Things to see and do Götaland

Malmö Castle is the heir of a first building founded by Erik of Pomerania in 1430 before being rebuilt a century later and occupied by the mint. After the return of Skåne to Sweden, the defenses were strengthened and a moat system dug. After the return of peace with Denmark, the building was converted into a prison and then into a museum in 1937. Of the castle itself remains, beyond the wooden bridge over the moat, a massive facade framed by two round towers, all built of brick.

In the courtyard, a modern building (also without lightness) houses four sections of the Malmö Museums (Malmö Museer). The restaurant Wega is located on Slottsholmen, right next to the main entrance of the Malmö Museums.

The Governor's House and the House of Technology and the Navy are located outside the castle. Between the museum and Kommendanthuset, there are some brightly painted wooden huts: this is the Fiskehoddorna, which serves as a fish market every morning.

Kontsmuseet (Museum of Fine Arts). Beautiful collection of Swedish landscape artists such as Carl Fredrik Hill (1849-1911). There are also contemporary works, notably by the sculptor Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd (born in 1934) and the Malmö-born surrealist painter Max Walter Svanberg (1912-1995). One room is devoted to a sketch made by the Dane Joakim Skovgaard for the mosaic of the cathedral in Lund. Beautiful collection of Russian paintings from the late ^19th century and representative works of Swedish design.

Historical museum. Documents, plans and objects tracing the history of Malmö Castle and focusing on life in Skåne in the ^17th century, when it became part of Sweden.

Aquarium & Tropicarium. Local fish and amphibians, but also (more exotic) gymnotes, better known as electric eels, and other piranhas.

Museum of natural history. Flora and fauna of Skåne, geology and paleontology with notably a dinosaur skeleton.

Kommendanthuset (the Governor's house). An ^{eighteenth-century} mansion that now houses exhibitions on photography. Right next to the Governor's house is a very nice little café serving organic and locally grown products (sandwiches, pies, salads, ice cream and homemade pastries).

Tekniken och Sjöfartens Hus (House of Technology and the Navy).

Shop, information, reservations in this very central office that will give you the keys to the city. Do not hesitate to follow their advice: Walking tour will give you a very complete approach of the city (count 2 h by walking without stopping…).

With an average of three million visitors per year, Liseberg Park is the largest amusement park in Scandinavia. The park is 200 m wide and over 500 m long and has been in existence since 1923, a 10-minute walk east of Göta Platsen. It has the traditional Ferris wheels, rides and raffles, but also a house built upside down and a "crazy house"! From time to time, pop music concerts are also held in the park.

The main attraction of Varberg is of course the fortress that was originally established on this site at the end of the ^13th century, facing the North Sea, to protect the coast against the Danish invaders. At that time, it was nothing like the huge building we see today. It was then a wooden castle perched on the promontory. Over the centuries, and mainly between 1588 and 1618, the Danish king Christian IV had imposing walls built around the castle to protect it from the power of the new cannons of the time. The castle became Swedish again in 1645. Unprecedented in Scandinavia by its design, the fortress played an important role in the relations between the kingdoms of Norway, Denmark and Sweden until the ^19th century, when it lost its defensive role and became, in part, a prison. Prison that now houses the youth hostel. Since the beginning of the ^20th century, the place has become a museum.

The Länsmuseet is an integral part of the fortress. It offers interactive exhibitions that the visitor follows with an audio guide and, in high season, you will meet knights in armor, peasants and lords who walk through the streets and fortifications. Ideal for children.

The great annual market and the medieval days, the first weekend of July, are a perfect opportunity to visit the fortress, which finds for the occasion the buzzing and colored animation of the past centuries...

Famous for its magnificent park and rhododendron grove, which, with 10,000 plants, is the most extensive in Scandinavia. This ^19th century castle was given as a wedding present by King Oscar II to his grandson Gustav Adolf and his wife Margareta in 1905, and the royal furnishings have not changed a bit! Lunch in the castle restaurant, a walk along the ponds... A delight. In summer, exhibitions and concerts on the beautiful and spacious lawns surrounding the castle.

Gothic church from the ^14th and ^15th centuries. The ^15th century tabernacle and the silver treasure in the crypt of the sacristy are worth seeing, as well as the imposing golden chandelier hanging from the vaults. If you look carefully, you will find a hat, the signature of the anonymous donor who gave this piece to the parish. The floor has been redone, as it is said that it had become uneven because of all the tombstones that had sunk on one side and risen on the other over the years!

Erected on the heights of the city, the Kärnan tower has watched over Helsingborg for more than 600 years. 35 m high, its walls are 4,50 m thick. It served as a defense tower and a lookout to prevent attacks by Danish troops. After the end of the Nordic wars, the fortress fell into disrepair and all the buildings were destroyed except for the tower which was restored in 1894. From the top (after having climbed the 188 steps!), a superb view on the bay and, in the distance, the contours of the Danish neighbor Helsingør.

A very beautiful building, whose originality lies in the double belfry that juts out from the imposing orange-red façade. According to legend, the church was first built in wood around the year 1000 by St. Sigfrid, who came from England (a sculpture shows him with his three nephews). In the 12th century it was rebuilt in stone, and the base of the tower still dates from this period. The cathedral found its final configuration around 1500.

A strategic stronghold on the border of Denmark and Sweden in the Middle Ages, then a major player during the War of Skåne in 1676, this solid orange castle surrounded by the waters of the Baltic Sea was initially built in the 12th century. It was the place where the Kalmar Treaty was signed in 1397 before being transformed by the Vasa dynasty until it took on its present appearance at the end of the 16th century. It is now the best preserved Renaissance castle in the country. A guided tour is offered at the reception desk, included in the ticket price.

The fortifications are undoubtedly the most striking feature of this city, as they are almost perfectly preserved. The wall surrounding the old town was built between the 13th and 14th centuries. It was initially very basic, but in the late 1300s it was raised and strengthened with high, solid towers to protect the city from Danish attempts to take over. Today, the walls stand all around the city. It is possible to walk along the ramparts and climb the two towers overlooking the sea at the north-western end.

The province of Bohuslän became Swedish following the Roskilde Peace Treaty in 1658. Realising the strategic value of the port of Marstrand, King Charles X ordered the construction of fortifications and so the construction of the fortress began. It took about 200 years to complete. The fortress was built by convicts over the years. The most famous of these prisoners was Lasse-Maja - a kind of Swedish Robin Hood - who managed to escape from the fortress by disguising himself as a woman.

The purpose of the Volvo Museum is to preserve the history of Volvo and to make it known to the public. The museum is operated by the Volvo Car Group and the Volvo Group. Since the museum opened in 1995, the collection has grown steadily to showcase this national pride. In addition to the exhibits in the building, the museum has also built up a comprehensive archive of historical documents and images, providing a unique insight into the history of what has become one of Sweden's most successful companies.

A very original air museum, installed in a former underground military base. The place is rather unusual and is mainly aimed at aviation enthusiasts, young and old. You can discover all sorts of things about flying machines, their history, their performance... Get a small "Aeroseum" information card at a tourist office or in your hotel to have a free experience in one of the flight simulators! An unforgettable experience, for those who are not afraid of flying at least! Exciting!

Between the beginning of the ^12th and the end of the ^13th century, the city was an important commercial crossroads in the Hanseatic League. Slavic, Russian, German, Polish and Baltic communities settled in the various districts of Visby and, quite naturally, built places of worship there. Damaged by the attacks of the Danes or the Lübeck troops, by fires or by wear and tear over the centuries, seven churches stand today with their medieval skeletons between the ramparts. An exceptional and astonishing concentration that the visitor will discover during his walks. Take the time to stroll around and have a good look at everything, because there are many very interesting buildings to discover. Here is the list:

Sankta Katarina. On Stortorget, completed around 1250 by the Franciscan order. The ruins of this gothic church dominate the main square.

Sankt Nikolaus. Also called "the cultural cathedral" (Kulturdralen) where concerts and plays are held in summer.

St.Helge Ands. Built around 1200, this church is unique in Sweden: its bell tower is octagonal, like those in the medieval castles of Charlemagne's Europe.

Sankt Lars. A church whose architectural structure is characteristic of the Byzantine style.

The other ruined churches : Sankt Drotten, almost next to Sankt Lars, Sankt Clemens, Sankt Hans, of which almost nothing remains. So you'll have to imagine!

The church was built in 1893 by Helgo Zetterwall in the neo-Gothic style. The windows in the choir and the frescoes depicting the three wise men and the baptism of Jesus were painted in 1930 by the artist Albert Eldh. In the chapel to the left of the choir, a wardrobe dates from 1893. The sound is provided by large organs with 47 registers built in 1967. The choir organ with 6 registers dates from 1952, a real wonder!

Here, over 7 km, it stretches from large and beautiful white sandy beaches lined with dunes and pine forests.

Bosjökloster, beautifully situated between two lakes, was built on an unknown date. The oldest document related to it dates back to 1181 and evokes a convent. During the Reform, the convent was closed before being, in the th century, forfeited by the Swedish State. Today, the noble Bonde family (the first name of the chamberlain is James) occupies and preserves this two-storey building with a bright white. The castle is open to the public as well as the park which includes an aromatic garden and a rose garden. Beautiful lawns overlook the lake.

A power station from the beginning of the 20th century that until recently housed the Rooseum contemporary art centre. Completely revamped by the architects Tham and Videgård, this magical place has been home to the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art since 2009, which presents temporary exhibitions largely drawn from the permanent collections of its parent, the Moderna Museet in Stockholm. A must-see for art lovers!

The Textile Museum is located in the Textile Fashion Center, a large creative center that brings together students, professionals and visitors in one place dedicated to fashion. The first floor is dedicated to Borås' special connection to textiles, including an immersive exhibition that takes you on a tour of an old factory. Upstairs, you can discover temporary exhibitions of textile art and thematic retrospectives. A vast and very rich place, which will make you discover the textile under various facets!

A dozen kilometers north of Visby, Lummelunda Cave, carved by sea currents up to 3 km inside the rock, is open to the public. The explored part of this karst cave is almost 4.5 km long, making it one of the longest caves in Sweden. Although the entrance to the cave has been known for centuries, the main part was discovered by three teenagers in the 1940s-1950s. It is visited by 100,000 people a year.

The oldest stone of Öland in the 2nd century is km from the pier.

This is the largest of the Lacs lakes. It is shallow and flora and fauna are very diverse. To reach him, go down about 5 kilometers south, then heading west for km, just after Saint-Brunneby.

On the north-west tip of the island, forests of pine and green meadows, in a fairly marshy environment.

The walled village of Västergarn, 5 km south of Tofta Strand, was a major trading center in Viking times. The history is clearly expressed in the town walls, the medieval church and the ruins of the old church and castle. It is believed that the city wall was built around the year 1000 and that it originally surrounded Västergarn completely. Today it is about 1 km long. There is no similar site on Gotland, and in Sweden the most comparable site is probably the walled city of Birka.

Over kilometres from Hoburgen to Tofta Strand, heading north, nine large sandy beaches and coves easily accessible by roads or tracks. Tofta Beach is one of the three jet beaches set in Sweden, with large beach parties in summer. It covers about 5 km of sand…

On the peninsula to the south, many raukar arranged in a circle form small pools filled with blue-green water warmer than the sea, which invites to swim. Holmhällar is also a place where you can find a rare and very rich flora, and the connoisseurs will be able to indulge in a botanical walk while the others bathe. There are colchicums, blueberries, bulbous orchids and chamomile. On the sandy areas, timothy, spring speedwell and rosebush grow quietly.

The peninsula most south of Gotland is a vast and beautiful area that many artists and artisans have chosen for its calm and landscapes. The meadows around the flat coast make the ornithologists happy.

15 km south of Gothem, 10 km further south-east to the coastal village of Katthammarsvik. A track leads to the site of Grogarnshuvud, a 30 m high rock with caves, some of which are decorated with cave paintings. A little further south, still following the coast, we reach the fishing village of Herrvik. There is also a castle here, and from here you can see the other fortresses in the area. Archaeological excavations of the ramparts have revealed arrowheads dating back to the late Vendel period!

10 km south of Slite, on the east coast, beautiful sandy beaches and a campsite.

The village has a white church from the ^12th century with a grey, pointed bell tower. The architecture is typical of medieval Gotland churches. The large square tower next to the bell tower is called a kastal, a fortified tower that protected the sacred building. Minor remains of an earlier Romanesque church are included in the present church. Research estimates that the tower dates from 1340. Its upper part was destroyed by a storm in 1522, after which the top floor was demolished and its present superstructure and spire were erected.

Five kilometers south of Bredsätra are seven windmills in a row. They form a long row on the headland and are the longest preserved row of windmills in Öland. They are typical island windmills, and many of them have been restored by local associations. The village of Störlinge is one of the few villages where most farms still have their windmills. Two kilometers further south, the medieval church of Gärdslösa houses frescoes from the ^17th century, and furniture from the ^17th and ^18th centuries.

The largest open-air museum in Sweden. There is a beautiful manor house, typical houses and a botanical garden, and at noon you can have a picnic on the grass. Animals graze in Fredriksdal's fields and hay is harvested in the meadows. Here, fields and forest coexist, town and country. The land is managed in an environmentally friendly way. The various routes allow you to learn more about southern Sweden and its people.

It is the largest gallery for cultural expression in all its forms in Sweden. Dedicated to contemporary art, Röda Sten brings you exhibitions and performances by Swedish and international artists. On four floors you can see paintings, photographs, performances, sound installations and much more. Guided tours, lectures and creative workshops. There is also a restaurant-café.

In 1844 the brothers Johan and Carl Lundström invented matches in Jönköping. The first production was phosphorus matches, but it was not until 1853 that matches as we know them today began to be produced, following an invention by the chemist Gustav Erik Pasch. This museum retraces the modern history of matches, as well as the way they were made, and exhibits boxes, models, books... since their invention.

There are exhibitions of local artists, as well as a permanent exhibition dedicated to John Bauer, an early ^20th century painter born in Jönköping. He became famous for his drawings in the Christmas books Bland Tomtar och Troll between 1907 and 1915. Much of his work depicts a fairy-tale world filled with trolls and elves. He died at the age of 35, when a ferry sank in Lake Vättern. A very nice museum in the region.

The largest floating museum in the world! You can learn a lot about life at sea, all in a fun way and without even having to leave the dock! You can visit a large military ship, a destroyer, barges, cargo ships, but also a real submarine. To recover from all these discoveries, you can sit down for a drink or a bite to eat in the museum's restaurant. In all, 19 ships and barges can be seen.

This beautiful House of Culture with its original architecture is located on the quays, in the center, in front of a majestic square. In this building with an ultramodern design is the interactive museum of the city very well animated with sounds and lights. Eight different rooms, each with its own character, where you can discover Helsingborg's past or see exhibitions of all kinds: the Youth House, a concert hall, a theater, and a café.

The Hovs Hallar nature reserve is located 8 km northwest of Båstad, with cliffs along the rugged coastline. It was in this unusually beautiful place, dotted with large rust-coloured rocks, pebbles and deep caves, that Ingmar Bergman filmed a scene in The Seventh Seal, in which the hero plays chess with death. The well-kept hotel, which bears the same name as the reserve, is the ideal place to stay if you want to enjoy this unique place without having to sleep in a tent. Nice welcome.

For Sweden, the First World War meant great difficulties in keeping in touch with the outside world, especially over long distances. This radio station, which was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2004, is unique in the world. Built between 1922 and 1924, it houses the only working alternator transmitter. It was used for telegraphic communication with the American base on Long Island and ceased to be used in 1996.

For a short hike not too far from the city and accessible. This hill is 87 m high and is located in the beautiful Keillers park. The view over the city of Gothenburg is beautiful, so it's a good idea to bring a fika to eat while enjoying the view. Ramberget is a very popular tourist attraction, but the locals also like to go there. There are several paths dotted with artwork that lead to the top. There is also a road for cars to the top of Ramberget. The park is about 31 hectares.

This church, with its bell tower decorated with both a cross and a rooster, dominates the city and offers a superb view of Gothenburg and its estuary. It was inaugurated in 1914 and offers an excellent example of the national romantic architectural trend. The exterior is quite austere, with red stones and bricks, tiles and a massive 60 m high bell tower. However, the interior is full of surprises: the imposing wooden frame immediately catches the eye.

About kilometres south appears the village of Bredsätra. The ruins of the St. Birgitta Chapel of the 5 th century are km beyond the coast. It's an excellent place for bird watching.

Ready for a swim? The waters of Västervik are very clean and have the European blue flag label. So you don't have to go without! The locals will tell you that the best place to swim is 4 km north-east of the town: Gränsö Slott. Next to the hotel, there is something for everyone. There are sandy beaches, rocks, and promontories for diving. Another popular spot is located in the islets of the Lysingbad complex, east of the city centre, but only accessible to camping guests.

It is divided into two parts. In Gamla Öster (east), between the new St. Peter's Church and the waterfront, are concentrated lovely wooden houses separated by cobblestone streets. The medieval white church of St. Gertrude is the first building to be constructed on the present site of Västervik. On the other side, Gamla Norr is the oldest part of the city. Next to it is the oldest red house in the city. Along the cobblestone streets are traditional houses painted in bright colors.

The Oskarshamn Maritime Museum, presenting maritime objects and documents from the Oskarshamn region, and the Döderhultar Museum, where amazing wooden sculptures of people or animals are gathered, whose author, Axel Pettersson, was an eccentric Swede who lived at the beginning of the ^20th century. The museum presents a unique collection of nearly 200 of the best wooden sculptures of Döderhultarn, which testify to a bygone era.

This is where the grand botanist Von Linné was born, and in Växjö he studied up to 20 years. There is also a statue of him behind the cathedral, where his school was located. The location, located in the heart of a natural reserve, has been restored for the tricentennial of the birth of the scientist. This is an opportunity to see what this part of Sweden could look like 300 years ago: the area is completely preserved, around the house, the gardens, the fields, the new orangerie… You can even qualify for a guided tour in French by calling in advance.

One of the best glass factories in the region. Possibility to follow a guide for the visit. The site is on display, due to the success of the company. Here they blow pieces for the whole house, with very nice hand painted patterns. You can also visit the Kosta Art Gallery, which exhibits artists who work with glass. Here you can see famous Swedish and international artists, all of whom have a passion for crystal.

Behind the cathedral is a very old Viking burial stone dating back to the year 1000. Found in the east chapel, it has a rune text engraved in the shape of a snake. The translation can be found on a nearby descriptive panel: "Stone erected by Tyke the Viking in memory of Gunnar, son of Grim. May God protect his soul".

The runic alphabet is also detailed: the opportunity to write your first name with the letters of the ancient Scandinavian peoples.

This street, pedestrian in its central part, crosses Karlskrona from east to west. It is surrounded by major shops, hotels and restaurants, as well as the unique cinema. In summer, we go down by eating ice cream. Sometimes, sitting on a bench, listen to groups of musicians.

At the end of Ronnebygatan, to the west, the fish wharf once housed the fish market. The statue Fiskargumman, by Erik Höglund, represents a fishmonger calling out to passers-by. The inhabitants of the archipelago continue to moor their boats here. It is the starting point of the main excursions. A tip: cross the small footbridge that leads to the island of Stakholmen. A perfect place for a picnic, with a breathtaking view of the Borgmästarefjärden at sunset.