Last summer I repeated the adventure of 2022. That summer I drove south to the island of Öland and along the coast of Blekinge, sleeping in the car for two nights before heading home. This summer I would extend the trip and spend three nights in the car as I was heading south towards the island of Öland. I had not decided on the exact route, but I was sure to get further south the first day than I did the year before. Then I only got to Oskarshamn. This time I wanted to get to Öland. How about Susann and Little A? They were happy to be on the Åland Islands instead of sleeping in the car.
Good Bye Vagnhärad!
Let the adventure begin! I left Vagnhärad and headed south along the motorway E4. Less than two hours later it was time to leave the motorway and follow the smaller roads through the province of Östergötland. This took place in Linköping, a city that for several years was my home when studying. Something that meant that the drive down here had few new surprises.
My first stop for the day took place a bit south of Linköping in the locality of Rimforsa. This is where I found a good spot along the waterfront to enjoy a late breakfast. It was a sunny morning with a beautiful view of Lake Åsunden. It was far from the last stop of the day. Just a short drive later I stopped again for a walk in the town of Kisa. It is a town that I have a faint memory of visiting as a kid.
Following the Stories of Astrid Lindgren in Småland
The Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren was born in Vimmerby in the province of Småland and there are many places of interest here in the vicinity. My exploration started in Vimmerby. I did not start by entering the huge theme park dedicated to Astrid Lindgren’s stories, but instead the town itself. It is a beautiful town to stroll around in and where some of the central streets are lined by historical wooden houses of the smaller sizes. It was also in Vimmerby that I found a restaurant that served a nice Asian bufé.
From Vimmerby I continued in the steps of Astrid Lindgren. The next stop was the small village of Sevedstorp. Sevedstorp is best known by its fictional name Bullerbyn. This was once the home of Astrid Lindgren’s father but became famous as the main filming location for the film based on the books about the Six Bullerby Children. It is a very picturesque place, with that traditional feeling of the Swedish countryside.
I was not finished with the sights found in the books of Astrid Lindgren. Have you ever heard about Lönneberga? Yes, Emil of Lönneberga. Lönneberga was a parish in Småland and it was within this parish that the farm of Katthult is located in the stories. I did not visit the farm, but I did make a short stop in the locality of Lönneberga. The seat of the parish was the church located just a short distance away and the modern locality has developed later around a former railway station. You can, however, find a wooden sculpture of Emil here if you wish to say hi. Near the church is also a beautiful open-air museum run by the local heritage society.
Heading Towards the Island of Öland
The drive towards the coast included shorter stops to explore the localities of Hultsfred, Målilla, and Högsby. But it was first in Mönsterås that I made a longer stop and found some ham and cheese salad for dinner. This coastal town is another town I remember from my childhood. I remember spending a weekend with the caravan at a campsite on the peninsula of Oknö, just outside of Mönsterås. But I did remember Mönsterås as a bit more picturesque. Don’t misunderstand me, it is still a town worth visiting, but I didn’t find the same views that I had in my memory.
From Mönsterås it is not a long drive south to Kalmar and the bridge across the Kalmar Strait to the island of Öland. Driving across the bridge is an experience in itself, especially when the sun starts to set. Something that sadly happened behind.
My main target for the next morning was the castle ruins of Borgholm. But as the sun started to set I decided to drive the last kilometers in the morning. Instead, I found a westward-facing beach to see if I could get a nice view of the sunset. That was followed by a short drive to a nearby rest area where I parked the car and prepared for the night. A good thing about traveling in Sweden during the summer is that there is a lot of people driving around and sleeping in their cars. So I was far from alone in this particular rest area. There were at least another five cars parked for the night.
Join me Exploring Sweden! Read more: Summer Road Trip 2023
