Gamla Linköping

Top choice in Småland


Located 2km west of the city, this is one of the biggest living-museum villages in Sweden. It’s a gorgeous combo of cobbled streets, picket-fenced gardens and around 90 19th-century houses. Just 300m through the forest is Valla Fritidsområde, a recreation area with domestic animals, a children’s playground, minigolf, small museums and vintage abodes.

Highlights at Gamla Linköping include about a dozen themed museums (most free, with various opening times), an artisan shop, horse and carriage rides and even a small chocolate factory.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Småland attractions

1. Linköpings domkyrka

1.09 MILES

Made from blocks of hand-carved limestone, the enormous domkyrka was the country’s largest and most expensive church in the Middle Ages. Its foundations…

2. Östergötlands Länsmuseum

1.12 MILES

Has a decent European art collection (Cranach’s painting of Eden, Original Sin, is wonderful, with a smiling Eve twiddling her toes), and Swedish art…

3. Sankt Lars Kyrka

1.37 MILES

The concrete floor of Sankt Lars Kyrka was built in 1802 above the previous medieval church crypt. There are tours of the crypt on Tuesday at 3pm, where…

4. Ekenäs Slott

13.14 MILES

Built between 1630 and 1644, this is one of the best-preserved Renaissance castles in Sweden. Features include three spectacular towers, a moat, and…

5. Motala Motor Museum

21.85 MILES

If you're a rev-head or just a lover of beautiful machines, this vehicle museum in a lovely lakeside spot is a must for its staggering collection of more…

6. Hällristningsmuseet

23.98 MILES

This riverside museum 2km west of the city has fine examples of Bronze Age rock carvings outside and historical artifacts relating to the period inside…

7. Holmens Museum

24.87 MILES

This small museum charts over 400 years of paper making on the site of Norrköping's first hand paper mill, which began operations in 1633.

8. Arbetets Museum

24.87 MILES

The innovative Arbetets Museum documents working life. There’s one permanent display about Alva Carlsson, a typical worker in the former cotton mill, and…