Cycling in Huskvarna
Cycling in Huskvarna. © Patrik Svedberg

Regions

Jönköping

– The northern part of Småland

In the northern part of Småland you will find everything from charming small villages with unique craftsmanship to the bigger city of Småland that offers city life, mythical nature and memorable experiences. Fly an air balloon, try the Swedish “ostkaka”, make your own candy canes, bike along beautiful paths, bathe in crystal clear waters or enjoy a relaxing spa. Welcome to our region!

Jönköping

Welcome to the capital of Småland; Jönköping! A beautifully situated city that curves around the Lake Vättern. Enjoy popular restaurants and thrilling adventures in the city center. Here are many shops, museums and events to take part in. Not far from the city the grand nature appears. Enchanting forests, shimmering lakes, and high mountains are ready to welcome you to explore.

History & culture

Jönköping is not only a scenic part of Småland – it is also a place with a lot of history. For example, Jönköping is well know for its early industrial activities of the safety match, and John Bauer's famous fairy-tale character Tuvstarr. Wherever you set foot in Jönköping, you find yourself in a historic environment.

Enjoy a good meal

Jönköping offers a culinary journey of choices. With restaurants from all parts of the world, the range is wide. Try the delicatessens, cafes and farm shops that give a feeling of luxury as well as home made. The interest in food and taste has grown explosively in recent years, as evidenced by the city's offerings. Here you can experience the taste of Småland, green forests and beautiful views - always close to the city.

Eksjö

Eksjö is one of Sweden's best-preserved wooden towns, with architecture and memories from more than four centuries.

History

Eksjö as a city has existed since the 15th century but was burned down in the middle of the 16th century. Most of the buildings that are now in the picturesque city centre, Gamla Stan, were built after the city was ravaged by fire and Eksjö has since been relatively spared from major fires. Many of the current houses were thus built during the 16th, 17th and 19th centuries.

Nature

Cycle through scenic areas or go on a hike! In Eksjö you will find unique Skurugata and Skuruhatt, a fault crack that is often described as southern Sweden's most peculiar natural phenomenon. Skuruhatt viewpoint, which is one of Småland's highest points with its 337 meters above sea level. The "hat" of the mountain offers a fantastic view.

Gränna

Idyllic, picturesque Gränna with its red wooden houses and cobbled streets lies next to the southeastern shore of Lake Vättern. This is where the famous sweets “Polkagrisar” are made.

History

In Gränna, there are lots of memories from earlier periods of glory, castle ruins in the area that shows signs of the former great power era. Gränna is the birthplace of the explorer Salomon August Andrée (1854-97), famous for his well known and unsuccessful balloon expedition to the North Pole. At Gränna Museum you can learn all about Andrée's arduous journey and its mysterious end.

Crafts

Today, Gränna is perhaps best known for its red and white striped peppermint rocks or “polkagrisar”, which appeared in the mid-19th century thanks to Amalia Erikson. In the picturesque town today there are a dozen of peppermint rock bakeries, several of which are open all year round. Here you can try baking the traditional pastry yourself or buy it to take home, choose from a multitude of flavors and shapes! In addition to peppermint rock candy, crisp bread or “knäckebröd” and ice cream are also made here.

Visingsö

History, art, stories and legends live on the kings' Visingsö. Experience the unique island, located in the middle of Lake Vättern, and its spectacular nature. Get around by bike, bus or horse and carriage!

Experiences

Visingsö offers many experiences; such as riding the famous remmalag (horse and cart) and experiencing several places on the island, viewing the magnificent ruins that shows the former great power era or feeling the tranquility of the unique oak forest. Year round, through all seasons, this is a harmonious and beautiful place to experience.

History

According to legend, Visingsö was created when the Giant Vist threw a tuft of grass into Lake Vättern so that his lady would have something to step on. As it was a thousand years ago, the tuft is still buzzing with life today! Visingsö Castle in Näs is often mentioned as Sweden's oldest royal castle and was built by King Sverker the Elder in the 1150s. The king and his entourage traveled to the castle and organized hunting, festivities and important meetings there. In 1318, the castle was taken by Småland residents in a rebellion against King Birger and burned down. Today, parts of the ruin at the headland remain for viewing. You can almost feel the historic moments echoing between the walls.

Nature

Just south of the harbor, you will find the oak forest, which is Sweden's straightest oak forest. Here there is wonderful nature to walk or cycle through during your stay on the island. Here are also Sweden's most beautiful dirt roads (voted by the Swedish Tourist Association in 2019) that leads you through the forest. Exploring the island by bike is a fantastic experience, stop at farm shops, beaches, the alpaca farm, unique churches or why not go up to Erstad and try bird watching?

Värnamo

Welcome to a place full of art, culture and furniture. A place where design and creativity is in focus. Here is also one of the country's largest national parks - Store Mosse.

Store mosse

On the western side of the Småland highlands is the national park Store Mosse. It is the largest of its kind south of Lapland and consists of untouched moorland on 7,740 hectares, an area equivalent to 10,840 football pitches. The nature at Store Mosse is reminiscent of the northern parts of Sweden and is characterized by a great diversity in both the animal and plant kingdoms, with everything from lakes and marshes to cranes, moose and eagles. Discover the plant and animal life along one of the hiking trails or join a guided tour out on the bog.

Art & design

On the outskirts of Värnamo you will find Vandalorum, a museum where the most influential art and design of our time is displayed. Vandalorum is a museum with exhibitions that present prominent contemporary designers and artists, both Swedish and international.

The funiture kingdom

Bruno Mathsson, Norrgavel, Svenssons in Lammhult and much more. In Möbelriket you will find unique design and furniture history with roots in the forests of Småland. Young designers and innovative manufacturers such as Källemo and Bruno Mathsson show themselves to the world. Here is the origin.

Other regions in Småland