Nature Reserve Hissö and Växjö

In the morning, we first took a hike in the Hissö Nature Reserve.

We circled the islands of Hissö and Musön, which were connected by a bridge.

We walked through beech forests and could repeatedly see Lake Helga in between.

On another island lies the ruins of Kronoberg, which we only saw from a distance. It played an important role in a conflict with the Danes, who ultimately destroyed it after reaching it over the frozen lake.

After the walk in nature, we headed into the city.

With its 71,000 inhabitants, Växjö is one of the larger cities in Småland.

During the Viking Age, it was an important trading post and the city became a bishopric as early as 1172.

The impressive cathedral from the 14th century still testifies to this.

In the 20th century, it was remodeled again, and the altar and pulpit have an unexpectedly modern appearance inside.

We strolled a bit through the shopping street and treated ourselves to a coffee, but found the city center otherwise not particularly noteworthy.

With the Adventure Lab app, we took a “historical tour” that took us past several museums and the old rectory.

We also walked to the former bishopric located not far from the center.

But it wasn't just the city, which also plays a role in some Swedish crime novels, that attracted us to the area, but also the Åsnens National Park, which is located nearby and would be our next stop.