Matthias Munz

From a village near Freiburg, Germany. Living and working in Penzberg, Bavaria. Passionate about bioinformatics, climbing and travelling. Adventurer. Programmer. Big data expert. Problem solver. Creator. Autodidact.

11 minute read

In August 2025, I spent two weeks in Sweden with my family in our campervan. Our 2.5-week round trip took us along the south and east coasts to Norrköping, about 150 kilometers south of Stockholm, then inland past Lake Vättern to Kattegat and from there back to our starting point. We were particularly impressed by the fascinating nature with its lakes, moors, forests, and archipelagos. One thing is certain for us: we definitely want to come back.

An-/Abreise

We traveled to and from Rostock and Trelleborg by ferry with StenaLine. We paid around €350 for two adults, one child, and a campervan for the round trip, without any extras. It was worth it to us to avoid driving through Denmark. An alternative option was the connection from Travemünde. The price was similar, and even included a cabin, but the departure was in the middle of the night. The morning departure from Rostock seemed much more relaxed to us.

The ferry departed at 7:30 a.m. and reached its destination after about six hours. For children, there is a little treasure hunt on board with a surprise at the end (slush ice and chocolate coins), which makes the crossing a little more entertaining.

On the outward journey, the ferry was quite full, and the only large lounge was correspondingly noisy. Fortunately, it was possible to find some peace and quiet on the outside deck, even though it was chilly and windy there. On the return journey, we spent a lot of time in the “quiet zone” with comfortable seats, where it was a little quieter. This area normally has to be paid for, but as it was rarely booked in advance, we were able to use it without any problems.

In retrospect, we would probably have chosen to travel home via Denmark (Ă–resund Bridge + Fehmarn crossing), as this allows for a more flexible return journey.

The Tour

On the Google Maps map above, we traveled counterclockwise, i.e., starting from Trelleborg, first along the east coast heading north and then back inland. We were on the road for a total of 3.5 weeks, including one week for arrival and departure and a visit to our old home in LĂĽbeck. Based on our experiences from our previous vacation in the south of France, we quickly abandoned our original plan to travel to both southern Norway and southern Sweden. The amount of driving would have been too stressful. Instead, we concentrated on a manageable part of Sweden. This allowed us to avoid long journeys, apart from the journey to and from southern Germany. This decision proved to be exactly the right one, and next time we can concentrate on another part of the country. In total, we covered around 1,800 kilometers in Sweden.

Tips

Food

Since food prices in Sweden are significantly higher than in Germany, we brought most of our non-perishable food with us from home and mainly bought fresh produce locally. Apart from visits to cafés and ice cream parlors, we always cooked for ourselves.

We baked bread rolls in our small oven for the gas stove, a solution we would choose again anytime.

As we are used to doing on our vacations in the Mediterranean, we also bought mineral water in PET bottles in Sweden. However, there is a noticeable difference in price: while a 1.5-liter bottle costs around 20 cents in Germany, in Sweden you pay around 1 euro or even more. For our next trip, we are therefore considering taking our Sodastream with us, along with a drinking water canister. Tap water in Sweden is consistently of drinking water quality, is chlorine-free, tastes very good, and can be refilled free of charge in many places, such as campsites.

We tried coffee in cafés again and again, but were generally dissatisfied with it. Fortunately, we had our own espresso maker with us, which we could rely on at any time.

Refueling

At the time of our trip, diesel prices were slightly lower than in Germany. It was therefore not necessary to fill up before the crossing, but we did so anyway due to a lack of knowledge. It is best to check fuel prices before the crossing. There is a gas station directly at the overseas port in Rostock (https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cf5WuBmuALR1igLP7).

Payment

In Sweden, apart from the showers at the campsites, for which you can buy tokens on site, we paid for everything by credit card. It was particularly convenient that we had already set up the payment function on our smartphone before the trip, which made payment much easier.

Weather

The weather in Sweden is less stable than in the Mediterranean. It is therefore advisable to remain flexible and adjust your itinerary if necessary, for example, by heading to the west coast instead of the east coast. We were fortunate with the weather and enjoyed sunny days except for one rainy day. The first week was very warm, with temperatures reaching 25 degrees Celsius. It got quite chilly at night (down to 8 degrees), and with the pop-up roof open, the inside of our campervan cooled down quite quickly. Our son slept up there in a slightly thicker sleeping bag and didn’t freeze. We also had an electric fan heater with us to keep us comfortably warm with our summer blankets. This also allowed us to conserve our gas bottle. One filling was easily enough for the entire 3.5 weeks, as we only used the gas for cooking, baking, and heating water.

Accommodation

Overall, we were satisfied with all the campsites and parking spaces we visited (more details below in the travel diary). August is already the off-season in Sweden, and the campsites were relatively empty. We only pre-booked for the Västervik Resort. If, like us, you want a parking space near the bridge to the archipelago islands, I can highly recommend it.

Prices were almost always around €30 per night (± €10), which we found absolutely fine compared to Italy. Showers usually have to be paid for separately in Sweden.

Travel diary

Day 0: Arrival in Rostock

  • Arrival in Rostock
  • Fill up at the overseas port (Google Maps)
  • Note: When we arrived in Sweden, the price of diesel was around SEK 16 (approx. €1.45), which was slightly cheaper than in Germany.
  • Overnight stay: at the old ferry terminal (Google Maps)

Day 1: Ferry crossing

  • Ferry crossing Rostock → Trelleborg (StenaLine)
    • Departure 7:30 a.m., arrival 1:30 p.m. (travel time 6 hours)
    • Large lounge, but quite noisy
    • Price for round trip: approx. €350
    • Comparison with TravemĂĽnde: departure at 3:00 a.m., 2 hours longer journey, incl. sleeping cabin, similar price → therefore decision in favor of Rostock
    • Tip: StenaLine offers a small children’s rally with a surprise (slush ice cream + chocolate coins), information available at the info point
  • Lunch break in Smygehuk (Google Maps)
    • Boutiques and places to eat ice cream
    • Walk along the coast, collect stones
  • Overnight stay: Borrbystrands campsite (Google Maps)
    • Long beach with very fine sand, nice walk
    • Many permanent campers with privacy screens, which took some getting used to
    • Showers must be paid for separately (seems to be very common in Sweden)

Day 2: Hiking and Ă–land Island

  • Circular hike in Stenshuvud National Park (Google Maps)
  • Length: 4.5 km
  • Highly recommended, child-friendly
  • Beautiful viewpoints, good parking facilities
  • Tour details via Komoot:
  • Visit to the Kivik Cider Factory (Google Maps)
  • Tasting different apple juices and ciders
  • Overnight stay: Krono Camping Saxnäs campground (Google Maps) on Ă–land
  • We opted for a pitch without electricity (approx. €37)
  • Our pitch was right next to the playground and close to the sanitary facilities
  • Very clean and well maintained
  • Beautiful sunsets

Day 3: Swimming and bike tour

  • Relaxed morning (swimming & relaxing) at the campsite
  • Running (6.5 km)
    • Three marked routes of varying lengths start from the campsite
    • Starting point: Google Maps
  • Bike tour (10 km) to Mormors Stenungsbageri CafĂ© (Google Maps)
    • Delicious cinnamon and cardamom rolls, outdoor seating
    • Coffee, as so often, only mediocre
    • Tour details via Komoot:
  • Grill sausages in the evening at the campsite barbecue area
  • Overnight stay: Krono Camping Saxnäs campsite (Google Maps)

Tag 4: Explore Ă–land

  • Running (4.5 km) (Starting point)
  • Driving across the campsite in a Kettcar (with two seats)
  • Seal and bird watching in Eckelsudde (Google Maps)
    • Seals south of the parking lot, birds north
    • There is a jetty at the parking lot, which is also suitable for swimming
  • Eating ice cream at Grönhögens GlasscafĂ© (Google Maps)
  • Fishing in the harbor of Grönhögen (no bites)
  • LĂĄnge Jan lighthouse at the southern tip of Ă–land (Google Maps)
    • Climb to the top for a fee, great view
    • Lots of birds, plus seal sightings (binoculars recommended)
    • Return trip to the campsite along the east coast of Ă–land (relatively unspectacular)
  • Overnight stay: Krono Camping Saxnäs campsite (Google Maps)

Day 5: Kalmar and onward journey to Västervik

  • Morning mini golf at the campsite
  • Shopping in Kalmar
    • Artificial bait purchased at the fishing shop (Google Maps)
    • Grocery shopping at Coop (Google Maps)
    • There is also a Lidl in Kalmar, which is probably cheaper
    • Note: Sparkling water is very expensive (approx. €1 for 1.5 l) → Water canisters and a soda maker would be a better solution
    • Visited the shopping mall right next to Coop
  • Stroll through Kalmar
    • Walk through the city
    • Delicious ice cream at the Gelato Factory (Google Maps)
  • Overnight stay: Västervik Resort (Google Maps)
    • Pre-booked pitch 391 in the “Kapell” area for three nights
    • In our opinion, “Kapell” is the most beautiful part of the campsite and is very close to the small archipelago islands, which are connected by bridges
  • Fishing on small archipelago islands in the evening
    • Caught a large perch
    • Highlight: Our son caught his first fish (perch) 🎣

Day 6: Enjoying the archipelago

  • Cycling around the campsite
    • The site is very large, with areas of varying character
    • We liked our area best
  • Stand-up paddleboarding
  • Fishing (caught perch)
  • Enjoyed the sunset on a small island in the evening
  • Overnight stay: Västervik Resort (Google Maps)

Day 7: Bike tour & fishing

  • Bike tour to Gränsö Nature Reserve
    • Visit to the candle factory “Gränsö Slottsljusstöperi” (Google Maps); very interesting and highly recommended
    • You may have to push your bike for the last part of the tour
    • Good fishing spots at the end of the route
    • Tour details via Komoot:
  • Evening fishing
  • Overnight stay: Västervik Resort (Google Maps)

Day 8: Onward journey to Sankt Anna

  • Shopping at Lidl (Google Maps)
  • Hike
    • Short loop on the Trollskog sculpture trail in Gamleby with a beautiful viewpoint
    • Tour details via Komoot:
  • Accommodation: Källbuktens Camping Sanden (Google Maps)
    • Pitch at the waterfront, close to the sanitary facilities
    • Access only by prior telephone call
    • Very quiet, beautiful campsite
    • Garbage containers are located at the entrance, so always a bit of a walk
  • SUP & fishing
    • Took the SUP to a rock (Google Maps)
    • First cast: 25 cm perch
    • Third cast: 55 cm pike
    • Plus several more bites and a smaller perch

Day 9: Bike tour and games

  • Bike tour to Tyrislöt
    • Visit to the cafĂ© of the same name (Google Maps)
    • The cafĂ© belongs to a campsite through which the road to the ferry terminal leads
    • We liked our campsite much better in comparison
  • Afternoon program in the rain
    • First rainy day of the trip
    • Watched an animal film by Andreas Kieling (https://www.zdf.de/dokus/kielings-wilde-welt-118)
    • Watched Garfield on Kika (https://www.kika.de/garfield/the-garfield-show-100)
    • Played music jam session and games
  • Beautiful sunset
  • Overnight stay: Källbuktens Camping Sanden (Google Maps)

Day 10: Farewell to the archipelago, hello inland

  • Flying kites in the morning (didn’t work very well)
  • Visit to the Airport Museum in Linköping (Google Maps)
    • Unfortunately, many explanations are only in Swedish
    • Highly recommended for children: the interactive “Science Center Flylabbet”
  • Overnight stay: BauerGĂĄrden i Bunn campsite (Google Maps)
  • Fishing in the evening: pike (40–45 cm)

Day 11: Bike tour & sauna

  • Bike tour to Gränna and back
  • Visits in Gränna
    • Crispbread factory (Google Maps)
    • Candy factory (Google Maps)
    • Gränna Museum AndrĂ©e Expeditions Polar Center (Google Maps)
      • Theme: AndrĂ©e Expedition, attempt to reach the North Pole by balloon at the end of the 19th century
  • Highly recommended, also for children
  • Wellness at the campsite: Sauna with swimming in the lake (included in the price at certain times)
  • Evening fishing: (bream on worms & float)
  • Overnight stay at the BauerGĂĄrden i Bunn campsite (Google Maps)

Day 12: Store Mosse National Park

  • Shopping at Lidl in Jönköping (Google Maps)
  • Hike in Store Mosse National Park
    • Lilla Lövö Runt circular trail (6.2 km)
    • Parking: Google Maps
    • Tour details via Komoot:
    • Coffee and waffles at the large bird tower (Google Maps)
  • Overnight stay: Ă…gĂĄrds Camping campground (Google Maps)
    • You can buy quail eggs there, 6 for 60 SEK

Day 13: Mushrooms, blueberries, and lingonberries in Store Mosse National Park

  • Hike
    • Starting point parking lot: Google Maps
    • Tours: Blädöpet Runt (5.2 km) and Lövö Runt (3.6 km)
    • Tour details via Komoot:
    • Picnic at rest area with fountain and restrooms (Google Maps)
  • Mushrooms collected & cooked
    • Various boletes: birch bolete, red-footed bolete, porcini mushroom, chestnut bolete
    • Used to make a cream sauce with pasta and Parmesan cheese
  • Berries collected & tasted
    • Blueberries and cranberries (not quite ripe yet)
    • Delicious with sugar on waffles or in quark
  • Overnight stay: Bolmens Camping (Google Maps)

Day 14: Kattegat

  • Stopover at Danska Falls Nature Reserve
    • Hike with geocache hunt
    • Tour details via Komoot:
  • Overnight stay: Skallkroken campsite (Google Maps)
  • Afternoon/evening
    • Fishing at the marina
    • Walk on the beach
    • Sunset at Kattegat

Day 15: Malmö

  • Running (6.5 km)
    • Tour details via Komoot:
  • Beach activities
    • Walk on the beach
    • Collected and painted shells
  • Shopping at Lidl (Google Maps)
  • Visit to Malmö city and ice cream
  • Overnight stay: Torshög parking space near Trelleborg (Google Maps)

Day 16: Ferry Trelleborg – Rostock

  • Ferry crossing from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • Significantly less activity on board than on the outward journey

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