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Central Sweden

Central Sweden is the perfect distillation of all the things that make Sweden so Swedish, plopped not exactly in the nation's geographical centre, but in the middle of its population belt, making access to a diverse range of sights and experiences a cinch. You'll see plenty of old Volvos, Dalahäst (carved wooden horses), saunas, sunsets over lakes and candles in the windows out here. It's a paradise of forests, mountains and meadows and oh so much water,and is within easy reach of Stockholm and Gothenburg.

The Lake Siljan area, with its idyllic villages of Falu Red cottages, represents the country’s historic heartland. Beyond Falun, the landscape becomes wilder and more rugged – a tease of Lappland and the far north.

The region is anchored to the south by the cities of Örebro, Uppsala and Västerås. All are lively cultural centres boasting well-preserved architecture, a wealth of museums and plenty of scope for wining, dining and shopping.

Explore Central Sweden

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Central Sweden.

  • Archaeological Site

    Gamla Uppsala

    One of Sweden’s largest and most important burial sites, Gamla Uppsala (4km north of Uppsala) contains 300 mounds from the 6th to 12th centuries. The…

  • Mine

    Falu Gruva

    Falun’s kopparbergs gruva was the world’s most important copper mine by the 17th century. Called 'Sweden's treasure chest', it drove the small country's…

  • Park

    Tiveden National Park

    Carved by glaciers, this trolls’ home and former highwayrobber’s haunt 84km southwest of Örebro makes for wonderful wild walking. The park, reopened in…

  • Mine

    Sala Silvergruva

    Even if you’re reluctant to take the plunge, there's plenty to see and do above ground at this vast mine complex 2km south of the town centre. Underground…

  • Historic Building

    Carl Larsson-gården

    Don’t miss Sweden's 'most famous home', located 13km northeast of Falun in the picturesque village of Sundborn. After their deaths, the early-20th-century…

  • Church

    Domkyrka

    The Gothic Domkyrka dominates the city and is Scandinavia's largest and tallest church, with towers soaring 119m. The interior is imposing, with the…

  • Museum

    Karlsgatan 2

    Comprising the former Västmanland Länsmuseum (county museum) and Västerås Konstmuseum (art gallery) in a re-imagined industrial block near Centralstation,…

  • Historic Site

    Engelsbergs Bruk

    Looking more like a collection of gingerbread houses than an industrial relic, Engelsberg Bruk, a Unesco World Heritage Site in the tiny village of…

  • Archaeological Site

    Anundshög

    Västerås is surrounded by pre-Christian sites. The most interesting and extensive is Anundshög, the biggest tumulus (burial ground) in Sweden, 9km…

  • Castle

    Stora Sundby Slott

    Occupying tranquil lands on the shores of Lake Hjälmaren, this outstanding castle was built in the 16th century in the Renaissance style and later…

  • Museum

    Museum Gustavianum

    A wonder cabinet of wonder cabinets, the Museum Gustavianum rewards appreciation of the weird and well organised. The shelves in the pleasantly musty…

  • Zoo

    Orsa Rovdjurspark

    Fat-bottomed roly-poly bear cubs are the star attraction at the largest predator park in Europe, some 16km north of Orsa. Even if there are no cubs around…

  • Historic Building

    Munthe’s Hildasholm

    Built by Axel Munthe (1857–1949), who served as the Swedish royal physician and wrote the best-selling memoir The Story of San Michele, this sumptuously…

  • Museum

    Värmlands Museum

    The award-winning and imaginative Värmlands Museum occupies two buildings on Sandgrundsudden (reclaimed land now converted into a pleasant park) near the…

  • Historic Building

    Zorngården

    The Zorn family house, Zorngården, is an excellent example of a wealthy artist’s residence and reflects Anders Zorn’s National Romantic aspirations (check…

  • Museum

    Torsby Finnskogscentrum

    The ingeniously designed Forest Centre, opened in June 2014 near Lekvattnet as part of Värmlands County Museum, covers the 17th-century Finnish settlement…

  • Nature Reserve

    Långfjällets Natureservat

    Occupying a whopping 664-sq-km, this vast nature reserve is most commonly approached from Grövelsjön and is a haven for birdlife and all manner of Nordic…

  • Museum

    Wadköping

    The Wadköping museum village contains craft workshops, a bakery and period buildings – including Kungsstugan (the King's Lodgings, a medieval house with…

  • Park

    Rottneros Park

    Known as ‘Ekeby’ in Selma Lagerlöf's Gösta Berling’s Saga, Rottneros Park, 6km south of Sunne, soothes travel-weary adults with flower gardens, a tropical…

  • Park

    Stadsparken

    Stadsparken is an idyllic and kid-friendly park once voted Sweden’s most beautiful. It stretches alongside Svartån (the Black river) and merges into the…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Central Sweden.

  • Activities