Kalmar punches well above its weight for a small Swedish city. On this self-guided audio tour, you’ll find out how wars, royal power struggles, and sheer stubbornness shaped one of Scandinavia’s most strategically important cities. The tour starts by Kalmar’s old city wall, Gamla Stadsmuren, near Baronen shopping mall. You’ll climb onto the restored defensive ramparts for views over the water, and hear an introduction to the city’s turbulent history with Denmark.
As you stroll through streets lined with small wooden houses that once sheltered craftsmen and traders, you’ll hear stories about the city’s poorest residents. You’ll also hear a few dramatic Swedish Game of Thrones stories from the 1600s, including a hunger battle in Kalmar. The tour ends at Kalmar Castle, a medieval fortress transformed into a Renaissance palace by the sons of King Gustav Vasa and Lithuanian-Polish Princess Katarina Jagiellon, and where you will hear a ghost story of a lady roaming its towers.