Best of Kalmar: A Tour of its City Gates, Cathedral, and Castle

Kalmar punches well above its weight for a small Swedish city. On this walking tour, you’ll find out how wars, royal power struggles, and sheer stubbornness shaped one of Scandinavia’s most strategically important cities – and the ordinary people who lived through it all.

The tour starts by Kalmar’s old city wall, Gamla Stadsmuren, near Baronen shopping mall. You’ll climb onto the restored defensive ramparts for views over the water, and hear an introduction to the city’s turbulent history with Denmark. You’ll weave through Kvarnholmen, the historical island to which Kalmar’s entire medieval centre was relocated in the 1600s, passing the charming Cavalier’s Gate.

As you stroll through streets lined with small wooden houses that once sheltered craftsmen and traders, you’ll hear stories about the city’s poorest residents. I’ll point out Larmtorget, the square where soldiers once gathered at the sound of alarm bells, which now hosts the best restaurants. You’ll also hear a few dramatic Swedish Game of Thrones stories from the 1600s, including a hunger battle in Kalmar.

The tour ends at Kalmar Castle, a medieval fortress transformed into a Renaissance palace by the sons of King Gustav Vasa and Lithuanian-Polish Princess Katarina Jagiellon, and where you will hear a ghost story of a lady roaming its towers.

On this 90-minute tour, you’ll have a chance to:

• Stand inside Scandinavia’s only remaining washhouse from the 1800s, which visitors often miss
• Hear the dramatic tale of Commander Creutz and the warship Kronan, which exploded and sank with 800 men in 1676
• Learn how the impressive Kalmar Bridge was built after decades of unsuccessful efforts
• See the Kreugerska House – birthplace of Ivar Kreuger, the “Match King” – which was physically rolled through the streets to remain protected
• Learn the odd story about the 81 graves beneath Sweden’s largest Baroque cathedral, Kalmar Cathedral’s floor
• See the Vasabrunnen fountain in Larmtorget, which tells the story of King Gustav Vasa, the Father of modern Sweden
• Check out public art in City Park and the open pavilions of Kalmar Art Museum
• Appreciate the authentic Renaissance decorations of Kalmar Castle and the stories of strong and loyal women behind them

Kalmar rewards the curious. Bring comfortable shoes and an appetite for stories that most guidebooks overlook.