You can blame my Norwegian heritage, but I鈥檓 not so hot on the Swedish countryside. Even so, you can鈥檛 say you鈥檝e seen Sweden if you鈥檝e only been to Stockholm. Rural Sweden 鈥� especially the province of Sm氓land 鈥� is a worthy addition to any Scandinavian itinerary.
Covering the entire southeast coast and running deep into the interior, Sm氓land鈥檚 most appealing corner is bookended by the smallish towns of Kalmar and V盲xj枚 (locals say VEK-hwuh; Stockholmers pronounce it VEK-shuh). In between lies Sweden鈥檚 famous 鈥淕lasriket,鈥� Glass Country, sparkling with glassblowing studios.
It鈥檚 no surprise that glassmaking caught on here. The necessary resources are abundant: The region is densely forested (endless wood to fire the ovens) and blanketed with lakes (ample sand to melt into glass). Glassblowers have been at work in Sm氓land since at least 1742.
Glass Country鈥檚 first boom came during the difficult 19th century 鈥� when a sixth of Sweden鈥檚 population emigrated to America as the country鈥檚 iron mills were closing. The Sm氓land labourers who stayed behind were highly skilled at working with materials at high temperatures.
Glassmaking became their salvation, and by the early 1900s, this region had more than 100 workshops creating everyday glasses, vases, bowls, and bottles. One local who left for America later helped design the iconic Coca-Cola bottle.
There are fewer glassworks now 鈥� cheaper imported glass has taken its toll. Today鈥檚 Glass Country artisans have refocused their efforts, emphasizing high-quality, high-end art pieces and welcoming guests to tour (and shop) their workshops.
There鈥檚 something deeply satisfying about a visit to a glasbruk. Even at the bigger places 鈥� and especially at the smaller ones, you鈥檒l feel genuine artistic energy in the air, as glassblowers persuade glowing globs of molten glass to take shape. Demonstrations are intimate 鈥� you鈥檒l be close enough to feel the heat from the glowing furnaces.
The storied Kosta Boda workshop dominates, with a flagship campus in the village of Kosta that鈥檚 complete with plush hotel, art glass gallery, and a discount seconds shop.
But there are many friendly independent producers scattered throughout the woods, where you鈥檒l be invited into a simple barn-like studio to watch glassblowers at work 鈥� and nearly all demonstrations are free.
Glass Country also sustains the only artisan papermaking workshop in Scandinavia. Tucked next to a giant modern paper plant, the tiny 300-year-old Lessebo mill, offering daily tours, follows each hands-on step for making fine paper: soaking cotton and linen fibers until they become pulp, packing the fiber into a frame, then pressing, drying, glazing, and hand-tearing the paper into the perfect size and shape. Swedes covet this traditional paper for special-occasion invitations and announcements.
If art鈥檚 not your thing, check out local critters at the Moose and Farm Animal Park. At this offbeat attraction (just outside the village of Kosta), you鈥檒l walk through the moose-happy gift shop before taking a two-kilometre stroll around a pen holding live moose.
Life-size dioramas with stuffed moose (including one plastered to the hood of a car) round out the attraction. You can even buy moose sausage to grill on-site.
Because the 120-kilometre stretch of the Glass Country between V盲xj枚 and Kalmar is relatively undeveloped, most visitors tour the glassworks by day, then sprint to the nearby coastal town of Kalmar for dinner and a bed.
History students may remember Kalmar as the place where Norway, Sweden, and Denmark signed a 1397 treaty that united their countries into one huge kingdom. That union lasted about a 100 years before dissolving in the 16th century 鈥� and since then, even the European Union hasn鈥檛 been able put them back together again.
Historic Kalmar has an Old World ambience that鈥檚 rare in Scandinavia. It鈥檚 dominated by a moated castle that makes for a great medieval experience.
With stout watchtowers, park-like ramparts, and a creaky, drafty interior, this place was a royal hub for centuries. But when the Swedish border shifted south in the mid-17th century, the castle lost its strategic importance. No matter 鈥� it鈥檚 now the biggest attraction in Kalmar, and well worth a visit.
Besides the famous castle, the town offers a cozy, cobblestoned centre. For a small city, you鈥檒l find a surprising number of good dining options. The restaurants survive on the town鈥檚 short, intense summer season, when vacationing Swedes make the streets lively day and night. If you drop by the caf茅/tea parlor Kullz茅nska, tucked into an 18th-century house, you鈥檒l be surrounded by locals enjoying warm berry cobbler and richly brewed coffee 鈥� the classic Swedish fika (coffee break).
If you鈥檙e lucky enough to be in Kalmar on a hot summer day, stroll out to its beach 鈥� a festive and happy slice of Swedish life. With snack stands, sand castles, and views of the castle, the beach makes Kalmar an unexpected fun-in-the-sun stop.
For people-watchers, it鈥檚 a combination of Swedish beauty pageant and tattoo show. For me, it鈥檚 the best possible dose of authentic, off-the-beaten-path Sweden.
Rick Steves (ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at [email protected] and follow his blog on Facebook.
