What to do in Linköping - 13 sights and experiences

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated May 2026 | Looking for things to do in Linköping? This city offers everything from medieval history to wonderful and exciting excursions. Here are the best sights, tips and a complete itinerary for 2 days.

Linköping

We have visited Linköping several times with our camper, and also in connection with following the entire Göta Canal by bike and camper. Here are some of the best things to do in Linköping – from attractions to nature experiences.

• Visit Old Linköping
• Experience the Air Force Museum
• See Linköping Cathedral
• Walking in the Garden Centre
• Strolling in the centre of Linköping

Planning more trips? Don't miss our guides to  Söderköping and Nyköping

13 things to do in Linköping

Linköping is a cozy city in Östergötland. Here you will find 13 things that we can recommend in Linköping

1. Experience Stora torget and the centre of Linköping

When visiting Linköping, you won't want to miss checking out the central parts of the city, including Stora torget, sometimes called Filbytertorget. Here stands the 'Folkungabrunnen' fountain by Carl Milles, with a statue of Folke Filbyter, who according to legend was the ancestor of the medieval Bjälboätten.

The square includes the old town hall, the Jonn O. Nilsson palace, Filbytergallerian and Stora Hotellet. There are plenty of restaurants, cafés and shops all around.

2. Admire Linköping Cathedral

Linköping Cathedral is Sweden's best-preserved medieval cathedral, and rises mightily in the middle of the city, with its 107-metre-high steeple. A smaller church stood here as early as the 12th century, but the cathedral was finally completed in the early 16th century.

Inside, the church is light and airy. There are both medieval furnishings, such as the 14th century crucifix, and much more recent decorations and artworks.

3. Visit Linköping Castle and Cathedral Museum.

Linköping Castle, which was originally built as a bishop's residence, is located opposite the cathedral, in Linköping's historic neighbourhood. Parts of the castle date back to the 12th century, making it Sweden's oldest secular building still in use.

In the castle you can see the hidden bishop's tower from the 13th century and the treasury, with the cathedral's silver artefacts and textiles, some of which were made by the Birgitta sisters in Vadstena in the 15th and 16th centuries.

4. Walk in the Garden Society's park

One thing you don't want to miss doing in Linköping is walking in the beautiful park of Trädgårdsföreningen. This is a really lovely and green oasis, located in the centre of the city. Here you can stroll around, enjoy the peace and quiet or have a picnic, but there are also many different activities.

The park includes a playground, boules court, beach volleyball court and several restaurants and cafés. The Skådebanan, located in a 19th century house in the park, organises cultural and art exhibitions.

The park is also home to the Nature Centre, which organises lectures, excursions, courses and exhibitions on nature, gardening, archaeology and the environment.

5. See military aeroplanes at the Air Force Museum

One of the most interesting aircraft in the museum is a DC-3 with a very special history. This downed reconnaissance plane was recovered after 50 years at the bottom of the sea and the exhibition tells the story of both the political game and the long search by relatives for the truth about what really happened.

The car park outside the museum is marked as a campervan site (without service) in the CamperContact app, and we have spent a total of three nights here.

6.Get nostalgic at the open-air museum Gamla Linköping.

Gamla Linköping is a charming open-air museum that shows Linköping from the past, with city quarters, houses, shops and farms. There is a wide range of museum environments that tell the story of how people lived and worked in the old days.

There are many cosy restaurants and cafés in the area, selling things like ice cream and waffles. There are also many small shops selling crafts and gifts, as well as one of Cloetta's three Swedish stores.

READ MORE: Old Linköping - a charming open-air museum

7. Discover Valla Gård and Lill-Valla with your children.

At Friluftsmuseet Gamla Linköping you will also find Valla Gård, which shows the history of the countryside, including the railway and railway station. There is also the Lill-Valla playground, which is Linköping's largest playground, as well as miniature golf and various farm animals that children can meet and pet.

8. Meet ghosts at Ekenäs Castle

Ekenäs Castle is a beautiful 17th century castle that is home to no less than seven ghosts. Here you can encounter

• Elf in the hole
• The chicken's gum
• Snus mummies
• White wife
• Countess Maria Klingspor
• The weeping lady
• Little Hedda

In the summer, tours of the castle and knightly games are organised. In the autumn, you can also come here to experience an eerie ghost walk.

READ MORE: Ekenäs Castle in Linköping - ghost castle with 7 ghosts

9. Fascinated by locking at the Berg locks

Bergs locks are located about a mile north-west of Linköping and there is a lock staircase with seven interconnected locks and two double locks. Altogether there are eleven locks that, bit by bit, transport boats up from, or down to, Lake Roxen.

The lock staircase has a height difference of 18.9 metres and the two double locks have a height difference of 4.9 and 5.5 metres respectively. Standing here and watching the boats lock is an exciting pleasure.

If you wish, you can also choose to take a trip on a passenger boat such as the Wasa Lejon. There are also cafés, restaurants, a miniature golf course and bicycle hire at the locks.

READ MORE: Bergs locks - Göta Canal's mighty lock staircase

10. Visit Vreta Abbey and monastery church

Vreta Abbey, located just next to the Berg locks, is one of Sweden's oldest monasteries. The monastery was founded as a Benedictine nunnery in the early 12th century and remained active until the 1580s. Today, a partly reconstructed ruin of the monastery, a monastery church, a monastery house and many different buildings remain in the church village of Vreta Monastery.

READ MORE: Vreta Abbey - and Stjärnorps Castle ruins

11. Shop for sweets at Cloetta in Ljungsbro.

In Ljungsbro, about 15 kilometres northwest of Linköping, you will find the Cloetta factory, as well as one of their shops. The factory in Ljungsbro was built in 1901 by the three Cloetta brothers and Ljungsbro emerged as a 'chocolate town'.

Today the factory has a modern production facility and produces Kexchoklad, Ahlgrens bilar, Center, Plopp, Polly, Juleskum, Sportlunch, Guldnougat, Bridge and Mums-Mums.

12. Check out the aqueduct in Ljungsbro along the Göta Canal.

When you are in Ljungsbro, you can also check out the aqueduct here, which was built in 1970. The Göta Canal passes over the motorway, and it is fascinating to watch the boats passing on a bridge above the cars.

13. Relax at Sandvik's campsite

Sandvik Camping is a family campsite located on the northern shore of Lake Roxen. You can come here with a motorhome, caravan or tent and there are also a few cottages for rent. At the campsite you can enjoy the peace and quiet and swim at the beach.

READ MORE: Sandvik campsite - and meeting with motorhome friends

Want to extend your trip? Combine with a weekend in Mariefred and Norrköping

More to do in Linköping

For those who like food and shopping

There is of course also a lot to do in Linköping for those who like food and shopping. We have not tried so many restaurants here, but you will find good tips on restaurants and cafes in Linköping on the blog. A little more pink. Here are also some tips:

• the i-House is a large shopping centre with lots of shops (Västra Svedengatan 7, Tornby).
• Matloftet Food Hall is located in i-HUSET, where you can find several different food outlets.

For those who like culture and history

There is of course even more to see and do in Linköping, in addition to our suggestions. Here are some more tips for those interested in culture and history.

• Guided tours tells the dramatic history of Linköping.
• Art galleries there are several, such as Galleri Blå, Galleri Melefors, Galleri Sander and Passagen.
• Linköping City Library sometimes shows different exhibitions (Östgötagatan 5).
• Ljungs castle is privately owned but guided tours are given in summer (Ljungsbro).
• New Castle Bjärka-Säby is run by the Pentecostal Church and in the summer offers a castle café and historical guided tours (Sturefors).
• Church of St Lars was inaugurated in the 12th century and is dedicated to St Lawrence (St Larsgatan).
• Ruins of Stjärnorp Castle is a mighty ruin of a castle built in 1655-1662 and burnt down in 1789 (at Stjärnorpsravinen).

For those who love nature

Are you most comfortable in nature? Then you will find some more suggestions for things to do in Linköping here:

• Golf you can play, for example at Linköping Golf Club or Vreta Kloster Golf Club.
• Kayak you can paddle in the centre of Linköping or in the lake area south of the city.
• Kinda channel is a beautiful canal with locks, where you can take various boat trips.
• mountain bike can be cycled on the Malmslättsbanan, at the Olstorp Outdoor Centre, on the Vallabanan or on the Vidingsjöbanan.
• Stellar gorge offers beautiful scenery around a ravine, and there is also a hiking trail.
• Tinnerö oak landscape is a natural area filled with oak trees, where there are several different hiking trails.

For those with children

Here are some more tips for things to do in Linköping with children or teenagers.

• Björkö 4H farm is a farm with activities for children and young people (Björkö Gård 2, Ljungsbro).
• Phenomena magazine offers experimental stations on the human body and electricity, as well as live reptiles (Old Linköping).
• Hangar Hot Sport Centre is a multipurpose centre with a skate park, climbing wall and other activities (Rydsvägen 5B).
• Forest path in Vallaskogen nature reserve offers "fun knowledge about animals and nature" (Gamla Linköping).
• Adventure Golf City offers 12 courts (Sporthallen, Snickaregatan 35)

Where can you stay or park your motorhome?

Best areas to live in and explore

• Centre of Linköping - Perfect location close to restaurants, shopping and attractions.
• Old Linköping - Charming neighbourhood with a historic feel.
• Valla / Trädgårdsföreningen - Close to nature and walking paths.
• Mountain / Göta Canal - Ideal for nature, water and excursions.

Pitches and campsites

There are of course many different hotels and other accommodation options in Linköping. If you are travelling with a motorhome, you can, in addition to Sandvik's campsite, stay at one of the following places:

• Borggårdsgatan is a car park where you can stand in summer. There are no services.
• Nykvarnsgatan is a car park where you can park in the summer. There are no services.
• Old Linköping car park is a site for four motorhomes. There is a toilet, but no other services.
• Café Tannerfors locks Quickstop serves as a car park in summer. There are toilets and rubbish bins, but no other services.
• Parking at the Air Force Museum, with a good location for visiting the museum. There is a rubbish bin, but no other services.
• Berg's locks car park, with access to a service centre with toilets and showers as well as rubbish collection, latrine emptying and fresh water supply.
• Glyttinge camping is a campsite close to the city centre. Here you can also empty the latrine for a fee (Berggårdsvägen 6).

More city guides nearby

Planning more trips in the neighbourhood? Here you can find more guides with tips on things to see and do:

• Things to do in Nyköping
• Things to do in Örebro
• Things to do in Mariefred
• Things to do in Trosa
• Things to do in Norrköping
• Things to do in Söderköping

FaQ - frequently asked questions about Linköping

WHAT IS LINKÖPING MOST FAMOUS FOR?

These include the Air Force Museum, Old Linköping and its history linked to the aviation industry.

HOW TO GET TO LINKÖPING?

Linköping is easily reached by train from Stockholm (about 2 hours) or via E4 by car.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT LINKÖPING?

Summer is most popular, but spring and autumn are perfect for city walks and excursions.

HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU NEED IN LINKÖPING?

2 days are enough to experience the main sights, but you can stay longer and make more excursions in the area.

READ MORE: Campsites and pitches in Östergötland

READ MORE: Things to do in Östergötland - sights and experiences