Borgholm Castle has stood on its clifftop above the Kalmar Sound for nearly 900 years. What you see today is the dramatic shell of a Baroque palace begun by King Karl X Gustav in the 1650s – never fully completed, severely damaged during the Kalmar War, and finally gutted by a catastrophic fire in 1806 that swept through the north wing in a single night and left these magnificent walls standing open to the sky.

The ruin is one of Sweden’s most important cultural heritage sites and one of Öland’s most visited landmarks.

What’s included:
Pre-booked entrance (not priority entry/skip-the-line)to Borgholm Castle and all indoor exhibitions
Access to the Children’s Castle – a fully interactive adventure for kids (archery, knight challenges, sword-in-the-stone and more)
Free audioguide via the Borgholm app (iOS/Android) – 15 stories in English, Swedish and German
Access to the castle gift shop

What to expect:
Wander through the remains of round Baroque towers, roofless great halls and centuries-old stone archways, with magnificent views of the Kalmar strait. Head inside to explore the permanent exhibition that tells the story of the castle’s nine lives – from 12th-century coastal fortress to Renaissance palace to royal hunting retreat to ruin. 

Don't miss this year's popular exhibition "Icons of Power" by the Swedish artist Andreas Englund.

Borgholm is located on Öland – a UNESCO World Heritage island connected to mainland Sweden by bridge, and just 15 minutes from the city of Kalmar.

Good to know:
Dogs welcome (on lead)
Cashless site
Open daily from late March to early November
The castle closes on certain concert days – see opening hours before you visit