Kalmar Slott

Fairy-tale turrets, a drawbridge, a foul dungeon and secret passages…yes, Kalmar Slott has everything that a proper castle should. This powerful Renaissance building was once the most important in Sweden, and it’s fortified accordingly. It also boasts one of the best-preserved interiors from the period. King Erik’s chamber is a real scene-stealer. Erik’s rivalry with his brother Johan caused him to install a secret passage in the loo! There’s also a superb suspended ceiling in the Golden Hall; eye-boggling wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling marquetry in the Chequered Hall; an elaborate bed, stolen as war booty then carefully vandalised so that no Danish ghosts could haunt it; and a delightful chapel, one of Sweden’s Most Wanted for weddings. For more information, join one of the guided tours (in English at 2.30pm late Jun, also 11.30am & 1.30pm Jul–mid-Aug, 11.30am only mid-Aug–early Sep), included in the admission price. There are also children’s activities here in summer.