Discover Linköping: Culture, History and Nature

Churches, the Castle and City History

Linköping Cathedral is Sweden’s second-largest and best-preserved medieval church building, after Uppsala Cathedral. Opposite the cathedral, the castle houses the Linköping Castle and Cathedral Museum. Its exhibitions focus on the history of the cathedral and the castle—two subjects you can explore together during a museum visit.

The Östergötland Museum presents exhibitions on art and cultural history. If you prefer to take in the city’s history on foot, you can discover significant events from Linköping’s past at your own pace on historic walking routes in the centre. The museum also offers four digital city tours, which let you explore Linköping’s history independently. This gives you a choice of walking routes and digital tours for exploring the city.

At the Gamla Linköping open-air museum, visitors experience the city, countryside and forest as they were a hundred years ago. This look at three different settings complements the museum and architecture themes with a historical portrayal of the city and its surroundings.

Hands-on Museums

The Swedish Air Force Museum presents the history of Swedish aviation across the eras. You can also try a flight simulator there. Alongside its historical perspective, the museum offers a hands-on activity related to flying.

At Flyglabbet, the interactive science centre at the Swedish Air Force Museum, children can try flight simulators, build virtual aircraft and explore jet engines. The Östergötland Museum also has an experiential space for families with children. Families can therefore find different focuses at two museums: aviation and technology at the Swedish Air Force Museum, and art, cultural history and an experiential space at the Östergötland Museum.

Walks, Green Spaces and Water

Located in the centre, Trädgårdsföreningen offers a variety of ways to spend time in the park: walks, guided tours, picnics, plant shopping, play, meals and fika. Belvederen is also located in Trädgårdsföreningen. The observation tower and café offer views over Linköping. This lets you combine a visit to the park with a view over the city in one place.

Linköping has short and long hiking trails, as well as trails close to the city. Some routes follow the Kinda Canal and the Göta Canal or pass through the impressive oak landscape. The riding trail in Linköping passes through several nature reserves. Depending on your interests, you can choose between city walks, hiking trails and a route through nature reserves as different ways to explore.

Water also offers opportunities for activities: recreational and sport fishing in the Stångån and Kinda Canal is free all year round. Check the current rules before fishing. In the city centre, the S:t Lars Church carillon rings from its tower five times a day for the city’s residents.

Discover more destinations: Ljungsbro, Bestorp, Ulrika, Berg, Bergsslussar, Stjärnorp, Roxenbaden, Kögenäs.

Return to the main travel overview: Linköping.