairly interesting. Several evocative huts and buildings are designed in what someone imagined was the style back then, and the huge rock fort is surrounded by runty Linderöd pigs, a native breed that was common in Sweden 1,500 years ago. A sign reads: “For your convenience and pleasure, don’t leave your children alone with the animals” (120 kr, mid-June-mid-Aug daily 10:30-18:00, free English tours daily—call for times, closed off-season, tel. 0485/662-000, www.eketorp.se). It’s near the southern tip of the island, on the eastern side: When you approach Grönhögen on the main road from the north, look for signs on the left.