Discover Örebro – Holiday Apartment, Nature and Culture

Örebro County is home to two national parks, Tiveden and Garphyttan; they offer visitors two different landscapes.

Nature

A nature tourism guide to Örebro County presents around 113 nature reserves and one national park. Tiveden National Park encompasses glacial boulder fields with rocks up to ten metres high. It also features caves and several lakes with a rugged, wild appearance. Garphyttan National Park was established in 1909 and is one of Sweden’s oldest national parks. It preserves an old cultural landscape with meadow plants and meadow animals, while the surrounding coniferous forest is developing into a natural forest.

Some nature reserves and national parks in Örebro County have paved paths, wheelchair-accessible picnic tables, guide strips for white canes, audio guides and clearly marked circular trails.

Hiking

Bergslagsleden is a 280-kilometre long-distance hiking trail through Örebro County, divided into 17 stages. Each stage has a rest area with a shelter, fire pit, firewood supply and toilet. Tiveden National Park has more than 34 kilometres of marked trails, with circular hikes ranging from 0.9 to 9.5 kilometres. Bergslagsleden is marked in orange on trees or posts; a digital map is available on the website, and the entire trail is included in the Naturkartan app. Stage 11 between Suttarboda and Leken passes through the north-western part of Garphyttan National Park.

Culture and History

Pershyttan is a protected cultural reserve with a 700-year mining history. There is a six-kilometre nature and cultural trail there that provides information about the history of the village. Near Hällefors, Krokbornsparken is considered Sweden’s oldest folk park; it was established in the late 18th century. The park offers refreshments, activities and events all year round, and guided tours can also be booked.

Tångeråsa Church is one of Sweden’s oldest and best-preserved medieval wooden churches. In summer, the Tångeråsa local heritage association organises history evenings, summer exhibitions and village evenings. The local heritage museum and handicraft shop can also be visited. The Yxhult Stoneworking Museum conveys the region’s past heyday and provides an insight into Swedish building culture.

In addition to the historic buildings of the ironworks, Brevens bruk offers mountain biking trails, bathing areas and a café. A popular Midsummer festival is held there every year. Örebro Castle is an open cultural heritage site with exhibitions, historical guided tours and a castle café.

Water and Leisure

The Hjälmare Canal is the waterway connecting Lake Hjälmaren and Lake Mälaren. It is considered a historic excursion destination that can be experienced with or without a boat. Vinön is the largest island in Lake Hjälmaren and is recommended for nature experiences and island life.

The Åstråket walking trail runs along the Svartån from the cultural and historical surroundings of Karlslund to the Oset and Rynningeviken nature reserve. This nature reserve offers wild nature, wetlands and pastureland, birdwatching and rest areas by Lake Hjälmaren. At the end of Åstråket, Naturens hus offers regional specialities as well as coffee and homemade pastries.

The entrances to the recreational areas in Kilsbergen can be reached from central Örebro by car or bus in around 25 minutes. Sörbybacken offers zip lines, a high ropes course, paintball and football golf. Lost City is a jungle-themed water park with adventure channels and wave machines.

Other regional destinations: Degerfors, Karlskoga, Lindesberg, Nora, Ljusnarsberg, Askersund, Hallsberg, Örebro, Vintrosa, Degerfors, Hällefors, Laxå, Kumla, Lekeberg, Loka.

For the overarching travel overview: Sweden.