ETR // Stage 20 // Karlskrona - Simrishamn

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Distance

  • Karlskrona - Simrishamn

  • Radius 100 km
  • 213 km

Highlights

  • Karlskrona archipelago
  • Sölvesborg Castle
  • Stortorget, Sölvesborg
  • Sweden Rock Festival
  • Killebom Festival
  • Österlen's Museum
  • Kockska Farm
  • Sct. Nicolai Kirke
  • Bilmuseet Autoseum
© ETR // European Touring Route AS
© ETR // European Touring Route AS
© ETR // European Touring Route AS
© ETR // European Touring Route AS

Sweden's Maritime and Industrial Heritage

Waking up in Karlskrona presents you with many options. You can continue your learning journey about Sweden's Maritime Heritage as both a seafaring and trading nation in the Baltic Sea, and across the oceans of the world.

If you choose to roll onwards, leaving Karlskrona and the archipelago behind, you can look forward to riding through a beautiful region where you can explore the network of fantastic driving roads along Sweden's southern coastline.

© ETR // European Touring Route AS
© ETR // European Touring Route AS
© ETR // European Touring Route AS

Sölvesborg emerges from The Great Baltic Ice Lake

As the water from the Baltic Ice Lake withdrew, the land around present-day Sölvesborg became accessible to Stone Age farmers and settlers Denmark. The port town of Sölvesborg was founded in the 12th century, between the mountain Ryssberget and Sölvesborgsviken, the bay to the east. The city itself has grown up around the church, the monastery and later, the castle. The oldest part of the church of Saint Nicholas is from the 12th century, or thereabouts.

The history of Sölvesborg is marked by its location on the main road connecting the old Danish districts of Skåne and Blekinge, and a fortress was built there making Sölvesborg town the main trading hub in the province of Sölvesborg. The city was granted its charter in 1445 by the Scandinavian king Christopher of Bavaria. Around Stortorget, the square in the center of Sölvesborg you will find a large number of beautiful buildings from the beginning of the 19th century. Constructed in 1804-1833, the town hall was built on the ruins of a former town hall, which burned down in 1801 (more fires?).

Sweden Rock Festival

Every year, the Sölvesborg Festival "Killebom" provides music, a medieval market, local foods and beverages, arts and crafts, and each summer, Sölvesborg is the setting for Sweden Rock Festival with around 35,000 visitors. If you're lucky, you'll arrive here around then.

© ETR // European Touring Route AS
© ETR // European Touring Route AS
© ETR // European Touring Route AS

Simrishamn, Österlen, Skåne

Simrishamn dates back to the 12th century, and the town gained market town rights and became a center in Österlen, southeastern Scania (modern day Skåne) in the 13th century, when herring fishing in the Baltic Sea was at its best.

Österlen's Museum and the old grocery farms

Simrishamn has several beautiful old grocery farms, including Kockska Farm, one of Swedens best preserved farms, as well as Björkegernska Farm which houses Österlens Museum on four floors. At the museum you can get an insight into the local history with peasant culture, fishing and maritime history, and catch various historical exhibitions.

© ETR // European Touring Route AS

Photos

  • Dave O'Byrne

  • European Touring Route AS

Partners

© ETR // European Touring Route AS
© ETR // European Touring Route AS
© ETR // European Touring Route AS
© ETR // European Touring Route AS

Find yourself in Skåne

Along these roads, you can immerse yourself in Sweden's Industrial Heritage, as you arrive at one great historical site after another, or lose yourself among the many lakes and rivers of the mid-Swedish countryside, stopping at small farms, restaurants and guest houses.

The deeper you go, the more you'll understand Sweden's influence in regional and global development down through the ages, as well as it's place and importance in the modern world. Scratch the surface, and all of these interesting facts and inspiring stories will give you a touring experience that you will remember for years.

© ETR // European Touring Route AS
© ETR // European Touring Route AS
© ETR // European Touring Route AS

Sct. Nicolai Kirke, Simrishamn

In the old town next to the square is Sct. Nicolai Church , the oldest part of which is from the 13th century. The church is built of boulders and named after the sailors' patron saint Sct. Nicolai. Almost the entire floor of the church is covered with old tombstones, and is worth your ttime when you're in the area.

Bilmuseet Autoseum

Sweden, much more so than Denmark is an automobile country, primarily due to the prohibitive taxes and costs of car and motorcycle ownership in Denmark. If your tastes are more for classic cars and motorcycles, then Sweden and Germany are where you should be. Bilmuseet Autoseum on the outskirts of the Simrishamn is where you can find motorcycles, planes and old cars in all shapes and sizes, spread over a 2500 sqm. exhibition area - everything from a Danish-produced car from the year 1898, to a Lamborghini Gallardo from 2007.
Italians, as they say, do it better.

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