From Wikitravel

Karlstad [1] is in Värmland in Sweden. It is a University city located in the rural centre of the country. It was founded by King Karl IX in 1584, and is sited on an island of the Klarälven river, and beside Europe's largest freshwater lake, Lake Vänern. If it isn't raining, it is a cute little town. However, there is very little to do there.

Contents 1 Get in 2 Get around 3 See 4 Do 5 Buy 6 Eat 7 Drink 8 Sleep 9 Get out

Get in

Karlstad can be reached by direct train from Gothenburg and Stockholm in Sweden and Oslo in Norway.

A good alternative to the train are buses, with services by Swebus Express [2] and Säfflebussen [3].

Karlstad also has its own airport with business priced flights from Stockholm and Copenhagen, though Copenhagen flights have been discontinued on weekends. Do not get to the airport early for the morning flights. There will be no one there, and the cafe will not open before the flight.

Get around

The town centre is all walkable, so if you're coming to see the town there is no need to hire a car.

There is a good local bus service (especially to the university), but if you want to travel beyond the suburbs then a car is still the best way to go.

See

• Town centre. A mix of attractive, yet solid traditional Swedish buildings plus some modern ones.

• Mariebergsskogen, on the South side of the city (walkable from the centre). A small leisure park.

• Karlstad Cathedral.

• Värmlands Museum, at the corner where the Klarälven river splits to create the island that the city sits on.

Do

Walk beside the river, or the lake. Karlstad is best treated as a base to access the natural areas beyond.

Buy

There are plenty of shopping opportunities in the town centre, especially on Drottninggatan, Västra Torggatan and Östra Torggatan. Nothing you can't find everywhere else in Sweden though.

Eat

There are plenty of restaurants in the town centre, especially on Stora Torget (the main square).

Drink

• Bishop's Arms, Elite Stadt Hotel in the center of the town, by the main square. A nice pub.

Sleep

• Best Western Hotel.

Get out

Find a spot beside Lake Vänern and have a picnic or a barbecue, such as Skutberget.

If you are interested in Swedish literature, you can visit Alsters herrgård [4] and Mårbacka [5], where two well-known Swedish authors (Gustaf Fröding and Selma Lagerlöf) used to live and where there are museums nowadays.

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