SWEDEN - Scandinavia - page 887

Theisland'smaintownis Borgholm (BOY-holm),abouta30-minutedrive
northofthebridge.Borgholmitself isn'tmuchtosee,unlessyouenjoywatch-
ing Swedes at play. It's got a smattering of turn-of-the-century wooden villas,
erected here after the royal palace was built nearby (described below). Notice
thatmanyofthesehaveahumbleshackinthegarden:Localswouldmoveinto
these cottages so they could rent the main villa to vacationing Stockholmers
in the summer and make a killing. The traffic-free main drag, Storgatan, is
lined with tacky tourist shops and ice-cream parlors (Ölandsglass, at #10, is
tops). At the handy TI, right on the town's main street, you can get maps and
advice for your visit (generally Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, in summer until 18:00
and also 10:00-16:00 on Sat and sometimes Sun, Storgatan 1, tel. [phone],
www.olandsturist.se ) . To rent a bike, get tips from the TI or try Hallbergs Ho-
jar (mobile [phone]).
A pair of interesting sights sits on the hill just above Borgholm (to reach
them, you can either drive or hike—get details at TI). Borgholm Castle
(Borgholms Slott), which looks like Kalmar Castle with its top blown off,
broods on the bluff above town, as if to remind visitors of the island's
onetime strategic function. Its hard-fought history has left it as the empty
shell you see today—impressive, but not worth the 70-kr entry fee
( www.borgholmsslott.se ) .
From near the castle, you can hike down to a more recent and appealing
royal sight, the current royal summer residence, Solliden Palace (Sollidens
Slott). It was built in 1906 in an Italian villa style, after the tastes of the
Austrian-import queen, who hated Sweden. The palace interior is off-limits,
but its sprawling, gorgeously landscaped garden is open to us commoners.
Divided into Italian (geometrical andregimented), English (rough),andDutch
(flowers) sections, the Solliden garden complex is well worth a wander (75
kr, mid-May-mid-Sept daily 11:00-18:00, last entry at 17:00, closed in winter,
on-site café open the same hours, tel. [phone], www.sollidensslott.se ) .