Around Öland by car or camper - road trip with map and attractions

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: October 2026 | Driving around Öland is a wonderful way to experience the island. There are of course the big sights, such as Långe Jan, Borgholm Castle and Solliden, but also ancient castles, windmills, small coastal roads and odd stops that you might never have found if you had just stayed in one place.

We have visited Öland several times over the years, but it was only during this trip that we really set out to drive around the whole island by motorhome. Here is our road trip – from Öland Bridge to the southern tip, up along the east coast, on to northern Öland and then back south along the west coast.

Around Öland – a road trip around the entire island

Peter actually has a pretty checkered relationship with Öland. His first vacation here ended abruptly when his then-girlfriend told him she was in love with someone else. The engagement ring ended up in the forest at Böda and they packed up and went home.

Ten years later, Öland got a much happier revenge. Then Peter traveled here with his family, stayed in a cabin and got to experience Borgholm and more of the island. Peter and I have also been here together before, on a classic camping holiday with our youngest son and his then girlfriend. Back then, the trip was more about sun, swimming, camping life and a visit to Lammet & Grisen.

But this time we wanted to do something different. Instead of settling down in one place, we wanted to discover the whole island – and drive around Öland. It turned out to be an excellent plan. Öland is small enough that the distances never feel overwhelming, but at the same time varied enough that there is always a reason to stop.

Map – our road trip around Öland

On the map you can follow our round trip around Öland and see the most important stops along the way.

From the Öland Bridge towards southern Öland

We start at Öland Bridge and head south. Even here there is reason to leave the main road sometimes and make small detours.

The Mill King in Björnhovda

In Björnhovda just outside Färjestaden stands Kvarnkungen, an impressive stump mill from the 18th century. Öland is known for its many windmills, and this is truly a king among them.

The mill was originally built in Kalmar and later moved to Öland. It was used until the 20th century.

Karlevistenen

A completely different historical stop is the Karlevi Stone, a runestone from around the year 1000. It stands right near Kalmar Sound and is one of Sweden's more remarkable runestones, not least because the inscription contains a stanza of verse.

This is a typical road trip stop for us: not something you need to spend half the day on, but an exciting place to swing by while you're on the road anyway.

Capella farm

At Vickleby is Capellagården, an art and craft school founded by furniture designer Carl Malmsten. It features gardens, crafts and exhibitions, depending on the season.

Southern Öland and the Great Alvar

The further south we go, the more the landscape changes. Here you really begin to understand that Öland is something very special.

Large parts of the southern island are included in the World Heritage Site The agricultural landscape of southern Öland, where people have shaped and used a landscape with special natural conditions for a very long time.

Bårby castle

Bårby Castle is one of Öland's many ancient castles. It is located adjacent to Stora Alvaret and differs from many other Öland castles in that it has a naturally steep side to the west.

Gettlinge burial ground

At Gettlinge there is a large burial ground that stretches along the main road. Here there are graves from different periods and an impressive shipwreck. It is places like this that make a road trip on Öland special. History is not only found in museums – it appears in the middle of the landscape.

Ottenby and Öland's southern cape

If we were to point out a place that made an especially strong impression on us during the tour, it would be The southern tip of Öland a given candidate.

Ottenby and Long Jan

Down here, the landscape opens up. The vast expanses, the sea, and the animals roaming around almost made the place feel exotic – like an environment you wouldn't really expect to find in Sweden.

On the southern cape there is also Long Jan, Sweden's tallest lighthouse. The area around Ottenby is known for its rich birdlife and there is a nature center and bird station here. But for us it was almost the landscape itself that was the greatest experience. This is a place where you like to stop for a while.

Tips: Check current opening hours if you want to visit the lighthouse or naturum.

READ MORE: The southern tip of Öland and the Långe Jan lighthouse

From the southern cape up along eastern Öland

After Långe Jan we turn north. Now a completely different side of Öland awaits – and a whole lot of history.

Eketorp Castle

Eketorp Castle is probably Öland's most accessible ancient castle for those who really want to understand what life might once have been like here. The castle has been excavated and partially reconstructed, with walls and buildings that make the history much more concrete.

We visited several ancient castles during the trip, and it was the variation between them that made them interesting.

READ MORE: Fornborgar på Öland - 5 castles you don't want to miss!

Sandby Castle – the place whose history remained

Sandby Castle is almost the opposite of Eketorp. There is not nearly as much to look at here for the uninitiated. Yet this is perhaps the ancient castle we remember most strongly afterwards.

Archaeological investigations have shown that a violent massacre took place here during the Migration Period. People were killed and left inside the castle, and the site appears to have been avoided thereafter.

We had heard about the story before, including during a museum visit in Kalmar, and then standing on the site itself gave the story another dimension. Sometimes it's not the most spectacular thing you see that makes the biggest impression.

Ancient castles, terraced villages and mills on eastern Öland

We continue north on the eastern side. Here the sights are close together, and it is easy to fill an entire day with small stops.

Gråborg

Gråborg is the largest of Öland's known ancient castles. The mighty walls still make it easy to imagine how large the complex once was. Nearby are also the ruins of St. Knut's Chapel.

Clay cake and the windmills

Windmills are almost synonymous with Öland, and at Lerkaka there is a well-known row of mills along the road. It is also in this part of the island that you will come across several of Öland's terraced villages, where the farms are located closely in a row along the village street.

Öland Museum Himmelsberga

If you want to learn more about life on Öland in the past, Himmelsberga is a great stop. Here you will find a preserved terraced village environment with older farms and buildings, complemented by a museum, art and various activities.

READ MORE: Öland Museum Himmelsberga - an open air museum

Ismantorp ancient castle

Ismantorp Castle became another of our favorites among the ancient castles. Here there are remains of a large number of houses inside the ring-shaped wall. Unlike Eketorp, the place has not been reconstructed. Instead, you have to use your imagination – and we thought that had its own charm.

More stops along eastern Öland

There are plenty of little stops to make along the east coast of Öland. You don't have to stop at everything, of course, but if you have plenty of time, you can look out for some of these places along the way:

Störlinge mill – If you haven't had enough of Öland's windmills, there are even more to see in Störlinge, where a long row of mills stands in a row along the road.

St Brita's Chapel – At the old trading post of Sikavarp lies the ruin of Saint Brita's chapel, which is believed to have been built in the 13th century. There is also a tall stone cross and a peaceful environment right by the water.

Source old church – On your way to Källa harbour, you can stop at the old stone church, which dates back to the 13th century. The church has been rebuilt several times over the centuries and is a nice little stop on the way north.

Quirky and fun stops on the way to northern Öland

Not all stops on a road trip need to be historical monuments. On the contrary, the journey becomes more enjoyable when you mix big and small, serious and quirky.

2D Café Kex

One of the most fun stops during our trip was 2D Café Kex. The owners had found our blog and got in touch before the trip to say we were welcome if we were passing by. We were!

The entire café is designed to look two-dimensional, almost as if you've stepped straight into a drawing. Above all, we remember the incredibly nice owners and the feeling that some people had a fun idea – and actually implemented it.

READ MORE: 2D café on Öland - charming and unique at Mellböda farm.

Böda Sand

Eventually we arrive at one of Sweden's most famous campsites: Böda Sand. This is not really the type of large campsite we usually choose today. When we traveled with children we might have reasoned differently, but now we often look for smaller and quieter places.

We were still very curious about Böda Sand and of course wanted to check out the facility. And the beach? It really is great.

READ MORE: Böda Sand on Öland - Sweden's largest campsite

Northern Öland and Long Erik

At the top of the island, another lighthouse awaits – and another landscape.

The Magic Forest

Just north of Böda lies Trollskogen, a nature reserve where old gnarled pines and windswept trees create a unique environment. There are several hiking trails and Naturum Trollskogen, where you can learn more about the area's nature and history.

Böda forest railway

At Trollskogen there is also the Böda Forest Railway. During the summer you can usually catch the train from time to time.

Öland's northern cape and Långe Erik

On the northern cape stands Mr Erik. After starting the round trip with Långe Jan at the far south, it almost feels like a small milestone to reach the other end of the island. Here there is nature, sea and beautiful environments to discover before it is time to turn south again.

South along the west coast of Öland

Now you might think that the rest is just the way back. That's really not the case. We really enjoyed driving along the western side of Öland. In some places we experienced it as a little less touristy and more small-scale. There was a feeling of finding little gems along the way – even though we were on one of Sweden's most visited holiday islands.

Neptune fields

Neptuni Fields is a shingle field and nature reserve located on the coast north of Byxelkrok. The field was named by Carl Linnaeus in 1741 after the Roman god of the sea, Neptune. The area is cold, but in summer there are lots of bluebells in bloom.

Kustvägen Byrum - Äleklinta

The coastal road between Byrum and Äleklinta on the west coast is very beautiful. Here you can drive along the water while experiencing both beautiful nature and historical sites.

READ MORE: Kustvägen Byrum - Äleklinta, Öland's beautiful west coast

The beach in Byrum-Sandvik

Byrum-Sandvik has a fantastic sandy beach, which can be a little quieter than the beaches on the east coast.

Byrum's raukar

Byrum's raukar came as a surprise to us. We, at least, associate raukar primarily with Gotland, and we hadn't really understood beforehand that there was an entire raukar area on Öland as well.

Here are the limestone formations along the coast with a view of Kalmarsund and the Blue Virgin. It was another example of something we probably would have missed if we hadn't decided to actually drive around the island.

Earth's harbour

Another nice stop on the west side is Jordhamn, an old quarrying area where the large stone mill is a clear landmark. Limestone has been quarried and processed here for a long time.

Borgholm and Solliden

Heading south, we eventually reach Borgholm. There is enough to see here to stay much longer than just for a quick coffee.

Snake eyes camel ranch

A bit north of Borgholm you can experience something as exotic as camels. In the summer you can book a visit to the ranch. A different attraction on Öland!

Borgholm

Borgholm is a cosy and charming tourist town, full of cafés and restaurants. Here you can shop in small stores, watch boats in the harbour or buy an Öland ice cream.

READ MORE: Things to do in Borgholm - our top 12 tips

Borgholm Castle

Borgholm Castle is actually a castle ruin, but what a ruin! The large complex is visible from afar and is also very fun to photograph. The castle's history stretches far back in time and today's dramatic ruin is the result of both reconstructions and a major fire in the 19th century.

READ MORE: Borgholm Castle - powerful castle ruins on Öland, Sweden

Solliden Castle

Very close by is Solliden, the royal family's summer residence on Öland. The castle itself is private, but parts of the area and the beautiful park can be visited during the season. We found it interesting to see the surroundings and walk through the various gardens.

READ MORE: Solliden Castle on Öland - stroll in a royal garden

Back towards Öland Bridge

After Borgholm the journey continues south and eventually we are back at Färjestaden and Öland Bridge. If you want to make one last stop before it is time to cross the bridge, you can take a look at Algutsrum Church or visit Öland Zoo and Amusement Park. Around Öland – check!

Church of Algutsrum

The church in Algutsrum was built at the end of the 12th century. Here you will find, among other things, a medieval altarpiece, which is believed to have come from St. Knut's chapel. If you have children with you, Öland's zoo and amusement park is also located near the bridge.

Around Öland by motorhome

We drove around Öland in a camper van and found it worked very well. During the trip we varied regular campsites with simpler pitches. It's a setup we like because you both get access to the campsite's services sometimes and can choose simpler overnight stays other nights.

Öland has a unique and in many places sensitive nature, so be careful where you spend the night with your camper. The right of public access does not give you the right to drive out or park your camper in nature - the Off-Road Driving Act applies, among other things, to beaches, grasslands, pastures and other natural land.

Overnight stays may, however, be permitted in regular parking lots and adjacent to roads, as long as parking is permitted and no local rules or signs state otherwise. In nature reserves and other protected areas, special regulations may apply.

We think the easiest thing to do on Öland is to primarily use the island's campsites and parking lots and always respect local signage.

Our favorites on our road trip around Öland

It's hard to choose from everything we saw, but some experiences have stuck out a little:

• Southern Öland cape – for the open, almost exotic landscape and the animals.
• The ancient citizens – not least Sandby Castle, where it was above all the dramatic history that made a strong impression.
• Byrum's raukar – because we didn't expect to find that type of landscape on Öland.
• West coast – for the small scale and the feeling of discovering places along the way.
• 2D Café Kex – for the fun idea, the charming place and the personal meeting.

But perhaps the best thing was the whole. Previously we had gone to Öland for vacation. This time we traveled around Öland – and it gave us a completely different picture of the island.

Tips for a road trip on Öland

Öland is of course at its busiest during the summer. Then a lot is open and the island is full of life, but that also means more people and more traffic. Spring and early autumn can therefore be nice alternatives for those who want a little more peace and quiet.

Outside of peak season, however, it is important to check opening hours. Museums, cafes, restaurants and other attractions may have limited opening hours or be closed completely.

And perhaps our most important tip is simple: don't be in too much of a hurry. Turn off sometimes. Take the smaller road. Stop at a mill, a ruin or a beach that looks nice. The big sights are worth seeing – but on a road trip it's often the unplanned that are the most fun.

READ MORE: Things to do on Öland - 25 attractions and experiences