Sparreholm, Södermanland – Exploring Sweden

There are several small localities and townships around Sweden. Several of these places have nature as their next-door neighbor. Sparreholm is a small town that belongs to Flen Municipality in Södermanland. It has around 700 inhabitants and it is located beautifully right next to lake Båven.  What makes Sparreholm special is the lakes, fields, and forests that surround it; it offers several incredible views to its visitors. The surroundings create such a harmony that it feels like time is standing still here in the Swedish countryside.

We made a quick visit to Sparreholm during a road trip in central Sweden. Our original plan did not include the town, but as we approached the area we could not resist a short stop to enjoy the view, the harmony, and a little bit of shopping. More about the shopping later. (Yes, in Sweden you find your next shopping experience at the most unlikely places).

This is the moment we would normally write a few sentences about the history of whatever place we have visited. For once, Google was not able to provide us with much help in terms of information about our destinations.

Sparreholm Owns Its Name to the Nearby Castle

The name of the castle comes from a man named Göran Sparre. He built the castle in the 17th century. The locality outside the castle started to grow first around the year 1862 when a train station was built there. The railway brought new opportunities for the wood industry in the area.

These days Sparreholm is a sleepy little town. There is a pizzeria and the compulsory korvkiosk that can be found in any town in Sweden, small or big. You will never run out of sausages while in Sweden. It is one of those places where it’s completely OK to take a shortcut over somebody’s garden in order to make it to the lake. The owners will only say hi and point you in the right direction. Small Swedish towns, in a nutshell, that is.

5 Things to Do in Sparreholm

Sparreholm is probably a place that is best to enjoy during the summer. When we visited on a warm summer day, the town was not yet fully awake. We did see some people at the korvkiosk, though. Had we visited during winter, things would probably not have been the same. It’s difficult to imagine this idyllic landscape in its winter dress.

So, in the summer you can:

1. Swim in lake Båven. Located just next to the locality it is easily accessible. The lake is the third largest in Södermanland and several castles and mansions can be found along its shores.
2. Visit Sparreholm Castle (Sparreholms slott). You find it just north of the locality. It’s possible to go there on either foot or by car. Visitors can enjoy the castle park and maybe visit one of the three museums on the site. Why not have a look at the car museum, the museum for horse wagons, or the technical museum? The latter boasts with one of Europe’s largest collections of jukeboxes. Now, that’s surely something you wouldn’t want to miss.
3. Spend time at odd museums. The good news, is there are more fascinating things to see than only jukeboxes! Swedish small towns seem to specialize in random museums. Which, of course, is not a bad thing. For example, we saw a sign for a nostalgia museum in Sparreholm. Take the chance and learn something new during your trip!
4. Go shopping at Fabriken. We said there would be some shopping involved, didn’t we? Nowadays the prospect of spending money seems to be one of the main reasons why people visit Sparreholm. There is one big shop called Fabriken. The word means “The Factory”.The building is actually an old factory that has been rebuilt into a shop that is competing with low prices. It’s a good place for bargains, but be aware: there is a lot of junk as well.
5. Enjoy nature. Sparreholm is located in the countryside in Södermanland. Typical attributes of this part of Sweden include fields and lakes where one can relax and enjoy the silence while admiring the view.

Sparreholm: How to Get There?

There are not many means of public transportation that will take you to Sparreholm. There is still a train station, but it has not been used since 1967. So, you can forget the train! Other options include:

• Car: There are good connections by road to Sparreholm. Road 57 leads to Gnesta and Järna to the east and to Flen and Katrineholm in the west. Road 53 goes to Malmköping and Eskilstuna in the north and to Nyköping in the south.
• Bus: There are local buses connecting Sparreholm with Eskilstuna, Nyköping, Gnesta and Flen.

The driving distance to Sparreholm from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:

• Stockholm – 99 kilometers (1 h 16 min)
• Gothenburg – 398 kilometers (3 h 50 min)
• Malmö – 540 kilometers (5 h 2 min)
• Luleå – 964 kilometers (9 h 43 min)
• Linköping – 128 kilometers (1 h 25 min)

Explore More of Södermanland and Sweden