Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The southeast
Although a less obvious target than the coastal cities and resorts of the
southwest, Sweden's southeast certainly repays a visit. The provinces of
Sörmland, Östergötland, Småland and Blekinge boast impressive castles,
ancient lakeside sites and numerous glassworks amid the forests of the
so-called “Glass Kingdom”, while off the east coast, Sweden's largest Baltic
islands offer beautifully preserved medieval towns and fairytale landscapes.
Train transport, especially between the towns close to the eastern shore of
Lake Vättern and Stockholm, is good; speedy, regular services mean that you
could see some places on a day-trip from Stockholm.
6
Blekinge
is something of a poor relation to its neighbours in terms of tourism. Towns
here put out an endless stream of glossy brochures touting their attractions, but in truth,
even Swedes themselves admit the province remains the forgotten corner of the south;
perfect if you're looking for a quiet getaway.
Småland
, in particular, encompasses a
varied geography and some stridently different towns.
Kalmar
is a very likeable stop; a
glorious historic fortress town, it deserves more time than its tag as a jumping-off point
for the island of Öland suggests. Inland, great swathes of dense forest are rescued from
monotony by the many
glass factories
that continue the county's traditional industry,
famous the world over for its design and quality, though today drowning in its own
marketing hyperbole. In
Växjö
, the largest town in the southeast, two superb museums
deal with the art of glass-making and the history of Swedish emigration: agricultural
reforms that denied peasants access to common land, combined with a series of bad
harvests, led to more than a million Swedes - a sixth of the population - emigrating
to America between 1860 and 1930. At the northern edge of the province and perched
on the southernmost tip of Lake Vättern,
Jönköping
is known as Sweden's Jerusalem for
its remarkable number of Free Churches; it's also a great base for exploring the beautiful
eastern shore of Vättern.
The idyllic pastoral landscape of
Östergötland
borders the eastern shores of the
lake and reaches as far east as the Baltic. One of its highlights, and popular with
domestic tourists, is the small lakeside town of
Vadstena
, its medieval streets
dwarfed by austere monastic edifices, a Renaissance palace and an imposing abbey,
brought into being by the zealous determination of Sweden's first female saint,
Birgitta. Just off the southeast coast lie Sweden's two largest islands, Öland and
Gotland: adjacent slithers of land with unusually temperate climates for their
latitudes. They were domestic tourist havens for years, but now an increasing
number of foreigners are discovering their charms - lots of summer sun, delectable
beaches and some impressive historic (and prehistoric) sights.
Öland
- the smaller
island and closer to the mainland - has a mix of shady forests and flowering
meadows that make it a tranquil spot for a few days' exploration.
Gotland
's
A beggar's tale
p.197
IKEA
p.210
Glass-making and -buying in the Glass
Kingdom
p.211
Jönköping Film Festival
p.212
Astrid Lindgren - creator of Pippi
Longstocking
p.215
St Birgitta
p.219
Open art
p.222
Boat trips around Örebro
p.223
Medieval Week
p.233
Gotland's best beaches
p.238
Ingmar Bergman
p.239
