The Grand Småland Campers Trip
One Week Road Trip: Småland for Nature Lovers
Day 1
Pick up your Campervan in Stockholm and stock up on groceries before heading south, following E4 towards Norrköping. From there you can either continue on E4 until you reach Linköping or take road E22, following the coast until Oskarshamn. Noteworthy stops on the way would be Västervik and it´s surrounding archipelago for the route via E22 and Kisa and it´s lakes, when driving through Linköping. Either way, your goal should be to reach Astrid Lindsgren hometown Vimmerby.
If you still have some time left, we recommend that you check out the Norra Kvills National Park for a nice little walk. Here you can stop by an impressive old Oak tree.
A picture stop at the village of Katthult to visit the farm of “Emil from Lönneberga”. Drive by “Bullerbu” from the children’s book by Astrid Lindgren which is free of charge. If you are travelling with kids the Astrid Lindgrens värld in Vimmerby is a must.
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In the evening, it is time to drive your little campervan towards Eksjö. The city center is a very well preserved wooden oldtown, with around 50 listed buildings, it’s definitely worth a visit before you find a parking spot for the night.
Göran Assner /imagebank.sweden.se
Day 2
Now to the Northermost parts of Småland. Let’s drive your campervan towards Jönköping. You will get a great view of the famous lake Vättern when you reach the top of the mountains around Jönköping. Jönköping is a bigger city within Småland but still has a very cozy feel to it. Why don’t you take a walk along the shore of lake Vättern. You can do this right in the heart of Jönköping and combine it with a stroll through the city center or you head to the nature reserve Rosenlunds Bankar to explore the impressive sandy shore with a view of lake Vättern.
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Continuing your trip towards Gränna you will have plenty of possibilities to stop your Campervan and enjoy the view of lake Vättern thanks to the steep shore. Best to enjoy the nature around the lake in the many naturereserves (e.g. Sjöbergen or Västanå) , that protect the environment around Vättern and give you great hiking possibilities.
Make sure to check the ferry timetables to an island - Visingö - in the lake and pre-book your ticket. For activities on the island make sure to check Visningsö homepage and choose your favorites. We recommend you find a cozy spot for your Smålandcamper and enjoy the sunset over the lake.
Patrick Svedberg /imagebank.sweden.se
Day 3
Want to spend more time on the island enjoy a relaxed day or two on Visingsö? :-) It’s worth it. For those with a tougher schedule only one night stay might be just fine to see the island. Visingsö is full of typical Småland nature, history and of course lake Vättern. For those on a low budget, explore the famous oak forest, planted hundreds of years ago for the Swedish ship industry back then. Its home to a variety of wildlife. In the picture you see the castle Visningsborg on the island.
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Ready to get your campervan back on the road? Now it’s time to leave the lake Vättern behind (don’t worry there are lots and loads of lakes in Småland) and travel south.
Göran Assner/imagebank.sweden.se
Head towards Värnamo. Time to visit another one of Smålands nationalparks, Store Mosse. Right at the parking you find all the information you need. There are longer hiking tours but if you are short on time there is a short accessible round where you already get a good impression of the moor and untouched wilderness. Store Mosse is the largest Swedish moor area south of Lapland, a white moor sea with pine trees and cranberries. Eagle feeding takes place March-November.
Day 4
Head towards Växjö in the heart of Småland. Camper friendly because of the beautiful campsite at the lake Helgasjön and closeness to the nature. The campsite rents out canoes which is a great way of exploring Helgasjön.
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Make sure you visit the castle and take a stroll around one of the many Islands in lake Helgasjön. Some are connected by tiny bridges. In the center of Växjö the famous cathedral is worth a visit as well as the park around, Linneparken, and the waterfront at Växjösjön where you can enjoy an icecream for fika by the lake.
Roine Magnusson/imagebank.sweden.se
For a nice dinner or drink and, if you are lucky, some livemusic a visit at Kafe Deluxe is a must. During the day it’s a restaurant serving tasty and locally sourced food, and during night, it turns to lively bar.
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For the best view in Växjö PM & Vänner rooftop bar is recommended. If you are a foodie check out PM & Vänner restaurant that has been awarded with a Michelin star. For a fresh bread or some tasty pastries for the road stop by PM & Vänners own bakery.
Tina Stafrén /imagebank.sweden.se
Not into fancy restaurants? There is a farmers market on Wednesdays and Saturdays on Växjös main square where you can buy traditional food from Småland such as the sausage called "Isterbandet" or “ostkaka”- crumbly cheesecake.
During the summer season you will get to buy blueberries and lingonberries if you haven’t picked enough yourself. Our tip: Get some authentic and affordable souvenirs such as dried moose sausage, “Polkagris” handmade candysticks, or wild blueberry jam, everyone will love it.
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If you still haven’t had enough of Smålands beautiful nature, Växjö has many easy to reach nature reserves for you to check out.
Tina Stafrén /imagebank.sweden.se
Tina Stafrén /imagebank.sweden.se
Day 5
Leaving Växjö behind you make your way to Åsnens nationalpark.
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Prepare for a calm day exploring the nature around and on the lake. Its possible to do shorter hikes, rent a canoe or boat or make bike trips around the lake depending on how much time you would like to spend.
Pay attention to the rich birdlife and nature as well as the uncountable beautiful views on the lake. Perfect for a relaxing end of your Grand Småland Campers trip.
Alexander Hall /imagebank.sweden.se
On your way back towards Kalmar, on the road E25, you will pass by the "Glasriket" the Kingdom of Crystal, where you will have the change to stop by one of the original glas blowing galleries of Småland. One of the most famous ones is in Kosta. If you still haven’t seen a moose, there is a moosepark in Kosta as well, you cannot miss the signs from the E25.
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From Kosta it won’t be long to get back to Kalmar. A favorite spot for the night is Svinö where you will have a view on the Öland bridge, stretching over Kalmarsund, connecting the island Öland with the main land.
Alexander Hall /imagebank.sweden.se
Day 6
Once in Kalmar you have time to enjoy exploring the city with its lovely old town with lots of preserved wooden houses as well as the castle. In Kalmar there are lots of things to do, rent a SUP (Stand Up Padel) or book a guided SUP tour exploring the city from the water, or exploring the history of the town in the Kalmar Museum.
Another insider tip is a visit to the café at Krusenstiernska Gården where you can enjoy a Swedish fika in a stunning traditional garden. You are allowed to bring your own picnic blanket and snacks but you can buy it in the café if you prefer.
Emmy Jonsson /imagebank.sweden.se
In Summer there are always things happening in Kalmar, kultural events, sports, festivals, you name it. So make sure you check the event calender.
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If you don’t want to miss out on Öland you have the chance to drive your Småland Camper over the 6km long bridge to Öland, or if you want to give your camper a well-deserved break you could take the bicycle ferry over to Öland. If you have time left a Öland camper trip will be the perfect addition to your Småland travels. Ask us for insider tips for a roadtrip on Öland, to see the whole island you should minimum plan for 2 whole days the more the better.
Tina Stafrén /imagebank.sweden.se
Day 7
Time to leave Kalmar, one of the bigger cities in Småland, behind and start heading towards Stockholm again. Take the E22 north in the direction of Norrköping. At the exit Kåremo, about 20 km north of Kalmar, you can take the exit to follow the scenic route "kustvägen" (marked with a white flower on brown background) which, leads you through cozy villages along the coast and the typical Småland farmland.
First stop is Ljungnäs beach, where you can take your first swim in the Baltic sea for this trip.
Next, traditional Swedish fika in the idyllic village of Pataholm where you find a cozy café in summertime.
Take the chance to rent your canoe and take a short trip on the calm small river Alsterån which flows into the Baltic sea here. It is surrounded by forest and farmland and you will glide into a jungle like scenery with lots of waterbirds and other animals.
At the coast in Småland there is always a chance to spot white-tailed eagle (Swedish “havsörn).
Alexander Hall /imagebank.sweden.se
Already lunch time? Head to the Swedish local restaurant “Nabbens Rökeriet” in Timmernabben who are offering a variety of smoked fish and seafood. Not a fish lover? You will also get very tasty homemade alternatives.
Follow the Kustvägen and it will bring you right to the small town of Mönsterås. For the afternoon, we recommend you take a trip to the nature reserve Lövö. It is a chain of small islands that you can access with your campervan via small bridges. On the last island, Lövö, there is a parking spot right at the nature reserve, the hiking map suggest different routes for easy hikes. Don’t forget, in Sweden you will almost always find some BBQ areas next to lakes, or in nature reserves, so it can be cozy to prepare your dinner right by the sea. Make sure to use the marked areas and pay attention to restrictions due to forest fire risks.
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For the evening head back to Mönsterås and find your campsite on the island Oknö. Here are two public campsites. If you want to stay a bit more private, why don’t you head further north and park your campervan overnight at the lake beside Adoba Klint. A perfect bathing spot for a midnight swim. You still have some energy left on the first day? Hike up to the top of Adoba Klint for the sunset. If there is some light left, you can hike around the lake (ca. 5 km) which leads back to the parking.
Alexander Hall /imagebank.sweden.se
Day 8
Time for the next Adventure. Take your Campervan to Oskarshamn. Take a stroll through the tiny but very traditional oldtownstreet “Besvärsgatan”, down to the harbor. In summer you shouldn’t miss a tour to the National Park Blå Jungfru.
In Oskarshamn you might want to stop at the award-winning bakery Nilsons for tasty traditional smörgås (sandwiches) cakes or bread.
Now its time for heading deeper into the Swedish forests. On the way, stop by Stensjö an operating traditional Swedish farm. Here you can choose between walks of different lengths around the beautiful area.
Alexander Hall /imagebank.sweden.se
Emma Ivarsson/imagebank.sweden.se
From there its not far to make a stop at Målilla Moosepark. The perfect stop for everyone who wants to make sure to spot a moose while in Sweden. The park is lovely with lots of space for the animals. If you dare you can feed those majestic creatures with some apples that you will get at the entrance.
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This marks also the end of our Grand Småland Road Trip. Now it is on you to find the way back to Stockholm. Depending on which route you took on your way down to Vimmerby, we suggest to now opt for the other one of course.
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We hope that you enjoyed the trip.