Öland
TRAVEL PERIOD: SPRING-SUMMER-FALL
Duration:
4 Days – 3 Nights
summer
group
ÖLAND
Öland may be Sweden’s smallest province, but the range of attractions is vast. Windmills, churches, castles, Sweden’s tallest lighthouse and the cultural landscape of Alvaret attract visitors to this long, narrow island, which also offers more sunshine than most other regions. Welcome to the island of sun and wind!
Itinerary
- Day 1: Kalmar We arrive in Kalmar where we make a stop to familiarize ourselves with the city. Inside the remains of the old city wall we find a tasteful mix of both old and new. Restaurants and shops sit alongside historic buildings. The cathedral from 1682 is located in the beautiful main square, surrounded by classic wooden and stone houses. Next to the Old Town, with its winding cobbled streets, is the moated Kalmar Castle, which dates back to the 12th century. We make a visit here before continuing over the Öland Bridge to our hotel.
- Dag 2: Nortern Öland After breakfast, we visit Borgholm Castle “the most beautiful ruin in the North”. The size is overwhelming and the location fascinating. Rarely have nature and architecture merged so well. We stroll around the grounds and enjoy the fantastic view at the same time. A short distance away is the next castle, Solliden, and its magnificent gardens. It is here that the Royal Family spends their summers, and we walk through the fantastic castle park. The next stop is at the largest windmill in the Nordic region, Sandvik Mill. A typical Öland lunch is served here and those who wish to do so have the opportunity to go up into the eight-storey mill. At Byrum there is Öland’s most famous rauk area. The rare stone stands have been chiseled by the constant movements of the sea. North of Byxelkrok the landscape is dominated by the shingle field Neptuni åkrar. In summer, the barren and vine-covered field turns from gray to a colorful sea of flowering bluebells. On the north-easternmost tip of Öland is Trollskogen, a magical mix of twisted pines, mixed coniferous forest and large oaks. We now turn south and return to our hotel
- Day 3: Southern Öland Today we will explore the southern part of the island. The row villages, the cultivated land, the lake areas and Stora Alvaret together form the World Heritage Site Södra Öland’s agricultural landscape. Windmills, burial grounds and the ancient castle of Eketorp are reminders of the island’s long history. On the southern cape, the Långe Jan lighthouse looks out over the Baltic Sea and we visit Naturum Ottenby which offers an interesting exhibition on migratory birds. After lunch, we turn north again to go to Vickleby and Capellagården which was started by Carl and Siv Malmsten, today a meeting place for people interested in culture from all over the world. Before it is time to go back to our hotel, we make a stop at Paradisverkstaden in Färjestaden. Here you can find ceramics in all its forms with nature as the main source of inspiration
- Dag 4: Glasriket och hemresa Before heading home, we visit Glasriket – the Kingdom of Glass- where mouth-blown glass has been produced since 1742. In the Småland glassworks, the possibilities of glass have always been challenged and many glassblowing techniques have been experimented with. Here you will find both utility glass and world-class art glass. We visit one of the smelters and see how the red-hot mass is transformed into brittle crystal or robust bowls. At Kosta Outlet, shoppers can find glass, branded clothing, home furnishings and much more. In the evening we return to our home town with great memories of the Småland Kingdom of Glass and the Island of Sun and Wind.
Services included:
Accommodation
• 3 nights hotel accommodation
• 3 dinners
• 2 lunches
Excursions & Activities
• Entrance Kalmar castle
• Entrance Borgholm castle
• Entrance Solliden
• Visit Naturrum Ottenby
• Guided tour Capellagården
• Guided tour Kosta glasbruk