Discover Sweden: Seven summer towns off the beaten track

[Celerity]

With long summer nights and warmer weather, it's the perfect time to explore everything Sweden has to offer.

https://www.thelocal.se/20210723/discover-sweden-seven-summer-towns-off-the-beaten-track/



1. Tällberg, Dalarna

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Why go there? Tällberg is a little village made up of old, red Swedish wooden buildings nestled on the coast of lake Siljan. There are beautiful views of the enormous lake and classic Swedish architecture in a sleepy part of central Sweden.

How to get there: It is 270 kilometres from Stockholm, and travelling by car or train takes roughly the same amount of time, just under three hours. Take the train from Stockholm Central station to Mora, and get off at Tällberg station.


2. Karlshamn, Blekinge

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Why go there? At the southern end of Sweden you’ll find Karlshamn, a cosy town next to Sweden’s most southerly archipelago.

Explore the fortress island, Kastellet (meaning the Citadel), which is just outside of the town. Built in the 17th century, most of the fortification is still intact. Karlshamn is also an excellent destination for fishing enthusiasts, with lots of people travelling to fish in Mörrumsån which is well-known for its salmon and sea trout. The largest safari park in the Nordic is also situated in Karlshamn. Eriksberg Vilt & Natur is one of Europe’s largest game reserves and you can see animals like wild boar, European bison and deer.

How to get there: If travelling from Malmö, you can take the Öresundståg, which is a direct train and takes about two hours. Otherwise the drive is about 150 kilometres. From Stockholm take the train down to Hässleholm and switch to the Öresundståg. Or, take the train down to Alvesta station and switch to bus 93941 or 93943, which will get you into Karlshamn Väst in one-and-a-half hour. Travel to Kastellet by boat, which leaves from the guest harbour in the town centre several times a day. Check time tables here. Tickets cost 50 kronor for adults and 30 kronor for children.

3. Hjo, Västra Götaland

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Why go there? Situated on Sweden’s second largest lake, Vättern, this town offers beautiful views over the water, and traditional wooden houses. Take a stroll through the town to admire the architecture or bike around the Hjoåns Valley Nature Reserve. Hjo is one of three towns in Sweden that make up the Tre Trästäder (three timbered towns) network. In 1990 it received the Europa Nostra medal of honour for its preservation of timber houses.

Interesting fact: Monks used to use the path alongside the Hjoån to travel to their monastery in Varnhem. According to local legend, a monk actually named the town. Having arrived after a stormy voyage across the Lake Vättern he exclaimed “Hic Jacet Otium” (here lies the tranquility). The initial letters of the Latin words formed the name H-J-O.

How to get there: It takes just under four hours to drive the 330 kilometres from Stockholm to Hjo. Alternatively, take a train from Stockholm to Skövde Central, and from there jump on the 402 bus to Hjo.

4. Umeå, Västerbotten

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Why go there? With summer days that never end, this town in Eastern Sweden offers plenty of activities, from kayaking and white-water rafting. You can visit Europe’s first elk farm, Älgens Hus, which also offers paintballing, kayaking and quad bike guides during the summer. At Umedalens Skulpturpark you can see sculptures by Tony Cragg, Anish Kapoor, and many more for free. The famous cheese Västerbottensost is also made in Umeå. If you feel like exploring outside the city, take a trip to the island Norrbyskär, a former steam-powered saw mill plant, which was the largest of its kind in Europe at the time. Have a wander around the island admiring the old buildings, and visit the museum to learn more about the history of the place.

How to get there: Direct trains from Stockholm to Umeå take between six to ten hours. Flights between the two cities take an hour. To get to Norrbyskär, take one of the hourly buses, either 11 or 126 from Umeå Vasaplan to Hörnefors Centrum. From there take the ferry (which runs several times a day) to the island. The ferry only takes cash, a return ticket for an adult is 67 kronor and 40 kronor for children. You can find the ferry summer timetable here.

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[Ocelot II]

1. Or, for an exotic celebration, one could visit

Hårga, in Hälsingland.

[TomWilm]

2. I live in neighboring Denmark, where we are not heathens anymore ...

... we celebrate Midsummer as Christians, burning witches in bonfires.

[North Shore Chicago]

3. Thank you

for these vacation ideas!

[smirkymonkey]

4. Tallberg and Hjo look like places I would really love to visit.

Sweden seems like it would be so peaceful, especially outside of the cities.