What to do in Södermanland (Sörmland) - what to see and experience? The landscape of Södermanland starts at Slussen in Stockholm and the rest is south and southeast of Lake Mälaren. Here you will also find Strängnäs, Nyköping, Oxelösund, Eskilstuna, Trosa, Gnesta and Vingåker.
Discover Parken Zoo in Eskilstuna, Gripsholm Castle and 15 other castles, Julita Farm, Stendörren Nature Reserve or Nyköpingshus in Nyköping, Tyresta National Park and the UNESCO heritage site Skogskyrkogården. That was a bit and here comes the rest!
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Things to see and do in Södermanland
The province of Södermanland is bordered to the south by Östergötland, in the west to foolishness, in the north-west to Västmanland, in the north-east to Uppland and east and south-east to the Baltic Sea. Join us!
Discover beautiful Stockholm
Our capital is a beautiful city, with a number of nice areas such as Södermalm, Kungsholmen and Djurgården. Stockholm is also one of the most museum-rich cities in the world. In summer, it's especially nice to take a boat trip under the city's bridges or out to an archipelago island. Here you will find the Royal Palace, Drottningholm Palace, strolling in the old town, the Vasa Museum, the City Hall, the ABBA Museum, the Photographic Museum, Skansen, the National Museum, the Medieval Museum and much more. Follow us around Stockholm!
Walk around Skogskyrkogården in Stockholm - a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Skogskyrkogården was designed between 1915 and 1940 by architects Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz. The cemetery has 100,000 graves, making it the largest in the country in terms of number of graves. There are also 10 000 pine trees, many of which are over 200 years old, and a 3.6 kilometre long stone wall.
Årsta Castle - with memories of Fredrika Bremer
Årsta Castle is located in Haninge, south of Stockholm, and is perhaps most closely associated with the writer and women's rights activist Fredrika Bremer. This is where she spent her childhood summers and where she wrote several of her books.
Hiking in Tyresta National Park
Tyresta National Park has 5 major entrances and many trails and we have walked three of them. The main entrance is called Tyresta By, then comes Brakmaren, Vissvass, Nyfors and Stensjödal. Here you will find all the info!
Sleep over at Häringe Castle - fine castle hotel in Södermanland
Häringe Castle is located just south of Stockholm and is a castle you visit for lovely weekend packages, luxurious dinners and lazy days in the castle pool. We didn't do any of this, but checked out the castle and dreamed of a future, slightly more exclusive, visit.
Strolling in Mariefred
Here you will find idyllic Mariefred with a history dating back 400 years. You should of course see Gripsholm castle, the museum railway is always exciting, POM gallery that shows our future stars in art, Make a cosy city walk in the old town. Mariefred's church is not to be missed or take a walk to the 100 fallow deer opposite the castle across the lake.
Tyresö castle - experience history and beautiful surroundings
Tyresö Castle is beautifully situated by Kalvfjärden in Tyresö, just south of Stockholm. We went here one day last week when we both strolled in the English park and had a picnic on Notholmen. In addition, there was a nice hike on a small part of the Pilgrim Trail, in Alby nature reserve.
Sunbathing and swimming in Södermanland
Of course there are cosy and beautiful beaches where you can swim and sunbathe even if you are not on a coast. Here are some tips for sunbathing and swimming in Södermanland.
- Klämmingsbergsbadet 5 km north of Gnesta.
- Sparreholmsbadet is located east of Sparreholm.
- Lytterstabadet in Vingåker on Lake Tisnaren
- Jogersöbadet in Oxelösund
- Veckelnbadet outside Sköldinge
- Läppebadet in Vingåker
Viewing Tullgarn Castle
Tullgarn Castle is beautifully situated by the water, a short distance from Trosa. During the summer months, guided tours are organised and there is also an inn with a restaurant that is open. Duke Adolf lived here in the 1770s with his mistress, and both King Gustaf V with Queen Victoria and Gustav VI Adolf have used the castle as a summer residence. The last Tsar Nicolaus II of the Soviet Union and his family have also paid a visit here.
Check out idyllic Trosa
Trosa is a super cosy town and it is nice to stroll along the canal and look at small boats and old wooden houses. There are also plenty of small cosy shops and nice restaurants. Check out perhaps Sweden's most charming library. Head out to beautiful Sävö where pilots have lived since the 17th century. If you're travelling with a motorhome or caravan, there are also both parking spaces and campsite.
Enjoy Nynäs Castle and nature reserve in Nyköping.
The Nynäs estate dates back to the 14th century, and one of the first owners was the powerful Bo Jonsson Grip. The estate remained in the Grip family until the Gyllenstierna family acquired it by marriage in the 16th century.
Learn more about the Sigurd carving
The story of Sigurd Fafnesbane from the 11th century and what his plans were. The Sigurd carving on Ramsundshällen is an important and exciting ancient monument, unique among Södermanland's ancient remains and rune carvings.
Walk the Sörmland Trail
Immerse yourself in wonderful nature and walk all the trails that comprise the Sörmlandsleden. The Sörmlandsleden hiking trails cover a total of about 1,000 km of prepared trails in Södermanland. Here you pass Södertälje, Trosa, Nyköping, Stavsjö, Katrineholm, Hälleforsnäs and Malmköping.
How to get to Östermalma Castle outside Nyköping
Öster Malma Castle is a beautiful little white estate in Nyköping municipality. Here there is a lot about hunting and wild animals, whether you want to hunt yourself, learn more about the animals in nature or perhaps enjoy game meat at one of Öster Malma's buffets.
Head out to the beautiful Stendörren nature reserve.
Stendörren Nature Reserve is a magical coastal paradise located between Nyköping and Trosa. The water is crystal clear and shimmering green, and you get from island to island via cool suspension bridges. Perhaps this is the most beautiful nature reserve we have ever visited! Stendörren nature reserve is located on the east coast, about 10 kilometres south of Stockholm, and belongs to Nyköping municipality.
At Stendörren passes King Valdemar's sailing route, which was very important in the Middle Ages. The narrow strait that was once called "Stendörren Strait" is located between the mainland and the island of Krampö. Before you get here, you pass the interesting nature centre.
See Nyköpingshus - the site of Nyköping's guest house.
Nyköpingshus was built in the 12th century as a medieval defence castle, probably under the leadership of Birger Jarl. Much of what you can see today dates back to this time. In 1317, King Birger Magnusson invited his brothers Erik and Valdemar to a party at the castle, and things didn't turn out the way everyone expected. It still has its traces in Nyköping today. Join us!
Take part in the cosy Femöre in Oxelösund.
At Femöre in Oxelösund there are barren rocks and a lot of interesting military history. Here you will find the lighthouse keeper's house and the Femöre fort. At nearby Jogersö, there is also a nice sea bath and pleasant walking paths in the forest.
Visit the fine Rademacher forges
The Rademacher forges in Eskilstuna are an open-air museum and the buildings date from the 17th century. Set up by Reinhold Rademacher in 1659 with the help of Charles X Gustav, the forges are Eskilstuna's oldest buildings.
Eat cakes at Taxinge Castle
Taxinge Slott, or Taxinge-Näsby Slott, has a beautiful location by Lake Mälaren. The café is known for its pastries that they go all in on and perhaps therefore also known as the cake castle. We came here by motorhome in the afternoon and the weather was fantastic. It was a nice walk in the beautiful English castle park that offered a cave, an Asian pagoda, a handkerchief house and a small Italian park. 30 minutes from the castle is Kalkbro nature reserve with the abandoned limestone quarry. An unusual and exciting destination.
Go to wonderful Nyköping
Nyköping has a lot of charming sights and is a cosy town. The main square with Nicolai church and the town hall, strolling along the Nyköping river with its historical heritage is really cosy. Nyköping's harbour is very charming, take the opportunity to visit the Sörmland Museum. A nice thing for the whole family is to go on a sculpture walk.
Be fascinated by Gripsholm Castle - a royal castle on Lake Mälaren.
Gripsholm Castle is a magnificent royal castle on Lake Mälaren. The castle was built in the late 14th century by Bo Jonsson Grip, hence Gripsholm. The castle was extended by Gustav Vasa in 1537 and this is what we see today. Here the rooms remain from the time of the Vasa kings and there is also one of Europe's most well-preserved 18th century theatres. 5 minutes from the castle is Kärnbo church garden if you are interested and at the castle you will find a rune stone and a museum railway. Don't forget Gripsholm's deer park and English park with several hundred fallow deer.
Holiday in wonderful Strängnäs
Strängnäs is a charming and historically interesting city on Lake Mälaren, with cosy cobbled streets and a mighty cathedral on a hill in the middle of the city. Don't miss västerviken, the red-light district with the oldest street in Strängnäs, coffee at Grassgården on Trappgränd, swimming at Visholmen, checking out Väderkvarnen, Strängnäs' gigantic cathedral and Roggeborgen, the eco-temple and Kungstornet. Come along!
See some castles in Strängnäs and a fortress.
We've looked at a bunch of castles in Strängnäs, during our castle tour by motorhome. On Selaön there are two castles and after Stallarholmen is Tynnelsö castle, if you drive to the left and with a 700-year history where Gustav Vasa had it for summer pleasure. On the way to Tynnelsö Castle, the Åsa burial ground is the most famous, with thousands of prehistoric graves. If you drive to the right, you will find the mighty Mälsåker Castle. The Viking town of Birka is just two kilometres from Selaön.
Visit Eskilstuna
We haven't written here yet, but this is what we'll check out when we get to Eskilstuna. What can Eskilstuna offer more than Fristadstorget, historic old Eskilstuna, Torshälla, which is over 700 years old, Bergströmska gården, Eblingmuseet, Rådhuset and the old theatre, Munktellstaden, the Radermacher forges and Vilsta nature reserve.
See Stora Sundby Castle - a fairytale castle on the banks of Lake Hjälmaren.
Stora Sundby Castle is a fairytale castle with turrets and towers, beautifully situated on the banks of Lake Hjälmaren. The story of the castle is that Count de Geer's wife Ullrika wanted a knight's castle, which was not available in the 19th century. The castle was redesigned in Scotland and expanded.
- 4 large towers symbolising the seasons
- 12 smaller towers symbolising the months of the year
- 52 rooms symbolising the weeks of the year
- 365 windows symbolising the days of the year
The castle is privately owned, but visitors are welcome to the castle park and to walk in the beautiful deer enclosure. Wow, what an amazing place!
Admire Sundbyholm Castle with guest harbour.
Sundbyholm Castle has a history as a monastery and royal estate. Today you can come here for hotel accommodation, conferences and weddings, but you can also come here to visit Sundbyholm's guest harbour. In the 1890s, Prince Eugen painted his famous painting "The Old Castle" right here. In the nature reserve by the castle you will find the Sigurd carving from the 11th century and is one of Sweden's most famous ancient monuments by the river Ramundsån. There is also the Ridö-Sundbyholm archipelago with 160 islands in Lake Mälaren.
Stop by Julita Farm - manor house and open-air museum
Julita Farm is a mansion and open-air museum owned by the Nordic Museum. Julita Farm has a history dating back to the Viking Age and became a monastery in 1180 and later the royals who owned the castle were Duke Karl and Queen Dowager Kristina.
Here you can find out what it was like in the past because everything is preserved and fruit trees have been grown for 500 years. There is a gene bank and clone archive for fruit trees and hops in Julita and they have 290 fruit trees. In summer, Pettson and Findus is very popular for children at Julita farm. Usually there are many different exhibitions, such as the Dairy Museum, Julita's Gardens for 500 Years, Forsman's Workshop, the Brickworks, the Fire Station, Tractors with Traction and the Manor House Kitchen.
Exploring historic cultural reserves
Not everyone may have heard of cultural reserves, but they are about the preservation of culturally valuable landscapes. For example, the aim may be to protect land, ancient monuments or buildings, but also knowledge and traditions. Södermanland has two
- Dalarö shipwreck area in Haninge in Södermanland with marine archaeological environment (shipwrecks). In 2014, the waters off Dalarö were named Dalarö shipwreck area and became Sweden's first marine cultural reserve.
- Nedre söderby in Salem municipality in Södermanland landscape with farm environment and agricultural landscape. The houses consist of a timber-framed semi-detached cottage and an outbuilding containing a loft and a farmhouse.
Let the kids run wild at Parken zoo
Parken Zoo is one of Eskilstuna's biggest attractions. Wild animals galore, a whole park for the little ones with lots of domesticated animals in the "Little Zoo" such as small goats, rabbits, alpacas, mini pigs and much more. How about an amusement park and playground for the little ones and a pool for a nice swim. If you can't get enough in one day, there are campsites and holiday villages to stay in.
Travelling back in time at Ericsberg Castle
Ericsberg Castle is one of Sweden's most beautiful baroque castles, and the garden is occasionally open to visitors. It was Gyllenstierna who originally built the castle at the end of the 17th century, it has since been passed on and is now run by the Bonde family. The castle garden contains a scale replica of the world-famous labyrinth from Hampton Court Castle outside London.
Camping at Campsites in Södermanland
You can camp in many places and many campsites have cabins for the whole family. The campsites always have a good location by a beach and here are our tips.
- Gålö sea baths and camping, Skälåkersvägen 11, Haninge
- Malmköping swimming and camping, Förrådsgatan 15, Malmköping
- Hjälmaregården in Vingåker, Hjälmaregårdsvägen 1, Vingåker
- Trosa sea baths and camping, Rävuddsvägen 42, Trosa
- Jogersö camping in Oxelösund, Jogersövägen 15, Oxelösund
Check out Kernbo parish church in Mariefred
Kärnbo parish church was built at the end of the 12th century and consisted of a nave and a narrower chancel with a semi-circular ending on the short wall. In the 16th century, the nave was extended and a porch was added. On the long side of the porch is a rune stone that tells the story of Ragna, who had the stone erected after Gudbjörn's son, a young man. In 1624, Mariefred's church was completed and Kärnbo's church was plundered.
Stay at a castle in hedenlunda
Hedenlunda was already inhabited in the 11th century and there is another 1000 years of history at Hedenlunda Castle Hotel. Women, Scottish families, dukes and kings have been involved in the preservation of the castle and the surrounding gardens. Why not take a long weekend and recharge your batteries.
Enjoy a walk in the Brannäs wetlands.
Brannäs Wetland is located on a peninsula in Örsbaken between Oxelösund and Nyköping. The wetland is originally old arable land that since 1993 has served as a third stage of wastewater treatment.
Get the whole family active in Södermanland
There are plenty of things to do in Södermanland to suit everyone. Some want a little more than hiking and here are some things you can do.
- Äventyr 4 you I Vilsta in Strängnäs is a high-altitude course where the whole family can have fun together. There are cabins for overnight stays
- Tolfta farm in Valla offers horseback riding at different levels of expertise. There are cottages for overnight stays.
- Palstorp adventure farm and forest village in Nyköping offers football golf, forest frisbee golf, obstacle courses for all ages and much more. There are cottages for overnight stays.
- Upzone adventure park in Oxelösund in the forest with a mix of high-altitude course and zipline.
- Bergs gård in Trosa is an adventure farm with trail cycling, courses, technical courses and much more. There are cabins for overnight stays.
What to see and do in Södermanland Facts
- Part of the country: Svealand
- County: Södermanland County, Stockholm County, Västmanland County, Östergötland County.
- Pin: Diocese of Strängnäs
- City of residence: Nyköping
- Biggest lake: Lake Mälaren, Båven
- Largest island: Södertörn
- Coat of arms: On a field of gold, an upright black griffin with red armour, if it is to be used.
- National Park: Tyresta
- Highest point: Skogsbyås - 124 metres above sea level.
- Surface: 8 388 km 2
- Population: 294 695 (2019)
- Duke: Prince Alexander
- Landscape singing: Do you know the country, the gloriously rich, Sörmland song
- Landscape flower: White water lily
- Landscape animals: Ospreys
- Landscape fish: bream
- Element: Cobalt
- Landscape insect: strip lice
- Essence: Elf
- Landscape moss: Wavy splendour moss
- Landscape stone: Garnet gneiss
- Constellation: Dragons
- Star: Eltanin
- Landscape mushrooms: Black trumpet mushroom
- Landscape apples: Åkerö
- Largest centres: Stockholm (part of) Eskilstuna, Södertälje, Tumba, Nyköping
- Largest watercourse: Eskilstunaån and Nyköpingsån
- Landscape law: Fried bitter orange- and carnation pickled herring with cumin-spiced crispbread, Sorunda cake or Whole roasted ostrich steak with root vegetables Barley grits with roast pork and lingonberry jam. More about Swedish food here.
- Main sights: Gripsholm Castle from the 14th century, Stendörren Nature Reserve, Parken Zoo, Nyköping House,
- National Park: Tyresta National Park
- Famous people: Comedian Robert Gustafsson and national team manager Lars Lagerbäck from Katrineholm, musician Staffan Hellström from Nyköping. Also coming from Södermanland are footballers Kennth Andersson and Sebastian Larsson, former Prime Minister Göran Persson and professional tennis player Björn Borg.
- Unnecessary knowledge: All coins and banknotes in Sweden are printed in Södermanland and Södermanland is named after the 'land of the southerners'.
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DO IN SVEALAND
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