Vimmerby: Astrid Lindgren, Old Town and Nature

Culture

The gardens of Astrid Lindgren’s Näs form a garden park inspired by Astrid Lindgren’s life and works. Astrid Lindgren’s Näs is a visitor destination in Vimmerby, in the area where Astrid Lindgren grew up. Her childhood home in Näs is a private residence and can only be visited as part of a guided tour.

Astrid Lindgren’s World is Sweden’s largest open-air theatre. Performances based on stories by Astrid Lindgren take place there every day; many of them include singing, music and dancing. The park features recognisable settings from the stories of Pippi, Emil and other characters created by Astrid Lindgren.

Astrid Lindgren’s statue stands in Vimmerby’s main square, Stora Torget. Opposite it is a chair where visitors can sit. The statue was unveiled on 1 June 2007, a century after Astrid Lindgren’s birth. Astrid Lindgren is buried in Vimmerby Cemetery together with her parents Hanna and Samuel August and two siblings.

Stadsmuseet Näktergalen is a cultural history museum in Vimmerby. It is located in an 18th-century wooden house with original Baroque paintings on the ceilings and walls. The museum is housed in a listed building between Vimmerby Church and Stora Torget.

History

A church in Vimmerby has been documented since at least the mid-13th century. The baptismal font in Vimmerby Church dates from the late 12th century. Today’s Vimmerby Church was rebuilt on the same site and consecrated on 4 September 1859.

Vimmerby’s historic old town comprises lanes and cobbled streets around the square, Storgatan and Båtsmansbacken. The market square has existed since 1604, when Vimmerby regained its town privileges under Charles IX. Källängsparken is a unique park from the 1950s in the centre of Vimmerby and was listed as a protected heritage site in 2010.

Gästgivarehagen contains a well-preserved stone cist from the Neolithic period. The two burial grounds there comprise around 300 graves in total. They were used from approximately the transition between the 7th and 8th centuries until the construction of Vimmerby’s first church, which took place in the late 12th or early 13th century. Archaeological finds from Gästgivarehagen indicate that Vimmerby’s Vikings had extensive trade contacts oriented towards the east.

Nature and Activities

Nossen is a bathing area in Vimmerby’s built-up area with large lawns and a sandy beach. Water activities at Nossen include canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding and pedal boating.

The cycling routes in Vimmerby pass through varied forest and cultural landscapes, mainly along gravel and forest roads that are generally free of cars. The cycling loops in Vimmerby are between 9 and 50 kilometres long. The cycling routes near the town of Vimmerby are between 9 and 21 kilometres long and run wherever possible along gravel and forest roads.

Norra Kvill National Park is one of two national parks in Vimmerby Municipality. In the municipality of Vimmerby, the national park offers hiking trails through coniferous forest with moss-covered boulders and mysterious small ponds. From the highest point, Idhöjden, there are views across large parts of the area.

Further Experiences

Vimmerby Spritfabrik offers gin tastings and guided distillery tours in Vimmerby.

Transport and Destination Area

Regional bus services run from Vimmerby Travel Centre to destinations including Storebro, Hultsfred, Rumskulla, Ydrefors, Eksjö, Nässjö, Gullringen, Södra Vi, Djursdala, Snokebo, Backa and Kisa.

The immediate destination area also includes Storebro, Vimmerby, Pelarne, Gullringen, Solnehult, Tuna and Södra Vi.

For the broader travel overview: Kalmar.

More Destinations

More places within the same destination:

Torsås.