Showing posts with label Linköping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Linköping. Show all posts

13 January 2019

Top 10 things to do in Linköping



Top 10 things to do in Linköping


1. The cathedral of Linköping, Linköpings domkyrka, is one of the main attractions in Linköping. It is situated in the middle of the town and easy to access. At the time of the writing of this blog post the opening hours are all days 9-18. But you better check the link below before you visit so it is open. It is located next to the castle of Linköping.
https://www.kyrktorget.se/domkyrkan.linkopinghttps://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link%C3%B6pings_domkyrka

2. Fika. Fika is a popular thing to do in Sweden. We meet with family or friends, drink coffee and eat cookies and the traditional kanelbulle (bun). You can find the best fika in town at:
  • Babettes bakery and cafe. This is a very popular cafe for fika or lunch in Linköping close to the Trädgårdstorget square. It is a nice place to meet a friend for a coffee or lunch, read a book or study. They serve locally produced food and focus on quality. Try the vegetarian burger. It is really nice. http://babettes.se/
  • Simons rosteri cafe this is also a popular cafe for fika or lunch in the city centre. They focus on making wonderful coffee and home made bread and cookies. It is located on Storgatan pass by the Folke Filbyter statue and walk towards the castle. Simons is on the right side of the street.  http://simonsrosteribageri.se/

3. Gamla Linköping is the old town of Linköping. This is situated a couple of kilometers from the city square. When Linköping was modernized some of the old houses in the city center were moved to this part of Linköping. This i now an open air museum with old shops, cafe, waffle cafe, chocolate shop etc. A nice place to visit with kids, especially the science centre Fenomen museum. No entrance fee. It only takes a few minutes by bus from the city square Stora torget or the train station.
Fenomen museum science center for kids
Not far from the old town is Lill-Valla, a large new playground for kids. There is also a mini-zoo with some animals like rabbits to look at. It is within walking distance from Gamla Linköping. No entrance fee.
Website about The playground 

4. After work in Linköping. If you are going for an afterwork in Linköping. You should check out the bars and restaurants on the main square Stora torget in the summer. In the winter restaurant Brasseriet and the Gallo wine bar are very popular places. If you like rock the Mörners bar is the place to visit. And for sports you probably will enjoy the Legends sports bar. If you like beer and smörrebröd (small sandwich) try the beer cafe Backen. All these place are in the city centre and close to the main square Stora torget.  

5. Rent a Kayak, in the summer. You can paddle through Linköping on the Stångån, Kinda kanal, river. Or in one of the lakes close to the town. Contact the Kayak company for more details. There are also a lovely area for walking around Stångån in the middle of town, in the Tinnerö area Östgötaleden and along Kinda kanal in the country side. In Tinnerö you also find places to barbeque. 

6. Enjoy music. There are several concerts every week in Linköping. The symphony orchestra plays classical music and there are also local bands or national artists visiting to perform in Linköping.
The churches offer a lot of concerts without entrance fee:
Music concert program in the Sankt Lars church, in the city centre, same street as the Forex office
Music concert program in the Domkyrkan, cathedral of Linköping in the city centre.
http://kammarorkestern.linkopingsdomkyrka.se/
https://www.facebook.com/pg/linkopingsdomkyrka/events/?ref=page_internal
https://www.kyrktorget.se/domkyrkoforsamlingen.linkoping
http://domkyrkokoren.linkopingsdomkyrka.se/

7. The farmers market. In the weekends after the summer there are a local farmers market, Bondens marknad, in the city centre. They sell locally produced vegetables, honey, food, cheese, flowers etc. A wonderful place to visit. It is on the square in front on Linköping castle. Close to Domkyrkan. 
If you have a car you can also visit the small producers around Linköping to taste and buy their products. On the west side of Sweden you can make a nice tour by car to visit: Löts mejeri makes cheese, Brunneby musteri makes juices, non-alkoholic cider, marmelads, jam etc and Boställets bageri bakery and cafe in an old stable in the countryside, 

8. Enjoy food. You can enjoy very nice food at:
The best burger is served at Flott restaurant. Close to the main square Stora torget in Linköping.
The best Italian food is served at Le Borgate. A 10-15 of minutes walk from Stora torget. It is located in Övre vasastaden. 

9. Culture. There some museums in Linköping. The Gamla Linköping old town open air museum, The Östergötland museum, Linköping castle museum Linköping slottsmuseeum and the Flygvapenmuseum the air force museum are the most popular ones. In the city centre is the lovely Passagen Art Museum (free entrance). 
There are also many castles in and around Linköping which are nice to visit for a guided tour. The closest by are Ekenäs slott, Bjärka säby slott, Linköping castle. On the way to Bjärka säby slott you can stop for an local produced ice cream at the Stavsätter ice cream production. There is a lake by Bjärka säby where you can swim in the summer and ice skate in the winter.
There is a local theatre Östgötateatern and also music concerts in the music hall which is called Linköping konsert och kongress.
On Storgatan 41 there is a shop called Hemslöjden where you can see and buy local traditional craft. 

10. Wine tasting. There nice wine tastings at some of the restaurants in Linköping. The large wine shop Systembolaget in Linköping also arrange wine tastings every month with special themes. 


Things to do in Linköping with kids or teenagers


If you are visiting Linköping with young kids I also recommend:
  • swimming in Linköping simhall in the city centre (entrance fee)
  • visit the large playground in the park Trädgårdsföreningen in the city centre (no entrance fee)
  • Busfabriken indoors playground or Leos lekland (entrance fee)
  • Flygvapenmuseum, outside the city centre, museum with aircraft (entrance fee)
  • The kids corner at Östergötlands museum, in the city centre, (entrance fee)
  • Bowling at Strandgatan (entrance fee)
  • The old town Gamla Linköping (no entrance fee)
  • The Lill valla playground (no entrance fee)

If you are looking for activities for older kids and teenagers I can recommend:
  • Outdoor go cart (25 minutes from the city centre by car)
  • Indoor the Prison island adventure (20 minutes from the city centre by car or 30 by bus), 
  • Indoor Laserdome 10-15 minutes walk from Stora torget
  • Indoor gocart (15 minutes from the city centre by car or 30 by bus)
  • Indoor Escape house (in the middle of the city centre by the square Trädgårdstorget) 
  • Outdoor Höghöjdsbanan (20 minutes from the city centre by car or 30 by bus).


22 February 2015

Day Spa in Östergötland, Sweden

A cheaper way to enjoy a luxury spa is to book a Day Spa Package.
These are my tips for a nice bargain Spa day in Östergötland, Sweden.

1. PAUS Ekoxen in Linköping http://www.pausekoxen.se/sv/spapaket/
Price in 2015 is 575 kr including a 35 minutes treatment and a light dinner (soup)

2. Söderköpings brunn. Day spa packages for spa on a Sunday.
Price in 2015 on Sundays 350 kr, including coffee, but excluding treatment.
http://soderkopingsbrunn.se/svenska/spa/dagspa-relax-pa-brunnen/

3. Villa Fridhem in Kolmården, close to Norrköping
Price in 2015 435 kr, weekends including breakfast buffet, but excluding treatment
http://www.villafridhem.se/spa/dagpaket/

4. Kolmården African Spa and relax, close to Norrköping
Price in 2015 495 kr, including lunch, but excluding treatment
http://www.kolmarden.com/boende/vildmarkshotellet/african_spa_and_relax/spa-paket/dagspa

5. Nettans Spa in Linköping
Price in 2015 is 595 kr/2 hours in the spa, but excluding treatment
http://nettans.se/Spa.html

11 July 2013

Bed & Breakfast in Östergötland


The best Bed and Breakfast and small lovely hotels in Ostergotland, Östergötland Sweden

There are so many nice both new and old Bed and Breakfast in Östergötland, Sweden.
These are my favorites!

Bed & Breakfast in Östergötland 

  1. Hilma Winblad is a new Bed and Breakfast hotel in the old town in Linköping. It is decorated in old style and has only five room. A lovely place close to both historical houses and shopping!
  2. Särtshöga Vingård is a bed and Breakfast on a wine yard on the contryside in Östergötland. It has a gorgeous view of Omberg mountain. A cosy place close to the nature and beautiful sunsets.
  3. Urnatur has lovely tree houses for Bed and Breakfast in the forrest. It won the Swedish Eco Tourism Prize in 2012. 
  4. Klefstad gård a Bed and Breakfast on a farm. It is located on the coutryside close to Linköping. The farm serves locally produced food. 
Do you know an extra ordinary small hotel or Bed and Breakfast in Ostergotland - Östergötland  that should be on my top list? Please leave a comment here.


12 May 2013


Afternoon tea in Östergötland, Sweden

Welcome to my home county Östergötland.
These are my best tips of Afternoon teas in Östergötland.
Enjoy!

Afternoon tea in Linköping, Sweden

The London Cafe, a genuine british inspired cafe with lovely cup cakes

Babettes Cafe a café in the centre of Linköping. 
The Park Hotel has a traditional Afternoon Tea in the centre of Linköping.

Afternoon tea in Söderköping, Sweden
The lovely Söderköpings brunn the historical spa hotel by the canal

Afternoon tea in Rimforsa, Sweden
The cosy Rimforsa Strand hotel, a lovely hotel by a nice lake

Afternoon tea in Norrköping, Sweden
Wonderful Villa Fridhem is located by the sea, close to Norrköping


18 August 2012

The Best Cafés in Ostergotland Sweden

The Best Cafés and Bakeries in  Ostergotland, Östergötland Sweden

There are so many nice old cafés and bakeries in Östergötland, Sweden.
These are my favorites!

Café and bakery Top 6 list!


Lovely countryside café Bostället and bakery


  1. Bjärka Säby, the old castle from 1700 century has a lovely café and bakery. It is situated by a lake outside Linköping. 
  2. Väderstad Central konditori, a very small village close to Mjölby. Just like in the old days! 
  3. Chocolat in Linköping. Great coffee and fab chocolate in the centre of Linköping.
  4. Gamla Konditoriet in Vadstena (the old café in Vadstena). Great food and cakes and a nice sunny garden. Vadstena is a lovely town with a beautiful castle, church and many small lovely shops. 
  5. Smultronstället, the ice cream restaurant in Söderköping. Only ice creams on the menu and its plenty! The kids favorite place!
  6. Bostället café and bakery on the countryside close to Maspelösa, outside Linköping. 
Please leave a comment and give me your view on other fab bakeries and cafés in Östergötland.


 A photo from the historical town Vadstena

The view from Bostället cafe & bakery

The marina in Vadstena
The Bjärka Säby castle café with homebaked cakes

Gamla Konditoriet in Vadstena 

Do you know an extra ordinary cafe in Ostergotland - Östergötland  that should be on my top list? Please leave a comment here.



05 June 2010

What to do in Ostergotland



The must see things in my home county Ostergotland.
The region Östergötland, in Sweden is my home. I have gathered my very Top things to do in Östergötland, and these are things you won´t find in the travel books. Enjoy!
1. Peaceful walk in the beautiful nature in the nature reserve Tinnerö, Linköping. This is one of my favourite places to go for a quiet walk and to take some photos of the animals.

2. A guided tour & café at the lovely Bjärka Säby castle by the lake Rengen. It was built in 1700 and the former owner was a noble Count who sold it for 1 krona (0,1 Euros) a couple of years ago. It has been restored and is a truly lovely place.

3. A boat trip on a sunny day in the archipelago is supernice. Take a boat from Arkösund, on the east coast of Sweden. The Östgöta archipelago has thousands of small islands which are nice for an excursion or just for sun bathing. A nice place to stay is the Arkösund hotel. It has a lot of music performances during the summer. A place you also should visit in the archipelago is the Harstena island.

4. Have dinner and fun at the the combined Theatre-Restaurant Mejeriet in Vadstena.

5. Check out the Kinda Kanal (canal locks) in Sturefors and castle park in Sturefors, Linköping. The park is open for visitors in the summer. The locks in Kinda Kanal was built in 1870 and the one Sturefors is beuatiful and not so known by tourists.
Bring some picnic food and have some lunch by the locks with a view of the canal and lake.

6. Visit Knäppingsborg in Norrköping. An old area sparkling with new small shops, nice restaurants and a fab bakery.

7. In the summertime, enjoy live music with local artists and homebaked cookies and cakes at Adelsnäs Kaffe Stuga (café) by the Adelsnäs castle, in Åtvidaberg. The music performances are on Sundays.

8. Art in Åtvidaberg. Fab Raku ceramics things by Susanne Nyhlin-Åstrand. Visit her shop at Verksg.3 Åtvidaberg. When in Åtvidaberg you should also go to the artists & painters in Åtvidabergsgruppen on Bruksgatan and admire their beautiful paintings.

9. In December, have julbord (Christmas Buffet), it is a Christmas version of the Swedish smorgasbord. My favourite is in Skänninge at the local hotel Skänninge Stadshotell. I read somewhere that tennislegend Björn Borg celebrated his 50th birthday here but I dont know if it is true or not.


10. Avoid the big shopping malls and go for shopping in one of the many small shops and boutiques in the countryside.
Interior design...Elsas Hem in Borenshult, Motala.
Hantverksgården outside Malmslätt in Linköping.
Unnerstad gård close to Ekenäs castle outside Linköping.
Food...Fresh aspargaus at the shop between Linköping and Berg.
The butchers, Britta och Lennarts, Norsholm
Brunneby Musteri, for fresh juices & jams, Borensberg
Bleckenstad, Mjölby
Hargodlarna, Kisa
Boxholms cheese factory is called Boxholms ostClothes&shoes...Blankas butik in Vadstena
Minsjö säteri, Norrköping
Erika Tubbin, Norrköping
Blankas Port, Vadstena

Art...Hjortslunds ateljeer, Kisa
Linnefors krukmakeri, Boxholm

And then - sorry - but I couldn´t resist some things from the tourist travel guides:
For shrimp-lovers: Shrimp-cruise from Bergs slussar (it is not a cruise for shrimps, it is a cruise for those who love shrimp buffets and boat trips)
For ice cream - lovers: Visit the ice cream restaurant in Söderköping, Halvars kiosk in Norrköping or Bosses glassbar in Linköping.