Getty Images
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.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Central Sweden.
See
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 earliest are also the three most impressive. Legend has it they contain the pre-Viking kings Aun, Egil and Adils, who appear in Beowulf and Icelandic historian Snorre Sturlason’s Ynglingsaga. More recent evidence suggests the occupant of Östhögen (East Mound) was a woman, probably a female regent in her 20s or 30s.
See
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 international aspirations, funded wars and helped paint all those summer cottages that distinctive red. You can opt to take a one-hour underground tour of the mines or simply explore above ground where you'll find the interesting and informative Mine Museum and some heritage outbuildings, cafes and boutiques.
See
Carved by glaciers, this trolls’ home and former highwayrobber’s haunt 84km southwest of Örebro makes for wonderful wild walking. The park, reopened in 2017 after extensive works, is noted for its rare, ancient virgin forests, and has lots of dramatic bare bedrock, extensive boulder fields and a scattering of lakes. Several self-guided walks, including the 6km Trollkyrka (‘troll church’) trail, start from the visitor centre in the southeastern part of the park, 5km north of Rd 49 (turn-off at Bocksjö).
See
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, a staggering 20km of caverns and shafts contain galleries, artefacts and the world's deepest hotel suite! Tours go 60m or 150m deep into the mines, every half-hour from 11am to 3pm. Note: you'll need to walk down and up about 300 steps and it's freezing down there, so descent isn't for everyone.
See
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 residence of artist Carl Larsson and his wife Karin was preserved in its entirety by their children, but it’s no gloomy memorial: 'Lilla Hyttnäs' is itself a work of art, full of brightness, humour and love. Admission is by hour-long guided tour: call in advance to book English-language tours or grab an English handbook and follow the Swedes.
See
The Gothic Domkyrka dominates the city and is Scandinavia's largest and tallest church, with towers soaring 119m. The interior is imposing, with the French Gothic ambulatory flanked by small chapels. Tombs here include those of St Erik, Gustav Vasa and the scientist Carl von Linné. Dating from 1710, the magnificent pulpit was designed by baroque architect Nicodemus Tessin the Younger, whose work includes Stockholm's current Royal Palace.
See
Comprising the former Västmanland Länsmuseum (county museum) and Västerås Konstmuseum (art gallery) in a re-imagined industrial block near Centralstation, Karlsgatan 2 packs a punch. The county museum is presented in a huge and elaborate space that introduces the region's history (and prehistory) in a kid-friendly, remarkably high-production-value fashion. In the opposite wing is the art gallery, with a permanent collection of regional highlights (Bror Hjorth, Aguelí) and ambitious, insightfully presented temporary displays.
See
Looking more like a collection of gingerbread houses than an industrial relic, Engelsberg Bruk, a Unesco World Heritage Site in the tiny village of Ängelsberg, 60km north of Västerås, was one of the most important early-industrial ironworks in Europe. During the 17th and 18th centuries, its rare timber-clad blast furnace and forge were state-of-the-art technology, and a whole town sprang up around them. Today you can wander the perfectly preserved estate, made up of a mansion and park, workers’ homes and industrial buildings.
See
Västerås is surrounded by pre-Christian sites. The most interesting and extensive is Anundshög, the biggest tumulus (burial ground) in Sweden, 9km northeast of the city. You can get the bus 12 to Bjurhovda, from where it's a 2km walk east. The site has a full complement of prehistoric curiosities, such as mounds, stone-ship settings and a large 11th-century rune stone. The two main ship settings date from around the 1st century.