Tourist Attractions & Monuments Sweden

The space called Kulturmagasinet is the cultural heart of the city of Sundsvall. You have to enter it at least to taste the strange atmosphere of this place with a very original architecture. Four buildings that were once used to store the city's food supplies have been joined together by glass walls, making the place a covered hall. Here you will find the large library and rooms that host hundreds of exhibitions every year, including a permanent exhibition on the city and its history. Free admission.

In the ^18th and ^19th centuries, the prisoners in Gävle prison had a painful experience of isolation. At that time, the inmates were confined to their cells 24 hours a day, with only twenty minutes of escape time in the open air gaols. Since 2004, a museum has been bringing prison life to life. The museum's exhibition leads into the cells where mannequins, objects found on inmates over the years and interactivity bring these places back to life.

The museum exhibits one of the finest collections of locomotives and wagons illustrating the entire history of the Swedish railroads. The collection includes more than 300 vehicles from the early ^19th century, including the famous Prince Augustus locomotive, which is still the oldest locomotive in service. But what will delight the children (and no doubt some others) is the possibility to climb into the driver's cab of a steam locomotive!

Never seen an elk in your life and you've been waiting to see one since you arrived in Sweden? Visit the Bjurholm Elk Farm for an unforgettable experience with these Swedish forest dwellers! This farm allows you to see these emblematic animals of Scandinavia and to observe them from very close. There is also a museum dedicated to the elk, organized outdoor activities, a restaurant and a souvenir store. A real fairy tale for children!

In Strömsund, take Route 342 which leads to the splendid caves of Korallgrottan, a little after Stora Blåsjön, near the Norwegian border. This 6 km long underground labyrinth was discovered only in 1985. 

Located above Storsjön Lake, the Moose Garden offers a rather unusual opportunity. This park invites you to rub shoulders with moose without any barriers between you and these majestic, usually wild and elusive animals. Sune Häggmark, the master of the animals, has even become a celebrity in Sweden for having used the excrement of his elk to recycle them into an excellent quality paper. Also a milk and cheese producer! The place also offers the possibility of accommodation with a view of the Swedish mountains.

Frösötornet was originally built in 1888. It stands at the highest point of Frösön, at 468 m above sea level. It is 14.50 m high and has an elevator. At the top you have a wonderful panoramic view of the surrounding landscape with lakes and forests. At the foot of the tower there is a cybercafé where you can have a delicious snack! Perfect place to have a different view of the area, and attractive in winter and summer!

Located on the largest island of Storjsön, Frösö Church is a popular venue for religious weddings. According to ancient myths, the island was dedicated to the fertility god, Frö. Dating from the 12th century, it is topped by a magnificent 18th century wooden bell tower. One of its bells was cast with copper extracted from a mine on the Åre mountain. In Frösö Cemetery, ancestors from different eras are buried up to pre-Christian times.

Rich in animals, forests, marshes and meadows, the Muddus site is part of the Unesco World Heritage in Lapland. Perfect for long hikes, there are trapper's huts to spend the night. Here live lynxes, bears, and a remarkable flora. Information at the tourist office, where you can ask for the services of guides. Walking along the trails, you will see the traces of people who lived in this area long ago. For example, you can see the foundations of houses built 100 years ago.

A guided tour of the largest underground iron ore mine in the world. The tour takes you 540 meters underground on an underground track that the bus can take (the mine has 400 km of them)! The development of the mine, its impact on the city - and the ongoing displacement of certain neighborhoods - and the processing of iron are explained in broad strokes, before showing some old machines and other tools in a small museum.

The Regional Museum Gävleborg houses a splendid collection of Swedish art from the ^17th century to the present day, including works by Alexander Roslin, Marcus Larsson and Carl Larsson. Recently, a room has been dedicated to Gunnar Cyrén (an artist famous for his glass pieces). It is notable and pleasing to note the discrepancy that has been created by the presentation, in the same rooms, of works from diametrically opposed styles and periods. A mini circus tent.

Drottningatan 85 was the last home of Sweden's most famous author. He moved there in 1908. He also rented a room on the seventh floor of the same building where he installed his library, which contained about 6,800 volumes. It was in the Blue Tower, so called because of the color of the staircase, that he wrote his last play The Great Road in 1909. 1910 and 1911 were the years of the "Strindberg quarrel", a quarrel over some 500 political articles in which he sided with the working class. And it was here that he received, on his 60th birthday, his first massive tribute from the working classes. Later, when it became clear that he would not receive the Nobel Prize, a collection was organized, which raised 45,000 SEK, and constituted a kind of anti-Nobel Prize of the people. This money was given to him on his ^63rd birthday, and on the evening of January 22, 1912, the workers of Stockholm formed a torchlight march from Odenplan to Tegnérslunden, with 20,000 people in attendance. Strindberg appeared on his balcony, lifted his top hat and gave thanks. He died a few months later, on May 14, and 60,000 people accompanied him to his final resting place. Strindberg's apartment has been reconstructed from eyewitness accounts and photographs of the time. For the sake of preservation, a visit to the apartment requires that you put on slippers to protect the original parquet floor.

Some Viking archaeological remains are on display in this beautiful museum. There is the famous Viking of Sigtuna, a Viking's head of a few centimeters, remarkably carved in an elk horn and whose origin and function remain mysterious, as well as coins of this time. Sigtuna is also home to the largest concentration of rune stones (stones engraved with the Viking script, the runes) in the world. In short, a nice visit for those who want to know more about the famous Vikings!

In the old town, just before the bridge that leads to Riddarholmen. Riddarhuset, or the Palace of the Nobility, was built between 1641 and 1674, in a German baroque style, by the French architect Simon de La Vallée, and later by the German Justus Vingboons. The building, apricot-colored, with white columns and ornate windows, still belongs to the Swedish nobility. It is guarded by the imposing statue of King Gustav Vasa, more than 5 m high!

The Vasaloppet race, launched in 1922, follows the route taken in 1521 by Gustav Eriksson, the future Gustav Vasa and first king of Sweden. On the run from the Danish king, he stopped in Sälen before returning to Mora to lead the uprising against the occupying forces. Since its inception, more than 1.7 million people have taken part in the race. The museum is located in front of the Vasaloppets Hus and tells the story of the famous ski race as well as the history of the country.

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.

This is the home of the famous writer, Nobel Prize winner in 1909, who grew up in Värmland. You will discover, in a charming setting, the rooms that have remained intact, the library where many of the author's short stories were written. A guide will tell you the story of this woman through a visit of the place. The garden is also to be discovered. A café allows you to eat and drink a tea. A very interesting place.

It is an old stone bridge crossing the Östra Klarälven. Built in the ^18th century, it is remarkable for its style, made of a succession of twelve stone arches spanning the river. Previously, there were wooden bridges on the site, but they could not withstand the spring floods. Construction was to take four years, but it was not until 1797, after 32 years, that the bridge was inaugurated. Connecting the districts of Haga and Norstrand with its 168 m length, it is also the longest of its kind in Sweden.

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.

This large area is a 25-minute walk from the centre (or by bus 5 from Stortorget) and is at the same time an open-air museum, a nature reserve and a farm. At the beginning of the century, the owner of the forest bequeathed his land to the city with the demand that it be preserved. The result is brilliant: just a stone's throw from the city is a centuries-old coniferous forest and a vast wetland where thousands of birds gather.

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.