Stenåsa on the Baltic Sea: Nature and Culture

Stenåsa combines the Baltic Sea coast, birdwatching and a rich cultural history. Here, the coastal landscape meets beach meadows, a shallow alvar lake and historic sites.

Bird Migration, Beach Meadows and Alvar Landscape

The easily accessible birdwatching tower on the beach near Stenåsa offers unobstructed views. From there, waders, ducks, geese and birds of prey can be observed regularly; the site is also suitable for observing bird migration in eastern Öland. In autumn, small birds arriving from the sea mainly migrate along the coast of southeastern Öland to the isolated groups of trees at the Stenåsabadet campsite. Near Stenåsa Camping there is a birdwatching area where thousands of migratory birds pass along the coast during the spring and autumn migrations. Stenåsa bathing area is located next to Stenåsa Stugor & Camping. There are pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes, with or without electricity.

The natural shoreline of Stenåsa Stugor & Camping runs along the Baltic Sea. Wide beach meadows around the site are home to a diverse flora and fauna and invite visitors to go for walks and discover several orchid species that bloom in spring and early summer. Frösslundamossen, a shallow alvar lake with a water depth of just over one metre, forms a clear contrast to the coastline.

Cultural Landscape and History

Södra Ölands odlingslandskap is a cultural heritage site and, at the same time, a living cultural landscape that has shaped the way of life of the people of Öland over many generations. Its oldest stone walls are almost 800 years old and run around the villages’ former arable fields and meadows. At Frösslunda källarbacke, every farm in the village had its own storage cellar. Together, the arable land, meadows and walls form the traditional setting of the villages. The storage cellars complement this setting with a tangible indication of the former farm structure.

The grounds of Stenåsa kyrka have been a church site since the Viking Age. In the late 12th century, a stone church was built in Stenåsa around an older wooden church. The present-day Stenåsa kyrka was completed in 1831 and is a bright single-nave church in the traditional neoclassical style. During renovations in 1956, remains of a wooden church with an earthen floor were found beneath the church floor; they were dated to the 10th century. The history of the church site thus brings together remains of a wooden church dated to the 10th century, the stone church from the late 12th century and the present building from 1831.

A contemporary artistic highlight is Ateljé Slagerstad med Christine. The exhibition commemorates the artist Erling Fredriksson and displays paintings and art installations in the garden. There are also guest exhibitions featuring knitted works, photography and concrete works. The studio is located 700 metres south of Stenåsa kyrka.

For further orientation in the wider travel region, you can also find Färjestaden (Färjestaden), Grönhögen (Grönhögen), Degerhamn (Degerhamn), Mörbylånga (Mörbylånga) and Vanserum (Vanserum).

Back to the overview of the wider travel region: Mörbylånga.