Jönköping – location, location, location
There are few towns in Sweden with a more attractive position than Jönköping. This town of 125,000 people lies at the southernmost tip of mighty Lake Vättern and from its east, west and south shores you can travel easily into Småland and neighbouring counties that make up the historical and design heartland of Sweden.
Jönköping is in the county of Småland, the area made famous by Swedish author Wilhelm Moberg in his book ‘The Emigrants’. The Småland countryside, with its red farmhouses dotting the rolling landscape, contrasts dramatically with the hilly terrain around Jönköping. The nature reserves around the town at Bondberget, Huskvarnabergen, Rosenlund. Strömsberg, Taberg and Vista mount are dramatic examples of this contrast, as is the sandy beach in the middle of town.
For centuries the town has been a natural meeting place for visitors and travellers to the region, and many quality hotels and restaurants have sprung up in and around the attractively laid out town centre and outskirts. The people of Jönköping are obviously a sporty bunch with 6 golf courses nearby, 250 km of nature trails and paths, as well as riding schools and many other indoor and outdoor activities. It should be mentioned here that Jönköping is home to one of Sweden’s top ice hockey clubs, HV 71, so you might want to catch a game between November and March, or even have lunch at their brand new stadium.
If you’re driving to Jönköping on the east coast road check out the views looking right – you’ll get terrific views of the medieval fortress overlooking the pretty town of Gränna and of Visingö, Lake Vättern’s largest island. There is plenty to keep you busy in Jönköping; museums, theatre and strolls by the lake.
And given the location of the town, it’s a fantastic centre for discovering the delights of Småland.
Sweden is known worldwide as one of the leading countries for design in a broad sense – in furniture, interiors, glass, textiles, ceramics, wood, metal and other fields.
This is the home of the world-famous Swedish glassworks – 11 glassworks each with its own image and its own atmosphere. The Kingdom of Crystal offers visitors a wide range of enjoy-able sights and shopping in a genuine historical setting.
The 7,000 km long coastline of mainland Sweden is dotted with tens of thousands of islands.
Though southern Sweden is far from as spectacular and dramatic as the north when it comes to outdoor sports and activities, there is no shortage of attractive alternatives if you love active pleasures under the open skies.