Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ASTRID LINDGREN
CREATOR OF PIPPI LONGSTOCKING
Some 120km east of Jönköping, and reachable on Routes 31 and 33, is
Vimmerby
, near
where one of Sweden's most popular children's authors,
Astrid Lindgren
(1907-2002), was
born. Her most endearing character,
Pippi Longstocking
(in Swedish, Pippi Långstrump),
burst upon the world in 1945. Pippi had red hair and long thin legs on which she wore
non-matching stockings. Wealthy and energetic, she could do as she pleased, and her
adventures appealed hugely to children everywhere.
Lindgren's face has appeared on a Swedish 6kr stamp; her eighty topics have, in total, sold
more than 80 million copies worldwide. Yet her writing hasn't simply been about lighthearted
adventures: her cleverly conceived tale,
Bröderna Lejonhjärta
(“The Lionheart Brothers”), tries to
explain the concept of death to children.
In later years, she became a Swedish Brigitte Bardot figure, campaigning on animal-rights
issues, and was also involved with children's rights. Following her death in 2002 in Stockholm,
she was buried in the family grave in Vimmerby cemetery, and today, Vimmerby is home to
Astrid Lindgren's Värld
(June-Aug daily 10am-6pm; 335kr, children under 13 225kr;
W
alv
.se/en), a theme park where actors take on the roles of her most famous characters. Trains to
Vimmerby run from Kalmar, as does bus #325 from Jönköping.
6
turreted old tram depot in the university district. Also has
outside tables in summer.
Mon-Thurs 11am-10.30pm,
Fri & Sat noon-midnight, Sun noon-10pm.
Harry's
Brunnsgatan 13-15
T
036 71 94 80.
Harry's
trademark half-built brick walls between the tables are
well in evidence here. Inordinately popular place for a drink
and a bite to eat, too. The burgers are especially tasty and
juicy.
Tues-Sat 5pm till late.
Hemma
Smedjegatan 36
T
036 10 01 55.
The town's
most popular venue for laid back live music, with very
friendly service and a relaxing terrace garden. There's also a
decent menu of home cooking, including salmon and
various steak dishes, from 185-295kr.
Mon-Thurs
11.30am-2pm & 6-10pm, Fri 11.30am-2pm &
5-11pm, Sat 6-11pm.
Jungle Thai
Trädgårdsgatan 9
T
036 13 28 28.
A
welcome arrival in Jönköping, though the elephant heads
and plastic greenery are a bit OTT. A good choice,
nonetheless, with Thai and other Asian dishes for around
128-235kr and one of the most popular places in town.
Mon-Thurs 11am-3pm & 5-10pm, Fri 11am-11pm,
Sat noon-11pm, Sun 11am-9pm.
Mackmakeriet
Smedjegatan 26A
T
036 19 03 05.
The best café in town, friendly and housed in a
wonderful eighteenth-century building with an original
painted ceiling portraying two young girls sitting by a
lake. Delicious fresh-filled baguettes plus a drink cost
48kr to take away.
Mon-Fri 9am-6.30pm, Sat
10am-4pm.
Ì
Mäster Gudmunds Källare
Kapellgatan 2
T
036 10 06 40.
A fantastic old vaulted cellar restaurant
from the 1600s serving good, traditional Swedish fare
including reindeer, veal steak and a vegetarian option.
Three-course set menus from 359kr, otherwise mains,
including
vätternröding
, at 159-229kr.
Mon-Fri
11.30am-2pm & 6-10pm, Sat noon-10pm, Sun
noon-5pm.
Saltkråkan
Hamnen (end of the pier)
T
036 12 53 53.
This old boat-based restaurant appeals to many Swedes as
it's featured in a long-running Swedish children's television
programme, though there's also an extension on the pier
itself. Serves tapas such as
gambas
in garlic and lamb
cutlets in a herb sauce for 35-89kr.
May-Aug Mon-Thurs
2pm-midnight, Fri 2pm-2am, Sat noon-2am, Sun
noon-midnight.
Studion
Södra Strandgatan 9
T
036 71 41 19.
Waterfront, chi-chi brasserie with tiled walls and floor-
to-ceiling windows overlooking Munksjön lake, this is
the place to come for superbly cooked local
röding
(235kr), cod (255kr), duck confit (175kr) and burgers
(165kr).
Mon-Fri 11am-2pm & 5-10pm, Sat
5-10pm, Sun 1-9pm.
Gränna and around
Forty kilometres north of Jönköping, the lakeside town of
GRÄNNA
is associated with
the unlikely combination of pears, striped rock-candy and a gung-ho nineteenth-
century Swedish balloonist (see p.216). In late spring, the hills around Gränna are a
confetti of pear blossom, Per Brahe (see p.216) having encouraged the planting of pear
orchards hereabouts; the Gränna pear is one of the best-known varieties in the country
