Situated on Lake Vattern, between Sweden’s three largest cities (Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo), the Jonkoping area attracts more than 3 million visitors a year. Home to the country’s main express bus terminal (and appointed the best coach tourist city in 2011 by Bus and Coach Federation), Jonkoping is easy to access.
Vatterstranden
Sunny day at Vätterstranden.
Centrally located not far from the railway station and several kilometers long, Vatterstranden is a popular place to go sunbathing or swimming in summer.
Jonkoping Harbor
Linking the western and eastern parts of the town center, the harbor pier is a natural meeting place throughout summer with seven restaurants and clear views over the lake.
The Beach Walk
The 15 km long Beach Walk by Lake Vattern begins at the harbor pier and is a beautiful way to discover the surrounding area.
Activities on the Lake
Divided into two parts by Munksjon lake and a shorter canal, Jonkoping offers many water-based activities and the option to see the city from a different side.
Jonkoping County Museum
Closed for renovation until spring 2013, Jonkoping County Museum is worth waiting for with its art and cultural history exhibitions.
Jonkoping City Park
Situated on a plateau above downtown Jonkoping, the over 100-year-old City Park covers 37 hectare and is home to several historical memories.
Shopping
From east to west, Oster City to Vaster City, there is a varied and exciting range of around 200 shops in Jonkoping. Outside the central area, the A6 Center is one of Sweden’s largest shopping malls covering 90,000 sqm.
The Culture House Spira
Inaugurated in November 2011, the culture house Spira covers 15,000 sqm with four stages and houses a music and theatre center that produces over 800 concerts and performances a year.
Rosenlunds Bankar
A 35 meter high and 2 km long steep erosion, and a well-known glacial deposit in Sweden, the nature reserve Rosenlund is a distinctive part of the landscape between Jonkoping and neighboring Huskvarna.
Photos above courtesy of Smålandsbilder.se
Where to Stay
Familjen Ericsson’s CITY HOTEL
Standard double room.
Friendly service, a central location (three minutes from the railway station and one minute to restaurants), and spacious facilities aside, what family-owned Familjen Ericsson’s CITY HOTEL does even better is rooms. After a recent renovation, the hotel has 79 hotel rooms, including 31 single rooms, 28 double rooms, 8 double superior rooms, 7 business rooms, 2 three-bed rooms, 1 family room and 2 suites. Every room has wooden floors, comfortable bed, writing desk, cable TV, telephone, free Wi-Fi, hairdryer, and bathroom with shower. I loved my airy and stylishly decorated double room on the first floor, not what you’d expect from an unassuming family hotel.
A little tour around the hotel confirms that the hotel pays as much attention to each room with practical furniture, matching colors, tasteful interior, and large pictures of life on the lake in many of the rooms. For guests who want extra space, there are large double rooms available, as well as single rooms and rooms with private balcony.
The highlight at the CITY HOTEL is the 140 sqm relax area with one shared sauna, one steam sauna, one infra room/sauna and one bubble pool, as well as separate saunas for ladies and gentlemen.
On the ground floor, there’s a large lobby with lobby bar and bistro in the breakfast dining room, which is open during reception hours.
Above all, Familjen Ericsson’s CITY HOTEL proves that quality and low prices doesn’t need to exclude each other.
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