JÖNKÖPING & HUSKVARNA

– interwoven with a rich history

The giant Vist stands in Huskvarna, looking out over Lake Vättern. Here you breathe the impressive history of the Husqvarna factory. Nearby Huskvarna is Jönköping, with a long sandy beach close to the town, a rich restaurant scene, a fascinating history of match-production and John Bauer's fabulous art.

Jönköping shares its heart with three lakes. With more than 140,000 inhabitants, it is the only major town on Lake Vättern. Here it bubbles with life all year round. In the city centre you will find cute side streets, museums, libraries, shops, restaurants, hotels and a university with students from all over the world.

Tändsticksområdet, the matchstick area, is classified as a national monument and consists of 19th century buildings. Here you can learn all about the history of matches, shop in local shops and enjoy old streets, good food and drinks. Don't miss the city's only fish and seafood restaurant, Peschadores! Most recent addition to the district and with a splendid view of Vättern, is the Quality Hotel Match. In this well-preserved match factory you will find Brasserie NÒR, which serves classic Nordic cuisine in a modern way.

The proximity to nature is one of the main advantages of both Jönköping and Huskvarna. Here you’ll find pleasant cycling trails, well-trodden forest paths and silent nature reserves. Jönköping welcomes you with a long beachside walk along Lake Vättern. High up with a fantastic view of the town is Stadsparken, with the largest playground in Jönköping, animal pens, mini golf, barbecue areas, a unique bird museum, an open-air museum, an outdoor dance floor, a restaurant and a café.

The roots of a town

Jönköping is one of country's oldest towns. Magnus Ladulås was king of Sweden at the end of the 13th century. On 18 May 1284, he confirmed that Jönköping would be given trading privileges and that residents would be allowed to hold a market there three times a year. This is Sweden's oldest preserved charter and what makes Jönköping a town.

Events, culture and history

Jönköping’s central location in southern Sweden makes it a natural focal point for culture, sports, meetings and outdoor activities. It’s one of the country's most popular event destinations, with both national and international sporting events held here annually. One popular event that returns every year is the triathlon IRONMAN 70.3 Jönköping

For many younger visitors, the town is best known as the City of DreamHack, as Jönköping has hosted the world's biggest computer festivals, DreamHack Summer and DreamHack Winter, for 20 years.

Looking for art that breaks boundaries and smashes the rules? If so, you should visit Österängens Konsthall. It’s a meeting point for all, with guiding principles of openness, cooperation and diversity. Here you can experience new art in different forms.

Jönköping County Museum is home to a large share of John Bauer’s wonderful artworks. Children learn about the fairy tale artist by playing a game in which they can dress up as trolls, princesses or princes. John was born in 1882 and grew up in Jönköping. His paintings of trolls, fairies and elves were inspired by the landscape of Småland. At the museum you will also meet John's great love, Ester Ellqvist, Småland history and Paulis and Gannevik's collections of 20th century Swedish art.

There are only three matchstick museums in the entire world and one of these is Tändsticksmuseet in Jönköping. In the beautiful wooden building constructed in 1848 you get to meet the people and machines that built and developed the matchstick industry into a world-wide business.

Food and drink with a little extra

There are several lovely restaurants in Jönköping that offer delicious food and a great dining experience. In 2016, Ester Kök & Bar became the first Nordic Ecolabelled restaurant in Småland, and today focuses on organic and locally produced food. To make use of the region's ingredients and to benefit Småland producers, they are members of the network Culinary Heritage Smaland

In Skärstad you’ll find Flättinge Gårdscafé with local and organic food/snacks. Three sisters run the café, while their parents handle much of the vegetable and berry growing.

Fruit has been grown along Vättern’s eastern slopes since the 1930s. Here in Skärstadalen, you’ll find Rudenstams Bär & Frukt. Due to the unique climate and the location of the cultivated plots, the area is known as both the Tuscany of Småland and Apple Valley.

Husqvarna is the heart of Huskvarna

The history of the Husqvarna factory began in 1689 with the production of muskets and other weapons for the Swedish armed forces. At the Husqvarna Museum you can discover all the things that were once made at the Husqvarna factory. These include guns, sewing machines, stoves, ovens, bicycles, motorbikes, chainsaws, lawnmowers as well as just about every imaginable household appliance.

Right next to the Husqvarna Museum is Slottsvillan, a listed building constructed in 1895 as the home of Husqvarna's Director Wilhelm Tham, his wife and their nine children. Today Slottsvillan is run as a hotel. The restaurant prefers local ingredients and serves Småland-made food and drinks as far as possible. Slottsvillan is a house of many possibilities, and also organises weddings, conferences and birthday parties.

Opposite the museum and Slottsvillan, you will find Smedbyn. In the 18th century, the small red buildings are used as smiths' workshops and later as housing for the workers at the Husqvarna gun factory. Today they house handicraft workshops, cafés and galleries here.

Many celebrities have performed at Huskvarna Folkets Park. Since 1925, the park has been a meeting place for music, culture, festivals, theatre, trade fairs, meetings and other events.