Vimmerby is a charming historical town in the Swedish county of Smaland. It is around an hour by car from the larger town Vastervik, and around 1.5 hours from Linkoping and Jonkoping.
Despite having suffered several fires in the past the town is fortunately still relatively well preserved. Take a stroll along Storgatan and see Vimmerby Town Hall from 1825. Pass the 18th century buildings Radmansgarden and Hammarskjoldska Garden and continue to the town museum Naktergalken to learn more about the building and the history of the town.
Vimmerby is primarily famous as the birth place of Astrid Lindgren – the most beloved children's author of Sweden, who have also been translated into many languages globally. There is a whole world dedicated to Astrid Lindgren's books in Astrid Lindgrens Varld, where children can experience the literary worlds and play with famous characters like Pippi Longstocking and Ronia the Robber's Daughter. Astrid Lindgrens Nas is the actual birthplace of the famous author, and here you can join a guided tour or learn more about her life in the exhibition space. If you want to see where some of the movies based on her books were filmed, visit Katthult in Rumskulla, Bullerbyn in Pelarne or Barnfilmbyn in Mariannelund.
A holiday in Vimmerby also offers many nature experiences. Fish and swim in picturesque lakes like Forsjon and Nossen, or why not try canoeing in Stangan. Hike all or some of the 50 kilometre Sevedeleden – a trail with several legs, and options of overnight stay along the way. If you want a shorter walk, try the ten kilometre Brantestads Naturrunda or the four kilometre Naturstigen Sme-åna.
Don't miss the typically Swedish flora and fauna in Virum Elk Park where you can take a guided tour to get close to handsome elk and fallow deer. At Eriksgarden you can go on another tour, in a horse drawn carriage, which finishes with a picnic or barbeque in the forest.
Vimmerby is situated at equal distance from Stockholm and Gothenburg, in the south east of Sweden. Get a combination of trains and buses from Sweden's largest cities, with a journey time of between 3.5 and five hours. If you're renting a car you can drive in just over three hours from either city and enjoy the vast scenery of forested nature that is the Swedish country side.
