Things to see and do Svealand

This superb library contains countless priceless treasures, some of which are on display in the small museum at the entrance: a hand-drawn map of Mexico City by Alonzo de Santa Cruz in 1555, Mozart's scores, and beautifully illuminated medieval manuscripts, including the Codex Argenteus, or Silver Bible, dating from the ^sixth century, whose fabulous story can be told by a guide in French. Reservations can be made at the tourist office.

Named after Gustav Adolphe, this remarkable building is the oldest in Uppsala. The museum presents an exhibition on the history of Uppsala University since 1477, as well as archaeological collections. The highlight of the visit is the Theatrum Anatomicum, an astonishing little wooden amphitheatre built according to the wishes of Professor Olof Rudbeck, where dissections of dead criminals were performed in front of assemblies of surgical students until 1766.

Different graphic arts exhibitions from the th century to the present. Regional paintings and permanent ceramics expo of the famous Uppsala-Ekeby factory.

Not to be missed if you are in Falun. Every year, more than 60,000 visitors come to see the home of the very popular artists Carl and Karin Larrson. Here you can admire the beautiful interior design of the house and many of the artist's works. Lilla Hyttnäs, the house, has remained in the Larsson family for generations and is now run by the family association, which strives to keep Carl and Karin's work alive.

The House of Culture is an interesting space, which offers different types of exhibitions and information. You can visit the rooms where folk costumes with aprons, scarves and typical accessories are exhibited, as well as works by local painters (these are temporary exhibitions, so the theme and the artists vary regularly, but are always related to the region). Also documents on the cultural history of the region, a shop and a café.

Inaugurated in 1965, this curious gray and white totem pole was created by the Norwegian artist Carl Nesjar, based on a model by Picasso, who expressly approved the project. This monumental sculpture, which is one of the largest works of its kind in the world, is 15 m high. The pillar has a diameter of 1.65 m and has two "wings", one of which weighs 8 tons! The statue was made of natural concrete, which means that liquid white cement was injected into a mold filled with a mixture of stones. The surface is so hard that it should last 2,000 years!

A large church that dominates the square and in which free lunch concerts are given in winter. Originally it was called Örebro kyrka because it was the only religious building in the city belonging to the Swedish Church. Construction began in the late ^13th century and was completed in the ^mid-14th century. For the record, it was here that the decision was made to make the French Empire Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte the Prince of the Kingdom, in 1810.

Karlslund Manor is nestled in a lush landscape. It is now run by the Jander family, after three generations of ownership. The manor dates from the early ^19th century and was built in the Empire style. A natural paradise with frog ponds, fields and meadows right on the edge of town. What makes the place unique is that everything is very well preserved. The walk around the mansion offers a cultural and historical experience.

Walking around the lake is a delight, especially for birdwatchers. In the spring, when the vegetation comes back to life, the site is incredibly beautiful: forests of rushes, large expanses of grass where herds of cows and sheep graze. Colonies of swans, grey herons, wild ducks, marsh snipes, starlings and lapwings. It is useful to get the brochure that shows the paths to Naturens Hus.

Located along the Svartån River in the centre of Örebro, the park is internationally renowned: he was awarded the prize for the 5 ^th largest urban park in Europe in 2006. Through the site, full of sculptures and beautiful flowers, we discover Wadköping, a picturesque village of wooden houses and cobbled streets. It has a theatre, a puppet theatre, cafés and cobbled streets. Very lively in summer and suitable for beautiful photos.

The most beautiful view of the city. From the top of the 54 m of this water castle, striated white and sky blue, you dominate the whole region from mountains to lake. And of course we discover the castle and the city centre from a very different angle. It's essential if you go to the corner. A café at the top of the water castle offers for 95 Sek a dish, a drink, a salad and a coffee and offers an exceptional view.

Örebro Castle was originally a lookout tower in the 13th century and a manor house in the 15th century, but it was not until the end of the 19th century that it took on its final form. The building, with its four rounded towers, is built on Svartån, the black river. Today the building is occupied by the local governor, but the north-east tower can be visited, where there is an informative permanent exhibition, free of charge. It is accessed by walking along the walls on the right after the small bridge. The rest of the building is only open to guided tours for groups.

Five kilometres east of Västerås, this unique - and free - site attracts thousands of tourists every year. It is indeed the largest burial mound in Sweden, a remnant of this crossroads during the Viking period and a place where the king passed through after his coronation in the Middle Ages. The site is characterized by a long line of standing stones and contains one of the most remarkable runic stones in the country. Not to be missed, winter or summer. Information at the tourist office.

This cathedral with its atypical shape (the building is relatively low, but the tip of the bell tower is huge) was built in the 13th century and holds in its museum a collection of silver objects dating back to that time. The present church was originally built as a three-storey Romanesque basilica in the 13th century and consecrated on 16 August 1271. The cathedral has undergone many extensions since then. It also houses the marble tomb of King Erik XIV.

From Islandsbron, in Uppsala, you can take a boat (m/s King Carl Gustav) that will first along the Fyris river, famous for its waterfalls, before reaching the lake Mälaren and the magnificent castle Skokloster built in the 17th century. The chateau has a rich library of old books and a collection of weapons of the time.

Uppsala has eight Info Points throughout the city, recognizable by their green signs with a big "I" and the words "Tourist information". You'll find maps and brochures, and the staff will be able to advise you on what's going on, what to see and what to do. If you are coming by train, it is best to stop at the information point in the main station before starting your visit. You will find a complete list on the Destination Uppsala website.

These districts, which are several hundred years old, are almost exclusively made up of red wooden houses in the purest Swedish style. The houses in Elsborg were built by the miners and those in Gamla Herrgården and Östanfors by the foundry workers. A stroll through these enchanting little districts will make you forget your own time and the city around you. A great way to immerse yourself in the culture and history of the country.

The Örebro County Museum is a meeting place for all ages. Exhibitions are held in the castle, but the museum also organizes cultural events throughout Örebro County. The museum also offers guided tours for children, workshops, lectures and much more. The museum has extensive collections of photographs and art objects that can be seen at the exhibitions, but also on their website.

The Vallby Open Air Museum aims to recreate and show the environments in which people once lived and worked. Here have been rebuilt houses, farms, mining districts and towns of the region through the ages. You can visit an old grocery store, an old school and see many sheep, chickens or pigs walking among the visitors. Animations during the holidays and during the summer. Cafés and souvenir stores.

Housed in the house where Linnaeus lived from 1744, the museum reconstructs the library and study of the great Swedish naturalist and displays many of his personal objects. The museum's garden contains some 1,300 different plant species. For guided tours, visit the website.

Of note : Carl von Linné's birthday is celebrated here every May 23 (free admission).

On August 16, cultural night with the garden illuminated by candles.

Voted best museum in Sweden in 2006 and not by chance! This museum is a small marvel of scenography, presenting through the ages the culture and the heritage of the region. The historical objects are highlighted as rarely in a museum. We go from the Middle Ages to the mass emigration to the United States, then to the ^20th century and its inventions in a whirlwind of objects, films and delightfully realistic settings. The new feature is the science and technology discovery room, where you can learn a lot about movement, light, materials... You can do your own experiments, go through a heat detector, and even create your own paper! Museum of Modern Art in the second building with some good, and some not so good. There are works by artists such as Uno Troili and Gunvor Nelson, as well as information on how the works were made and the context of their creation. There are also temporary exhibitions featuring local and national artists, some of them very contemporary! Moreover, children are not left out since special exhibitions are dedicated to them, both interactive and original, and always colorful! In short, it is without doubt a place not to be missed if you stop in the city, and you will not be disappointed to have passed there. If you are hungry, there is also a restaurant and a café in the museum.

The memory of Västerås lies in this small district. Many of the small wooden houses, painted in yellow and red, low and squat, sometimes crooked, are more than 200 years old and it is good to stroll along the cobbled lanes, between gardens full of flowers in spring and snow in winter. Old signs hanging above the doors help to keep the charm of past centuries. A complete change of scenery after the charmless avenues of the modern city centre.

A huge park that is located southwest of the island of Södermalm. Very lively on sunny days and dominated by large rocks. From the top the view is very beautiful. The Tanto park offers some curiosities like this red wooden house built around a big tree, or the dozens of cottages and their lovely gardens that have been blooming along the slopes of the hill since 1915. A small beach allows you to take a dip... It is the meeting place of Stockholmers who meet in groups to have a good time.

Charlotta Holmgren, nicknamed Lotta, is a certified guide with many years' experience in the Swedish cultural and art world. Today, she offers a variety of Stockholm city tours, all of which focus on feminist issues. Five themes are proposed, from suffragettes to women in art, to great women scholars and heritage. Tours, in English, must be booked in advance with her. A personalized tour, based on the (feminist) themes of your choice, is also available!

The small museum of Birka is built on a protrusion which, in Viking times, was covered by the sea. The rest of the island is protected. In this small museum, whose visit is quite quick, a film allows to understand how archaeologists retrace, year after year, the outlines of what was the life in Birka, its organization, its history... Several models, including those of the port, a district of the city and the royal domain, are presented here.

Stockholm's subway stations have all been decorated by artists, in an effort to make underground transportation a theater of expression. It is, as the local term goes, "the world's longest art gallery". Konstvandring's certified guides, who are specialists in urban art, make it possible to understand the messages that the decorators wanted to convey and to better grasp their works. For a free visit, there is the app Stockholm Walk Art.

Several of the royal properties are open to the public, including the stables. You will find horses, carriages, the history of the stables, and a café for a fika break in summer. The museum can be visited on a guided tour which lasts between 45 minutes and one hour. The first royal stables were built in 1535 by Gustav Vasa, serving the king's needs for daily and ceremonial transport. Today, there are fewer horses as the majority of transportation is by car, but this tradition remains important.

Discover this brand new museum, opening in June 2023, dedicated to the history of the Holocaust through the lives of seven survivors who came to live in Sweden during the Second World War. The exhibition features a wealth of personal objects, such as suitcases and identity cards. You'll be able to interact with a Holocaust survivor thanks to artificial intelligence, although answers are currently only available in Swedish. By visiting this museum, you will be contributing to the duty of remembrance, by passing on the story of the Holocaust.

In the northern part of Stockholm, hidden in a park, lies the studio of Carl Eldhs, a major sculptor of the first half of the ^20th century. In this singular wooden building, you'll find several hundred sculptures by Carl Eldhs in a bright, peaceful studio that has been kept virtually intact. The museum also houses personal objects. A visit to the museum is a pleasant escape from the city center. You can enjoy the tranquility and meditative contemplation of the art of sculpture.

If you like contemporary art, then this is a great address. Sweden has many world-renowned artists, among whom there are now many young contemporary artists. Björkholmen Gallery represents both international and Swedish artists, and is considered one of the leading art galleries in Stockholm. The gallery is located at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, just across from Gamla Stan and next to the Magnus Karlsson Gallery. A good address for a break on the way.

Present since 1990 and located on the first floor of the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts, Magnus Karlsson Gallery has gained a good reputation over the years as one of the most unique galleries of contemporary art. The gallery specializes in works by new and emerging artists, making it a good place to get acquainted with today's Swedish art world. Why not check it out during a stroll through the city center!

This house with typical Swedish woodwork, painted in turquoise blue, charms everyone! Both the interior and exterior of this small, friendly museum enchant visitors. The history of the artist Olle Olsson Hagalund is linked to the development and cultural heritage of the neighborhood. Indeed, this artist was so proud of his origins that he added Hagalund to the end of his name, and he lived in this traditional house built in 1891. The museum offers a café, ceramics, handicraft and bicycle repair classes.

Hagaparken is a large, popular park on Lake Brunnsviken, containing architecturally remarkable structures and pavilions, part of the city's Royal National Park. Here you'll find a Chinese temple built by Gustav III, or the eco-temple built in 1790 as a dining room for the royal family on fine summer days. The park is extensive and peaceful, and has become an ideal place for outdoor jogging or yoga. You'll also find the Gustav III pavilion.

Visit the fascinating home of Count and Countess Hallwyl, now one of Stockholm's most eccentric museums. Built in 1898 and occupied until 1930, prepare to take a trip back in time. Not just because of the décor, but because absolutely everything in the house has been preserved as it was. Among the objects are personal items such as a piece of the Earl's beard and even a slice of their wedding cake. A museum like no other, well worth a visit!

500 years of weapons and armor, as well as sumptuous royal carriages and period clothing. In this museum, you'll discover the history of Sweden through the monarchy and the people associated with it, from Gustav Vasa to the present day. The permanent exhibition includes interactive approaches with scents, materials and sounds that make you want to immerse yourself in this captivating era. Divided into several sections, you have the Vasa era, the era of Swedish expansion, the wars and more.

If you're looking for student life, or a space run by local youth, head to the Cyklopen cultural center, about 35 minutes by metro from Norrmalm. Built by a group of determined volunteers, Cyklopen is a self-managed space in Högdalen, focusing on education, performing arts, music, literature, crafts, culture, and general community goodwill. From concerts to workshops, you'll have plenty of choice for an afternoon or evening face-to-face with young people on the move.

The early 20th century building was the residence of Ernest Thiel, a great collector of Scandinavian art at the time. Great artists frequented his residence, including Edvard Munch, Carl Larsson, and even Paul Gauguin! You will find the colors of winter as well as the colors of summer, between the cold blue of snowy winters and the bright reds of sunsets. In the Great North, life is a balance between lack of light and infinite light, and you can feel it in the paintings... Café on the second floor where you can take a fika break!

Housed in the city's oldest preserved industrial building, which in turn housed the Crown's great bakery, an arms store and then a wood store, you'll find one of Europe's leading museums dedicated to artistic creation in all its forms. The Museum of Performing Arts (Scenkonstmuseet) introduces you to the world of theater, dance and music, both on stage and behind the scenes. The museum holds a vast collection of 50,000 objects, the oldest dating back to the ^16th century, all on three floors. The collection includes musical instruments, stage models, costumes, objets d'art, theatrical props and puppets. The exhibition space extends over three floors and includes a large area for performances, as well as a studio and showroom. As well as offering a glimpse into the world of the performing arts, the museum's interactive exhibits allow visitors to become part of the experience by taking to the stage with a virtual dance band, trying on imaginative theatrical masks or mixing their own music. There's also a café-restaurant with a pleasant terrace running the length of the building, as well as inside. A living, innovative and interactive museum, a must-see. A moving tribute to one of the most remarkable human characteristics: artistic creativity.

The museum is of sophisticated, modern architecture, right next to Vasaparken. It features three temporary exhibition halls and a rooftop terrace with sculptures and a beautiful view of Vasastan. The museum is also an exact copy of the ^18th-century manor house residence of collector Sven-Harry Karlsson, housing one of the world's largest collections of Nordic art. The museum has a café and terrace open in summer.

Skansen and BalticSea2020 have joined forces to create a unique new centre dedicated to the Baltic Sea. With exhibitions, aquariums, classrooms and laboratories, visitors will be able to meet fish and different types of plant life and learn more about the marine environment. The aim is to raise awareness about the future of the Baltic Sea and to understand the situation and the challenges. Through the exhibition "Along the coast", the centre reminds us of the impact of our choices on the future of the sea.

After travelling the world, William Gilman decided to create True Nature Sweden. Ideal for nature lovers, thrill-seekers, and budding adventurers who want to breathe the clean air of the archipelago or the fresh, wooded air of the forests. The guides, passionate and exciting, will tell you how to recognize the different species of animals and varieties of plants, but also how to survive in the wild. The visits are made through a lot of sports activities, adapted to all levels.

Entering this museum is like stepping into a magical cave, where an extraordinary world awaits you. Some 40,000 objects make up its collection, including toys, comic books... The museum has been designed so that nostalgic grandparents and grandchildren can share their memories and common passions for toys. Guided tours are available on site, but advance booking is essential. Bring the whole family to explore the incredible world of toys!

The Museum of Technology is a very modern and innovative museum, offering instructive exhibits on human technological evolution, in a format that is accessible and understandable to all. Contrary to the idea of a generic museum, this one is not visited by passively absorbing the information presented, but rather by pondering a question posed. What would life on Mars be like? What is the Anthropocene and what is its impact on our civilization? What happens when technology allows us to conceive our children using genome editing? These are just some of the questions posed by some of their exhibitions. More often than not, the experience offered at these exhibitions is an interactive one, where the more you discover about the subject, the more you develop your own questions, your sensations and reactions becoming part of the exhibition. By presenting it in this way, the museum ensures that dialogue is not the preserve of specialists or politicians, but of a wider public, inviting the world's citizens to take part in future decisions. You also have the opportunity to discover some of Sweden's inventions and their inventors. Who are the men and women behind the techniques that have changed the world? The best-known is, of course, Alfred Nobel. Then there's Anders Celsius, inventor of the degrees Celsius, a system used universally today.

Stockholm Cykel offers you a guided tour of around 15 kilometers through the capital and its outskirts, lasting around 2-3 hours. This immersive experience is a great way to discover the city in a different way, while getting off the beaten track. Reservations are required for each tour. If you want to discover the city at your own pace, unguided tours are also available. You'll be provided with a map and a GPX track, so you can find your way around and track your progress along the way.

In the Mariebergsskogen reserve, a place of nature awareness and discovery. A very special building, built half in the forest, half on the lake, in the shape of a leaf and which carries a giant egg inside. Very informative and designed for children to learn while having fun. They will be able to stroke real wolf, bear or lynx fur. Café with organic or fair trade products, with a beautiful view on the lake.