Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [109]
Eating & Drinking
Nya Conditoriet (100 11; Storgatan 28) This busy old-fashioned bakery-cafe serves yummy sandwiches and pastries.
Pubben (124 15; Storgatan 18) There are snacks and light meals here, but punters mainly come to this English-style pub for the beer and hefty selection of whiskeys. Complete with a summery terrace, it’s the most heaving bar in town.
There are supermarkets on Storgatan, and a central Systembolaget (Östra Kyrkogatan 19).
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NORTHERN ÖLAND
At Sandvik on the west coast, about 30km north of Borgholm, Sandvikskvarn (261 72; www.sandvikskvarn.com; pizzas from Skr78; noon-8pm May-Sep, to 10pm mid-Jun–mid-Aug) is a Dutch-style windmill and one of the largest in the world. In summer, you can climb its seven storeys for good views across to the mainland. The rustic restaurant serves the local speciality, lufsa (baked pork and potato; Skr69); and there’s an adjacent pizzeria.
Atmospheric Källa kyrka, at a little harbour about 36km northeast of Borgholm, off Rd 136, is a fine example of Öland’s medieval fortified churches. The broken rune stone inside shows the Christian Cross growing from the pagan tree of life.
Grankullavik, in the far north, has sandy beaches and summer crowds; Lyckesand is one of the island’s best beaches and the strangely twisted trees and ancient barrows at the nearby Trollskogen (Trolls’ Forest) nature reserve are well worth a visit. On the far north’s western edge is the beautiful Neptuni åkrar nature reserve, famed for its spread of blue viper’s bugoss flowers in early summer.
Neptuni Camping (284 95; www.neptunicamping.se; Småskogsvägen; sites Skr165, cabins from Skr370), a wild and grassy place, is handy for people jumping off the ferry in Byxelkrok, and has good amenities.
Kaffestugan (221 27; Boda; sandwiches Skr45-50, salads Skr60-80; 7am-6pm Jun-Aug, 7am-6pm Sat & Sun only April, May & Sep), on the main road in tiny Boda, is a clued-up cafe that micro-roasts its own fair-trade coffee and bakes everything from luscious berry tarts and cakes to organic breads and moreish lavender-and-chocolate biscotti.
Lammet & Grisen (203 50; Löttorp; from 5pm), 10km south of Böda, is popular for its all-you-can-eat evenings (adult Skr395), with whole spit-roasted lamb and pork on the menu, plus live entertainment. The restaurant is particularly family-friendly.
Bus 106 runs a route to the north from Borgholm.
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CENTRAL ÖLAND
Fortresses, a zoo and a charming farm village are central Öland’s star attractions. The largest settlement is Färjestaden (Ferry Town), where you’ll find banks, services and a Systembolaget. The town lost its purpose in life after the bridge was built, although an effort has been made to rejuvenate the old jetty.
Ölands Djurpark (392 22; admission Skr240; 10am-6pm late May–mid-Jun & mid–late Aug, to 7pm mid-Jun–mid-Aug, 11am-4pm early–late May & Sep) is a zoo, amusement park and water park favoured by families, just north of the bridge near the tourist office. Kids under 1m tall get in free.
The largest Iron Age ring fort in Sweden, Gråborg was built as the Roman Empire was crumbling. Its impressively monumental walls measure 640m around, even though much of the stonework was plundered for later housing. After falling into disuse, the fort sprang back to life around 1200, when the adjacent St Knut’s chapel (now a ruin) was built. The Gråborg complex is about 8km east of Färjestaden, just off the Norra Möckleby road; you need your own transport to get there.
The vast Ismantorp fortress, with the remains of 88 houses and nine mysterious gates, is deep in the woods, 5km west of the Himmelsberga museum. It’s an undisturbed fortress ruin, illustrating how the village’s tiny huts were encircled by the outer wall – Eketorp (right) is an imaginative reconstruction of similar remains. The area, just south of the Ekerum–Långlöt road, can be visited at any time.
A 17km hiking trail