Kalmar – History, Culture and Nature

Kalmar combines significant cultural heritage with waterfront nature experiences. If you want to choose between historic sights, exhibitions and longer hikes for your trip, the city offers several clearly distinct focal points.

History and Exhibitions

The history of Kalmar Castle stretches back 800 years. The permanent exhibitions tell the story of the Kalmar Union, the Kalmar War and the golden age of the Vasa kings. This makes the castle particularly interesting for visitors who want to learn about Sweden’s political and royal history through several eras.

Another historical perspective is offered by the Regalskeppet Kronan exhibition. It presents finds from 40 years of marine archaeological excavations and includes two hoards of gold coins. One of them is the largest in Sweden. At the Kalmar Art Museum, a programme of artist talks, public lectures and seminars complements the exhibitions. Unlike the castle exhibitions, the focus here is therefore on discussion, lecture and seminar formats.

Churches and Urban History

Kalmar Cathedral is one of the best-preserved Baroque churches in Northern Europe. Kalmar Castle Church was consecrated in 1592 and offers a lively concert programme year-round. The Sunday concerts usually take place in the nearby Gröna Salen. Anyone who wants to combine religious architectural history with a cultural event will find two separate points of interest here.

Gamla kyrkogården is also one of Kalmar’s historic points of reference. It is the oldest surviving cemetery in the city and was established in the 13th century. Together with the churches and the castle exhibitions, this site makes Kalmar’s long development visible in different forms.

Waterfront Nature and Trails for Active Days

Skärgårdsparken is located by Västra sjön and is a recreational area with a diverse birdlife and varied natural surroundings. For those looking for a nature experience within the Kalmar theme, the park therefore offers a different focus from the cultural and historical exhibitions.

Stensö is a peninsula in southern Kalmar and complements the waterfront location at Västra sjön with a second landscape site south of the city. In addition, the Kalmarsundsleden extends for more than 120 kilometres and passes through the two municipalities of Kalmar and Torsås. Those who want to include longer hikes in their travel plans can thus combine the city with a long-distance trail. The guided tour “Staden som flyttades” takes visitors on a guided walk through Kvarnholmen and provides further insight into the city.

Getting There and Other Places Nearby

There are several train departures to Kalmar every day from Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö/Copenhagen. These services are called Kust till Kustbanan and Öresundstågen. Kalmar Öland Airport is located about 5 kilometres from the centre of Kalmar.

If you would like to compare other places in the same broader area, you can find Runsbäck, Föra, Hagby, Broakulla, Rockneby, Trekanten and Åstad here.

Back to the broader travel overview: Kalmar.