Karlstad

Karlstad Travel Wiki

[tp_search_shortcodes slug=”4f02989d” origin=”” destination=”KSD” hotel_city=”Karlstad, Sweden, 58, 8810, city, Sweden” type=”avia_hotel” subid=””]

Travel to Karlstad

Read about and get inspiration for a trip to the city, check for the cheapest flights and hotels in Karlstad

IKEA says that their Karlstad line of furniture provides you with timeless quality. But a visit to this community in the southern portion of Sweden is required to truly enjoy what the true features of quality that are provided. Karlstad is on the Klarälven River delta, and the Klarälven River is one of the longest rivers in northern Europe winding directly into Lake Vänern. As a result, there are plenty of things to do in Karlstad such as water activities, museums and great restaurants. For business vistors,the Karlstad Congress Culture Centre is one of the largest and most modern convention centres in the Nordic countries. The largest conference hall seats up to 1,600 and has a large stage for concerts, exhibitions and conferences.

Enjoy a boat cruise on Lake Vänern – see the archipelago in close up and dine on amazing seafood. Just take a ‘båtbussen’ as the locals call them, or water bus to go shopping, or sightseeing. You can also take a trip to one of the islands of the Lake Vänern archipelago. The community has roots that date back to the Viking age and there was also a place of medieval counsel called Tingvalla in the region. Karlstad itself was granted a charter in 1584 and it has a stunning location right on the largest lake in Sweden and the European Union, Vanern. Some of the largest lake salmon ever caught in the world came from this lake, weighing in at over 44 pounds! You might be restricted from some fishing efforts with a visit to Karlstad so the fisheries can be protected, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have a good time enjoying everything else that this community has to offer. Let’s take a look!

Take a Journey Over the East Bridge

If you weren’t standing in Sweden and you saw the East Bridge, you’d swear that you were looking at an ancient Roman bridge from at least the first century BC. It’s constructed in that traditional archway style that is typical of these ancient constructions, but the one giveaway is that it is built from stone instead of the typical early brickwork seen in Roman work.

As you journey along the river in town, enjoying the expansive green space, be sure to take a look at the old portion of the city to see 19^th century buildings. Much of the city burned in a tragic fire in the late 1800’s and only a small portion of the city, right near the river, was able to survive. Nearly every day is a perfect day for a walk here as Karlstad is one of Sweden’s sunniest communities, so plan for a good walk and just enjoy the city!

Every Day Is a Good Day To Visit the Old Prison!

Karlstad is a fairly compact community and traffic is usually creeping along at best, so taking a walk is often the best way to go. If you still want to have a bit of a creepy factor to your trip here, the Old Town Prison has the ability to raise the ante for you. It’s a small museum that’s in the basement of the Clarion Hotel, but down there you’ll still see the original cells and get to go through some of the prisoner’s letters that were written.

A trip to Karlstad isn’t complete without the opportunity to enjoy the local cuisine and there isn’t a better place to do so then Kallaren Munken. Served in an vaulted cellar that dates back to the 17^th century, you’ll have the honor of dining in the oldest building in town. You’ll also get to have a chanterelle sauce that is infused with lingonberries that is simply out of this world. Order the roasted stag – you can’t go wrong with it!

A trip to Karlstad is all about fun and exploration. If you’re ready to see what this city has to offer, then be sure to include these ideas with your own to fully enjoy the experience offered here!

Travel and vacation in Karlstad, Sweden

Here you can find information about travel and holiday trips to Sweden. You will find travel deals as well as general travel information, guides, “good to know” and facts about Sweden. We try to find the best travel video about the city and its surroundings and we write about the best sights, shopping and things to do. You will also find updated current weather and forecasts. The current exchange rates are also updated many times a day.

Best of Karlstad

What to see and do in Karlstad ?

Mariebergsskogen is the place to go if you have a family. The playgrounds are full of great fun toys and structures to play with. Find the miniature train, the little zoo, the cafe by the lake with Swedish food. The Varmlands Museum has an exhibition about the history of Värmland is very interesting and covers about 9000 years. It´s a very kid friendly place too with a room where they can experiment and explore science and technology.

The southern tip of Hammarö is a genuine lakeside setting with fantastic views over the vast Lake Vänern. A place to swim or simply enjoy the great outdoors. What better way of discovering Lake Vänern’s northern reaches than by boat – you are rent kayaks, cruise boats, go fishing – you name it – the sheer size of the lake means that watersports opportunities are unlimited.

All visitors to Karlstad eventually want a taste of the great outdoors – particularly in the summer. Try the Klarälvsbanan – 90 kilometres of cycling joy outdoor experience that takes you through the landscapes of Värmland, from Karlstad in the south to Hagfors in the north. The 90 km long and 3-metre wide trail is asphalted the whole distance, perfect for cycling. If you are looking for somethig a little more testing, try the Klarälven path (Klarälvsleden) and Klarälvsbanan (the Klarälven trail) are a 220 km cycle path which runs through Värmland. The paths stretch across Hammarö, Karlstad, and up into the mountains and forests of the north at Sysslebäck

For walkers, the Värmlandsled (Värmland walking trail) of Kycklingleden (The Chicken Trail), that winds along Lake Vänern, and Jäverön which is a on large island in Lake Vänern are two of the best.

Restaurants in Karlstad

If you’re in Karlstad, why not go for traditional Swedish fare for a true taste of Sweden? Traditional Swedish food is called ‘husmanskost’ in Swedish, and is typically simple fare of beef, pork and fish. If you get the chance, try elk, reindeer, gravad lax and different types of herring.  How about some fresh Vänern smoked salmon, or meatballs with lingo berry?

Kungsgatan in the middle of town is packed with good restaurants and one of them is Blå – try the five-course tasting menu, the Vänern white roe from a local fish smokery and the elk. Also on Västra Torggatan is Tiffanys – one of Karlstad’s most beautifull restaurants: ask for the fillet of Vänern pike-perch with lobster sauce, scallop Saint-Jacques and a vegetable fricassee.When visiting Karlstad, you may want to sample the Värmland delicacies. The restaurant 3 Kök serves genuine Swedish cuisine and is located in the centre of Karlstad next to the harbour. www.3kok.se

Just outside Karlstad,  the Lillänghamnens Fiskerökeriet (smoked fish house) is a family owned and run fish smoke-house and shop on the island of Hammarö,south of Karlstad. You can get there by car, or by bus and boat from Karlstad. The Fransson brothers have been running this famous smoked fish house out of Lillängshamnen (harbour) on the island since 1988. Most of the fish are caught locally in and sold fresh or smoked . Try the Vänern salmon, perch and whitefish, as well as fish roe and herring.

Recommended hotels in Karlstad

The Clarion Hotel Plaza is in the centre of Karlstad and is unique with a panorama sauna that offers fantastic views of the surrounding area. www.nordicchoicehotels.com/clarion/clarion-hotel-plaza

Scandic Hotel Klarälven is located right beside the river Klarälven within walking distance from the town centre. The Elite Stadshotellet hotel is another great hotel located by the riverside of Klar älven. It’s a nice place to relax and unwind whilst still being in the prime location for exploring the surrounding area and for activities.

For something different, try the Clarion Collection Hotel Bilan – its housed in the old county jail which is dated from the 19th century. The old prison cells have been converted into 68 hotel rooms. In the hotel there is a museum about the history of the jail.

If you’re on a budget then there are hotels and hostels located in the area such as the CarlstadCity Hostel and the Ibis.

For your time away you could hire out a cottage at First camp Karlstad. There is cottages you can rent out or you can camp, within the site there is a gym and fitness classes which everyone on the sight is welcome to use. There is also wireless internet connection available for when you are staying over.