Located in the south of Sweden, surrounded by two beautiful lakes is the town of Jönköping. If you love nature, small scale and pure authenticity, this is the place to be. Although Jönköping only measures 44 square kilometres, it is Sweden’s fourth largest city. From a beautiful winter snow carpet to a Mediterranean holiday feeling, Jönköping has got it all!
Who says Sweden, usually thinks of cold temperatures, beautiful nature and modern architecture. A Valhalla for the ultimate nature lover who loves the cold and doesn’t mind the icy wind, right…? Let us get straight to the point and tell you that Scandinavia has a lot more to offer than its prevailing stereotypes would have you believe.
Also for the sunbathers among us, Sweden is indeed a smart move. In the summer months the temperature in Jönköping can reach 25 to 26 degrees, the ideal temperature to sunbathe and still enjoy the city during your holiday. Jönköping is also situated by Sweden’s second largest lake, called Vättern. No more stinging eyes or sticky skin as Vättern is a sweat lake. This beautiful bright blue lake comes with its own sandy beach known as the Vätterstranden, thus Jönköping checks all our boxes for a blissful summer holiday. Unlike the well-known Mediterranean countries, you won’t find any of that pesky mass tourism here. All that serenity and, for you, your well-deserved rest
A bite and a drink
In the evening, Jönköping offers a wide range of delicious restaurants, the main speciality being crustacean. In the summer months, you can dine on the pier with panoramic views of the lake, a great way to end your day. Also for the young people among us, this is the place to be. The restaurants located on the pier transform in the late hours into clubs and bars with live music, where real parties break out. It’s a great way to get to know the locals in a different way.
Gränna, the town from a fairy tale
Not far from Jönköping, you will find the picturesque town of Gränna. With its brightly coloured Swedish houses, small streets and sugary Polkagrisen, this place is worth a stop on your holiday to Jönköping. Gränna’s town centre consists of just one street, so you only need a few hours to explore Gränna and all its sweetness. Driving into Gränna, it is like being taken back in a time machine to a time before Sweden excelled in modernity and technology. Here, you get the feeling that time has stood still. Gränna is known throughout Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia for its Polkagrisen. Polkagrisar, is a candy candy also known as Candy Cane. handmade here and sold in small sweet shops all over the city. Walking around the main street, you will find a shop called Polkapojkarna towards the end. sympathetic artisans. From us they get a 10 out of 10 for atmosphere and cosiness.
From fairy tale to medieval
From Gränna, we take the ferry to the historic island Visingsö, which lies in the middle of Lake Vättern. In less than 25 minutes, the ferry takes us from the picturesque Gränna to the green nature landscape of Visingsö. Once on the island, we rent a bike Visingsö is quite large and consists of a succession of vast natural landscapes, making the trip by bike the ideal way to explore the island. This is where our trip starts, Visingsö is an incredibly diverse place and an ideal trip to take with children.
Our first stop is the Vissingborg castle ruin, in the 16th century an enormously imposing castle, now sadly we can only enjoy its ruins and muse on what once was here.
On arrival, you can choose to explore a small part of your trip by typical medieval horse-drawn carriage. It will take you from the harbour to the north of Visingsö to visit the Kumlaby Church. This medieval church in the north of the island, was built in the 12th century and gives you a wonderful view over the whole island and Lake Vättern.
From the north we continue our journey through the vast fields and green meadows, all the way to the south of the island. On the way, we pass by the large oak forest. It is crazy to think of, but on this small island we have already seen meadows, fields, pebble beaches, ruins and a whole oak forest. It seems as if all the elements of nature have been brought together in this small area, making Visingsö a kind of summary of nature.
Once we arrive in the South, we come to a pleasant surprise. The south of Visingsö is inhabited exclusively by Alpacas. Especially for the small children, but also for the big kids among us, this is the ideal ending of a busy day. The wool from the alpacas is expertly sheared to make wonderfully soft and, above all, warm jumpers, slippers and blankets.
Jönköping, the previously small and unknown town in the south of Sweden that certainly deserves its place on the map. From the adventurer to the sun worshipper, from young to old, there is something for everyone. Currently still exclusive, unprecedented and free from any form of mass tourism. Pure enjoyment. We already know which destination we will gladly revisit as soon as we can again.
Practical information
Seaside Restaurant website:https://www.seasidepiren.se
Website Polkagrisar at Gränna: https://polkapojkarna.se
Website practical info Visingsö: https://jkpg.com
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