Things to do in Västerås - 17 sights and experiences

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated May 2026 | What to see and do in Västerås? Västerås offers charming alleys on Kyrkbacken, nice walks along the Eastern Harbor and lots of ancient monuments, castles and museums. Here you will find our best tips, as well as a complete itinerary for 2 days.

Västerås

We have visited Västerås several times, mainly with our campervan, and this is a city we really like. Our favourites include the Mälarpromenaden, Vallby open-air museum and Anundshög.

Planning more trips? Don't miss our guides to Örebro and Stockholm.

17 things to do in Västerås

Västerås is a nice city with surroundings in Västmanland. Here you will find 17 things that we can recommend in Västerås

1. Strolling on Kyrkbacken

When you visit Västerås, you don't want to miss the charming Kyrkbacken. Here, small wooden houses from the past lie in a picturesque jumble. You can stroll back and forth in the narrow alleys, and it's hard to put your camera down.

It is also interesting to read all the signs, which tell about the printers, printers, bakers and other inhabitants who lived here in the past. Sometimes the stories are really dramatic:

Among the later owners is the poet Fredrik Sandberg, who in 1765 was killed here by his wife with poisoned chicken soup.

In the 17th century, this was the northern edge of the city. In the southern part, priests and teachers lived in a bourgeois environment, and in the northern part, the poorest lived in what was more like a slum. Today, it's probably popular to live this cosy, and at the same time this central.

2. Walk or cycle along the Mälar Promenade.

It is also very nice to walk or cycle along the Mälar Promenade. It is four kilometres long and runs along the water, from Lögastrand to Lasse Färnlöf's place.

Along the way you will pass the popular Kokpunkten action pool, the equally popular Steam Hotel, Notuddsparken and the lovely Poesiparken playground.

During the walk you will see plenty of piers, boats, modern houses, nice parks and cosy restaurants.

3. Visit Västerås Cathedral

Västerås Cathedral, whose oldest parts date back to the 13th century, is magnificent and well worth seeing. Inside the church there are 163 tombstones, including the grave of Erik XIV.

Don't miss out on crossing to the other side of the street. There you will find several old buildings, including "Proban", the old school prison. This is the only preserved school prison in Sweden. Until 1801 it was used as a prison for students, and sometimes teachers, for drunkenness and other offences.

4. Take a boat trip in the archipelago

There are a number of large boats docked in Västerås that can take tourists on various tours. For example, you can go on a tour with the Elba ferry or make trips to archipelago islands such as Almö-Lindö, Ridön or Birka/Björkö. You can also go on a prawn cruise, a seafood cruise ... or why not a pizza cruise?

5. Looking at art in Västerås

There is plenty of public art in Västerås and we walked past several artworks that we couldn't resist photographing because we liked them. One of the most talked about artworks is "ASEA stream", created by Bengt-Göran Broström. The work depicts workers cycling to and from their workplace at ASEA.

The very first public artwork in Västerås is a bust of Gustav Vasa, which stands in Vasa Park and has been there since 1864. In the centre of the city you can also come across various stone tablets with the poems of Nobel Prize winner Tomas Tranströmer. In the pictures you can see some other artworks we came across and liked.

6. Check out Västerås Castle

Västerås Castle is located next to Vasa Park, overlooking the river Svartån. The castle is quite simple in its design, square with a courtyard, but has a long and interesting history. The building dates back to the 13th century, but was taken over by Gustav Vasa in the 16th century. Important parliamentary meetings were held in the castle, which led to Sweden becoming a Protestant country. Today there is a restaurant and café in the castle.

7. Visit museums on Charles Street 2

On Karlsgatan 2 in the centre of Västerås you will find no less than two large museums. Västerås Art Museum and Västmanland County Museum are located here. The art museum shows mainly Swedish and Nordic contemporary art, while the county museum shows interactive exhibitions for both children and adults.

8. Stay in (or check out) Västerås' most unusual hotel

In Västerås there are a number of really odd hotels, which can usually be booked during the summer months.

• Hotel Utter Inn is an underwater hotel located in the middle of Västeråsfjärden, about one kilometre from land. The small cabin is located on a floating jetty, and you sleep three metres below the surface with panoramic windows in all directions.
• Plaza Rooftop Hotel is located on the 7th floor of a roof terrace in the centre of Västerås.

9. Hang out on Djäkneberget

One thing you don't want to miss doing in Västerås is heading up Djäkneberget, which is a mountain and park area right next to the centre of Västerås.

We cycled up with our electric bikes on a win or lose basis and were fascinated by what we saw. From the mountain you have a nice view of the whole of Västerås. You can also stroll around on all the winding roads, and be fascinated by the over 500 (!) inscriptions on stones in the area.

10. Learn about old boats at the Västerås Historical Ship Museum.

If you want to get a bit of a Viking ship vibe, you can visit Västerås Historical Ship Museum, at Frösåker pier. There are around 25 Viking ships, medieval ships and traditional boats, both originals and copies. The boats are located outdoors and can be viewed at any time of the year. During the high season, the on-site café is open and serves homemade ice cream.

11. Spend a day at the Vallby Open Air Museum.

Vallby open-air museum in Västerås showcases the cultural history of Västmanland in the form of houses and farms from the past, old-time agriculture and farm animals that are rare today.

In the summer, the museum organises ”Living Museums”, when the houses are open and people dressed in period costumes bring the surroundings to life. The museum also houses the COW Word Museum, with over 200 endangered words.

12. See old motorbikes at Tidö Castle

Tidö Castle is a beautiful 17th century Renaissance castle built by Axel Oxenstierna and now owned by David von Schinkel. If you come here during the summer season, you can book a guided tour of the parade floor, or visit the castle's bicycle and motorbike museum.

READ MORE: Tidö Castle in Västerås - with bike and motorbike museum

13. check out the Rytterne church ruins

In the neighbourhood of Tidö Castle there are two church ruins that are worth checking out. The last service in Lilla Rytterne church was held in 1817 and the church is now a ruin. At Stora Rytterne church ruin there are burial slabs from the 17th century and two rune stones from the beginning of the 11th century.

14. Meeting ghosts at Engsö Castle

Engsö Castle (or Ängsö Castle) is basically a medieval castle, rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, the castle serves as a museum, displaying furnishings from different eras and a large collection of paintings.

You can also meet no less than three ghosts: a hunchbacked dwarf, the evil Brita Bååt and the dog Cottilion. In the surroundings, you can wander in Ängsö nature reserve.

15. Feel the wings of history at Anundshög.

Anundshög in Västerås is Sweden's highest burial mound. In the area around Anundshög and Badelundaåsen there are also no less than five large ship settlements, a rune road, a rune stone with a very special inscription, a labyrinth and several other interesting ancient remains. 

READ MORE: Anundshög - Sweden's largest ancient burial mound

16. Experience the royal castle of Strömsholm.

Strömsholm Castle is a royal castle near Västerås. The beautiful castle was once built by Hedvig Eleonora, on the site of a former Vasa Castle. Today, many people associate the castle with horses and equestrian sports. During the summer, guided tours of the castle's halls are usually organised.

17. Take a trip to the Sala silver mine.

Sala Silver Mine is located in Sala, 40 kilometres north of Västerås, and is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Västmanland. Going on a guided tour of the mine is both exciting and educational.

READ MORE: Visiting the Sala silver mine - an exciting destination

Want to extend your trip? Combine with a weekend in Sigtuna or Strängnäs– both are relatively close to Västerås.

More to do in Västerås

For those who like culture and history

Want even more tips on things to do in Västerås? Here are some more suggestions for those who like culture and history.

• Elektra People's cinema shows films from around the world (Sintervägen 6).
• Hornsåsen cemetery is the county's largest cemetery with 200 graves, cairns and various stone structures (Horn).
• Sorby fornborg is an ancient castle from the 6th century and is located along the Tidö tourist route outside Västerås (Sorby).
• Turbine house, built in 1891, is a facility for the production of electricity (between Västerås City Hall and Västerås Castle).
• Vårdmuseet Västerås is a medical history museum, about medical developments from the end of the 18th century (Landstingshuset).
• Västerås Aviation Museum is located near Stockholm-Västerås airport, and displays more than 25 aircraft (Hässlögatan 1).
• Västerås City Hall is interesting to check out for the architecture. The bull in gilded bronze, by Allan Runefelt, symbolises strength (Fiskartorget).

For those who like nature and sport

Do you prefer nature or sports? Here are some more tips on things to do in Västerås for you.

• Bellevue Stadium is a sports centre with bowling, padel, squash and racket sports (Slånbärsgatan 2).
• Botanical garden is Sweden's oldest high school garden and is located between the Rudbeckian High School and the Västerås City Library (Biskopsgatan 2).
• Bruksleden is a 25-mile trail for experienced walkers, divided into 27 stages.
• Golf courses there are plenty, including Frösåker Golf & Country Club, Fullerö Golf Club and Hälla Golf.
• Ängsö nature reserve offers varied scenery and hiking trails ranging from 1.5 to 8.5 metres in length.

For those who like shopping and food

Even for those who like shopping and food, there is more to do in Västerås. Here you will find some additional tips.

• Market hall Slaughterhouse is a market hall with locally produced food and restaurants. (Slakterigatan 6-10)
• Skultuna Brassworks is located one kilometre north of Västerås. The mill, which is over 400 years old, has a museum, bistro and shops (Bruksgatan 8).
• Igor neighbourhood is located in the centre of Västerås and includes shops, restaurants, entertainment and more. (Vasagatan 25)
• Shopping centre Point is a shopping centre with fashion, food and more. (Vasagatan 20)
• Steam Hotel is a unique hotel built in a 1917 steam power station. It has three restaurants, four bars and a spa lounge. (Ångkraftsvägen 14)

For those with children

Travelling with children or teenagers? Here are some ideas on what to do in Västerås with children and young people.

• Actionbadet Kokpunkten offers what they call 'bathing gin'. The giant building holds 1200 visitors and has activities on 8 floors (Kraftverksgatan 11).
• King's Village shows different animals, such as lemurs, camels, tarantulas and pythons (Kungsbyn 33).
• Lögarängsbadet is a newly built indoor swimming pool on the banks of Lake Mälaren. In the summer there are also outdoor pools. (Sjöhagsvägen 1)
• Poetry parks is a nice playground inspired by poems (Notuddsvägen).
• Skate parks there are plenty in Västerås. Löga skatepark is located right by the guest harbour/parking area and is a 2400 metre outdoor park (Lögarängsvägen). There is also Västerås Skate & Parkourhall (Lugna gatan 18).
• Vedbo jaws is an activity centre where you can ski or downhill by bike (Naddenvägen).
• Västerås Cable Park offers wakeboarding where you are pulled by an electric cable, instead of a boat. (Lögarängsvägen)

Where can you stay and park your camper?

Best areas to live in and explore

• Centre - Ideal for those who want to be within walking distance of shopping, restaurants and the city's historic attractions.
• Mälarstrand & Öster Mälarstrand - Areas with proximity to water, walking paths, boating and bathing areas.
• Mount Djäkne - Scenic area with hiking trails, city views and green areas for picnics and recreation.
• Vallby area - Close to the open-air museum and open landscapes, ideal for families and nature lovers.

Pitches and campsites

If you come with a motorhome, there is a parking space in a good location in the guest harbour. There are also other campsites in the municipality.

Västerås guest harbour and motorhome parking

In Västerås guest harbour there are several places for motorhomes. The site is in a good location, within walking distance of the city centre. There is electricity and a service centre, and during the summer months there is also latrine emptying. The site is popular at weekends and in the high season, and if you want to, you can pre-book a site via campingspot.com.

Campsites in Västerås

There are also several campsites in Västerås. Here you will find First Camp Västerås Mälaren, Björnö camping and Ängsö camping.

More city guides nearby

Planning a trip in Central Sweden? Here are more guides:

• Things to do in Mariefred
• Things to do in Nora
• Things to do in Arboga
• Things to do in Stockholm
• Things to do in Strängnäs
• Things to do in Örebro

FAQ - frequently asked questions about Västerås

What is Västerås best known for?

The city is known for its pioneering industrial history (e.g. Asea/ABB), the old city centre with historic buildings, Lake Mälaren and natural areas, and events such as Västerås City Festival and Power Big Meet.

What can you do with children in Västerås?

Families with children can visit Kokpunkten Actionbad, Vallby Friluftsmuseum, Djäkneberget play park and make excursions to nature by Lake Mälaren.

Need a car to explore Västerås?

No, the city centre is compact and walkable. To reach natural areas, castles and some museums, a car or bicycle can be useful.