Växjö between glass history and nature

Växjö offers several clearly distinct themes for a stay: museums, art and a long ecclesiastical history, as well as trails, lakes and nature reserves. When planning your hotel trip, you can first decide whether cultural attractions or time outdoors should take centre stage. The themes below differ in both subject and scale: from a single lake in the city centre to a circular route more than 40 kilometres long.

Museums, glass and history

Smålands museum is Sweden’s oldest provincial museum. The museum offers lectures, events and guided tours. If you would like to plan one of these into your stay, check the dates of the events in advance.

The Swedish Glass Museum in Växjö traces the development of Swedish glass from the earliest times to contemporary Swedish studio glass. Glass, glass art, history and culture form the thematic framework, with the development of glass from early forms to the present day at its centre.

Växjö Cathedral looks back on almost 1,000 years of history. One specific point of interest is the glass altarpiece created by glass artist Bertil Vallien in the early 2000s. Glass is presented here in an ecclesiastical setting, while the Swedish Glass Museum covers a broad span of Swedish glass history.

Växjö konsthall presents art by contemporary artists. Utvandrarnas hus tells the story of the major wave of emigration to America in the 19th and 20th centuries. Växjö therefore brings together different cultural perspectives: contemporary art, glass history, cathedral history and emigration. If you would like to explore several themes, you can base your choices on these differences in subject matter.

Trails, lake and nature reserve

Växjö runt is a walking and cycling route just over 40 kilometres long that runs around the city of Växjö. It connects six lakes, eight nature reserves and Växjö’s residential areas. There are several rest stops along the route, with facilities including swimming spots, jetties, viewpoints, barbecue areas, shelters and other amenities. The route thus connects natural and urban settings, and appeals both to people who enjoy walking and to those who prefer cycling.

The Växjösjön offers a different scale: it lies in the centre of Växjö, with shops, cafés and restaurants close by. The lake can therefore serve as a central landmark, while Växjö runt is a longer circular route that takes in several lakes and nature reserves.

In Teleborg Nature Reserve, trails wind through a varied cultural landscape of open fields and species-rich pastures. From the birdwatching towers, you can look out over Skirviken Bay, where cranes and western marsh harriers breed. The bay is also home to a wetland designated as a bird sanctuary. Here, the landscape and birdlife are distinct yet interconnected aspects of the reserve.

At Knutsgård in Teleborg Nature Reserve, the character of the area from around 1850 has been largely preserved. There is a car park, information and a shelter. These facilities provide a practical point of orientation alongside the natural features. When choosing what to focus on, you can distinguish between Teleborg’s cultural landscape and birdlife, the centrally located Växjösjön and the longer Växjö runt route.

Discover more destinations: Gemla, Åryd, Värends Nöbbele, Tävelsås, Ingelstad, Vederslöv, Ryd, Braås

For the main travel overview: Växjö.