Tips for summer excursions

1. A bird lake with hiking trails and a visitor centre

Lake Hornborgasjön is one of Europe’s most important bird lakes, with a visitor centre up on pillars out over the lake at Fågeludden on its eastern shore. The visitor centre offers many exciting summer activities, such as treasure hunts, guided tours and bird-watching school. There are a number of excellent hiking trails around the lake in the nature reserve. You can find more to see and do at Lake Hornborgasjön here!

Tips!

• Just a stone’s throw from the visitor centre is Café Doppingen, offering refreshments and lunches accompanied by beautiful views of Lake Hornborgasjön.
• Discover beautiful art indoors and out at Löfwings Ateljé & Krog. They also serve home-made refreshments and lunches. And if you want to stay a little longer in the area, they offer charming B&B accommodation too.
• Other overnight accommodation options in the area include Nästegården, where you stay in a picturesque 19th-century setting with restored period buildings, and Bosgården with its charming cottages.

2. Sweden’s largest collection of ‘hill cottages’

Åsle Tå heritage centre has Sweden’s largest collection of preserved ‘hill cottages’. Wander along picturesque Tågatan, step inside the cottages and experience a unique historic environment dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. At Café & Restaurang Åsle Tå you can enjoy lovingly prepared dishes made with seasonal local and Swedish ingredients, home-made refreshments and ice cream.

Tips!

• A few kilometres from Åsle is interior design store Hem till mig, selling beautiful and classic interior design items with a country-living feel.
• Further afield is Wrågården, where you can view elk and bison, visit their farm shop, play football golf or enjoy refreshments or home-made pizza. If you want to extend your visit, you can stay overnight in a selection of cottages shaped like elk or bison.

3. Plateau mountain offering activities and beautiful views

At Mösseberg plateau mountain you can enjoy a variety of wonderful nature experiences, outdoor activities and beautiful views of Falbygden. The tracks and hiking trails on the mountain vary in length and type, and are suitable for walking, running and mountain-biking. You will also find a disc golf course, play areas, a lookout tower and a small animal park. 

Tips!

• Lunch or perhaps a spa day at Kurorten Mösseberg? Want to stay a little longer? They also offer overnight accommodation in a delightful spa resort setting.
• Small-town shopping in Falköping town centre, with a pleasing selection, charming cafés and first-rate service.
• A large cheese shop and delicatessen, refreshments and a cheese buffet can all be found at Falbygdens Osteria.
• The story of the gold collar from Ålleberg and the raspberry girl sacrificed in a bog are just a couple of the fascinating tales you can discover at Falbygdens Museum.

Did you know that...?

Mösseberg is 327 m above sea level and this table mountain forms part of Platåbergens Geopark – Sweden’s first UNESCO Global Geopark. Västergötland boasts 15 table mountains.

4. Mediaeval abbey ruins with picturesque views

The Cistercian abbey at Gudhem was a convent founded in the 1160s. It enjoys a beautiful setting with views over Lake Hornborgasjön. Today you can explore the abbey ruins and Gudhem parish church. There is also a small abbey garden and museum.

Tips!

• Shop for homewares and take a coffee break at Kdesign in Östra Tunhem.
• Go for a hike along the Pilgrimsleden Trail from Falköping to Varnhem, which runs past the abbey.
• Stay overnight at Islanna Trädhushotell, 6.5 metres up a tree.

Did you know that...?

Gudhem Abbey was where Arn’s betrothed Cecilia spent 20 years of penance, while Arn was sent to fight as a Knight Templar, in Jan Guillou’s Crusades trilogy.

5. One of Sweden’s largest tree collections

Outside Floby lies Alphems Arboretum, a park and garden created and planted by rural postman Frans Johan Gegerfeldt. It’s one of Sweden’s largest tree collections, and hidden amongst all the trees in the park stands his own little cottage that he built in 1903. He worked on his garden for 50 years, and wanted it to contain trees from around the world. The site now boasts over 200 different trees and bushes, as well as a variety of stone landscaping.

Tips!

• The park has a coffee shop serving treats to be enjoyed indoors or out, or you can bring along your own picnic to enjoy in the grounds.
• If you want to stay over in the area, Torpa Gård offers green fields of oak, flowering meadows and rural gravel roads right on the doorstep.

6. Back to ancient times

Travel back in time and discover how people and animals used to live in ancient times. Nestled in a peaceful oak forest outside Åsarp stands Ekehagen Ancient Village, with Stone Age huts, longhouses with animals, fields from the Bronze Age and an Iron Age farm with accompanying forge. Join a guided tour or try paddling a dug-out canoe, shooting a bow and arrow or other activities in the village.

Tips!

• Ekehagen has a café and restaurant where you can boost your energy levels during the day.
• The Ätradalsleden national cycle trail runs close to the ancient village. It runs from Falköping to Falkenberg, with roughly half of it on car-free railway embankments.

7. Experiments and inventions

Discover exciting experiments, tricky problems to solve and magical shows at Dalénium Science Center. In our experiment hall you can try out a multitude of activities. Why not test your audio memory or try making your way through the laser course without disrupting the beams? Next door to Dalénium is the Dalén Museum, which tells the inspiring story of Gustaf Dalén, the boy who was initially considered unteachable, but went on to receive the Nobel Prize. The advent of flashing lights in lighthouses saved lives, and that was just one of his many inventions. Explore Gustaf’s story through film, audio, light and the museum guides at this modern experience museum.

Tips!

• In Stenstorp you will also find Gunvor Johdets Bonadssamling, a small museum with 800 tapestries featuring thoughtful texts.

Remember to check our opening times before coming to visit, as these may vary during the season. You can find more excursion tips and information under the Things to do tab on our website!

Things to do