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    Kalmar

    Sweden

    Kalmar

    CityCulture

    Kalmar is located on the Baltic Sea coast of Småland, opposite the island of Öland.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Sweden
    7. Småland
    9. Kalmar
    Kalmar is located on the Baltic Sea coast of Småland, opposite the island of Öland. The Renaissance castle on the water, the baroque cathedral, and the Old Town on the island of Kvarnholmen make the city one of Southern Sweden's most important historical destinations. Via the Öland Bridge, you're on Öland in just a few minutes.

    Sights in Kalmar

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Bathing dock Svinö

    1Bathing dock Svinö

    Swimming pier north of the city, overlooking Kalmarsund. A popular summer spot for swimming and sunbathing.
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    Schloss Kalmar

    2Schloss Kalmar

    Schloss aus 16. Jh. am Meer an Stelle eines Schlosses aus 12. Jh. mit Ausstellung zur 800-jährigen Geschichte.
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    Kalmar stadspark

    3Kalmar stadspark

    The city park lies between the castle and city center and, with its old trees and ponds, offers a quiet spot for a walk. From here, you get great views of the castle.
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    Kalmar Minster
    Church

    4Kalmar Minster

    The baroque cathedral at Stortorget was designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Elder and built from 1660 to 1703. It is the center of the newly laid out city on Kvarnholmen.
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    Kalmar County Museum
    Museum

    5Kalmar County Museum

    The regional museum in the Ångkvarnen building by the harbor displays finds from the warship Kronan, which exploded and sank off the southern tip of Öland on June 1, 1676. Among the exhibits are gold and silver coin treasures and around 40 bronze cannons. Further exhibitions are dedicated to the history and culture of the region.
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    City walks in Kalmar

    Curated walking tours through the city's highlights, handpicked by experienced travel journalists.

    Kalmar: Kvarnholmen and Castle

    The tour begins at Stortorget with Nicodemus Tessin d. Ä.'s Baroque cathedral and leads you through the alleys of the old town island Kvarnholmen to the city gate Västerport. After the Länsmuseum, with the exhibition on the warship Kronan, you go through the city park to the Renaissance castle Kalmar slott.

    ~2 Std.
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    Stops (6)

    Essen & Trinken

    1

    FFs Bar Och Ett Litet Kök

    Small restaurant with a bar on Västra Vallgatan in Kvarnholmen, near the Wallgraben.
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    2

    Café Lotsutkiken

    Café on Tjärhovsgatan south of Kvarnholmen, for coffee, cake, and small dishes.
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    3

    Källaren Kronan

    Im Herzen von Kalmar findest du 'Källaren Kronan', ein klassisches schwedisches Restaurant mit langer Geschichte. Hier genießt du traditionelle Gerichte in einem charmanten Ambiente.
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    4

    Slip Quay

    Restaurant on Utrustningskajen in the harbor district north of the city center.
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    5

    Postgatan

    Restaurant with fine dining and a bar at the western edge of Kvarnholmen.
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    Food and Beverages

    Being a coastal city, Kalmar provides abundant Baltic Sea fish, along with specialties from Öland and Småland.

    Baltic Fish

    You'll find herring and Strömming, the Baltic Sea's smaller herring, fried, pickled, or smoked on many menus.

    Ölandic kroppkakor

    Neighbor island potato dumplings, made from raw potatoes and filled with bacon, come with lingonberries and butter.

    Småland cheesecake

    The baked cheesecake from Småland is served lukewarm with jam and cream as a dessert.

    Culture and History

    The Castle and the Kalmar UnionAround 1180, a round defensive tower with a harbour was built on Kalmarsund. In the late 13th century, King Magnus Ladulås had a fortress with a curtain wall and corner towers built around it. In 1397, the Kalmar Union was established here, uniting Denmark, Norway, and Sweden under a single crown until 1523. Under the Vasa kings Gustav I, Erik XIV, and Johan III, the fortress was transformed into a Renaissance castle.New Town on KvarnholmenDuring the Kalmar War from 1611 to 1613, Danish troops besieged the castle. From the mid-17th century, the new town developed on Kvarnholmen, its centrepiece being the Baroque Cathedral by Nicodemus Tessin the Elder, built from 1660 to 1703. The Kalmar läns museum displays finds from the warship Kronan, which exploded and sank off the southern tip of Öland on June 1, 1676.

    Nightlife

    1

    Storgatan 11

    Wine and cocktail bar with food on Storgatan in Kvarnholmen.
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    2

    Stammis Pub & Restaurang

    Pub on Larmgatan, southern edge of Kvarnholmen.
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    Getting There and Around

    Train: Kalmar is the terminus of the line from Gothenburg via Växjö and Alvesta. Öresundståg trains travel to Malmö and Copenhagen; regional trains also run north towards Linköping. The station is located on the edge of the Old Town.Flight: Kalmar Öland Airport is located approximately 5 km west of the city center; SAS flies directly to Stockholm.Car: The E22 runs along the coast north and south, and Road 25 goes to Växjö. You drive to Öland via the 6,072-meter long Öland Bridge, built in 1972.In the City: You can explore Kvarnholmen, the castle, and the city park on foot. City buses from Kalmar Länstrafik travel to the suburbs and over the bridge to Öland; a bicycle is practical for bathing spots by the Sound.

    Accommodations in Kalmar

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    Campgrounds in Kalmar

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      Sunrise over alpine peaks and a sea of clouds
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      • 1Bathing dock Svinö3 days
      • 2Schloss Kalmar4 days
      • 3Kalmar stadspark5 days
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    Nearby

    Öland

    Öland

    Öland is Sweden's second-largest island after Gotland, located off Kalmar in the Baltic Sea. The island is flat and elongated, featuring open limestone plains, windmills, stone walls, and sandy beaches. The agricultural landscape in the south is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
    Glasriket (Glass Kingdom)

    Glasriket (Glass Kingdom)

    Glasriket, the Kingdom of Crystal, spans the municipalities of Lessebo, Uppvidinge, Nybro, and Emmaboda between Växjö and Kalmar. Today, around 14 glassworks still operate here, including Kosta Boda and Orrefors. In many, you can watch the glassblowers and shop directly from the factory.
    Kosta

    Kosta

    Kosta is a small village in the forests of Småland and the historical heart of the Kingdom of Crystal. The glassworks has been active since 1742 and is Sweden's oldest continuously operating glassworks. You can watch the glassblowers at work, shop at the outlet, and observe elk and red deer in nearby wildlife parks.
    Karlskrona

    Karlskrona

    Karlskrona was founded in 1680 as the main base for the Swedish fleet on islands in the Blekinge archipelago. Baroque churches, the large market square Stortorget, shipyard, and fortresses have been UNESCO World Heritage since 1998. To this day, the city is the seat of the Swedish Navy and a starting point for boat trips into the archipelago.
    Blekinge

    Blekinge

    Blekinge is Sweden's second-smallest province, on the Baltic Sea between Skåne and Småland. Deciduous forests extend to an archipelago coast with around 800 islands and skerries, protected as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Its main town is the naval city of Karlskrona, whose port facilities are UNESCO World Heritage.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Unsplash, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI