Småland is forests, meadows, pastures and glittering lakes. The forests extend for miles and miles, inviting hikes and picking of mushrooms and berries. You can experience absolute silence here, interrupted only by the chirping of birds and perhaps the tramping of the king of the forest – the elk. This is where Emil of Lönneberga and the children of the Noisy Village lived their lives in Astrid Lindgren’s books. The red cottages and the pastures look exactly the same as they did then. The characters and settings come alive in Astrid Lindgren’s World in Vimmerby.
But Småland also has a long Baltic coastline with an archipelago in the north. There is also the bridge crossing over to Öland, which is a different landscape with characteristics all its own. On this side you will find information on Småland’s inland areas, for information on the coast and Öland visit their webb site.
There is room for many guests in Småland, and most of them come here on holiday to experience nature. Småland’s landscape is studded with 5,000 lakes, one of the highest concentrations in Sweden. Among them are many fishing lakes and rivers that also are suitable for paddling. All are clean and excellent for swimming. Trails for hiking and cycling are practically everywhere. You can search for some of them on this site or consult your nearest tourist office.
Småland is also the province of design, with glassworks where the noble art of glassblowing is on public display. Scandinavian design of furniture and other objects is closely associatiated with Småland, in part because of Älmhult, where IKEA began, and Värnamo, where world-renowned designer Bruno Mathsson was born.
Småland’s culture and history can be experienced on the spot by visiting various attractions and museums, and the same applies to Småland cuisine, with genuine local ingredients that can be purchased in farm shops or consumed in restaurants and cafés.
The name ”Småland” came about because several ”små” (small) ”lands” were combined into a single entity. The term ”smålänningar” (Smålander) has been in use since the Middle Ages. According to common parlance, hardiness, ingenuity and an enterprising spirit are characteristic of Smålanders. Small enterprises continue to flourish today. Småland is one of Sweden’s larger provinces and the largest in southern Sweden, with a land area of 29,330 square metres. Its population is 726,133, which means there are 24.6 people per square metre. This compares with 111 in Skåne or 395 in the Netherlands. In Småland there is room for everyone. The largest cities are Jönköping, Kalmar and Växjö, all of which have airports and rail connections.
The Småland coat of arms
