Tidö is a castle in Västerås Municipality in the historical province of Västmanland. It is in an area that was once Rytterne Parish, just south of the city of Västerås. It became nationally famous in 2022 when several party leaders met here for negotiations after the parliament election. The talks resulted in the Tidö Agreement between the parties of the right-wing bloc: the Sweden Democrats, the Moderate Party, the Christian Democrats, and the Liberals. The three last ones formed a coalition government with the support of the Sweden Democrats.
A Short History of Tidö
The construction of the castle began in 1625 and was commissioned by the Swedish statesman Axel Oxenstierna and his wife Anna Åkesdotter Bååt. This estate had earlier been in the possession of Anna’s parents and Anna inherited the land in 1610. The original medieval stone house here was known as Oldenburg. The current castle was completed in 1641 and has since had several prominent owners, mostly within the Oxenstierna family.
Things to Do and See
It is the castle that is the main attraction here. Well, that is unless you are a motorcycle fanatic. The castle is in the middle of nature and you will find the third largest lake in Sweden not far away. That is Lake Mälaren.
Tidö Castle
Tidö Castle claims to be one of the best-preserved castles from the time of the Swedish Empire. The castle has been open to the public since 1971 but is still today privately owned. The castle is surrounded by a park landscape and not far away are the shores of Lake Mälaren.
MC Collection
Just a short distance away from the castle is the local bike museum. It is a private collection of motorcycles that are on display at what can only be considered a museum. It is housed in one of the old stables, which in itself is an impressive building. The bikes are many in their number, but some are also quite old. It is a collection of motorcycles from 1904 up until today.
How to Get to Tidö
- Flights: Stockholm Västerås Airport (VST) is 22 kilometers to the north.
- Car: Tidö is on countryside roads south of Västerås.
- Bus: Buses from VL connect Tidö with the surrounding region with a bus stop a short walk away up along the main road.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 124 kilometers (1 h 30 min)
- Gothenburg – 380 kilometers (4 h 30 min)
- Malmö – 602 kilometers (6 h 30 min)
- Linköping – 176 kilometers (2 h 20 min)
- Kiruna – 1226 kilometers (13 h 50 min)
Find out more about other destinations in Sweden by visiting our page Exploring Sweden
