Things to do on Öland - 25 sights and experiences

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | We have been to Öland many times both with children and by ourselves. The last time was on the island for 14 days with a camper van to really look for and experience what we are now writing down in this article. Here you will find 25 attractions and experiences as well as a complete itinerary for 4 days.

Öland

Everyone has their favorites in every place and so do we. We liked the landscape on southern Öland which is unlike anything else in Sweden, a bit more like magical Africa. The coastal road Byrum – Äleklinta is insanely beautiful and Borgholm Castle is a historical highlight on Öland.

1. Experience Borgholm Castle

One thing you don't want to miss doing on Öland is seeing the mighty ruin of Borgholm Castle. This building was built in the 13th century as a castle and fortress, and in the 17th century Charles X Gustav had it rebuilt into a magnificent Baroque palace. Today you can visit the large ruin and see the fantastic view from its walls. There is also a museum for those who want to learn more about the castle's history.

2. Discover Långe Jan and the southern tip of Öland.

Along the south of Öland stands the Långe Jan lighthouse., which is Sweden's tallest and one of the country's oldest lighthouses. Öland's southern tip also offers an exotic landscape with open spaces and freely roaming animals. Here you will find the Ottenby nature reserve, where you can see harbor seals or watch birds. You can also see interesting exhibitions about animals and nature at Naturum Ottenby.

3. Drive Öland's coastal road Byrum – Äleklinta

Kustvägen Byrum - Äleklinta is an old-fashioned road that follows the beautiful west coast of Öland. You drive through fantastic nature and pass prehistoric sites, old harbours, remains of quarrying and Öland's only preserved wind-powered rogue mill, which is now a listed building. You also pass the beautiful beach in Byrum-Sandvik and the rauks in Byrum.

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

4. Visit Eketorp Castle

Eketorp Castle stands out among the ancient castles on Öland because it has been reconstructed to show what life might have been like in the past. In the courtyard, a number of houses have been built, along with informative signs. When the attraction is open, you can visit the interior of the museum houses and various activities are organised such as bread baking, archery and historical games.

5. Hike on Stora Alvaret

Stora Alvaret is a 37 kilometres long and 15 kilometres wide area of alvar land found on the southern part of Öland. This is an area that offers beautiful and different nature. For example, there is the 13 kilometre long hiking trail Stora Alvarleden, which runs from Karlevi to Frösslunda.

6. Stroll in the park at Solliden Castle

Solliden Palace is the royal family's private summer paradise, but most of the beautiful gardens are open to the public. Here you can stroll through the Italian Garden, the English Park or the Dutch Rose Garden. When you get tired, you can sit down for a coffee at Kaffetorpet.

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

7. Explore the Troll Forest

Just north of Böda Sand is the lovely Trollskogen forest, which offers gnarled tree trunks and great hiking trails. Here you can also visit Naturum to learn more about animals and nature in the area. At Trollskogen is also Böda Skogsjärnväg - a museum railway that occasionally offers tours through the forest.

8. See Byrum's raukar

Raukar are found not only on Gotland but also on Öland. The most famous rauks can be found in Byrum on the west coast. Along the water, there is a long line of tall rocks that have been formed over millions of years. The area is also rich in fossils, and nearby is the fine sandy beach of Byrum-Sandvik.

9. Swim at Böda Sand and Öland's beaches

Böda Sand Camping is not only Sweden's largest campsite, but also known from the TV reality series Böda Camping. The campsite is located along a two mile long white sandy beach and is like its own little oasis with pools, bars, restaurants, shops, entertainment and various activities for children and adults. Here you can holiday in a motorhome, caravan or cottage.

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

10. Discover Borgholm

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

READ MORE: Things to do in Borgholm – our 12 best tips

11. Check out Långe Erik and Öland's northern cape

In the far north of Öland you will find the Långe Erik lighthouse, a 32 metre high lighthouse tower built in 1844-1845. The building is now a listed building and just next door is a former lighthouse keeper's house. If you want, you can go up the tower to admire the view of the coast and the surrounding sea.

12. Discover all of Öland's ancient castles

There are around 15-20 ancient castles on Öland, all of which have a long and exciting history. The castles are now ruins, but the finds have taught us a lot about how people lived in the Iron Age. For example, jewellery and Roman coins have been found that tell the story of journeys to the East. Some of the most important castles include:

• Eketorp Castle (reconstructed)
• Bårby castle
• Sandby castle
• Gråborg
• Ismanstorp fortress

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

13. See Gettlinge burial ground and other ancient remains

If you like grave fields and other ancient remains, you can easily find things to do on Öland. There are around 40 sites with prehistoric graves. One of the most famous sites is Gettlinge burial ground, where you will find, among other things, a ship set, but also rock coffins. Spearheads and swords have been found inside the tombs.

Another interesting place is Seby cemetery where there are 280 graves, a shipwreck, a Viking rune stone, rock chests and bowl pits.

14. Photograph Öland's windmills

Öland is known for its windmills, and if there's one thing you want to include in a photo from your Öland holiday, it might just be a windmill. The vast majority of today's Öland windmills are stump mills from the late 1700s or early 1800s, and in total there are around 350 windmills today. Here are some that may be particularly interesting to check out:

• The mill king in Björnhovda is Scandinavia's largest preserved stump mill.
• Kvarnraden in Lerkaka is a long line of windmills that are popular to photograph.
• Störlinge mill is a row of seven windmills in Störlinge.

15. Visit Öland's museum Himmelsberga

Öland Museum Himmelsberga is a nice open-air museum where you can visit an old Öland row house and learn more about life in the past. There is also a cozy little café, a trading post and an art gallery.

16. Take a trip to the Blue Virgin

One thing we did not have time to do on Öland - but would like to do on our next visit - is to make an excursion to the island and the Blå Jungfrun National Park. Boat trips can be made with M/S Solvind from Byxelkrok. Another way to get to Blå Jungfrun is to take a tour boat from Oskarshamn on the mainland.

17. See the Karlevi Stone

Öland is also home to a large number of rune stones, with inscriptions telling of times gone by. One of the most famous stones is the 'Karlevistenen', which is considered one of Sweden's most remarkable rune stones. The stone dates from the end of the Viking Age and contains a poem in what is known as 'Queen's Quiet'. The poem is dedicated to a powerful chieftain named Sigge, who perhaps once upon a time performed some great deed.

18. Visit Capellagården in Vickleby

Do you like cultivation and gardening? Then take a look at Capellagården in Vickleby. This farm serves as a school with training in arts and crafts and gardening. In the summer you can visit the garden shop or the arts and crafts shop, or perhaps have a coffee in the garden café.

19. Discover St. Knut's Chapel at Gråborg

In Borgs by, right next to the ancient castle Gråborg, you can visit the ruins of St Knut's chapel. The chapel was built at the end of the 12th century, during a period when Öland was in a borderland, when the kings fought around the Baltic Sea and everyone had to be Christianised. The chapel was abandoned in the early 16th century and is now an imaginative ruin.

20. See Saint Brita's Chapel at Kappeludden

St Brita's Chapel was probably built in the 13th century and was located at the medieval trading centre of Sikavarp. Today you can see the ruins of the chapel and a tall stone cross. You can also enjoy the peaceful environment by the sea.

21. Discover Öland's historic churches

If you like old historic churches, there are several interesting buildings to check out.

• Gärdslösa church is one of the best preserved medieval churches on Öland.
• Source old church is a stone church built in the 13th century.
• Högby church has a 13th century defence tower and a 15th century Madonna cabinet.

22. Coffee at 2D café at Mellböda farm

A slightly different thing to do Öland is to visit a 2D cafe, which you can do at Mellböda farm. So, what is a 2D café? Well, here you can have a coffee in a room that is painted in black and white, to achieve the feeling of a two-dimensional cartoon world. At Mellböda farm there is also an art stable, a play barn, a fantastic toy shop, kite flying and a holiday apartment that is different to say the least.

23. Experience Neptuni Fields

Neptuni åkrar is a magnificent nature reserve along the coast north of Byxelkrok on northern Öland. Here, large fields of shingle spread out towards Kalmarsund, and in early summer the fields are colored by flowering blue fireweed. Follow the coastal road through the area or stop and walk in the open landscape with views of the sea

24. Have fun at Öland's animal and amusement park.

One thing to do on Öland, especially for those travelling with children or teenagers, is to visit Öland's animal and amusement park. Here you can see lots of wild animals, and there is also a water park and an amusement park with carousels.

25. Eat Öland dumplings

Last but not least, we would like to recommend the Öland speciality "kroppkakor", which may be worth trying during your visit. The dish is made from grated raw potatoes and some boiled potatoes, and the filling consists of pork and onions.

READ MORE: Here you will find all our reports about Öland.

More to see and do on Öland

For those who like culture and history

There is of course even more to see and do on Öland than our suggestions. Here are some more tips for those who like culture and history.

• Blue tubes is Öland's most famous Bronze Age cairn. It is also the largest cairn on the island with a diameter of 40 metres and a height of about three metres.
• Charles X Gustav's wall is 4.5 kilometres long and was built in the 17th century to separate the king's land from the public land.
• Skedemosse museum talks about the archaeology, culture and history of the former sacrificial site of Skedemosse.
• Störlinge Agricultural and Motor Museum is a private museum with around 2500 artefacts.
• VIDA Museum & Art Centre is a privately owned art museum just south of Borgholm.

For those who love nature

Are you most comfortable in nature? Then you can find more suggestions for things to do on Öland, all over the island, here.

• Cycling is a popular activity on Öland. Here you will find the Ölandsleden trail as well as several other cycling and mtb trails.
• Halltorp's garden is a nature reserve with deciduous forest, and at the same time an environment for large beetles.
• Southern Öland Farming Landscape World Heritage Site is a Unesco World Heritage Site in the field of living cultural landscapes and one of the Sweden's 15 world heritage sites. 

For those travelling with children

Here are some more tips on things to do on Öland for families with children or teenagers.

• Go-karting is available in several locations, including Greby Gokart and Öland Gokart Centre.
• Horse riding can be experienced in several places, including Kvarnbacka Islandshästar in Mysinge.
• Boxcar country is a tourist attraction where you drive a car in a built-up miniature city. (Gaxa Skoggata 7, Löttorp)
• Snake eyes camel ranch offers the possibility to book meetings with camels in the summer (Ormöga farm, Borgholm).
• Skäftekärr archaeological open-air museum is open for a few weeks in the summer (Kullenvägen 88, Löttorp).

Where can you stay or park your motorhome?

Best areas to live in and explore

• Borgholm: A perfect base with lots of life and restaurants. From here it is close to attractions such as Borgholm Castle. Good for a first visit!
• South Öland: This part of Öland offers nature, world heritage and a slower pace. Here you are close to Stora Alvaret and Öland's southern tip. Perfect for nature experiences!
• Northern Öland: The northern part offers nice beaches and good excursion opportunities. Here you are close to Böda Sand and Trollskogen. Perfect for families with children!

Hotels and campsites

On Öland there are many hotels, bed & breakfasts and holiday apartments to choose from. There are also plenty of campsites (where you can stay with a camper van, caravan, tent or in a cabin) and simpler parking spaces for motorhomes.

It may sometimes be possible to free camp, but please note that there are many nature reserves and large areas of fragile nature, which means that you are not allowed to park just anywhere.

READ MORE: Campsites and pitches on Öland

More to see and do in the neighbourhood of Öland

If you want to continue your trip near Öland, we have more tips for you:

• Things to do in Kalmar
• Things to do in Glasriket

FaQ - Frequently asked questions about Öland

What is Öland best known for?

Öland is best known for its unique nature, its long beaches, its lighthouses, its rauk-like coastal environments and the open alvar landscape. The island is also known for Borgholm Castle, Solliden and as one of Sweden's most popular summer islands.

How many days do you need on Öland?

3-5 days is enough to see most of the sights. If you want to explore the entire island at a leisurely pace, 4 days is perfect.

Can you cycle around Öland?

Yes, but it will take about 7-10 days to cycle around the entire island. It is also possible to cycle shorter distances between attractions.

What's not to miss on Öland?

Some of the most classic sights on Öland are Borgholm Castle, Solliden Castle, Långe Jan, Byrums raukar, Böda beach and Stora Alvaret. It is also well worth stopping in small villages, fishing ports and along the coastal roads.

Can you drive around the whole of Öland by car?

Yes, Öland is perfect for a car holiday and it is easy to drive around the island. The roads are good and many of the best sights are spread out, making the car one of the easiest ways to discover the island.

Is Öland good for families with children?

Yes, Öland is an excellent destination for families with children. There are long beaches, nature experiences, zoos, cycle-friendly roads and plenty of excursions suitable for both small and large children.

More landscape guides nearby

Want to discover more of Sweden? Here are more guides to nearby landscapes that are perfect for more excursions, road trips and holidays at home.

• Things to do in Småland
• Things to do in Gotland
• Things to do in Blekinge
• Things to do in Skåne
• Holidays in Sweden