7 Best Sights in The South and the Kingdom of Glass, Sweden

The attractive coastal town of Kalmar, opposite the Baltic island of Öland, is dominated by the imposing Kalmar Slott. Built in the 12th century, it was rebuilt in the 16th century by the Vasa kings. It remains the best preserved Renaissance castle in Northern Europe today. The living quarters, chapel, and dungeon can be visited—it's definitely worth a stop on your way in or out of Öland.

Boda Glasbruk, part of the Kosta Boda Company, is the second-oldest glassworks here, founded in 1864. The work here has an ethereal theme, with the designers drawing on cosmic bodies such as the sun and the moon. Much of the work has veils of violet and blue suspended in the crystal.

This is highly impressive building was designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Elder in 1660 in the Italian baroque style. Inside, the massive open spaces create stunning light effects. There are noon concerts on weekdays.

In addition to good archaeological and ethnographic collections, this museum contains the remains of the royal ship Kronan, which sank in 1676. Cannons, wood sculptures, and old coins were all raised from the seabed in 1980. Another exhibit focuses on Jenny Nyström, famous for her paintings of gnomes.

The Kingdom of Glass's oldest works, dating from 1742, was named for the two former generals who founded it, Anders Koskull and Georg Bogislaus Stael von Holstein. Faced with a dearth of local talent, they initially imported glassblowers from Bohemia. The Kosta works pioneered the production of crystal (to qualify for that label, glass must contain at least 24% lead oxide). You can see glassblowing off-season (mid-August–early June) between 9 and 3. To get to the village of Kosta from Kalmar, drive 49 km (30 mi) west on Route 25, then 14 km (9 mi) north on Route 28.

Now one of the best-known glass companies in Sweden, Orrefors arrived on the scene late—in 1898—but set particularly high artistic standards. The skilled workers in Orrefors dance a slow, delicate minuet as they carry the pieces of red-hot glass back and forth, passing them on rods from hand to hand, blowing and shaping them. The basic procedures and tools are ancient, and the finished product is the result of unusual teamwork, from designer to craftsman to finisher. From early June to mid-August you can watch glass being blown.

The royal family, the ministry of foreign affairs, and parliament have all commissioned work from Skruf, which started in 1896. Local farmers encouraged the development of the glassworks because they wanted a market for their wood. The factory specializes in lead-free crystal, which has a unique iridescence and form.