Welcome to Sunny Paradise!

City

About

Welcome to Sunny Paradise!

If you meet someone who gives you a smile (which is easy for us), it can be the sun - but in a different way. We are a little "sun crazy" here in Karlstad, but more interestingly, it is what it symbolizes. For example, a good business environment, a friendly spirit and a city full of experiences. That is why we like to call Karlstad the "Sunny Paradise". Karlstad has more than 82,000 inhabitants and is in Värmlands County and in proximity of Klarälvens Delta and Lake Vänern.

History

Karlstads History

Founded in 1584 by Karl IX, there were only 45 households. Similar to so many other older cities, Karlstad was also hit by major fires. On July 2, 1865 a fire almost devastated the entire city. Only 7 of the 241 farms remained, some buildings could be salvaged and some are still left at Biskopsgården, the Cathedral and a few houses in the area of Almen.

See and Do

Swimming

Sundsta Swimming Hall

Swimming Hall with a 25 meter pool, diving platform, sauna and solarium. A Nautilus Gym is next to the swimming pool, and share the same entrance.
Drottning Kristinas Väg 3, Karlstad
+46 54-29 68 71
www.karlstad.se

Family Activities

Solacykeln (Sola Cycle)

In the heart of Karlstad, it is possible to loan bikes for free in the summer. "Sola Cycle" has become popular and a great way to easily get around in Karlstad. Sola Cycle can be loaned daily by presenting a valid photo identification. For those interested in culture and art, are the cultural cycle tours. which goes between the sculptures and cultural buildings in Karlstad. Information and map are available from Sola Cycle and the Tourist Offices. Directions: Located at the Northwest corner of Market Square in the center of Karlstad.

Walking Tour in Karlstad

The guided tour in central Karlstad takes about 1 hour. The guide tells all about the city's history, its buildings and the people who live and work here. The Tourist Office and Värmlands Museum conduct the tours.

Fishing

Alsterns Fiskevårdsområde (Fishing)

Types of fish in the area are pike, pike-perch and perch.
Alstrums Gård, Karlstad
+46 54-86 60 01

Fishing Lake Vänern, Bomstad-baden

We offer trolling fishing for salmon, trout and pike in Lake Vänern, outside of Hammarö.
Karlstad Swecamp Bomstad-Baden, Karlstad
+46 54-53 50 68
info@bomstad-baden.se
www.bomstadbaden.se

Lake Gapern (Fishing)

Fishing in Lake Gapern. Fish for perch, pike perch, and perch.
Gaperns FVO, Flatvik 618, Karlstad
+46 553-170 24

Lake Molkomsjön (Fishing)

Lake Molkomsjön, a moderately large lake with and interesting bottom profile. Easily accessible. Fishing for pike and pike-perch. Tip: Tolling: Troll with boat and motor in June-July, mornings and evenings.
+46 553-411 28
www.mfvof.com

Lake Mångens Fiskevårdsområde (Fishing)

Fishing in Lake Mängen and Böckelsjöarna (Böckel Lakes). Fish for pike and pike-perch.

Lower Klarälvens Fiskevårdsområde (Fishing)

Fish in Lake Vänern and Klarälven. Fish for pike, perch, brown trout, salmon and carp.
www.nedreklaralven.nu

Lower Norsälvens Fiskevårdsområde (Fishing)

The fishing area includes Norsälven (from the power plant in Edsvalla) to the mouths river and the northern part of Åsfjorden's to Götviksuddens Southern coast. Fish for pike-perch, salmon and trout.
+46 54-29 52 18, +46 54-15 14 95, +46 70-544 02 28

"Put and Take" - Sandbäckstjärn (Fishing pond)

One of the country's most central fishing waters! "Put and Take" with implanted rainbow trout.
+46 54-51 05 10

Västra Örten (Fishing)

Fish for pike, pike-perch and perch.
Västra Örtens Fiskevårdsområde, c/o Torbjörn Engström, Bäråsen, Deje
+46 552-210 73

Östra Örten (Fishing)

Fisk in Östra Örten, från Acksjöviken in the south, to Lersjön in the north. Fish for pike, pike-perch and perch.
Östra Örtens Fiskevårdsområdesförening, c/o Olle Thegerström, Berget, Molkom.
+46 553-300 85

Guest Harbour

Karlstad Guest Harbor och Bridge Opening

Boat slips available, showers, restrooms, washing machine and more. 20 guest slips and secured slips. Slips cannot be reserved. Depth, 3 meters. Bridge Height: 4.5 meters.
Inre hamn, Tynäsgatan 8
+46 706-36 87 19, +46 54-14 01 00
www.lofbergfastighet.se

Museum

Alsters Mansion (Museum)

Alsters Mansion is best known as the poets Gustaf Fröding childhood home. The famous and popular poet was born here in 1860. The manor is located in Alsterdalens beautiful country landscape. The building is from the 1600s, but was originally built from stone and was replaced in 1772 by the present manor. It was Gustaf Fröding grandfather, Jan Fröding, that gave Alster Manor its' current appearance. Today, the manor is in memory of Fröding and has a permanent exhibition about the author and poet. There are also art and craft exhibitions. During the summer, a variety of programs are arranged such as music, dance, theater, lectures, poem reading and more. In the café, you can enjoy home-baked pastries, sandwiches along with lunches and dinners. Country art and crafts in Värmland, is located in the West Wing.
Alsters herrgårdsväg 3, Karlstad
+46 54-83 40 81
alstersherrgard@karlstad.se

Bird Museum in Molkom

One mans lifetime achievement - 200 birds under one roof, a bird exhibition by Hugo Foogdes on display in Molkoms Library.
Kungsgatan 20, Karlstad
+46 54-29 50 29

Boltziushemmet (Museum)

Helbrägdagöraren Boltzius lived and worked in the 1800s. He became extremely popular and met with admiration by the Queen. You can visit his home by request in Skåre, and see the crutches standing, that were left behind by the people he healed.
Ilandavägen 12, Karlstad
+46 54-53 00 57
www.skarekyrkan.se

Karlstads School Museum

Located in the old high school is Karlstads School Museum and has a large collection of school articles. The museum's collection is made up of schooling inventory, teaching and text material from the early 1800's. There is also a fine collection of old school plans and study books. You can also visit the old classroom from the early 1900s, or in the children's gardening room from the 1950s.
Kungsgatan 7, Karlstad
+46 54-15 95 08, +46 54-15 95 13

Sprängtekniska (Technical Museum)

Zakrisdal, an ammunitiion factory built during World War II (1940-1945). The Zakrisdals Works played an important role in Sweden's defense during the war. The museum displays, among other things, photographs, maps, paintings, and literature from the 1800s to the present. Protection material and Civil Defense Material. Parts of the production equipment used in manufacturing of Zakrisdals detonators. Parts of the production such as; fuzes, cartridges, ammunition, etc.
+46 54-56 70 00

The Old Prison (Museum)

The prison in Karlstad was one of the first Swedish cell prisons when it was inaugurated 1847. Its architecture was inspired by the ancient Greek and Italian building structures. The 91 cells has kept thousands of prisoners during the 121 years that the prison was in operation. Prison operations ended 1968, but in the basement there is now an interesting museum where you can see the isolation from different time periods. In 1986 the prison was built into a hotel and the old cells have been transformed into comfortable hotel rooms.
Karlbergsgatan 3, Karlstad
+46 54-10 03 00
cc.bilan@choice.se
www.choicehotels.se

Träffpunkt Elvis - Memorial

In the center of Zakrisdals is a memorial for Elvis. It includes private photos and mementos from a private persons visits to Graceland. The collection also includes video recordings, music, and much more.
Zakrisdalsvägen 24, Karlstad
+46 73-807 92 95

Värmlands Museum

Museum of the year, 2005. Värmlands Museum is located at Klarälven beach, in Sandgrundsudden. You will find permanent exhibitions on Värmländs history. Värmlands development is told from the ice age. and up until the present. The museum describes the history with the help of photos, objects and music. There are also temporary exhibitions of various kinds and themes. The museum is housed in two buildings where the oldest was built in 1929, and designed by Cyrillus Johansson. The new museum building was completed in 1998 and is connected with the old by a glassed walkway. The architect behind the new - seven corned building - is also Carl. " The museum has a total exhibition area of 3 000 meters and an auditorium for 160 people. If you feel for something to eat, there is a cafe and a restaurant. In the museum shop, you can purchase Värmländska quality products such as, art, literature and souvenirs.
+46 54- 14 31 00, Weekends +46 54-14 31 01
www.varmlandsmuseum.se

Nature

Acksjöleden (Hiking)

Beginning at Acksjöns School, there are three trails of various lengths. Trails are approximately 3.5 km and 7 km and 12 km in length. A hike in Acksjöleden offers you beautiful country - above all, the silence and a great sense of the wilderness. The route goes through "Hällmarkstallskog", blåbärsgranskog (Blueberries) and deciduous forests of all different ages, passing small ponds and bogs, and beautiful farmland at Herrån and Acksjön. The trail also offers extensive views over the surrounding countryside, and crosses Horssjöälven in six places, then follows the watercourse along the south and partially along Acksjöns beach. It will also lead you to several interesting cultural and historical places with ruins such as "Acksjöhyttans" (cabin ruins). There are several resting places along the trail in the form of benches and picnic tables. The trail is partially on forest paths and gravel roads.

Brattforsheden - Nature Reserve

Brattforsheden is one of Sweden's largest river deposits formed by the ice. Heden is the country's main delta complexes, containing a wide range of interesting and well formed surfaces, such as dunes, eskers, ravines, kettle landforms, rivers, and more. Vegetation in the area is dominated by forest with the undergrowth of heather and lichens. Flora on Heden is relatively limited but does include the unusual Spring Pasque flower. There are also a number of endangered insects in the area such as, the Large Skipper butterfly, klöverblåvinge (Clover Blue Winged butterfly), the Swedish Double Square-spot (mothl) and Gray Ant. The rare Sand Lizard is another member of animal life on the moor. The area also includes species-rich environments such as the ravin system, Lungälvsravinerna, with a rich flora and animal life in the lush deciduous forest. There are also several interesting bogs and kettle landforms. Forests in the region have been exploited for various activities such as coal mining and timbering. Timbering was mainly from the 1500s up until the early 1900s, but the areas were already builtup from the Stone Age. The area is excellent for outdoor activities. Hiking trails, picnic areas, information centers are available on the 11,400 hectares (area) of Brattforsheden which is a conservation area since 1984. Parts of the area is a nature reserve: Lungälvsravinerna, Geijerdalsmossen, Kittelfältet and Brattfors brandfält.

Gammelskogen Historical Forest

Mariebergsskogen is a large part of the fantastic 400-year-old pine forest with huge trees that were already large during Carl XII's time and does not exist anywhere else in Värmland. There are walking paths through the forest and farthest south you will reach Mariebergs seaside meadows.
+46 54-29 69 87

Högemons naturreservat

Högemon Nature Reserve is located North of Sörmons. The area's values is from the landscape created during the ice age and reaches 105 meters above sea level in the form of a ridge consisting of gravel. On the eastern side of Högemon, you can see and walk on terrace formed shelves. These terraces are the highest in this area of Värmland and shows some of the "Fornvänerns" previous levels. Högemon has a unquie forest, grilling places and a newly constructed charcoal kiln. Högemon was allocated as a reserve in 1974 to preserve the area's geological values.
+46 54-29 52 35

Jäverön (Island)- Hiking Trails

Jäverön is a 900 hectare large island in Lake Vänern and located about 1 mile east of Karlstad. For the most part, the island has coniferous forest but there are also sand and cliff beaches, lush beach woods and a very beautiful living cultural landscape. The cultural landscape consists of pastures and seaside meadows that are kept open with the help of grazing cattle, horses and sheep. The island has an active archipelago agriculture. The pine forests on the island have been cultivated pretty hard but there are still very fine forests of aspen trees and other varieties along with interesting flora. Hiking Trails in Jäverön: Jäverön Island offers many beautiful and varied adventures that suits both children and adults. Around the island are trails that lead you through seaside meadows, an old spruce forest, a deciduous forests of precious hardwood and hazel, valuable swamp forest and along Jäveröns beaches. The orange colored markers make the path easy to follow. Rest areas with tables and benches can be found at several places along the route and information is located at the places of interest along the way. At Långviksudden, on the eastern side of the island are shelters with grilling areas. In lower lying areas of the trails, there are footbridges and when the trails lead through cow pastures, there are ladder stiles available. You can choose the short 3 km hiking trail adjacent to the ferry birth or the longer route of 17 km, which goes around the whole island. The long path can be divided into a northern and a southern loop, each are about 10 km.

Lämpeshålan - Nature Reserve

The kettle landform called Lämpeshålan is located 17 km north of Väse. Lämpeshålan is part of the great Väseåsen extending from Arnön at Vänern and north towards Brattforsheden. It was formed during the last inland ice melting about 10,000 years ago. When the ice pulled away, it loosened stones and sand which was carried away by the river underneath the ice blocks. Then, these ice blocks (dödis) melted and left behind a large cavity. Lämpeshålan is Värmlands largest kettle landform and has a depth of 30 meters with a diameter of approximately 200 meters. The kettle landform is a part of the nature reserve Lämpeshålan
+46 54-29 52 35

Sandgrundsudden - Nature Reserve

In the heart of Karlstad, with the river Klarälven on both sides you will find Sandgrundsudden. It is a tongue of land stretching out into the river. Sandgrundsudden has gradually been formed by sand that the river Klarälven has brought. The cape divides Klarälven into two main branches of the river. Sandgrundsudden was an island at the time of the great fire in 1865 and was connected by a bridge between Västra Torggatan and Sandgrund. The bridge was used to save lives and properties out to Sandgrundsudden from the fire.
+46 54-29 52 35

Segerstads skärgård

Segerstads archipelago is a part of the unique Väner archipelago. The south of Segerstadshalvön, consists of some 30 islands which are mainly unsettled. Here you can experience the feeling of the untouched archipelago. The islands consist primarily of mixed forests and the beaches shift their character of nature from sandy beaches to smooth stones and bare rocks. On one of the most-visited islands called Åsundaön, there are pothole which have been formed by the waves when the lake's surface was higher than today's. The large Axelön, has four mazes or "Trojeborgar". These stone formations are set on cliffs and some are thousands of years old and are from the Middle Ages. According to local tradition, the labyrinth was made by a shipwreck.
+46 54-29 52 35

Sörmons Nature Reserve

At the western highway entrance into Karlstad, you will find Sörmon´s nature reserve. Sörmon is a delta area formed about 10,000 years ago when the inland ice melted away. At the ice edge, the ice rivers flowed into the ocean beneath its surface and brought a great amount of stones and sand with them. When the inland ice disappeared and the delta rose above the sea level. Sörmon´s sand bars and sand dunes were formed by the winds and waves. Sörmons is a unique area in Sweden where you can swim and hike along the sand ridges. In the sparse pine forest is also the rare sandödlan (sand lizard). You can also find ”klockljung” a species of the plant heather, that grows in the northern area boundries. The people of Karlstad get their drinking water from Sörmon, where the water from Lake Vänern is filtered through the layers of sand.
+46 54-29 52 35

Parks

Mariebergsskogen - Karlstads City Park

Mariebergsskogen is Karlstad's City Park. There are experiences for all the senses and for the entire family. Enjoy the exhibitions at Naturum Värmland, pet the farm animals at Lillskogen and feel the history around the cultural buildings. Then, end your day with coffee in the Café in Värmlands Naturum.
+46 54-29 69 90
mariebergsskogen@karlstad.se
www.mariebergsskogen.se

Stadsträdgården (City Garden) in Karlstad

During the mid 1800's, many cities were ambitious to build urban parks and were inspired by other parks already on the continent. Karlstad was not different and during the 1860s it started to build Stadsträdgården. In the beginning, there was a school for gardeners and it also started a nursery. A fire in 1959 burned down the old restaurant and Stadsträdgården laid low until 1993. Today is a wide range of mainly trees and shrubs. There are also many Rhododenrons, a 40's Magnolia and much more. If you are interested in beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees, we recommended a visit to Stadsträdgården. In the summer, there are also flower collections arranged in Stadsträdgården. You can even visit the newly opened summer café, and enjoy a cup of coffee on sunny days.
Solacykeln, Kungsgatan 20, Karlstad
+46 54-295029
bert.nilsson@karlstad.se

Worth Seeing

Domkyrkan (Church)

On Tingvallaön (island), there has been a church since the 1300's and in the beginning, it was located where the City Hotel is today. It became a cathedral in 1647 when Queen Kristina made Karlstad to a diocese city. The cathedral burnt down in 1719 and was rebuilt from 1723-1730 in Lagberget by the builder Christian Haller. From Lagberget, which was used as a court, during the Medieval Times and the Middle Ages - the Church can be seen far and wide. The church gives a bright and easy impression, which reflects the enlightenment vision of the church as an expression of reason, morality and hope for eternity. The chancel has two angels created in the late 1700s by the sculptor Tobias Sergel. The tower's present appearance came after the great fire 1865, when the then tower was destroyed. The last time the cathedral was renovated was in 1998 and received new bronze plates for the tower, among other things.
Västra Kyrkogatan 5, Karlstad
+46 54-14 14 00
www.svenskakyrkan.se/karlstad

Dye domarring - Iron Age Burial Ground

Värmlands largest stone circle in Dye is composed of eleven stones, and a flat stone in the middle. The appearance is partially from an incorrect restoration. The site was excavated in 1971 and it showed that the original consisted of two adjacent smaller stone circles. A recessed area containing burned bones from a person and a dog was found in the southern ring; it was dated about 500 A.D. Nothing was found in the northern ring. Archeologists found the remains of a Stone Age settlement from about 4000-3500 B.C. during the excavation. It was most likely a place of residents for hunters and fishermen. The place is called "Prästberget" and at the time was an island. Disabled: Not suitable for the disabled. Directions: E18, exit towards Skåre. Continue through Råtorp and exit at Dyevägen. Then, the first road to the right. Prästberget.