Discover Vara: Culture, Nature and Regional Trails

Vara Concert Hall presents nearly 200 concerts and performances on its stages every year.

Culture and History

All the artworks included in the Konst Skaraborg programme can be found in Vara. The Blue Orange combines Vara’s blue railway station building with sculptural forms and was inaugurated in 2012; at the same time, the artwork has made the railway station building an appealing visitor destination. Vara Church was built in 1902 in the Neo-Gothic style. The oldest houses in Vara date from the 1860s and are located on Olas gränd.

Trails and Exercise

The Oltorp outdoor recreation area has a 2.3-kilometre illuminated running track and a 4.2-kilometre mountain bike trail. Vara also has three marked health trails measuring 2.5, 3 and 5 kilometres. Skogskullespåret in Vara is approximately 1.3 kilometres long and has outdoor fitness equipment.

The Municipality of Vara provides information about walking trails through natural areas. Ranahult Nature Reserve has two marked trails: a 1-kilometre trail through pastureland and deciduous forest, and an approximately 0.5-kilometre trail through a wetter area rich in orchids. At Hjortemossen, there are three walking and cycling routes available year-round, measuring 2.5, 3 or 5 kilometres, as well as a mountain bike trail. The different lengths and types of trails give you concrete points of reference when comparing active days.

Nature and Landscape

There are five nature reserves in the Municipality of Vara. The open Västgötaslätten plain, with its large contiguous areas of agricultural land, characterises the municipality. Long-standing and uninterrupted grazing has created the conditions for a species-rich flora.

The transition zone between the plain and the forest areas in the south, east and west of the municipality is a varied, small-scale cultural landscape. Stone walls and gravel roads run through a hilly landscape with oak-covered hilltops and natural pastureland in Vara.

Levene Äng is an approximately 16-hectare nature reserve and an archaeological landscape near Levene Church. It contains a large burial ground with more than 100 graves. Backavallen is a 40-hectare, grazed heathland covered with pine trees, with walking paths and a remarkable flora that includes pasqueflowers. Rösjö Mosse is suitable for birdwatching; birds of prey, owls, forest grouse and nightjars breed there.

Water and Family Activities

Vara Badhus has an 80-metre water slide and three children’s pools. It also offers a swimming pool, an adventure pool, hot tubs and a sauna. The warm-water pool at Vara Badhus provides space for activities such as swimming lessons, water aerobics and baby swimming.

The Flavours of the Region

Held annually on the first weekend in May and the first weekend in September in the area around Varaslätten, the Mathantverkssafari food-craft safari connects farm shops with local accommodation and restaurants. Vara is considered part of western Sweden’s larder, with many local food producers, regional specialities and distinctive flavours.

At Sivans Osthandel, the family has been working with cheese maturation since 1875, spanning five generations. Conditori Nordpolen offers award-winning baked goods such as princess cake, which can be enjoyed indoors or in the garden, as well as sourdough bread from the wood-fired stone oven to take away.

Getting Here and Choosing a Location

Västtågen connects Vara with, among other places, Gothenburg, Herrljunga and Uddevalla. The railway station is centrally located and only a short walk from the centre, restaurants and Vara Concert Hall. Several bus routes run from Vara railway station to other parts of the municipality; Västtrafik serves both areas near the town and rural areas.

For further location choices, you can visit the local pages for Larv, Vara, Vedum and Kvänum. A staffed InfoPoint provides information materials and maps, as well as tips on sights, activities and available services.

For the higher-level travel overview: Västra Götaland.

More Destinations

More places at the same destination:

Herrljunga, Dals-Ed, Grästorp, Gråbo.