Attractions

Although Karlstad has its share of attractions, we think that Lake Vänern is the most compelling site in the area. So we recommend that, before treading the wide boulevards of Karlstad, you go cruising on this magnificent body of water. As Sweden's largest lake, it has a surface area of 2,152 sq. km (831 sq. miles).

The Vestrag is a small-scale lake cruiser with oversize windows and an onboard cafe. Its home port is Karlstad's Imre Hamn (Inner Harbor), where it embarks on between two and five cruises a day, depending on the schedule, between mid-June and late August. Tours average 1 hour in length and take in views of the city and the several islands situated near the entrance to its harbor. They cost 19SEK ($3.80/£1.90) for adults and 11SEK ($2.20/£1.10) for children ages 6 to 12 (free for children under 6). Longer cruises that carry you farther away from the waters around Karlstad are scheduled at least twice a week aboard the Polstjärnan, the only steam-driven cruiser left in the waters of Lake Vänern. The cruises explore the miniarchipelago near Karlstad in approximately 3 hours; they cost 280SEK to 320SEK ($56-$64/£28-£32) for adults and 180SEK to 200SEK ($36-$40/£18-£20) for kids 7 to 12; they're free for children under 7. Schedules vary from week to week and sometimes are canceled altogether because of inclement weather. For schedules and more information, contact Karlstad's tourist information office, or dial tel. 054/29-84-00.

A Nobel Attraction

Alfred Bernhard Nobel (1833-96), the chemist and armaments manufacturer who invented dynamite, hoped to somehow atone for the destruction caused by his creations. In the end, he got his wish: In his will, he created the Nobel Prize, and it's now one of the most prestigious awards in the world. His name is now synonymous with "peace," and the world has mostly forgotten his association with the exploding sticks.

To learn more about this complex man, it's best to go back to his roots. His home, a white-sided manor house otherwise known as Alfred Nobel's Björkborn, lies near the hamlet of Karlskoga at the edge of Lake Möckeln (tel. 0586/834-94). Here you can visit the laboratory where some of the arms that later made Nobel's fortune, and which instilled in him an overwhelming sense of guilt, were developed. The library inside is also considered extremely valuable by scholars. There's a cafe on-site and a staff that is proud of the site's role as the only Nobel-related museum in the world.

Admission is 80SEK ($16/£8), free for children under 10. It's open June to August Tuesday to Sunday 11am to 4pm, and in winter for groups by request. Take E18 56km (35 miles) east of Karlstad to the town of Karlskoga.