It seems that Viking trolls are still alive and well in Sweden - at least, that's the belief of many locals.

The language is different here, too. This sign simply means: Elevator to the Mall.

No need to hiss at this!

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So, let's take a look at this wonderful (and packed) exploration of southern and western Sweden.

After falling for Stockholm, Sweden's capital, we moved on, self-driving an almost-complete loop around this large and fascinating southern part of the country.

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The Viking city of Vadstena 

Our first stop was at Vadstena, 250 kilometres south from the capital, at a lovely location on the shores of Lake Vättern.

No, this was not our accommodation, but the Vadstena Abbey overlooked the lake, and we stayed in accomodation located on the outer wall, overlooking Lake Vattern, Sweden's second-largest lake.

Founded in 1346, St. Birgitta's revelations made sure that the monastery and church was built as she deceed. It was to be simple, humble and strong, using limestone from the quarry south of Vadstena.

These stunning Medieval carvings and paintings shared stories over the centuries for those unable to read.

The abbey is not the only place of worship in Vadstena. This Chapel (above) is located in the main tower of...

...what every city needed, centuries ago - a castle!

But it's not all prayers and protection in this town, as this useful little engine shows. Visitors can sit back and relax as they see the sights.

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Valstena's castle is now a place for leisurely enjoyment...

...but like any centuries-old battlement, it was a sign of protection for the town, and now houses a museum and a hotel.

Since the 16th century, this building also became a hospital. Today, it relaxes in the sunshine, welcoming visitors.

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More than castles and churches

The town of Valdstena  has a population of only around 6000 residents, but it still offers plenty to do and see. For example, this helpful ex-phone box, has been resurrected as a book-exchange.

Swedish people like a bit of colour and fun...and why wouldn't light blue lampshades brighten anyone's day?

This graceful arch becomes useful when covered for events in the main square.

And the shopping is upmarket and smart - like this flower shop...

...or these upmarket cookery utensils.

Despite the size of this town, there are several good places to eat and drink. We enjoyed this tasty dinner at Borgmestaren in the main street.

There are several busy town-centre cafes in Valdstena, as well as others where you can sit and relax in a quiet side street.

Find out more about Vadstena here...

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Heading south

Leaving Vadstena, we drove south, following the shores of Lake Vattern. which is Europe's sixth-largest lake.  

Halfway to the end of the lake, we were surprised to encounter this Four-Star hotel that opened in 1933. Situated between Rottle and Granna, it overlooks the Eastern slope of Lake Vattern.

Hotel Gyllene Uttern is a traditional hotel with high quality food, magnificent views, and a world-unique fortress. By the time we arrived, it was morning tea time so, of course, we stopped for coffee and cake while soaking up that massive veiw.

The countryside, continued to wow us as we headed on, and by now we had reached rural and agricultural land.Soon we came to the busy university city of Jonkoping, overlooking the lake, then finally headed west, to Gothenberg, just under 150  kilometres away.

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Gothenburg - fortress of the Gota River

Liiving up to its name, Gothenburg, with a population over a million, is Sweden's second-largest city. With an ideal coastal location, this modern industrial city is well-placed to trade with many countries in its vicinity.

Rather than shipping, though, our interests were more about the city itself, and so we followed a clue given to us before we left Australia. Every city has a 'must do' place - a hip environent, a city playground. So, think of the ones you know - and when, in Gotherburg, head for Haga!

'You must go to Haga', we had been told ...and so we followed the crowds.

'Definitely try these!' we had been told. Never having heard of Hagabullen, of course, we were up for the thrill of trying one.

We were especially keen, as Cafe Husaren was the place that made this massive-sized delicacy, a must-try star!

And yes, this king of cinnamon-buns lived up to its reputation!

Scandinavians, in general, love licorice - but they prefer to have it their way. However, this darkest secret - salty licorice! - is not for everyone's taste. For years we had been told that, if ever visiting these countries, to try some - at least once. Or maybe start with it in a cone, with ice cream, like this (above)!

According to a 12th-century legend, King Eric IX saw a golden cross in the sky as he landed in Finland during the First Swedish Crusade. He anounced this as a sign from God, adopting the golden cross against a blue background as his banner, that still welcomes Swedish visitors.

There is a serioius side of course to this prominent and clever city, but Swedes do love a laugh - especially when it's all in good kind fun. Believe it or not, but this tiled arcade is completely flat!

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Off to the islands

Surely, not the best weather for sight-seeing, but we only had one day to add a trip to the Gothenburg Archipelago, a scattered group of several islands, tossed onto the sea, just off the coast. 

A web of ferries connect the islanders with the mainland and other islands. Close enough that ferry trips between them usually take only a few minutes, these are ideal side-trips for visitors.

The day was chilly. No, it was more than that. After all, the North Pole. was due-north of us! 

First off, we needed something warm to drink, and this waterside coffee shop was very necessary.

Fishing has always been a major industry in Scandinavian countries...and seafood is often the main diet of locals.

Tourists, staying in Gothenburg, who wish to visit the islands of the archipelago, need to factor in a 45-minute road or train trip to the coast. From here on, the ferries take over.

The island vibe is friendly and leisurely - even when chilly, as it was for us, visiting in early-October.

Even though we had no idea about these words, it wasn't difficult to decide we would grab one in an emergency!

The iconic red-painted houses of locals, particularly the traditional "Falu red" color, are a distinctive feature of the Swedish landscape, especially in rural areas, stemming from the Falun copper mine, where by-products were used to create a durable red pigment called Falu Rödfärg. The red colour was also seen as a way to enhance the appearance of houses, mimicking the look of more expensive brick buildings, especially in the 16th century when the King of Sweden decreed that the Royal Palace in Stockholm be painted red. 

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Heading South - but why Malmo?

We had two things in mind with this, the final, leg of our trip.

The major one, because it was a useful hopping-off spot for us to finalise our Scandi-trip, via an amazing bridge-tunnel to Denmark. The Oresund Bridge opened in 2000 enabling thousands of cars and trains to cross the strait between Denmark and Sweden. It is a combination of a bridge, tunnel and an artificial island, Peberholmen. Its length is 16 kilometres and the cost is a mere $30. Better still, for us, it would allow direct access to the airport, ready for our flight back to Australia that afternoon.

Watch out for more about the second reason, shortly...

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Malmo's magic

As with most of our bookings, this was a 'cross-your-fingers' choice.

Over many trips, we have found Booking.com suits us well, and we have never had a problem. UNITY Malmo, a smart new property, delivered more than we had expected.

In an inner-city location, the hotel was quiet, yet with easy access to the city centre. This brand-new hotel had so much to offer. 

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Heading south for surprises - on a time-frame

Our wonderful Scandinavian trip was almost over. The next morning we would need to hand back our rental car, then spend the last day wanndering around Malmo on foot.

There was, however one place we really wanted to see, and that was the standing-stones, an hour or so south from Malmo. Rather than trying to catch a bus, we figured a car would give us more time to enjoy this strange place.

By now we were at Ales Stenar at the southernmost tip of the Scandinavian peninsular.

The view was lovely, but we had rocks on our minds.

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Sweden's Standing Stones

From the waterside, it was a gentle hike to the top of the hill where we would see the fascinating Ales Stenar. On this day, however, it took a little longer as we were caught in a downpour of sleet ...

...but just as surpriingly, a few moments later, it stopped and we had bright sunshine again.

No one seems to know the exact history of the stones. The general belief is that they may have served a purpose as grave markers or a cult centre, although some say the group might provide a calendar for the sun.

We left this magical place, little wiser than when we arrived. Those ancient rocks could have told us more if only we knew the language!

Whatever the reason for those stones, this strangely forgotten place also offers a stunning view across the bay.

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Just in case you do not speak Swedish, the sign above means: 'Today you order indoors'. Given the local weather, we figured that this sign probably is well-used year-round.

After our bracing time with the 'stones' on the hill, we felt a warm-up was well-earned once we came down to sea-level. This beachside cafe with its coffee and excellent buns, was just what we needed.

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Lund - a new 'Old' village 

We always try not to retrace our steps, especially when we are on a tight time-frame so, on the way back from the stones - heading towards Malmo - we took a break at Lund.

Part of Denmark until the 17th Century, Lund's University is now one of Scandinavia's oldest institutions for reaseach. Along with Sigtuna, it is the oldest city in Sweden, dating back a thousand years.

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For that reason, Lund is the ideal place for Kulturen, an open-air museum where visitors may stroll through Sweden's cultural history.

Many eras are represented, having been removed from their oriiginal places, and carefully restored in Kulturen.

The amount of difficult and meticulous work is amazing.

Most interesting to visitors from non-Scandinavian countries tries, is the use of grass roofs on timber houses.

Travelling through Sweden, we had become used to this. The reason is simple and makes perfect sense, as the slabs of turf and grass make perfect insulation for this chilly country.

The Kulturen of Lund is both an indoor and open-air museum. Allow plenty of time to explore and absorb all the details.

Find out more about its interesting history...

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Lund itself

If nothing else, you must see this silvery church. The Cathedral (Domkyrka) of the Lutheran Church of Sweden, dates back to the 12th century. It is the seat of the Bishop of Lund and the main church of the Diocese. Built as the Catholic cathedral of the archiepiscopal See of all the Nordic countries, it was dedicated to Saint Lawrence.

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Back in Malmo ~ after a very busy day

Although Malmo is renowned for its hearty Swedish comfort food, such as herring and meatballs, instead we went for this  humungous comfort food from a pizza house down the road from our hotel. 

Well, we were hungry. That's our excuse!!

Malmö was one of the earliest-industrialised cities in Scandinavia, and is still largely involved, as ship building and construction industries have always driven the economy. As the third-largest city in Sweden, Malmö is the most cosmopolitan one. 

After yesteday when we reached the far south of Sweden's tip, now was time to explore this city.

Springbrunnen is a fun fountain in Malmo's main square.

Known as the world's biggest street-art city, Malmo is worth visiting, if only just to enjoy the variety.

The third-largest city of Sweden, and the sign of a griffin still recognises loyalty to the king.

Malmo's architecture varied over the centuries. From 1275 to the 17th century, it was regarded as part of Denmark.

Turn a corner in Malmo and you will see fabulous street art as murals, collages, or statues abound.

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Malmo Museum

Slip into this museum for a mini-version of something that you can see from many parts iof the city. But more of that soon...

It's worth planning. a few hours in this Museum.

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The museum is part of Malmo Castle and also the Art Museum, so it is easy to make a day of it. 

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Transport in Malmo

As the name says 'Cycle Garage'...work it out!

....and then there's this Danish tour bus company - can't miss the colour!

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Back to the city of surprises

Perhaps nothing is as surprising as this...the Turning Torso. 

Across the road is high-end accommodation right at hand....

.... but it is impossible not to turn back and wonder at this elegant and seemingly impossible building dominating the skyline. Described as a neo-futurist residential skyscraper it was built in Malmo in 2005 .

Yet, turn a corner, and suddenly you land back at a cafe with streetside tables and easy access to the city for nearby residents.

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OK - we can't finish without this. Now for some Ugh-h-h-h!

The sign says it all.

This would perhaps be the world's only collection of Yuck!!

Here are the details of just one of the 100 disgusting' foods on display. 

While most of the tasting takes place inside the nearby building, some things are just too gross to be eaten indoors! For a snippet of the world's smelliest seafood, tasters must walk outside to the tasting 'disgust' on the footpath.

Caveat Emptor: 'Diners' in this highly unusual place are allowed to sample many items. Those who taste or smell their way though a number of foods can prepare for the final task - experiencing some of the world's hottest chillies.

Survive this, and they may then be able to buy a T-shirt with the Disgusting Food Museum logo on it.

But, only if they have survived those chillies!

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The exact opposite!

Later that evening, we dropped in to a local hotel for a quick meal. We chose this one as the sign said it all...

...and we relaxed as we ate...

...and drank.

What a trip it had been. We'd visited a part of Sweden that was new to us, and even though it was a fairly quick trip, it was anough for us to want to return.

Soon!

Finally it was 'farewell Malmo' time; 'Farewell Sweden' too!

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Heading 'home' 

Next morning we caught a train from Malmo station, then travelled on the longest bridge in Scandinavia - by tunnel, road and railway - then, soon to be in the air again, and on our way home to Australia.

Sally & Gordon Hammond, travelled independently, throughout this tour.

Copyright: All text and pictures are owned by Sally & Gordon Hammond and may not be used except with permission..