Krickelin Day 1
Grön Ko
Värmlandsbro
How do you start a great trip to Värmland? With some food, of course, and ideally at Grön Ko (Green Cow), a perfect stop along the E45 highway heading north into Värmland.
“Wow! What a place! […] The hospitality was so warm & familial. Love it! Here you can buy Krav-certified grass-fed meat & delicious ready-made fresh meals. They want to make it easy to eat well-prepared and sustainable food even when time is tight. Their goal is that meals should taste good, be good for you, and also contribute to a sustainable future.”
The Plus
Magnor, Norway
About 1 hour and 40 minutes by car from Grön Ko.
Good culture has no borders. Vestre’s furniture factory The Plus is something extraordinary both architecturally and in terms of production.
“The world’s most environmentally friendly furniture factory. An architectural and fantastic piece of art that is actually an industrial site in the forest. I’m completely taken! Very inspiring.
The work environment is important for everyone’s well-being – imagine working in a factory with this light intake, nature close by, & all these incredible colors and shapes. Vestre has been creating sustainable urban outdoor furniture that brings people together for 75 years. They use local materials to minimize environmental impact. Have you perhaps seen their furniture in Times Square, Acke Brygge, or Gothenburg?”
Magnors Glassverk
Magnor, Norway
Five minutes by car from The Plus.
When you’re in Norway, don’t miss seeing glassblowing in action at the renowned Magnor Glassverk, where production has been ongoing since 1896.
“After that, we headed to Magnor Glassverk and checked out their impressive craftsmanship. Just three kilometers from the border. A perfect excursion. They also serve delicious waffles here.”
Selma Spa
Sunne
About 1 hour and 15 minutes by car from Magnor Glassverk.
Popular Selma Spa is a favorite among many, for a reason. Feel the calm settle in the warm outdoor pool while gazing out over Fryken.
“Warm baths both indoors and outdoors. Four different saunas. If I had more time, I would have joined a workout session or used the gym too. The hotel has spacious areas, beautiful rooms, & a restaurant with an incredible view over Fryken. […] I had such a lovely chat with a lady in the pool here – she had a spa membership and spoke warmly about how lucky it was for everyone living in Sunne to have access to this fine hotel and spa facility.”
Krickelin day 2
Sandgrund Lars Lerin
Karlstad
Approximately a 55-minute drive from Selma Spa.
Although Lars Lerin and his art hardly need any introduction, we still want to remind you that a cultural trip in Värmland is not complete without a visit to the beloved Sandgrund.
“Are you eager to see 80 films & lots of pictures from Sandgrund Lars Lerin? My entire roll is full of these. And my heart is also full ❤️ What an artist! Breath-taking!
Lars Lerin’s art is among the most beautiful and truly grabs you. The watercolors from Lofoten are incredible.”
Värmlands Museum
Karlstad
Värmlands Museum is just a stone’s throw from Sandgrund Lars Lerin.
“When you come out of the entrance of Sandgrund, you have Värmlands Museum right in front of you. Here, the older building from 1929 meets the newly built section from 1998 in a very beautiful combination. If you’re interested in art and interior design, you must visit Värmlands Museum. […] It really bubbled with all the impressions in my body. The architecture in the new part of the museum was impressive.”
Zest
Karlstad
Just a three-minute walk from Värmlands Museum.
The restaurant Zest is Karlstad’s greenest oasis, where both the food tastes and does you good.
“We had lunch at the neighboring Zest. Incredibly good! Highly recommended!“
Wermland Opera
Karlstad
A five-minute walk from Zest.
At Wermland Opera, you can always experience top-class music and drama. Krickelin saw the opera Tosca during her visit and sends along an important tip:
“Don’t forget to order a glass of bubbles during the intermission”
Clarion Collection Hotel Drott
Karlstad
About a five-minute walk from Wermland Opera.
Opposite the central station, you’ll find the Clarion Collection Hotel Drott. The soft Art Nouveau style defines both the beautiful facade and the hotel’s interior, with high arches now combined with modern decor.
See more pictures from Värmland
Check out Krickelin’s saved highlights on Instagram here.
Krickelin Day 3
Retrovågen
Karlstad
About a 35-minute drive from Drott.
“Today, our journey through Värmland took us to Kristinehamn. We headed to the Vågen shopping district – one of the city’s oldest areas with many of the old wooden houses still standing. A creative district with several unique shops. Visit Retrovågen in this area. A truly unique shop with locally produced delicacies and retro items.”
Kristinehamn Art Museum
Karlstad
Five minutes by car from Retrovågen.
“Kristinehamn Art Museum turned out to be really interesting. All those everyday objects you recognize from your childhood. Timeless Swedish design. Bernadotte, Skultuna, Gustavsberg, etc. The artist-in-residence Ruben Risholm had an incredible exhibition of wooden sculptures here as well. I was blown away by these powerful artworks and stood there, staring in awe – for a long, long time.”
The Picasso sculpture in Kristinehamn
Kristinehamn
A quarter’s drive from the Kristinehamn Art Museum.
“It is the Picasso Sculpture that Picasso is behind, located in the incredible sculpture in the Kristinehamn archipelago. ‘Tête de femme’ – a sculpture depicting Picasso’s wife Jacqueline Roque. Created in 1965 & was at that time the tallest sculpture in the world.”
Fyndboa
Kristinehamn
About a 20-minute drive from the Picasso Sculpture.
We also made a stop at Värmland’s largest flea market – Fyndboa:
“Of course, I found a few things at Fyndboa in Kristinehamn.”
Bofors Hotel
Karlskoga
About a 20-minute drive from Fyndboa.
“Sweden is truly amazing! Touch down at Bofors Hotel in Karlskoga. Bofors Hotel was originally built to impress AB Bofors’ international clients. The design was therefore fully focused on representation and important meetings – with privacy for guests and management only.
The hotel is built in Italian villa style and designed by architect Wilhelm von Eyck, who was inspired by art déco and early modernism. Since 2006, the entire hotel has been carefully renovated in accordance with the architect’s original intentions. A successful blend of the 1930s and modern times.
The dinner here was the best food experience in Värmland. Incredible experience!”
Krickelin Day 4
Alfred Nobel’s Björkborn
Karlskoga
Five-minute drive from Bofors Hotel.
Krickelin ends her trip to Värmland by visiting Björkborn and diving deep into the history of Alfred Nobel.
“At the turn of the year 1893-94, Alfred Nobel bought a majority of the shares in AB Bofors-Gullspång for, at that time, about 1 million Swedish kronor, and with the purchase came Björkborn Manor. After that, Alfred Nobel came to stay at the manor during his visits to Sweden in the last years of his life, and the home was modernized.
It is truly interesting to visit this home and learn more about Alfred Nobel. […] This was very exciting & well worth a visit. Book it! There are cafes, guided tours & good accommodation nearby.”
Read more about Krickelin in Värmland
Find inspiration on her blog.