Discover the cute wooden houses of historic Hjo, a town located on the shores of Sweden’s second-largest lake. To boost its visitor numbers, Hjo has teamed up with Eksjö and Nora to promote themselves as Tre trästäder, “Three wooden towns.”
There is a tourist information center in town for maps, hotel information and an events calendar. Start your tour of the town by walking along the central Hamngatan. While the church and a few adjacent houses burned down in 1794, most of the town has withstood the tests of time.
Don’t miss the Hjo Wharf with its charming fishermen’s boats and timeless appeal. In summer, jump aboard the S/S Trafik, one of the oldest steamships in Sweden, to cruise to Visingsö Island in Lake Vättern. You can also rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard to explore the lake at your leisure.
The Guldkroksbadet is a free outdoor swimming complex with beach access to the lake. With Scandinavia’s daylight hours in summer extending until late at night, you could spend all evening here. If you play golf, visit the Hökensås Golf Club just south of town.
Spend a few hours in Hjo Town Park, which has exercise equipment, a tennis court, a giant chess board, a playground that’s open year round and picnic areas, crazy golf and heated pools in summer. The park’s lunch pavilion and café serve hot and cold drinks, snacks and lunches. Also in the park is the Experimenthuset, which is open from June through to August and teaches kids cool science tricks.
The Hjoåns dalgång (Hjo River Valley) is a tranquil nature reserve. Hike or mountain bike up to Lake Mullsjön in spring or autumn for stunning vistas.
If you are traveling to Hjo in winter, try not to miss the Christmas markets, which are very atmospheric and attract visitors from far and wide.
